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Speaking in tongues

Muffled

Jesus in me
And did you know this before December 2009? :D

It is, but it is far more conceivable that they are simply speaking gibberish.

Yes, way before that. I won't mention the anatomical differences, they are x rated.

All foreign languages sound like gibberish to the person who doesn't recognize them.
 

Misty

Well-Known Member
Yes, way before that. I won't mention the anatomical differences, they are x rated.

All foreign languages sound like gibberish to the person who doesn't recognize them.

But the difference is people who speak their own languages understand what they are saying, people who babble away in so called 'tongues' haven't a clue!
 

Muffled

Jesus in me
I am an atheist, so no.

I do not believe that there has been a single confirmed account of someone speaking in tongues in a legitimate language they did not already know. Everyone I have heard do it (and I've heard a few) is just speaking gibberish.

Probably, but I don't know for sure.

People think they're supposed to do it, so they do it.

I sought the gift of tongues at a Vickie Jamison event in Worcester, MA at the Centrum. Although I thought of myself as somewhat spiritual I was not able to do it until someone laid hands on me and prayed for me to receive my tongue.
 

Muffled

Jesus in me
Aliens aren't all that interesting. Sure, sure, they have fancy hyperdrives for interstellar travel
& powerful minds, but mostly they just talk about probing the orifices of lesser life forms.

Aliens are a lot like us. They put me in a cage like an anmial as a zoo attraction because I looked different and didn't speak their language.
 

Muffled

Jesus in me
I will explain my opinion of those who speak in tongues, in the language of tongues:

Joliesatina frileejia snell charten blibberdy flub hillenstefian zarlonisque golinsenzian.

Translation: It's complete delusional nonsense.

Klatrachid flazu.

Transaltion: You're nuts.
 

Muffled

Jesus in me
If one continues reading in chapter 14 verse 22 mentions tongues are for those that believe not. Then Paul goes on to say in verses 27,28 there should be one to interpret or keep silent. Paul already wrote at 1 Cor 13v8 that tongues would cease. Cease with the death of the apostles.
'Tongues' were a temporary arrangement for 1st-Century Christians.

The gathering at Pentecost was large with people speaking many different languages. The 'tongues' referred to at Acts [2v6,11 B] would be talking about people being able to understand what was being spoken about the wonderful works of God in their own 'mother tongue' or language.
In other words, the crowds could understand right away in their own language and take the message of the good news of God's kingdom back to their home and convey that message to others speaking their same language so that they understood what was learned at Jerusalem, thus help the infant first-century Christianity get off to a fast start in spreading the good news.

Acts [2vs 17,18] has the setting, not in the 1st century, but now for our day or these last days of badness on earth [2nd Tim 3vs1-5,13].
Please notice instead of tongues or instant understanding in one's own mother tongue, but rather the word 'prophecy' is now used.
Not meaning 'new prophecy' but telling others or explaining about already recorded prophecy. [Matt 24v14]. Or, as Zephaniah [3v9] says a pure language. Pure in the sense that each person if desired could understand and speak pure Biblical truth to others. Not by instant translation, but by either speaking to others of the same language, or learning another's language [mother tongue] so the good news of God's kingdom could be proclaimed world wide or on a global scale before the end times of badness on earth comes before Jesus ushers in Peace on Earth toward men of goodwill.

Yes, that is one purpose but it does not discount the other purpose of it being a prayer language. Also a person does not manage the Holy Spirit. If He wishes tongues to proceed from my mouth they will. Jesus is my Lord not my servant.
I mainly speak in tongues as a means of connecting with my spirit so that I will be more receptive to the Spirit of God.

Paul is an intellectual and prefers reason. As an evangelist it makes more sense since people without a spiritual understanding can only be reached by reason.

Although this passage says that tongues will cease it also says that won't happen until Jesus returns. Your interpretation is flawed. Your last statement has no legitimate facts to support it.
 

Muffled

Jesus in me
I believe tongues were a confirming, or sign gift, and they died out historically before the 2nd century. I believe it ties in with us having the whole revelation of God in the Bible so now these sign/confirming gifts have ceased. So, what they do now in the churches I do not believe to be tongues. Perhaps in some places a possessed person may speak in tongues, I dunno.

Then you have not been reading this thread and the Bible verses that pertain to the gift as being fo other thing than a sign. It is time for you to start believing God instead of false teachers.

There is no evidence of this that I am aware but there is no doubt in my mind that the Roman Catholic church was capable of diminsihing or eliminating any trace of spirituality in its religion. Thank God for the Reformation.

I think the whole revelation theory is BS intended to eliminate a personal relationship with Jesus. All that is left is dead religion.

I speak in tongues so the evidence is contrary to your statement.

Then you are believing in fairy tales instead of believing in Jesus.

I am not pleased by the innuendo. It smacks of the Pharisees saying that Jesus did miracles by the power of the Devil. Can the devil imitate the things of God? Of course he can, but that doesn't mean that every instance of a godly thing should be attributed to the devil.
 

Misty

Well-Known Member
Then you are believing in fairy tales instead of believing in Jesus.

Much of the stories surrounding the life of Jesus are probably fairy tales! He didn't babble away in 'tongues' though, or at least if he did th ebbile didn't mention it!
 

PolyHedral

Superabacus Mystic
Yes, way before that. I won't mention the anatomical differences, they are x rated.

All foreign languages sound like gibberish to the person who doesn't recognize them.
Wait, the differences between them and what? :p

Of course, except to the linguists who can recognise whether something is a real language or not.
 
I sought the gift of tongues at a Vickie Jamison event in Worcester, MA at the Centrum. Although I thought of myself as somewhat spiritual I was not able to do it until someone laid hands on me and prayed for me to receive my tongue.

It's all psychological.... You wanted to do it, so you did. The said person just enabled you a bit. Think of it like Hypnosis, in fact there is little very difference between someone who get get you to do this and a hypnotist.

They have actually done studies on this now and have shown that when someone is speaking in tongues, the languages do not exist (made up by the individual) and the brain mimics a trance like state similar to hypnosis.

Think of this like a placebo. It doesn't really do anything unless of course.... You believe it does, in a way you are using a form of self hypnosis to convince yourself you are doing something your not.
 

Beaudreaux

Well-Known Member
Can we step back a second and look at this phenomenon. Reading this thread, I have seen three definitions for what "speaking in tongues" is.

1. Someone speaking in tongues is unknowingly speaking in the language of the people listening to them. As far as I can tell, this is the kind of speaking in tongues that occurred at Pentecost when the Holy Spirit supposedly came to humanity. Of the definitions, this is the only one that makes sense to me. It is useful and helps further God's purpose. As I understand it, this type of speaking in tongues just doesn't happen nowadays.

2. S.I.T. is a prayer to God in a language the person doing the praying does not understand. I have also heard that some people believe someone else can sometimes "interpret" the prayer and tell everyone what it means. This makes little sense upon analysis. If you don't know what you're saying, how can you be praying? And why would God, who is very specific about what prayer is, choose to make communication with him so complicated and unlike what he describes?

3. I have heard it said that S.I.T. is sometimes a form of prophecy, again unknown to the tonguer bur revealed to a nearby "interpreter". First of all, can anyone give me stats on how reliable these prophecies are? And again, why would God choose to give these messages so indirectly?

Scenario 1 makes sense to me, but never happens. Scenarios 2 and 3 are more likely to be liberal Bible interpretation combined with the human tendency to want to believe in supernatural happenings.
 

Beaudreaux

Well-Known Member
Can we step back a second and look at this phenomenon. Reading this thread, I have seen three definitions for what "speaking in tongues" is.

1. Someone speaking in tongues is unknowingly speaking in the language of the people listening to them. As far as I can tell, this is the kind of speaking in tongues that occurred at Pentecost when the Holy Spirit supposedly came to humanity. Of the definitions, this is the only one that makes sense to me. It is useful and helps further God's purpose. As I understand it, this type of speaking in tongues just doesn't happen nowadays.

2. S.I.T. is a prayer to God in a language the person doing the praying does not understand. I have also heard that some people believe someone else can sometimes "interpret" the prayer and tell everyone what it means. This makes little sense upon analysis. If you don't know what you're saying, how can you be praying? And why would God, who is very specific about what prayer is, choose to make communication with him so complicated and unlike what he describes?

3. I have heard it said that S.I.T. is sometimes a form of prophecy, again unknown to the tonguer bur revealed to a nearby "interpreter". First of all, can anyone give me stats on how reliable these prophecies are? And again, why would God choose to give these messages so indirectly?

Scenario 1 makes sense to me, but never happens. Scenarios 2 and 3 are more likely to be liberal Bible interpretation combined with the human tendency to want to believe in supernatural happenings.
 
Can we step back a second and look at this phenomenon. Reading this thread, I have seen three definitions for what "speaking in tongues" is.

1. Someone speaking in tongues is unknowingly speaking in the language of the people listening to them. As far as I can tell, this is the kind of speaking in tongues that occurred at Pentecost when the Holy Spirit supposedly came to humanity. Of the definitions, this is the only one that makes sense to me. It is useful and helps further God's purpose. As I understand it, this type of speaking in tongues just doesn't happen nowadays.

2. S.I.T. is a prayer to God in a language the person doing the praying does not understand. I have also heard that some people believe someone else can sometimes "interpret" the prayer and tell everyone what it means. This makes little sense upon analysis. If you don't know what you're saying, how can you be praying? And why would God, who is very specific about what prayer is, choose to make communication with him so complicated and unlike what he describes?

3. I have heard it said that S.I.T. is sometimes a form of prophecy, again unknown to the tonguer bur revealed to a nearby "interpreter". First of all, can anyone give me stats on how reliable these prophecies are? And again, why would God choose to give these messages so indirectly?

Scenario 1 makes sense to me, but never happens. Scenarios 2 and 3 are more likely to be liberal Bible interpretation combined with the human tendency to want to believe in supernatural happenings.

Well....

First you have to show there is a God and demonstrate how and why he would possess someone to look like they're clinically insane.

Speaking in tongue is about as supernatural as the image of Jesus on a grilled cheese. Even most Christians I know think it's absolutely trash as well. Again studies have show speaking in tongues is 100% psychological and self induced.
 

gnostic

The Lost One
I keep unicorn said:
Joliesatina frileejia snell charten blibberdy flub hillenstefian zarlonisque golinsenzian.
muffled said:
Klatrachid flazu.
Mala mei koo koo, kala-ek blah blah!!!

translation: I don't understand you two, you're both speaking gibberish.
 

bain-druie

Tree-Hugger!
To answer the OP:

1. No, I don't believe in the christian version of the HS. I might believe the phenomenon of SIT was manifesting some form of the divine or higher intelligence, IF it weren't pretty conclusively proven that SIT is bogus.

2. See above.

3. Yes, many animistic tribal religions incorporated speaking in tongues with certain rituals. Also, I've seen videos of Hindus practicing it during Kundalini yoga. Not sure if they understand it in a Christian way, or if they see it as a kind of mantra-chant to help enable the trance state.

4. I think a variety of explanations might be in order, because I believe different people speak in tongues for different reasons. Some do it because of peer pressure; some out of fear that they aren't really 'saved', that God has rejected them personally by leaving them out of this Gift. And some really have a neurosis or even a psychosis going on. :eek:
 

gnostic

The Lost One
bain-druie said:
1. No, I don't believe in the christian version of the HS. I might believe the phenomenon of SIT was manifesting some form of the divine or higher intelligence, IF it weren't pretty conclusively proven that SIT is bogus.

I don't think any intelligence are involved, neither higher nor lower.

The practice is simply deceitful.
 

*Paul*

Jesus loves you
Having grown up in the pentecostal enviroment and indulged in it a little as an adult I can say that for the most part it seems to be hysteria / hypnosis.

Did you know that (in my experiance and many I have spoken to) when you are at a charismatic meeting or have been attending for a few weeks someone will ask you if you can speak in tongues, if you can't they will pray over you (baptising you in the Spirit) and encourage you to make random sounds until you are doing what they would class as tongue speaking. Then lo and behold you have the gift

Does that sound like the supernatural experience described in the bible. And what's more they all do it at once rather than one or two and that with an interpreter as Paul commands the Corinthian church. The reason for this constraint? So that if a stranger walks in he won't think they are nut jobs!!
 
Having grown up in the pentecostal enviroment and indulged in it a little as an adult I can say that for the most part it seems to be hysteria / hypnosis.

Did you know that (in my experiance and many I have spoken to) when you are at a charismatic meeting or have been attending for a few weeks someone will ask you if you can speak in tongues, if you can't they will pray over you (baptising you in the Spirit) and encourage you to make random sounds until you are doing what they would class as tongue speaking. Then lo and behold you have the gift

Does that sound like the supernatural experience described in the bible. And what's more they all do it at once rather than one or two and that with an interpreter as Paul commands the Corinthian church. The reason for this constraint? So that if a stranger walks in he won't think they are nut jobs!!

If I walked into a room full of people acting absolutely retarded.... Why wouldn't I think they all weren't nut jobs.
 

gnostic

The Lost One
richard hayman said:
If I walked into a room full of people acting absolutely retarded.... Why wouldn't I think they all weren't nut jobs.
I was going to say the same thing.
 

*Paul*

Jesus loves you
If I walked into a room full of people acting absolutely retarded.... Why wouldn't I think they all weren't nut jobs.

Exactly, this was the Apostle Paul's point.

1st Corinthians 14:23 If therefore the whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad?
 
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