Speaking in tongues

[Anonymous]

My family was Lutheran, and when I was 14-18 I was very involved in church--confirmation classes, youth group, regular church attendance. I also got drafted into being pianist for friends of the family who had switched to Assembly of God and had a family gospel singing group. At that time, at least where we lived, the Assembly was a fringe church, the sanctuary was the same building as the parsonage. So I also had to go to their services frequently, I remember them doing Saturday evening services as well (I think there were a lot of recovering alcoholics in the congregation, that may have been a factor).

I was used to the structure of Lutheran services, but these had NO structure. No program for the service. The service just went on and on and on, not to mention the altar call (the preacher's wife used to take those opportunities to trap me in the wall end of a pew and work on evangelizing me).

The speaking in tongues (also, "possessed by the Spirit" and "dancing in the Spirit"--I remember there being 7 "gifts of the spirit", probably healing, casting out of demons, not sure what else) terrified me. I didn't understand it, I thought it was real, I didn't know if the Spirit would snatch me and make me do that. The female singer in the gospel group used to get possessed and pass out in the aisle for a long time at the end of the service, people would be stepping over her to get to the altar call, it was just crazy.

BTW, the gospel group once made an album and they called themselves the Afterglow Gospel Singers and did a little bit of church touring after I was no longer involved. They gave me their album. I was in college. That's when I learned what "afterglow" usually refers to.

It was explained to me once by Lutherans (I quit after I started college) that they are basically skeptical about the speaking in tongues because how do you know it's the Holy Spirit and not the devil making you do it? I believe they regard it as a gift that was bestowed on the apostles, period.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Research shows that the sounds that come out of people's mouths while they are "speaking in tongues" does not represent any language whatsoever - it is gobbledygook. This is of course conflicts with what the bible describes as speaking in tongues, which referred to people speaking other languages

Right, in oder that the people the apostles were speaking to could understand them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's when the Holy Spirit speaks through you. I've had it happen twice in my life decades ago. Can't explain it. I had no control over what I was saying in terms of what sounds came out. It wasn't like I was the most religious person. But it was a time when I was in deep prayer.

This happened to my mil when she was 25. She has bi polar disorder.

I'm sure bipolar people do other things that you have also done, like maybe drink and do dumb things. But I'm sure you consider that "normal" behavior.

No. She was psychotic and had to be hospitalized so she wouldn't literally take a leap of faith off of the roof, which is where she was standing when she spoke in tongues, so......

[Anonymous]

When I was a child we briefly went to a church where this was the norm (well for a few years). As a child I have memories of them leaning down and telling us to speak in tongues, whispering the instruction in our ears. A bunch of BS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When I was a child we briefly went to a church where this was the norm (well for a few years). As a child I have memories of them leaning down and telling us to speak in tongues, whispering the instruction in our ears. A bunch of BS.

If you know your Bible, then speaking in tongues is not legit unless there also is an interpretation

[Anonymous]

“Contrary to what may be a common perception, studies suggest that people who speak in tongues rarely suffer from mental problems. A recent study of nearly 1,000 evangelical Christians in England found that those who engaged in the practice were more emotionally stable than those who did not.”

https://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/07/health/07brain.html

[Anonymous]

“This speech pattern is characteristic of disorganized thinking in psychotic disorders,” explains psychiatrist Michael Peterson, MD, PhD, an assistant professor in the department of psychiatry at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health in Madison. Dr. Peterson offers these examples of clang associations: “that boat hope floats” or “the train brain rained on me.” The words involved often have a rhyming, near-rhyming, or punning (choosing words based on double meanings) quality to them.

There are other types of language changes that may be present with bipolar symptoms in addition to clang associations, including:

Word salad. A jumble of words that are not apparently linked and may be hard to understand.
Disorganization. Jumping from one idea to another without transition.
Neologism. Making up words that have no meaning to anyone but the speaker.
Echolalia. Repeating others’ words or phrases.

Typically, if you spend time with a person who is becoming psychotic, you will notice that his language gets less sensible and understandable as his psychosis gets worse. He may not be aware that he is not making sense as he strings together clang associations or other unusual language associations. Eventually he may become totally incoherent or appear to be “speaking in tongues.” Rationalizing with him or trying to talk to him about what he is saying is not going to get you any clear answers. Instead, start seeking treatment for his bipolar symptoms as soon as you notice that his language is starting to fall apart.“

https://www.everydayhealth.com/bipolar-disorder/clang-associations-in-bipolar-disorder.aspx

This is a serious medical condition and needs (probably) intensive inpatient treatment and medication management. People who attend church and lead normal lives don’t have bi-polar disorder with psychotic features.

[Anonymous]

Is this considered speaking in tongues? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHsBIk1ZLr4

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Research shows that the sounds that come out of people's mouths while they are "speaking in tongues" does not represent any language whatsoever - it is gobbledygook. This is of course conflicts with what the bible describes as speaking in tongues, which referred to people speaking other languages

This is what gets me. In the Bible, speaking in tongues meant you could be understood by people no matter what language they speak. Now people think it means being understood by no one at Earth, but probably by G-d, and everybody nods along like there's no obvious disconnect there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Research shows that the sounds that come out of people's mouths while they are "speaking in tongues" does not represent any language whatsoever - it is gobbledygook. This is of course conflicts with what the bible describes as speaking in tongues, which referred to people speaking other languages

This is what gets me. In the Bible, speaking in tongues meant you could be understood by people no matter what language they speak. Now people think it means being understood by no one at Earth, but probably by G-d, and everybody nods along like there's no obvious disconnect there.

Where in the Bible does it same this?

Here's what the Bible says about it:

Acts 2:4 ESV
And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.

1 Corinthians 14:2 ESV
For one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men but to God; for no one understands him, but he utters mysteries in the Spirit.

1 Corinthians 14:23 ESV
If, therefore, the whole church comes together and all speak in tongues, and outsiders or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are out of your minds?

Of course, if you don't believe then this is all gibberish to you (pun intended), much like if you don't believe in Jesus, then the idea of a virginal birth is cookoo to you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Research shows that the sounds that come out of people's mouths while they are "speaking in tongues" does not represent any language whatsoever - it is gobbledygook. This is of course conflicts with what the bible describes as speaking in tongues, which referred to people speaking other languages

This is what gets me. In the Bible, speaking in tongues meant you could be understood by people no matter what language they speak. Now people think it means being understood by no one at Earth, but probably by G-d, and everybody nods along like there's no obvious disconnect there.

Where in the Bible does it same this?

Here's what the Bible says about it:

Acts 2:4 ESV
And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.

1 Corinthians 14:2 ESV
For one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men but to God; for no one understands him, but he utters mysteries in the Spirit.

1 Corinthians 14:23 ESV
If, therefore, the whole church comes together and all speak in tongues, and outsiders or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are out of your minds?

Of course, if you don't believe then this is all gibberish to you (pun intended), much like if you don't believe in Jesus, then the idea of a virginal birth is cookoo to you.

Ma'am, your Googling has failed you. Read Acts 2 (where the phrase "speaking in tongues" comes from), not just 2:4.

When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues[a] as the Spirit enabled them.

5 Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. 7 Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? 9 Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,[b] 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” 12 Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?”

[Anonymous]

You can believe in (or that he was a prophet) Jesus and not believe in a virginal birth.

Similarly the bible has passages and stories that are pure nonsense. Speaking in tongues is snake oil.

[Anonymous]

Mass translation makes more sense than gibberish where no one understands.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's when the Holy Spirit speaks through you. I've had it happen twice in my life decades ago. Can't explain it. I had no control over what I was saying in terms of what sounds came out. It wasn't like I was the most religious person. But it was a time when I was in deep prayer.

Sounds like you were possessed.

yes, exactly.. it's when you are "possessed" by the Holy Spirit.

I remember going to church with a boyfriend as a teen and this happened but I’d never heard of it. I was just like - w. t. f. Is happening right now? When he explained it to me I couldn’t help but wonder, doesn’t the Holy Spirit know English?

[Anonymous]

Believing that another being can speak through you (for good or bad) can be part of a mental illness.

I've seen it once and figured the person was just putting on a show. He had the whole confused look and "what happened??" after.