Cussing, Rebirth & Other Inconsequentialities

Laura and I were walking around Trout Lake today when we stopped to sit on a log on the beach. A small crowd had gathered there and a few of them were clearly getting ready to go into the lake. I would never swim in Trout Lake's brown goose shitty waters, but apparently others would. They formed a circle to pray, which should have been our first clue they weren't there to do regular lengths, but it was a cool day and the water was probably downright cold, so perhaps a bit of divine intervention was called for. As the group approached the water's edge, one of the swimmers stuck her foot in, quickly pulled it back, then shouted, "Praise his name!" Apparently the divine intervention had not come. The girl's epithet made it clear they were a christian group; but her words made me wonder, what is the difference between saying "praise his name," loudly as a response to something perceived as negative or shouting "jesus h. christ," or whatever variant of taking the lord's name in vain is your preference? They both seem like expletives to me. Anyway, an older man took one of the "swimmers" about 10 metres out into the water, then asked her aloud why she wanted to be baptised. She answered something, not loud enough for us to hear, then he dunked her under the water. All the while the rest of the group stood on the shoreline, digital cameras up and at the ready. After he pulled her up he walked her back to the shore, then they formed a cluster and prayed. They then went through it all again with the girl who had shouted "praise his name." It all seemed very strange to me. I'll be the first to admit that born again christians creep me out, but there was more to it. If people feel the need to have a religion it should be a personal and private thing, in my mind, not something requiring public proclamations. As well the mixture of digital cameras, dirty beach with dogs and purification ritual seemed incongruous to me. And I'm not even going to talk about the filthy lake water. I suppose saving souls is tough business and you just don't get any respect from cynical atheistic jerks like me.