"Speaking in tongues"

[El JoNNo]

As far as I am aware the whole speaking in tongues thing in mostly pentecostal. Who has done so? Who think it is legitimate and who think it's a crock?

[Progmetty]

I didn't know anyone took it seriously, you're talking about the "speaking in tongues" that occurs due to demonic possession aren't you?

[El JoNNo]

No the religious kind, it happens when you are supposedly filled with the holy spirit.

[Progmetty]

Oh okay, never heard of that will read on it.

[Nigerius Rex]

I grew up around a lot of quacks that would become enthralled by gods power and then use it to say generic Christian and unimportant things.

Its not spiritual, its bs.

[j]

Even as a Christian, I always considered it a crock.

-J

[William Wallace]

I grew up around a lot of quacks that would become enthralled by gods power and then use it to say generic Christian and unimportant things.

Its not spiritual, its bs.

Yeah, it's fake. I remember going to church and the crazy youth pastor telling me that God wants me to speak in tongues. I distinctly remember not feeling like God wanted me to. So I didn't. Further reading revealed that the whole concept of speaking in tongues is misunderstood.

[yeshaberto]

some of my dearest friends believe they can speak in tongues.  while I doubt the reality, I think it is just a matter of them wanting to believe so strongly that God is working in them that it happens.
the significant, problem, though is that the tongues of Jesus' time were known languages (cf Acts 2). 
if someone today were to fluently speak in a known language that they had not studied, and claimed that it was from God, I would be open to believing them.

[William Wallace]

some of my dearest friends believe they can speak in tongues.  while I doubt the reality, I think it is just a matter of them wanting to believe so strongly that God is working in them that it happens.
the significant, problem, though is that the tongues of Jesus' time were known languages (cf Acts 2). 
if someone today were to fluently speak in a known language that they had not studied, and claimed that it was from God, I would be open to believing them.

You beat me to it. Speaking in tongues was a form of evangelism.

The claim by many today to be able to speak in tongues is simply out of harmony with New Testament teaching. Anyone can babble, make up sounds, and claim he or she is speaking in tongues. But such conduct is no sign today. It is precisely the same phenomenon that pagan religions have practiced through the centuries. In the New Testament, however, no one questioned the authenticity of tongue-speaking. Why? The speaker was speaking a known human language that could be understood by those present who knew that language and knew that that particular speaker did not know that language beforehand. As McGarvey observed about Acts 2: “Not only did the apostles speak in foreign languages that were understood by the hearers, some understanding one and some another, but the fact that this was done by Galileans, who knew only their mother tongue, was the one significant fact that gave to Peter’s speech which followed all of its power over the multitude” (1910, p. 318).

https://www.apologeticspress.org/apcontent.aspx?category=11&article=1399

[hefdaddy42]

I've been around it, but I've never done it.

I don't believe that what I've been around is actually from God, but I also don't think the people doing it were "faking it" or being disingenuous.  From my studies of it in both Christian and other religions, as well as my first-hand observations, I believe that it is an outgrowth of an ecstatic experience.  The people become so "into it" (I hesitate to use the term "in the spirit" although that is what they would say) that they work themselves into a state where gibberish comes out of their mouth.  Their conscious selves aren't really in control, so they don't know what they hell they are saying, but IMHO, neither is God in control.

Just my two cents.

[pogoowner]

I've been around it, but I've never done it.

I don't believe that what I've been around is actually from God, but I also don't think the people doing it were "faking it" or being disingenuous.  From my studies of it in both Christian and other religions, as well as my first-hand observations, I believe that it is an outgrowth of an ecstatic experience.  The people become so "into it" (I hesitate to use the term "in the spirit" although that is what they would say) that they work themselves into a state where gibberish comes out of their mouth.  Their conscious selves aren't really in control, so they don't know what they hell they are saying, but IMHO, neither is God in control.

Just my two cents.

That's how I've always understood it.

[Jamesman42]

When I was starting to go to young adult ministries around town a few years ago, one of them had this speaker come in and he just went on and on about how God wants you to speak in tongues. He would say "I can do it any time I wish rjhogierogjrwoifhwvee". He then offered anyone at the end to receive the gift that we all "needed".

Needless to say, over half the group of us left, including me. A good chuck of people never came back. I still disagree with it to this day, and don't believe it is supposed to be like that at all. Ironically, I ended up becoming worship leader there, but I never once encouraged speaking in tongues, and the leaders there didn't push it anymore, thank God.

What would be the point to speak gibberish like that? I agree with yesh's assessment.

[hefdaddy42]

When I was starting to go to young adult ministries around town a few years ago, one of them had this speaker come in and he just went on and on about how God wants you to speak in tongues. He would say "I can do it any time I wish rjhogierogjrwoifhwvee". He then offered anyone at the end to receive the gift that we all "needed".

This is standard pentecostal teaching.  Of course, not one bit of it is Biblical.  It wound up being one big reason we left the last church at which we served.

[Jamesman42]

Oh, I didn't realize it was standard. That is scary.

[hefdaddy42]

Oh, I didn't realize it was standard. That is scary.

Maybe standard is an exaggeration.  We served temporarily in another Pentecostal church, and rarely heard or saw tongues there, and never heard it talked about.

But it is definitely widespread.  Many of them think you are strange if you never "receive the gift."  I guess they forgot about the part where Paul said that different people would have different gifts.

But hey, whatever.

[antigoon]

I went to a palm sunday service with my pentecostal ex-girlfriend once and there were so many of them doing it. As an outsider, it made me feel really uncomfortable.

[hefdaddy42]

I went to a palm sunday service with my pentecostal ex-girlfriend once and there were so many of them doing it. As an outsider, it made me feel really uncomfortable.

I would imagine so.

[rumborak]

I think it's the modern equivalent of when people attributed epilepsy with demonic possession. It's a brain state you can induce into yourself. And from that angle, I agree most people aren't faking it, just like people aren't faking a seizure when they're in it.

rumborak

[William Wallace]

I've been around it, but I've never done it.

I don't believe that what I've been around is actually from God, but I also don't think the people doing it were "faking it" or being disingenuous.  From my studies of it in both Christian and other religions, as well as my first-hand observations, I believe that it is an outgrowth of an ecstatic experience.  The people become so "into it" (I hesitate to use the term "in the spirit" although that is what they would say) that they work themselves into a state where gibberish comes out of their mouth.  Their conscious selves aren't really in control, so they don't know what they hell they are saying, but IMHO, neither is God in control.

Just my two cents.

I didn't mean to say that they're all faking it. Sorry if it came across that way.

That being said, I know for a fact that many people fake it, though not for bad reasons. They see the "mature," spiritual Christians doing it, so they do it as well.

[Progmetty]

Do you think the people in this video are seriously doing it so easy? it looks like they can summon it anytime for TV purposes https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3be9wCAwIM

[XJDenton]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glossolalia#Linguistics_of_Pentecostal_glossolalia

[Perpetual Change]

And people say Catholics are the weird ones? 

[hefdaddy42]

And people say Catholics are the weird ones? 

Yes, because they believe in lots of shit that isn't even IN the Bible.  At least speaking in tongues IS (in different forms).

[William Wallace]

And people say Catholics are the weird ones?  

Yes, because they believe in lots of shit that isn't even IN the Bible.  At least speaking in tongues IS (in different forms).

[Jamesman42]

Amen, heffather2*3*7

[Perpetual Change]

And people say Catholics are the weird ones? 

Yes, because they believe in lots of shit that isn't even IN the Bible.  At least speaking in tongues IS (in different forms).

So the fact that it's in the Bible makes it normal?

OK.

[hefdaddy42]

And people say Catholics are the weird ones? 

Yes, because they believe in lots of shit that isn't even IN the Bible.  At least speaking in tongues IS (in different forms).

So the fact that it's in the Bible makes it normal?

OK.

No.

[Perpetual Change]

Well, in that case:

Hokan boobuza titikumpfa. Mamamangkna paroooooza. Mimifanta. Kuku.

[IGWT]

I don't subscribe to the view that the charismatic churches seem to hold that speaking in tongues is the proof of receiving the HS and if you don't do it, you don't have the HS.  I think it's one of the gifts of the spirit and I hold it as a possibility for some, but when I go to a church and I'm the only one not talking that gibberish, it does make me uncomfortable, much like many of you have expressed.

[sneakyblueberry]

But it is definitely widespread.  Many of them think you are strange if you never "receive the gift."  I guess they forgot about the part where Paul said that different people would have different gifts.

Its interesting you say that, because the flavor of what Paul is saying in 1 Cor 12 about tongues suggests to me that even though some aren't given that particular gift from the get go, we are still to 'desire the greater gifts'.  Does this include tongues? I don't really know.  In 14:5 he does say "I would like you all to speak in tongues, but I'd rather have you prophesy." So maybe he's referring more to that being the greater gift.

I'd agree with most people here who say that the gift is largely misunderstood.  Paul says the purpose of speaking in tongues is mostly to edify the spirit, and it only edifies the church if it is accompanied by interpretation.  Which is what WW and Hef were saying up above (evangelism).  I find the whole thing about people feeling unnerved by people speaking in tongues around them so interesting, because Paul clearly addresses that situation in this passage.  Those tongue-trigger happy pentecostals must've missed that part

Anyway, in answer to the OP:

Have I done it?  Yes, mostly in my own personal prayer.

Do I think its a crock?  No, but I think like other aspects of Christian theology people have misunderstood, misused and misinterpreted it.

Do I think its legitimate.  Yes, because its backed by scripture.

My thoughts.

[j]

What is supposed to be the point of it?  I mean I know supposedly some of Jesus's disciples could speak in tongues, but I thought that was so they could spread the Gospel more effectively everywhere they went.  What is the purpose of a bunch of people who go to the same church uncontrollably babbling incoherently amongst each other?

-J

[sneakyblueberry]

Well, take Cor 14:1 - "For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God. Indeed, no one understands him; he utters mysteries with his spirit."

It's supposed to be the way your spirit prays to God, and I believe that through praying in tongues there is an element of it being the depths of your spirit communicating rather than your head forming sentences, if that makes sense.  Paul says that by praying in tongues one edifies his Spirit.  It also says in that same chapter that people in a church gathering/setting should actually refrain from praying in tongues out loud unless they, or someone else, has a Holy Spirit-given interpretation of tongues.  Then and only then does it edify the church.  Otherwise its useless as a form of evangelism.  

[hefdaddy42]

None of that really makes any sense to me.  Prayer is you communicating with God.  If you are uttering gibberish, then you aren't communicating, you're just noise-making.

But hey, if it feels good, do it.

[sneakyblueberry]

Yeah I see where you're coming from, I respect that.  While I do believe in its authenticity, I find the whole thing hilariously silly.  But I think that's a side of God a lot of people don't realize exists.  eh's a funny guy with a sense of humour and doesn't afraid of anything.

Shaba.  Shiggadigga.

[j]

Yeah I see where you're coming from, I respect that.  While I do believe in its authenticity, I find the whole thing hilariously silly.  But I think that's a side of God a lot of people don't realize exists.  eh's a funny guy with a sense of humour and doesn't afraid of anything.

Shaba.  Shiggadigga.

 

-J