Pentecostal

Sami has been leading this small Pentecostal church for 16 years.

I have essentially personally encountered three kinds of Buddhism (Zen Buddhism, Theravāda Buddhism, and Pure Land Buddhism), and five kinds of Christianity (Roman Catholicism, Baptist, Pentecostal, Jehovah's Witness, and Mormonism).

From Roman Catholicism in the Philippines, both my parents in North America converted to Baptist Protestants, recruited by already converted Filipinos. They went to Baptist churches for years, until later years, in Pentecostal church, because there was more music.

What happened with Protestant conversions from Roman Catholicism in my extended family didn't go far enough for me, as I had a tendency for Buddhism since prepubescence, largely from sci-fi shows like Star Trek with Mr. Spock's Vulcan philosophy and Space: 1999 with aliens meditating in glass cubicles. I was impressionable to these images and ideas at a young age. By my thirties, I became interested in other Eastern philosophies like Daoism and Hinduism. Things like Baptism, Pentecostal, Mormonism, Jehovah's Witnesses, etc. weren't far enough for me...

She says Pentecostal churches provide opportunities for leadership and instill discipline, helping people improve their prospects in a complex economy.

Derek and I were speaking English, as we are long-time residents on Lulu Island. I told him that the parks in Japan are spiritual, with shrines and such. Meanwhile, here in Canada, the parks are secular, with not much spirituality. The traditional religions in Canada don't adore Nature. Derek reminded me that his family is Baptist, not Roman Catholic. I told him that I go to the Roman Catholic church on St. Albans Road, even though I'm not Roman Catholic. Years ago, Derek went to Sunday nursery at Vancouver's Grace International church, a Baptist church, as did my younger brother. My parents converted and went to that church. I came along, I told Derek, but I sat in the mostly empty balcony. I didn't tell Derek that my mentor was like Mr. Spock then. There was peer pressure for me to convert. My immediate family were previously at least nominally Roman Catholic, like most Filipinos. The Baptist Filipinos were pressuring me to go to their Christmas parties, Bible studies, and to the Mt. Baker Ski Chalet Retreat, to which I did go. I enjoyed the snow, but most of the Filipino youth tried just staying inside the chalet. I lived in Japan for some time. These several years back on Lulu Island have felt "marshy" or "swampy"—somewhat stagnant, despite that I try to edutain myself constantly. I'm a spiritual Japanized Syncretist, now living with Americanized Baptist relatives. Later in life, my family goes to a Pentecostal church for "much music." I'm more of a Buddhoanimist.

The Pentecostals had drowned them with their discotheque music, frenzied dancing and ecstatic prayer.