Curiousity: About Holy Rollers - what exactly does that mean?

Question

It is not a phrase I hear anymore, but it absolutely had negative connotations when I was a kid....you could tell by the way the grown ups talked about it way back when, they had zero respect for this brand of Christianity.

To be honest, other than Aunt Rita (who I've never met) who moved to the coast & became a "Holy Roller" I really have no clue what that means....she left all her money to the church out there when she died, so apparently that is a component.....


Anybody know what this means?

Answer 1

Having grown up in a religious home, and where as musical family we visited many different churches and denominations, I am pretty sure the answers that describe people being filled the "Spirit" and basically going in to some sort of fit are the ones most accurately describing the meaning the of term. They would scream and shout, run around, crawl, and yes, literally roll around on the floor. There were certain denominations more prone to this, like Pentecostal, but I've seen similar things in other denominations like Baptist, especially in rural areas.



So yes, when discussing the Pentecostal church down the road, someone may toss in the term "holy rollers", but it doesn't specifically refer to the Pentecost's or another demonization.



And really, someone is going to compare it to the n word? REALLY? How stupid can people freakin' be?? It is slightly derogatory at best.

Answer 2

Holy roller is a time period in American English used to describe Pentecostal Christian churchgoers. The term is mainly used derisively, as if to explain persons actually rolling on the ground or speakme in tongues in an uncontrolled method. For this usage, the Oxford English Dictionary cites an 1893 memoir by Charles G. Leland, in which he says "When the Holy Spirit seized them..The Holy Rollers..Rolled over and over on the floor."[1] it's on the whole viewed pejorative, however some have reclaimed it as a badge of honor, e.G. William Branham's statement "And what the world calls in these days holy-roller, that's the best way I worship Jesus Christ." [2]

Answer 3

The older term, Holy roller" was used to describe many of the Pentecostal Christians of the 1900's who believe in the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. They claim the Holy Ghost would sometimes come on them and take charge of their body's, and they would dance, speak in tongues and even fall to the ground and sometimes roll around. This occurred in church during services where the presence of God is strong.



What is negative about it mostly, is that sometimes the ladies weren't dressed modestly enough for this to occur and their undergarments were revealed. So it became practice of someone to have blankets handy and cover them when they went down.

Answer 4

Sometimes there really was ( or perhaps still is ) actuall rolling around on the floor.



I have watched a few of the tent meetings when I was a teen. My boyfriend and I sat in the back, watching out of curiosity to see what went on..and sometimes people would stand up wave their arms over their head and cry out..others would literally run around the inside of the tent and holler things like halleluyah or praise the Lord or come and get me Jesus ..and then still others would fall on their backs and have their legs go up into the air as if they're kicking and wave their arms and speak in gibberish or shout out praises or pleas to Jesus..or tell Lucifer to get back cause the power of Jesus was on them and they couldn't have them any more..things like that.





The first time I saw such a spectacle I know my jaw dropped wide open.. because my boyfriend told me that I might want to lift that jaw and close my mouth..I looked a spectacle like that, too.



I will never forget one black woman in a bright red dress..running up and down the aisle and around the inside AND the outside of the tent..she grabbed for me and my boyfriend and we jerked back..she wanted us to come running with her..and then finally when she looked as if she was so exhausted she'd drop..that's what she did..drop to the floor and moan and cry out for the entire rest of the service.



There were black people and white people in attendance.. and the service was being conducted by a white preacher who had an organist and a guy with a fiddle to assist him.



When we told some of our high school friends about it the next school day, the story sounded so outrageous a couple of our friends thought we'd exaggerated or made it up. Well the same preacher was still set up on the same highway going out of town the next weekend so we talked two other couples into going with us so they could see for themselves and before we all had to leave because we could not restrain our laughter any longer, they saw that we had not exaggerated one bit.



Each group I've ever seen like this were of a Pentecostal denomination..some would speak in "tongues" others were very similar to the manner of the Voodoo practitioners who believe they are "ridden" by the "Orishas" but with the Pentecostals, they believe it's the "Holy Spirit" being manifest in their life. They've had different names for their groups, often they speak of "full Gospel" or Apostolic or other forms of evangelical protestant belief.



edit: I live in Arkansas, and while I don't claim to know the name of every mountain, I can't help but wonder if the "uncle" didn't mean to type Ozark Mountains, rather than Oark Mountain? There are three main mountain ranges in Arkansas, the Ozark Mountain range, the Ouachita Mountain range and a Boston Mountain range, each with many different mountains in it. I'm unfamiliar with any Oark Mountain, but that doesn't mean it doesn't exist, I just can't locate it on my map.

Answer 5

If you keep breaking up then you shouldn't get back together, because it will likely end again.

Read here https://tr.im/kxiAF



Whether or not you should really depends on the reasons that you two keep breaking up. But I really doubt he has changed in such a short period of time. You're the girl, and while usually I recommend girls do the asking out instead of just waiting, in the case I think even if you do wind up getting back together with him, you shouldn't put forth any effort in making it happen. Act coy. Maybe go out with someone else for a bit, not steady, but go on a few dates with or something. Just don't make yourself TOO available to him.



If you make it obvious you want him back then he is going to think he can treat you however he wants and you will always be there for him, and that will just lead to more break ups in the future. Basically, I think he will break up with you whenever he wants another girl, and when that doesn't work out, in the interest of not feeling lonely, he will come back to you until he meets someone else. Again, and again. Thats assuming the past break ups were in any way his doing. If it was always your decision, then I have to wonder what he did to make you break up with him, or was it possibly you who left him for someone else?

Answer 6

When I was a new Baptist preacher - about 25 years ago - I visited my parents in Arkansas and a Holy Roller church invited me to preach for them up on the mountain (Oark Mountain). They are Pentecostal and they celebrate the day of Pentecost by falling backwards into each others arms and of course - rolling around on the floor. == Faith healing and speaking in tongues and all that Jazz.

Answer 7

Holy Rollers refer to the "Tent" preachers/evangelists. They would scream and shout their call to people and "heal" in the tents. Most of it was a put on to get money from the gullible. Been to one of those revivals. Some are OK, but most are scams. They got the name in the 1800's.

Answer 8

Want to know how to get your ex back? Change yourself. Don't worry about changing other people, worry about changing yourself. Go to https://tr.im/zNG6L



Once you do that then you can start to worry about getting back together with your ex, other wise you will find that you are fighting about all the same things and getting no where. Do what it takes and I promise things will work out in your favor.



The funny thing is I came to the realization that I had to change a little too late. After I was kicked out and after I was about to lose the only things that truly mattered to me - her love. A funny thing happens when we truly love someone and lose them. We do what ever it takes to get them back. For me I had to drop bad habits that had caused not only our relationship to sour but practically every other relationship I had had in the past. Not only with women, but with friends, co-workers, family, you name it.



Which is why I say to you as my ex at the time said to me, the only thing you can do is change yourself. Work on yourself and improve on the person that you already are. Drop the negative things in your life that don't belong there and you will see all of your relationships start to take off to new heights.

Answer 9

Holy Roller

n. Offensive

Used as a disparaging term for a member of any of various religious denominations in which spiritual fervor is expressed by shouts and violent body movements.



It is the same as using the "n" word in it's derogatory slander of Christians who believe in the Holy Spirit baptism as outlined in Acts.



Leaving her worldly goods to the church, as 'Aunt Rose" did, was probably more because of her family denigrating her and her beliefs, rather than a 'requirement' of her church.



Blessing you with the "Aunt Rose" blessing.

Answer 10

Dude, this is your sister. Rita left a purse in her daughter's closet with the real will and the rest of the money is in it.

Answer 11

I believe it to be the Pentecostal Christians who dance in the spirit, and have very motion filled healings.

Answer 12

I am an Apostolic Christian and whenever the phrase is used toward one of us it is reference to literally rolling on the floor as worship to God. It is derogatory and only used to make fun of people trying to worship Jesus the best way they know how.

Answer 13

This refers to those at the top in a place of worship who call the shots as to how things will be done day by day.

Answer 14

We roll right along with God the Father.

Answer 15

It means a religious nut job.





edit: no, nothing specific. holy roller is just any old religious extremist.

Answer 16

Whatever it originally meant, it has come now to mean any religious zealot, especially those who go door- to- door.