Speaking in 'tongues'

[Jainarayan]

Technically it should probably be "listening in tongues". On the day of Pentecost everyone who was gathered heard the Apostles speaking in their own native languages. The apostles weren't doing the foreign speaking, the audience was listening in their own languages. So it seems clear that "speaking in tongues" is something else the evangelists got wrong. My guess is that it's a form of mass hysteria.

 

[Grandliseur]

How many people have had experience of people speaking in so called 'tongues', or have actually indulged in it themselves?

It was a Sunday morning feature of my childhood during the 50s and 60s. Two members of the congregation of the Elim Pentecostal church we attended, would suddenly feel impelled to spout gobbledegook, often during a prayer or the sermon! It was totally crazy and many of us tried to stifle giggles, including my mother.

As you would expect I am of the opinion that this nonsense is an aberration of the human brain and nothing to do with any god, unless it enjoys watching people make total idiots of themselves. The notorious 'Toronto Blessing' where people actually barked liked dogs just goes to prove how totally crazy this activity is.

Well, without going into scriptures, in early times, it was a gift from God used to communicate the gospel to foreigners. It had other limited usage. In modern times, it seems to be as you said mostly 'gobbledegook'. Unfortunately, it has also at times been verified to be obscene profanities said in perhaps extremely rare languages being inspired by demons - thus, it shouldn't just be accepted as evidence of being from God. Even in early times, it was viewed as a lesser gift.

 

[robocop (actually)]

Sorry for the late reply. Me and another man once shared a dialogue where I had no idea what either of us were saying but I assume it was in English.