Shouter Baptists

Ordellia Darlington 00011164 Portfolio Entry IV At first, the notion of Shouter Baptist being considered a religion was a joke to me. Whenever, I heard the name Shouter Baptist only one thing came to my mind “obeah people”. There were times that I will see them in prayer and I will cross the street. Nevertheless, the electrifying power point video accompanied with other sources has taught me a great deal on the religion, the people and their rituals.

I had always assumed that all the Shouter Baptists had to offer was “catching power” by means of shaking and speaking in tongues. I had believed that the Shouter Baptists were spiritually possessed. However, never had I known that speaking tongues is similar to conversing with God. Evidence of this is shown in the book of Acts. 2:1-8. Speaking tongues is one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit referred to in the Bible. It can be described as a phenomenon during which the believer speaks in languages unknown to him / her in his / her everyday life.

Another aspect I never understood was the significance of some of the symbols the Shouter Baptists frequently use. Symbols such as the bell, lothar, incense and flowers play an important role in the Shouter Baptist faith. The bell is used at the beginning of the service to call members to worship, at the end of the service or according to spiritual instructions. It is said to awaken the believers’ souls to the presence of the Holy Spirit. I now understand what is meant by the saying “Every time a bell rings an angel gets his wings”?

The lothar is a vessel used in the church. It symbolizes the holy state of man before God in worship and contains water and flowers. The flowers beautify the church and symbolize peace, love and joy, which are kept alive by the water of life. Flowers are God’s handiwork and are used to decorate the altar, center pole and corners of the church. It also represent man’s first habitat, the Garden of Eden. What I admire about the Shouter Baptists is their willingness to give back to society.

They give thanks to God various times throughout the year feeding the children in their community. For Thanksgiving, Shouter Baptists express gratitude to God for his blessings through, full gospel and prayers, singing, clapping and rejoicing. The children in the community are given food and snacks. The Thanksgiving is held after special occasions in members’ lives, such as success in an undertaking, or recovery from an illness. It also recognizes God’s mercy.

The Shouter Baptist belief in giving thanks is supported by Luke 14: 12-14 (“Then Jesus said to his host, “When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or sisters, your relatives, or your rich neighbours; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. 13 But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, 14 and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous. ”)