Topic: Toddling pastor wowing churchgoers in Mississippi

[sainthieu]

UK Daily Mail:

He is a famous preacher, whose eloquence and energy has inspired church congregations and wowed millions of followers online.

And aged just four years old, he's pretty cute as well.

If you think you can stand it, watch the video.

[Tallitot]

wow. Is he Christian, Jewish, Moslem, Hindu or Zoroastrian? I don't know since I couldn't understand a thing he said. How could his parents let him be exploited thsi way? Turned into a novelty act.

[Shiny]

wow. Is he Christian, Jewish, Moslem, Hindu or Zoroastrian? I don't know since I couldn't understand a thing he said. How could his parents let him be exploited thsi way? Turned into a novelty act.

The link says Pentecostal.

I busted out laughing seeing the VeggieTales Bible cover.

[Tallitot]

now on the other hand, when i was an acolyte in the EO church, occasinally a toddler would wander back into the altar and we had little white tunics and little processional crosses for them so they could 'serve' they would even get blessed to robe etc, some as young as 2 or 3. same "cuteness" factor.

[Shiny]

Turned into a novelty act.

The irony here is the movement itself is a novelty. He should be young enough to convey speaking in tongues quite well.

[elijahmaria]

now on the other hand, when i was an acolyte in the EO church, occasinally a toddler would wander back into the altar and we had little white tunics and little processional crosses for them so they could 'serve' they would even get blessed to robe etc, some as young as 2 or 3. same "cuteness" factor.

That is a wonderful idea.  Wish more parishes did that!!

[Anastasios]

Nothing new here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-O9aNl2Xrk

The Story of Marjoe. This was a somewhat well-known documentary in the 1970's, I've read.

[Anastasios]

wow. Is he Christian, Jewish, Moslem, Hindu or Zoroastrian? I don't know since I couldn't understand a thing he said. How could his parents let him be exploited thsi way? Turned into a novelty act.

His parents could be the ones exploiting him, if he's anything like Marjoe (see link in my previous post).  Marjoe's parents set him on his path so they could make money.

[Benjamin the Red]

now on the other hand, when i was an acolyte in the EO church, occasinally a toddler would wander back into the altar and we had little white tunics and little processional crosses for them so they could 'serve' they would even get blessed to robe etc, some as young as 2 or 3. same "cuteness" factor.

That is a wonderful idea.  Wish more parishes did that!!

We have those same lil' white server's robes. However, our littlest ones are usually doorkeepers for the iconostas, and don't process. Although they still come out to receive the Eucharist and venerate icons at the end of the service with the clergy/adult servers, so I guess the cute factor is still there.

[celticfan1888]

UK Daily Mail:

He is a famous preacher, whose eloquence and energy has inspired church congregations and wowed millions of followers online.

And aged just four years old, he's pretty cute as well.

If you think you can stand it, watch the video.

Oh my...wow...

[Tallitot]

now on the other hand, when i was an acolyte in the EO church, occasinally a toddler would wander back into the altar and we had little white tunics and little processional crosses for them so they could 'serve' they would even get blessed to robe etc, some as young as 2 or 3. same "cuteness" factor.

That is a wonderful idea.  Wish more parishes did that!!

why? how is that different from this child be used as a little performer?

[Orthodox11]

Do YOU know Allah?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6Np7zbKCKI



Caption added to post to enforce compliance with forum prohibition against naked links   - PtA

[Benjamin the Red]

now on the other hand, when i was an acolyte in the EO church, occasinally a toddler would wander back into the altar and we had little white tunics and little processional crosses for them so they could 'serve' they would even get blessed to robe etc, some as young as 2 or 3. same "cuteness" factor.

That is a wonderful idea.  Wish more parishes did that!!

why? how is that different from this child be used as a little performer?

Because they aren't being made spectacles. It's cute for adults, and the kids get to serve with the grown-ups. Especially if it's something the kid really wants to do and takes seriously, it could be a big, healthy encouragement to their piety.

[Tallitot]

now on the other hand, when i was an acolyte in the EO church, occasinally a toddler would wander back into the altar and we had little white tunics and little processional crosses for them so they could 'serve' they would even get blessed to robe etc, some as young as 2 or 3. same "cuteness" factor.

That is a wonderful idea.  Wish more parishes did that!!

why? how is that different from this child be used as a little performer?

Because they aren't being made spectacles. It's cute for adults, and the kids get to serve with the grown-ups. Especially if it's something the kid really wants to do and takes seriously, it could be a big, healthy encouragement to their piety.

yes they were being put on display, and how seriously can a 3 yr old take anything? it's the same old 'it's so tacky when protestants do it, so nice when rc's/eo's do it" schtick.

[Orthodox11]

yes they were being put on display, and how seriously can a 3 yr old take anything? it's the same old 'it's so tacky when protestants do it, so nice when rc's/eo's do it" schtick.

I have to agree with Tallitot on this one.

[primuspilus]

The whole thing is ridiculous. No toddler should be used in that way no matter what their denomination. Also,

1. Simple exploitation, plaing and simple.
2. Although I am no longer Protestant (heh, new status) this really belittles the entire notion of a minister and his funcion.
3. Im actually not surprised that they're Penocostal, they're weird.....

PP

[podkarpatska]

I saw this on the Today show yesterday on NBC. I couldn't understand a word the kid said. What was strange was that his parents came across like 'normal' people when interviewed. The whole thing seemed odd to me.

[Shanghaiski]

wow. Is he Christian, Jewish, Moslem, Hindu or Zoroastrian? I don't know since I couldn't understand a thing he said. How could his parents let him be exploited thsi way? Turned into a novelty act.

His parents could be the ones exploiting him, if he's anything like Marjoe (see link in my previous post).  Marjoe's parents set him on his path so they could make money.

It's the boy/churchy version of Toddlers in Tiaras.

[Shanghaiski]

now on the other hand, when i was an acolyte in the EO church, occasinally a toddler would wander back into the altar and we had little white tunics and little processional crosses for them so they could 'serve' they would even get blessed to robe etc, some as young as 2 or 3. same "cuteness" factor.

That is a wonderful idea.  Wish more parishes did that!!

why? how is that different from this child be used as a little performer?

Because they aren't being made spectacles. It's cute for adults, and the kids get to serve with the grown-ups. Especially if it's something the kid really wants to do and takes seriously, it could be a big, healthy encouragement to their piety.

Liturgy should not be cute.

[Ninjaly Awesome]

That video was...disturbing.  I've been to enough Pentecostal services in my life to see this sort of thing from adults but it's an entirely new level of weird to see a kid do it.

The kid is obviously mimicking. When they asked him why he did it he said it was because his daddy was up there and did it.

[Cavaradossi]

now on the other hand, when i was an acolyte in the EO church, occasinally a toddler would wander back into the altar and we had little white tunics and little processional crosses for them so they could 'serve' they would even get blessed to robe etc, some as young as 2 or 3. same "cuteness" factor.

That is a wonderful idea.  Wish more parishes did that!!

why? how is that different from this child be used as a little performer?

Because they aren't being made spectacles. It's cute for adults, and the kids get to serve with the grown-ups. Especially if it's something the kid really wants to do and takes seriously, it could be a big, healthy encouragement to their piety.

yes they were being put on display, and how seriously can a 3 yr old take anything? it's the same old 'it's so tacky when protestants do it, so nice when rc's/eo's do it" schtick.

Ok, really? Being an altar server is different from giving sermons. I see nothing exploitative with letting small children serve at the altar if they are capable of following along. They're not the center of the show.

[Papist]

I hope this boy is able to maitain his faith as he grows into adulthood... We don't need another bitter atheist.

[Shiny]

I hope this boy is able to maitain his faith as he grows into adulthood... We don't need another bitter atheist.

I wouldn't worry about him becoming an atheist, I'm sure he's well on his way on being brainwashed.

[Papist]

I hope this boy is able to maitain his faith as he grows into adulthood... We don't need another bitter atheist.

I wouldn't worry about him becoming an atheist, I'm sure he's well on his way on being brainwashed.

That's the problem. When people see religion as nothing more than brainwashing, then they are more likely to jump ship.

[Shiny]

I hope this boy is able to maitain his faith as he grows into adulthood... We don't need another bitter atheist.

I wouldn't worry about him becoming an atheist, I'm sure he's well on his way on being brainwashed.

That's the problem. When people see religion as nothing more than brainwashing, then they are more likely to jump ship.

And those people can embrace a logical fallacy as well.

[Papist]

I hope this boy is able to maitain his faith as he grows into adulthood... We don't need another bitter atheist.

I wouldn't worry about him becoming an atheist, I'm sure he's well on his way on being brainwashed.

That's the problem. When people see religion as nothing more than brainwashing, then they are more likely to jump ship.

And those people can embrace a logical fallacy as well.

Agreed.

[biro]

I too had a tough time understanding him in the first few sentences. If they only let him get up one or two times a year, I might not worry. They seem to be making this a regular thing, though, and it could be too much stress for someone that young. I think they should wait until he's older.

[Volnutt]

I hope this boy is able to maitain his faith as he grows into adulthood... We don't need another bitter atheist.

I wouldn't worry about him becoming an atheist, I'm sure he's well on his way on being brainwashed.

Actually... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hector_Avalos

[Melodist]

yes they were being put on display, and how seriously can a 3 yr old take anything? it's the same old 'it's so tacky when protestants do it, so nice when rc's/eo's do it" schtick.

I have to agree with Tallitot on this one.

We don't have adult altar servers at my church, it's all done by children and teenagers. The older ones teach the younger ones, and while there may be a "cuteness" factor in the age of a couple of them, it's not spectacle but the passing on of knowledge in serving and the opportunity to serve. Also, the younger ones aren't just up there to look cute, they know what to do, and when, where, and how to do it.

Also, they don't give the sermon or do anything that is typically done by the priest.