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I honestly don't know what to believe in regards to speaking in tongues. As a card-carrying atheist and a half-assed Buddhist, I'm of course skeptical as to its sincerity. But it gives me pause. I'm a recovering alcoholic and used to a drug and alcohol counselor. I had this one client, the biggest, baddest, meanest, filthiest, most macho, most God-hating atheist imaginable, who attended a religous tent-like gathering of Charismatics with a born-again buddy of his. Well, my client came to our appointment a few days after the revival with his hair cut short and his beard gone and his leathers replaced by a clean white buttondown shirt and tie. He looked like a freakin' banker. Claimed with teary-eyed sincerity that he saw God and spoke in tongues and was born again.
I know what you're thinking, but no, this dude was had no legal stuff hanging over him and was in my program on a voluntary basis, thus he didn't need to try and con anyone. And I know from experience that the burnout rate of guys who get born again like that is sky high: 90% backslide within a year or so. But my client stayed straight and even became a youth minister. I won't bore you with the details he related to me on how he felt during his conversion--I picked his brain for hours, since I was both amazed and curious and skeptical--except to say that he kept comparing it to "feeling myself going under the spell of a heavy drug, like an anethetic before an operation. And my hands and face got all red and tingly. Like the song says, 'Comfortably Numb.'"
So my bottom line I guess is that speaking in tongues is kinda like the psychic thing: Ninety percent of the people are full of it, but about ten percent are sincere in that they feel they were touched by God. I used to feel that, in the case of the tent revival things, what went on was a sort of mass hysteria incident, but that sort of thing doesn't happen as easily as most poeople think, especially with skeptics.
Last edited by DrummerBoy; 12-09-2009 at 10:01 PM..
So my bottom line I guess is that speaking in tongues is kinda like the psychic thing: Ninety percent of the people are full of it, but about ten percent are sincere in that they feel they were touched by God. I used to feel that, in the case of the tent revival things, what went on was a sort of mass hysteria incident, but that sort of thing doesn't happen as easily as most poeople think, especially with skeptics.
I agree with your assessment that a large percentage of it is bunk BUT I've seen some pretty strange things as well.
I know a Catholic guy who was dealing drugs and who's marriage was in big trouble etc. His wife was trying to get a priest to come bless their new house but accidently called the 'wrong' kind of church and a tongue talking pentecostal type pastor dude showed up praying all over the house and binding the devil etc.
The shocked homeowner said he felt this "love and peace" come all over him - really freaked him out. Now they're all cleaned up - he plays trumpet at church and his family is happy as can be. Definitely something more than meets the eye is some cases.
It's not just a load of gibberish. Linguistic research indicates that people who engage in this practice tend to produce phonemes that are used in their native languages, and not in languages that are completely foreign to them. In other words, it is purely the product of the speaker's mind, and not some divine gift.
Yes, it is a slightly controversial title I know. However many athiests probably think this about what is apparently a fairly common occurrance in some churches.
I have to say that I have never experienced anyone speaking in tongues, but it has always seemed to me to be a strange phenomena that is - in my mind - similar to hearing spirits or being in a trance.
I would be interested to hear what the 'official' explanation to this is.
How can Christians say that speaking in tongues is a desired effect or one that is thought of in wonder or awe? Is it so great? What are the benefits to a Christian?
I wouldn't say that speaking in tongues is "just a load of jibberish" but I would definitely say that it's a very misunderstood concept. It is a spiritual gift that is spoken of in the New Testament, but it is a gift with a purpose. It does not occur as some kind of proof that someone is a bonafide "Christian" and it's not just some sort of blabbering that a person finds himself doing after being converted to Christianity. It's a gift that God gives a person, enabling him to temporarily communicate with someone who could not otherwise understand him (because they do not speak the same language), generally for the purpose of sharing the gospel message. I believe in it but I have never seen it take place, and I don't really expect that I ever will.
I wouldn't say that speaking in tongues is "just a load of jibberish" but I would definitely say that it's a very misunderstood concept. It is a spiritual gift that is spoken of in the New Testament, but it is a gift with a purpose. It does not occur as some kind of proof that someone is a bonafide "Christian" and it's not just some sort of blabbering that a person finds himself doing after being converted to Christianity. It's a gift that God gives a person, enabling him to temporarily communicate with someone who could not otherwise understand him (because they do not speak the same language), generally for the purpose of sharing the gospel message. I believe in it but I have never seen it take place, and I don't really expect that I ever will.
The simple fact that these instances show nothing approaching language would sugggest you are incorrect.
The simple fact that these instances show nothing approaching language would sugggest you are incorrect.
What I am saying is that most of the people who claim they are "speaking in tongues" really aren't. They are speaking in jibberish and there is absolutely nothing legitimate about what they're doing. You misunderstood my post entirely. If what I said didn't make sense to you, read msjamiedawn's post #27. She said essentially the same thing as I did.
What I am saying is that most of the people who claim they are "speaking in tongues" really aren't. They are speaking in jibberish and there is absolutely nothing legitimate about what they're doing. You misunderstood my post entirely. If what I said didn't make sense to you, read msjamiedawn's post #27. She said essentially the same thing as I did.
Obviously. Your post appeared to claim it was a "gift from god" so that people could "talk to people who don't understand them".
Obviously. Your post appeared to claim it was a "gift from god" so that people could "talk to people who don't understand them".
Speaking in tongues (languages), the real thing, IS a gift from God. When it does happen right, someone can speak in a language (a real, actual language) that they not normally can speak. It was so the gospel could be spread. Katzpur is saying that what happens these days is not this, which in essence, makes it jibberish.
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