Why are Pastors 'Laying Hands' on Rick Santorum in TX?

700 WLW ^ | 9 Feb 12

[xzins]

Why are Pastors 'Laying Hands' on Rick Santorum in TX?

Santorum may be capturing the attention of Christians and their leaders.

WHY WERE PASTORS ‘LAYING HANDS’ ON RICK SANTORUM IN TX?

(THE BLAZE) -- Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum stopped in McKinney, Texas, earlier today, where he met with evangelical faith leaders. During their time together, the pastors and congregants “laid hands on” the candidate and prayed for him, as can be seen in the below image: (see image at: http://content.clearchannel.com/cc-common/mlib/2135/02/2135_1328806795.jpg Pastors praying around GOP presidential candidate Rick Santorum) The New York Times reports:

Santorum, a Catholic, is said to have performed very well among evangelical Christians in these three states. His conservative views on gay marriage, abortion and a multitude of other issues, make him a prime candidate for more right-leaning, socially-conservative voters. The New York Times reports:

All three states that held contests Tuesday have very conservative Republican electorates that are believed to include large numbers of the sort of evangelicals and Tea Party adherents who had flocked to Mr. Santorum’s candidacy in Iowa. It was a turnabout from four years ago, when Mr. Romney won in Colorado and Minnesota as the so-called conservative alternative to the man who became the Republican nominee in 2008, Senator John McCain.

So it seems Santorum may be capturing the attention of Christians and their leaders. When it comes to his meeting with pastors, some who fall outside of the Christian realm may have been confused to see Santorum standing with his head bowed surrounded by numerous pastors with outstretched hands on his shoulders.

This practice, known as the “laying on of hands,” is a form of worship during which numerous believers come around an individual and offer up prayers for him or her. The significance is both symbolic and literal, as the Holy Spirit and blessing are sought for the subject of the group prayer.

Below, see a CNN video that shows this: At link

Read more: http://www.700wlw.com/cc-common/news/sections/newsarticle.html?feed=104707&article=9737294#ixzz1lzUl4As5

[SparkyBass]

"How many of them had to file for bankruptcy after touching the economic stinkbug?"

None. They each got bailouts or a guaranteed zero interest payback-optional government loan shortly thereafter.

[jeeperz]

Let the media run this alongside Obama’s minister Rev. Wright preaching!

[Retired Greyhound]

I watched “Moneyball” last night.

In one scene, one of the players told Brad Pitt’s character that he would pray for him.

Pitt’s character shrugged it off like whatever.

My wife and I agreed that saying you will pray for someone is the most complimentary thing one can say to another.

[wmfights]

Obama is antichrist ; a product of The Antichrist's system ; I did not say that Obama is THE Antichrist (the man of sin ; son of perdition).

I just thought I would check with you Brother. A lot of people don't understand the distinction. BTW, I completely agree wth you.

If anyone wonders look at what is hidden inside the "contraception" controversy. They are making all religious institutions pay for abortions by including the "morning after pill" as a contraceptive.

[Texas Fossil]

Texas is not where you were born, but a State of Mind, Heart and Attitude.

Goes something like:

“Leave us alone to live our lives in peace and we will get along fine, if that is not satisfactory, we will deal with it.”

[DTogo]

A few examples:

Acts 6:6
Acts 8:17
Acts 9:17

[BillyBoy]

>> We do it in my Methodist church, and in the Baptist church I grew up in. But, I agree with you, it is also a very common thing in Charismatic/Pentecostal churches. In my area here in Ohio, I can’t think of a church that doesn’t do it....including Catholic. <<

True, I can't think of a Christian church that DOESN'T do this. Catholics certainly use it, the "laying on of hands" is always used for ordinations and confirmations, for example. As with all other Chrisitans, it's a tradition taken from the apostles themselves when the laying of hands was used to invoke the Holy Spirit on believers. As a praticing Roman Catholic, I'm sure Rick Santorum was also familiar with this tradition and didn't need any explanation what the pastors were doing. Here's examples in the Catholic Church:

I don't see why the mainstream media felt the need to explain this in the article and treat it is as some strange, off-putting experience to the casual viewer. Of course, they also insist that only "evangelicals" have a block of socially conservative and "don't think Mormons are Christian" (as if there aren't any pro-lifers in other religious groups and the rest of us treat Mormons as mainstream Chrisitanity), so go figure. Santorum's very existance doesn't gel with the mainstream media's sterotypes about Christianity, so they've been calling him an "evangelical candidate" for President due to the fact he got a large share of votes from Evagelicals. By that logic, Obama is a "Jewish candidate" for President.

[LucianOfSamasota]

Cardinal Ratzinger autjored an essay on this Marxist infiltration of the Church in Latin America.

http://www.christendom-awake.org/pages/ratzinger/liberationtheol.htm

James Hal Cone (and others) adapted this Marxist heresy to explain the class struggle of Black America against white oppressors. It basically teaches that the white oppressor must be overthrown by any and all means, including violence, deception, and revolution. Scripture is generally interpreted (twisted) to demonstrate that the end justifies the means, and that hatred against white America is moral and necessary.

It has apparently permeated much of the ‘Black’ Church in the US.

[redhead]

"In my area here in Ohio, I can’t think of a church that doesn’t do it....including Catholic."

Amen. It's a beautiful and holy practice. Having been prayed over in a number of settings, I can vouch for its spritual power and strengthening results.

[TexConfederate1861]

Heresy! How dare you compare an Okie to a Texan...LOL!
The shame!

[TexConfederate1861]

That is a fact:)

[TexConfederate1861]

LOL! I can’t leave. Other half refuses to move to Texas!
She is ok though.....(for a huskers fan!)..LOL! Oh. and Yes. I am a Longhorn for sure!

Besides, Nebraska folk are like Texans. (without the talk, and they put (GAG!) BEANS in their Chili!...LOL!

[missnry]

They could have been a mixed group. They could have been a cluster of Jeremiah Wright clones.

It is very important for Christians to be very discerning in these times! I don't know when this photo was taken - it may have been while he was running for the Presidency...

[wmfights]

Other black pastors and chaplains are among the most liberal I’ve ever met. One of the odd things about theological liberals is that they don’t believe the bible is really the word of God. I say that because they reject many of the books as authoritative, and they then define the remainder as “myth”. (A myth might teach a good moral, but it is not considered an historical account.)

IMO, we discount the role that slavery and Jim Crow plays in this thinking. Blacks were rescued from slavery by a strong fed govt. Blacks were freed from Jim Crow by a strong fed govt. The dominant liberal ideology of Black culture is a continuation of that support for where their freedom came from. It is such a strong part of the Black culture that it is a part of their religious beliefs.

[darrellmaurina]

18 posted on Friday, February 10, 2012 9:54:44 AM by Lee N. Field: “Trick question? Because they don't have a robust doctrine of the two kingdoms.”

Please tell me you forgot the “sarcasm” tag.

As a fellow Calvinist (ARP), I'm one of the few people on Free Republic likely to recognize the “two kingdoms” reference.

I'm not really keen on civil magistrates receiving laying on of hands from the church in formal investiture ceremonies, if that's all you mean... the family, church, and state are all separate spheres of God's sovereign authority ... but I don't see a problem with pastors praying for a candidate for the civil magistracy to have wisdom, discernment, etc.

On the other hand, if you advocate the kind of “two kingdoms” stuff being taught out at Westminster Theological Seminary in California, well, let's just say I'm disappointed to see WTS-CA’s influence spreading even onto Free Republic.

The Reformed faith has a very long history of political engagement. Maybe WTS-CA’s location in California and their earlier fight against theonomy has caused them to overreact and decide there's no hope left to bring a Christian witness to secular politics. Okay, perhaps I'll grant their point in the context of the People's Republic of Kalifornia; maybe it is a waste of time to try to bring a Christian worldview to society and maybe Christians need to focus only on personal conversion and discipleship.

However, lots of other places in the United States are much better than that, and I see no reason we should not try to bring a Christian witness to the political realm when we can do so.

[TheOldLady]

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[Texas Fossil]

Yep, I know about and know many Okies. I lived in Piedmont, OK for 7 years.

And the Okies are the only people who can say for the whole state that not a single county vote for Obozo. Not one.

Okies are the friendliest people I have ever met. Bar none.

[xzins]

Then they should be supporting Republicans. Lincoln was a republican and it was Lincoln who brought about the emancipation. And it was democrats who did the Jim Crow stuff. And it was democrats who donned the white sheets (Robert Byrd). And it was democrats who reintroduced slavery via the great society. And it’s democrats who are killing black babies at a horrendous rate. And it’s democrats who want all of black America on the reservation.

[Vor Lady]

and they put (GAG!) BEANS in their Chili!...LOL!

LOL, Since our #2 daughter married a Texan we've learned the differences between bean soup(NE chili) and Texas chili. If and when Texas secedes, our daughter says she'll vouch us in. :-)

[wmfights]

Then they should be supporting Republicans. Lincoln was a republican and it was Lincoln who brought about the emancipation. And it was democrats who did the Jim Crow stuff.

Yes, yes, yes BUT Nixon embraced the white Rats in the south AND who is the party that wants an all powerful fed govt.

And it was democrats who reintroduced slavery via the great society. And it’s democrats who are killing black babies at a horrendous rate. And it’s democrats who want all of black America on the reservation.

Again yes, yes, yes BUT it is through the strong fed govt that their benefits are given and the vast majority of the Black middle class works for govt at some level. They perceive their safety and whatever success they have is dependent on a strong fed govt. The carry over to their churches is the strong liberalism/humanism that comes from a belief in govt as the source of their rights and rewards.