“The Teecha” rote:

MBT has presented a topic for debate: What is the exact nature of praise: its meaning, content and practice.

Mark: Yep! I have offered to debate any pente on this subject. (DEbate and discussiion is NOT merely vomitting bible verses!)

TT: Understandably, there are NG members who have been avoiding some they have regarded as “trolls”… but with that being said, herein lies an excellent opportunity to let rip with what we have understanding of in this subject- while still being open enough and teachable enough to possibly learn something we may not have considered previously about praise. So you might say this is more a discussion than a debate… regardless, it is worth a good look at by anyone who contributes to this NG.

M: Discussion / debate DOES NOT MEAN QUOTING BIBLE VERSES!!! Prove your argument with solid logic. I have not used a single bible verse in the following explanation bnut the principle is applicable to every bible verse.

Let me start with an example I have used over the past 20 years in sermons, seminars and articles.

Pente “praise” is the Pente Mantra which goes something like this:

“Hallelujah! Praise the Lord! Glory to God! Jesus, Jesus, Jesus! Bless the Lord! Amen.”

It is usually repeated ad nauseum by pentes as though God is impressed the more you say it!

Words have meaning. The meaning ascribed to words is found in dictionaries. The meaning ascribed to words is not merely the meaning that pentes ascribe to the words.

Does one praise God anywhere in the Pente Mantra: “Hallelujah! Praise the Lord! Glory to God! Jesus, Jesus, Jesus! Bless the Lord! Amen.”????

Suppose I chanted to my wife in the same manner: “HalleluBev! Praise the Wife! Glory to Bev! Bev, Bev, Bev! Bless the Wife! So let it be!”

Have I praised my wife with these words? NO!

What makes you think that chanting “Hallelujah! Praise the Lord! Glory to God! Jesus, Jesus, Jesus! Bless the Lord! Amen.” is praising God???

“Hallelujah! Praise the Lord! Glory to God! Jesus, Jesus, Jesus! Bless the Lord! Amen.” can also be translated as ” Let’s praise YHWH! Let us praise the Lord! Let us give glory to God! Jesus, Jesus, Jesus! Let us bless the Lord! Let it happen.”

“Hallelujah! Praise the Lord! Glory to God! Jesus, Jesus, Jesus! Bless the Lord! Amen.” are CALLS to praise and NOT THE PRAISE ITSELF!. The Psalmist says “Praise the Lord BECAUSE ….” The words after “because” are the praise. “Praise the Lord!” means “Let us praise the Lord!” It is an invitation to praise and not praise within itself.

In the same manner I can say “Let’s praise my wife because …” What follows the “because” is the praise. “Let’s praise my wife” is not praise per se.

The Macquarie Dictionary (The Australian standard from one of my universities) sates:

PRAISE:

n. 1. – the act of expressing approval or admiration

v. 2. – to express approval or admiration of

Other dictionaries define PRAISE with words like: – warm approbation – commend the m,erits of – extol the attributes of

This means that praise has CONTENT. Where is the CONTENT in the Pente Mantra??? There is NO CONTENT as it is merely a CALL TO PRAISE NOT PRAISE ITSELF!

The CONTENT OF THE PRAISE is what comes after “(Let us) praise God because …”

Another way of looking at it is by asking the question: “Why praise God?” The answer is “Praise God because …..” Whatever your answer to WHY is the PRAISE! This has CONTENT and MEANING.

The pente Mantra has NO CONTENT and WRONG MEANING attached to it.

Example: “Why praise my wife?” The answer is “Praise my wife because …..” Whatever your answer to WHY is the PRAISE! This has CONTENT and MEANING.

The fundamentalist Francis Schaeffer pointed out the deficiency with pentecostals as being one of NO MEANING OR CONTENT in the words that are used. This is true! They have their own Christianese Pente Talk which is not releated to the real world …or to the bible!

This is simple basic plain English.

I am willing to debate anyone on this issue. Please try to avoid mere vomitting of bible verses. If you use a bible verse EXPLAIN its CONTENT and MEANING. Do not think that quoting a bible verse is proof of anything. It isn’t!