Independence Day comes out tomorrow (in English, with Tamil subtitles), I think we'll go and see it as C. hasn't been yet. We were going to see Daughters of Dracula, but discovered that it contained more eroticism than horror, so decided against it. Anyway, we might have bumped into the Bishop there!
It has been another great day for laziness, I bought a couple of books and got my second film developed...
This evening we went to see Reinhard Bonnke the German evangelist, fascinating stuff. All about The Power of the Blood of JESUS CHRIST!!! Spoken with a much too excitable voice. The guy never stopped shouting and frequently interrupted himself with Amens and Hallelujas. He told a few stories, which I suppose one could call parables, that were impressively effective. Of course this was after he had done his PR bit for the next day, Ven I vill giff a FIERY sermon!
He'd been asked to appear on national television in a discussion programme with a professed atheist. It went something like this:
"...and this atheist said to me, 'Reinhart Bonke,' he said, 'you preach about the power of the blood of Jesus Christ, but I tell you there is no power in the blood of Jesus Christ and I'll tell you why, it's because the blood of Jesus Christ is two thousand years on this Earth and instead of being better, there is more sin and evil now than there ever was so tell me how can there be power in the blood of Jesus Christ, tell me!'
(James Brown would be a good comparison).
"So I said to him, 'STOP! Let me answer you. Let me tell you about the Power of the Blood of JESUS CHRIST!' So I said 'My friend, the blood of JESUS CHRIST is like soap. It's like soap,' I said 'and let me tell you why. Let me tell you how soap works. There is lots of soap in the world and there are still a lot of dirty people.'
(Pause for effect)
" 'If you stand next to a bar of soap, it will not wash you. People work in soap factories and can still be dirty! Let me explain how soap works. If you want to get cleaned you have to reach out and take the soap and wash yourself. That is how soap works! You can't see the Power of the Blood of JESUS CHRIST even though it is right next to you! You must reach out and wash yourself clean with His Blood and then you will FEEL THE POWER!' "
Then follows the atheist's wonder and praise of Reinhart Bonke, saying that all other evangelists were amateurs and he was a true professional. Of course Reinhart demured saying that he was simply full of the Power of the Blood of JESUS CHRIST, Halleluja, Amen.
Another story was about how we are marked as God's people. Where Moses marks Aaron and his descendants forever with the blood of the ram on the ear, thumb and big toe, we are also thus marked. So when you are walking through Madurai late at night, singing happily to yourself, safe in the knowledge that you are chosen, there are three demons waiting in the shadows. One big, two small. One senior, two juniors. They hear you coming and jump out. You can't see them, but they can see you and the mark of the Blood of JESUS CHRIST! Halleluja. The senior demon says 'Wait! Do not touch that person, because if you do, a hoard of Angels will come after you!' (Cheers, applause, Halleluja, Amen.)
Yet more followed about his time in Africa and how he annoyed the witchdoctors by stealing their customers. We had to leave before the rush – there were thousands there.
Reinhard Bonnke? Reinhard Bonkers more like. Halleluja, Amen.
