Dr. Cathy Burns

Part I

Holy Bartender Joke

In a previous article we looked at the originsof the March for Jesus. In this paper we are going to examine one particularphenomenon which some of the founders of this march are involved in. Thefounders were Graham Kendrick, Lynn Green, Roger Forster, and Gerald Coates,and the phenomenon to which I am referring is the so-called 'holy' laughter.

Roger Forster, who also heads Ichthus Fellowships, and Gerald Coates,who also leads the Pioneer network of charismatic churches in England,are two among many who have endorsed this movement.(1) Coates 'noticedlimited incidents of people laughing and crying uncontrollably, or fallingon the floor as if overcome by God's power.'(2) He also learned of otherchurches in which people were laughing and collapsing to the floor.'(3)Charisma magazine reports:

'Without him referring to the phenomenon from the pulpit, thelaughter broke out at his own church, Pioneer People, in southwest London.'We saw it happening throughout the month of May,' said Coates, who alsois a leader in the March for Jesus organization.

'According to Coates, congregations have been transformed sincethe movement began. In his own church there has been 'a new spirit' anda fresh generosity among members. Stories of changed lives pour into hisoffice daily. 'It's a different church,' he said.'(4) Coates adds: 'Thiscould be the biggest thing to hit the church in my lifetime.'(5)

Such a report of 'changed lives' may sound wonderful but we need to knowmore of the background of this phenomenon before we jump on the bandwagon.

Holy laughter, also known as the 'Toronto Blessing,' 'a time of refreshing,'another Pentecost,'(6) and 'laughing in the spirit'(7) is encircling theglobe including places such as Argentina, Cambodia, China, Switzerland,Australia, Germany, New Zealand, Sweden, Britain, Canada, Ireland, UnitedStates, and South Africa.(8) The person who is most responsible for thisphenomenon is Rodney Howard-Browne, a South African evangelist who wasborn in 1961.

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2. Rodney (Morgan) Howard-Browne (born June 12, 1961) is a South African-born American Christian evangelist and conspiracy theorist. He has resided in Tampa, Florida since the mid-1990s and is pastor of The River Church in Tampa Bay. The River is considered both Pentecostal and Charismatic with revival meetings, led by Howard-Browne, known for those in the audience breaking into 'holy laughter'.

In his book, The Touch of God, Howard-Browne describes an experiencehe had in 1979:

'Suddenly the fire of God fell on me. It started on my headand went right down to my feet. His power burned in my body and stayedlike that for three whole days..

'My whole body was on fire from the top of my head to the solesof my feet. Out of my belly began to flow a river of living water. I beganto laugh uncontrollably and then I began to weep and then speak with othertongues.

'I was so intoxicated on the wine of the Holy Ghost that Iwas literally beside myself. The fire of God was coursing through my wholebeing and it didn't quit..Because of that encounter with the Lord, mylife was radically changed from that day on.'(9)

In 1987, Howard-Browne 'prophesied that God would send missionaries toAmerica for revival, which he has defined as manifestations of 'supernaturalsigns and wonders.' '(10) In April 1989, while he was preaching, some unusualmanifestations began to take place: 'People began falling out of theirseats; some were laughing and others were crying.'(11)

Holy Bartender Meaning

Uncontrollable Laughter

By the Spring of 1993 Howard-Browne was attracting large crowds of peopleincluding individuals from Africa, Argentina, and Great Britain who weredrawn to his meetings because of the unusual phenomenon of laughter takingplace. Charisma magazine revealed: 'No matter what Howard-Browne did orsaid, hundreds who attended the daily sessions always ended up on the sanctuaryfloor in helpless laughter. When the services were broadcast on the radio,more curious seekers showed up to join the fun.'(12)

This laughter can break out during a communion service or even whenserious sermons are preached. Rodney Howard-Browne reported: 'One nightI was preaching on hell, and laughter just hit the whole place. The moreI told the people what hell was like, the more they laughed.' 'The HolyGhost..might have you do something that no one's ever done before, andhe might have you do something that's totally unique. But don't question,and don't argue, and don't ask, and don't try to devise and to plan itout but just follow the prompting of the leading of the Spirit of God and,oh, great and wonderful things shall be done, for God will move in diverseways and with diverse anointings in these last days.'

Obviously, laughing during a communion service or during a sermon onhell can hardly be called the 'leading of the Spirit of God,' yet we arebeing told that this movement is of God. For example, Charles and FrancesHunter, proponents of 'holy laughter,' relate: 'There is a powerful newwind of the Holy Spirit blowing, but it's lots more than a rushing mightywind! There's an energizing, forceful sound that's coming with this newwind of the Spirit and it is the exciting sound of joy, joy, joy, joy!Not only an inward joy, but it's bringing a vocal joy, a holy laughter,right along with it. It's energetically stirring us to higher levels withGod!'(13)

The Hunters also brag: 'The Spirit of God is swiftly moving in breathtakingand sometimes startling new ways, and people of every tongue and everynation are letting out what is on the inside of them..they are runningat a fast pace to 'Joel's Bar' where the drinks are free and there is nohangover!..one of today's signs 'in the earth beneath' is the 'holy laughter'which is supernaturally overcoming people in services all over the world!'(14)

Jill Austin exclaims: 'The joy of the Lord started with bubbling andended with a flood of laughter in Toledo, Ohio, as the refreshing moveof the Holy Spirit touched the people. We had never seen such a wide-spreadoutbreak of hilarious laughter hit a group for almost an hour. Adults andchildren acted like there was one big 'swimming party' and they enjoyedthemselves to the fullest!'(15)

Unsaved Hippies Zapped

Can anyone be filled with this 'holy' laughter? Apparently so! Howard-Browneenjoys 'zapping' people with this anointing by commanding them to laugh.Of course, they don't have to be saved before receiving this 'infilling.'Howard-Browne 'proudly says that he lines up on the stage a row of unbelievinghippies with their mohican haircuts and earrings, and then goes down theline laying hands on them and making them fall over, again and again, untilthey 'accept the Lord.' '(16)

Tricia Tillin reports that in one video of Howard-Browne's meetings,she 'saw little talk of repentance or holiness and there was no reverenceof God. People were 'zapped' no matter what their lifestyles or circumstances,no matter if they were saved or not. The Spirit of God is not indiscriminate.Satan is!'(17)

The Bible clearly tells us that the Holy Ghost is only given to themthat obey God (Acts 5:32). John 14:17 states that the world cannot receivethe Spirit of truth. Ephesians 1:13 reveals that it was only after an individualbelieved that he was sealed with the Holy Spirit. Since 'holy' laughtercan be received by those who are unsaved, we can plainly see that thisphenomenon is not of God.

Also, under the so-called 'anointing' of 'holy' laughter, some peopleeven start to rip their clothes off.(18) There's one place in the Biblewhich tells us about a person taking his clothes off. This individual,however, was not a Christian. Luke 8:27 tells us that this man 'had devilslong time, and ware no clothes, neither abode in any house, but in thetombs.' In other words, he was demon possessed. After Jesus cast out thedemons, the Bible reveals that this man was found 'sitting at the feetof Jesus, clothed, and in his right mind' (Luke 8:35; Mark 5:15). Peoplein heathen lands who get saved also have a tendency to put clothes on,but in the meetings where so-called 'holy' laughter is taking over, peopleare taking their clothes off. Isn't this fact alone enough to reveal tous that this movement is not of the Holy Spirit but is of the spirit ofSatan?

Laugh Or Suffer The Consequences

Not only is this move not of God but people who attend these meetings areactually coerced into experiencing the laughter. Howard-Browne intimidatesand humiliates people by calling them 'ugly,' 'sad,' etc., if they don'tlaugh.(19) Al Dager even reports: 'On several occasions I've witnessedhim 'slay people in the Spirit,' and if they didn't begin to laugh he wouldplace his foot on their stomach and tell them to laugh. Some he would kickas they lay there, and accuse them of not yielding to the Holy Spirit.He would keep at it until they would obviously begin to force some kindof laugh out of themselves.'(20)

With such tactics, it's no wonder that even Howard-Browne has describedone of his services as 'total pandemonium.' In fact, here are his own words:'I remember one service where I just went and sat down for an hour anda half. I just went and sat down. Well, there was nothing else I coulddo. Total pandemonium--people falling off of their chairs, people crying,people laughing and some were wailing--some were shaking. So, I just saidto the people, I said, 'Look, just come up when you're ready and lift yourhands and God will touch you.' I was sitting on the platform--just satthere and watched them for about an hour and a half. People came rightup, got to the front, lifted their hands--BAM!--on the floor. I just satthere. I didn't even pray. You say, 'What'd you do?' I just sat there andtwiddled my thumbs. I thought, 'Lord, I wish every meeting was as easyas this.' Now I had preached the word already and taught the word of God,and then I went and sat down. And they came walking up, got to the front,lifted their hands--BAM!--under the power of God.'(21)

Who Is In Control?

Some other phenomena that take place at these laughing revivals include:'shaking, jerking, loss of bodily strength, heavy breathing, eyes fluttering,lips trembling, oil on the body, changes in skin color, weeping, laughing,'drunkenness,' staggering, travailing, dancing, falling, visions, hearingaudibly into the spirit realm, inspired utterances--i.e. prophecy, tongues,interpretation, angelic visitations and manifestations, jumping, violentrolling, screaming, wind, heat, electricity, coldness, nausea as discernmentof evil, smelling or tasting good or evil presences, tingling, pain inbody as discernment of illness, feeling heavy weight or lightness, trances--alteredphysical state while seeing and hearing into the spiritual world, inabilityto speak normally, disruption of natural realm--i.e. electrical circuitsblown, the 'fire of God' burning you that you have to remove some clothing,pawing people and roaring like a lion, walking like a chicken, howlinglike a wolf, digging the ground with hoofs like a bull while prophesying,flying like an eagle, throwing communion bread around to show your joyin the Lord, screaming AHHHHH as a mighty warrior to stop the preachingof the word of God during a service, incoherent babbling, pounding thefloor with your arms while holding a conversation in tongues with the ministerin charge of the service, feeling electricity shoot through your body,affecting electronic scanning devices in airports, etc.'(22)

Do the above disturbances and commotions sound like something that isScriptural? Hardly! I Corinthians 14:40 clearly states: 'Let all thingsbe done decently and in order.' Think of the sacredness of a communionservice and then envision having this bread which represents the body ofour Savior, Jesus Christ, being thrown around and desecrated. Not onlyis something of this nature not 'done decently and in order' but is itextremely disrespectful and blasphemous. Blasphemy and irreverence, however,seem to proliferate during these laughing meetings. For example, RodneyHoward-Browne calls himself the 'Holy Ghost bartender.'(23) He claims heis serving 'new wine'(24) and Charles and Frances Hunter refer to thisas ' 'Joel's Bar' where the drinks are free and there is no hangover!'(25)Howard-Browne encourages people to: 'Take another drink..the bar is open..Befilled! We loose the power! Have another drink!'(26) Romans 14:17 tellsus: 'For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, andpeace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.' Also, we cannot loose the power. OnlyGod can do this.

As can be seen, the Holy Ghost is taken lightly. Not only is HowardBrowne supposedly a 'Holy Ghost bartender' but Frances Hunter makes mentionof 'Holy Ghost glue.' Describing her laughing experience, she relates:'We went to a Full Gospel Businessmen's Fellowship banquet in Houston..Theman [the speaker] said, 'Well, Jesus, bless Frances!' Down I went fasterthan you could blink an eye, followed one second later by my precious husband!..Itried to get my hands off of the floor, but nothing happened. I couldn'tbelieve what had happened to me, because it was physically impossible forme to move..I felt as though someone had given me a divine alka seltzerbecause way down deep in the very center of my being I began to feel amost peculiar type of `bubbling.'..then it abruptly came out of my mouthin the form of the loudest laugh I have ever heard..no pressure on mymouth could keep the laughing back. I laughed, laughed, laughed and laughed..Istopped laughing just as quickly as I started, and suddenly I was releasedfrom the bed of Holy Ghost glue in which I had been resting!'(27)

Laughter Brings Demon Oppression

We opened this article with Gerald Coates (a co-founder of the March forJesus) claiming there were changed lives from this laughing phenomenon.Proponents do point to changed lives and other seemingly positive results.However, Al Dager reveals that 'there are also reports of demonic oppression,suicidal feelings, and loss of faith after the holy laughter experience.'(28)Obviously, such results would not take place if this phenomenon were ofGod. In fact, Galatians 5:22-23 points out that 'the fruit of the Spiritis love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness,temperance: against such there is no law.'

Holy Bartender Drink

Actually, the spectacle of uncontrollable laughter and animal noisesmay be new to the church world but the occult has known such phenomenafor a long time. Joy Smith, an ex-follower of Swami Baba Muktananda disclosesthat the Swami 'would transfer what was called 'guru's grace' to his followersthrough Shaktipat (physical touch). This 'grace' triggered the gradualawakening of the Kundalini which in turn produced various physical andemotional manifestations. Manifestations included uncontrollable laughing,roaring, barking, hissing, crying, shaking, etc. Some devotees became muteor unconscious. Many felt themselves being infused with feelings of greatjoy and peace and love. At other times the 'fire' of Kundalini was so overpoweringthey would find themselves involuntarily hyperventilating to cool themselvesdown.'(29)

We also find that Anton Mesmer, a Mason and the founder of 'animal magnetism'or 'mesmerism,' which was the forerunner of hypnosis, and who called hissessions 'seances,' was able to cause uncontrollable laughter. One occultbook gives this description of his sessions: ' 'His patients sat rounda large oak tub which was filled with water, iron filings and powderedglass, and from which iron rods protruded. The patients applied these rodsto the afflicted parts of their bodies while Mesmer marched about majesticallyin a pale lilac robe, passing his hands over the patients' bodies or touchingthem with a long iron wand. The results varied. Some patients felt nothingat all, some felt as if insects were crawling over them, others were seizedwith hysterical laughter, convulsions or fits of hiccups. Some went intoraving delirium, which was called 'The Crisis' and was considered extremelyhealthful.' '(30)

Another report of his sessions reveals the following: ' 'Some are calm,tranquil and experience no effect. Others cough, spit, feel slight pains,local or general heat, and have sweatings. Others, again, are agitatedand tormented with convulsions. These convulsions are remarkable in regardto the number affected with them, to their duration and force. They arepreceded and followed by a state of languor or reverie..Patients experiencedmore or less violent perspiration, palpitations, hysterics, catalepsy,and sometimes a condition resembling epilepsy.' '(31)

Yet another interesting factor is that Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh was calledthe 'divine drunkard' by his followers.(32) Hundreds of people flew toIndia to 'drink' from Rajneesh's 'wine.'(33) 'Often referred to as being'drunk on the divine,' Rajneesh encouraged his followers to come and 'drink'from him. Bhagvhan's (sic) spiritual 'wine' was often passed along witha single touch to the head. Many of his Sannyasins [disciples] would fallto the floor in ecstasy after their encounters with Rajneesh.'(34) (Doesthis sound strangely familiar?! Something is wrong with the church whenit starts to experience the same phenomena as the occultists.)
Storage drive for mac.

In an additional article we will look at several more individuals whohave endorsed the laughing revival, but in the meantime, 'Beloved, believenot every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: becausemany false prophets are gone out into the world' (I John 4:1).

--Dr. Cathy Burns

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1 Tricia Tillin, 'Is It Revival?,' Mainstream (Summer 1994), p.3.

2 Christian News (November 7, 1994, Vol. 32, No. 41), p.3.

3 Ibid.

4 Ibid.

5 Ibid.

6 Ed Tarkowski, 'The Laughing Phenomena: From South Africa to St. Louisto Toronto to Your Church' (Part I), The Christian Conscience (February1995,

Vol. 1, No. 2), p.21.

7 Ed Spurlin, 'Unholy Laughter,' Voice in the Wilderness (February 1995,Vol. 2, Issue 2), p.1.

8 Tarkowski, 'The Laughing Phenomena' (Part I), op. cit., p.23.

9 Ibid, quoting Bill Randles, p.22.

10 Ibid, quoting from 'The Good Life' program which was broadcasted April20, 1994.

11 Ibid, quoting Bill Randles; Albert James Dager, 'Holy Laughter: Rodney

Howard-Browne and the Toronto Blessing,' Media Spotlight, (1995), p.2.

12 Tarkowski, 'The Laughing Phenomena' (Part I), op. cit., quoting Bill

Randles; Albert James Dager, 'Holy Laughter: Rodney Howard-Browne and theToronto Blessing,' Media Spotlight, (1995), p.11.

13 Albert James Dager, 'Holy Laughter: Rodney Howard-Browne and the TorontoBlessing,' Media Spotlight, (1995), p.6.

14 Ed Tarkowski quoting David W. Cloud from O Timothy magazine Volume 11,Issue 9-10, 1994.

15 Jill Austin, Passion & Fire Conferences.

16 Tillin, op. cit., p.5-6.

17 Ibid., p.6.

18 Ibid., p.5.

19 Dager, op. cit., p.7.

20 Ibid., p.7, 9.

21 Tarkowski, 'The Laughing Phenomena' (Part I), op. cit., quoting froma TBN video-taped service which was broadcasted on May 1994, p.23-24.

22 Ed Tarkowski.

23 Joel C. Gerlach, 'Holy Laughter Is No Laughing Matter,' Christian News

(April 17, 1994, Vol. 33, No. 16), p.4; Dager, op. cit., p.10.

24 Ibid.

25 Tarkowski quoting David W. Cloud, op. cit., p.22.

26 Ed Tarkowski.

27 Tarkowski, 'The Laughing Phenomena' (Part I), op. cit., quoting fromDavid Cloud, p.25.

28 Dager, op. cit., p.1.

29 Warren Smith, 'Holy Laughter or Strong Delusion?,' SCP Newsletter, (Fall

1994, Vol. 19:2), p.14.

30 Alan Morrison quoting Richard Cavendish, The Serpent and the Cross:

Religious Corruption in an Evil Age (Birmingham, England: K & M Books,1994), p.249, 473-474.

31 Ibid, quoting R. B. Ince, p.249.

32 Joseph R. Chambers, ' 'Holy' Laughter' (Part II), The End Times and

Victorious Living, (January/February 1995, Vol. 9, No. 1), p.1; Smith,op.

cit., p.1.

33 Smith, op. cit., p.1.

34 Ibid, p.14.

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Rodney Howard Browne is the infamous “Holy Ghost Bartender,” the charismatic prophet who became famous by acting drunk under the supposed influence of the Holy Spirit and mesmerizing the crowd who would similarly act drunk and out of control. You can watch his drunkenness below.

I attended a Rodney Howard Browne event in Dickinson, North Dakota, in October of last year. Browne regaled the crowd with tales of false prophecy and vast conspiracy theories. He likened President Trump to the Messiah several times. After a solid hour of talking about the New World Order, I eventually interrupted the preachers and pointed out there hadn’t been any gospel (it turned out about like you would think).

In the meantime, Browne is out with a new book about the New World Order, and he went on Alex Jones’ Info Wars to shill the book. And that’s a whole lot of crazy in one place.

There was no Gospel whatsoever, but like the event in Dickinson, North Dakota with Browne, there was lots of conspiracy talk. You can watch below.

Holy Bartender Dogma

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