Speaking In Tongues

[dagda]

There was an intresting story my old Higher REMPS teacher brought up one day. He can understand, at least, ancient Hebrew and Arameic and, once, while in America, was present when a group of people, some he knew, 'spoke in tounges'. It was Arameic and he knew for a fact they did not speak that language. He is not a Christian in any maner or means hence I found the experience of his highly intresting as it is less lickly to be clouded by bais.

[Meatball]

There was an intresting story my old Higher REMPS teacher brought up one day. He can understand, at least, ancient Hebrew and Arameic and, once, while in America, was present when a group of people, some he knew, 'spoke in tounges'. It was Arameic and he knew for a fact they did not speak that language. He is not a Christian in any maner or means hence I found the experience of his highly intresting as it is less lickly to be clouded by bais.

Sorry, but that sounds like horseshit.

They've done studies and the babble is consistent in syllables and structures to the native language of the speaker.

That said, LABABABA TOGOGO MEEMOO MACHACHA LABA.

[Tiberius]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xenoglossy

Only 4 cases have ever been subjected to scientific review, and out of those, only 2 of them were cases of someone fluently speaking another language (the other two were random words with no sentence structure). Out of the two that count, one could have previously learnt the second language years before.

[Zapata]

Yeah, speaking in tongues is total crap. It reminds me of Mola Ram from Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. People ask questions like, "How do you explain me speaking fluently in languages I dont know?" and my reply would be "How do you know you're speaking fluently (or comprehending anything at all) if you dont know the language?"

Its BS.

[birdmanislord]

Back 15 years ago, when I was attending an Assemblies of God church in my town, I really wanted to have that gift. I had heard from a person that you suddenly have it and it just flows, but heard from another person that there are pastors going to people who want that gift, and 'practice the pronounciation' with them, and then pray for the gift and voila, people have it. So I was a bit confused but didn't give that contradiction much thought (I am sorry to say).

One day I was on the bathroom floor, praying my heart out, trying to make sounds with my mouth, but thought it's nuts for me to try to make something up when I hadn't 'felt' that god had given it to me.

On that weekend, after a 2 hour hypnotism, I mean worship session, at said church, I went to the front 'full of faith,' tingles all over my body and my mind swimming in spiritual goo, just closing my mind to any thought, letting sounds out of my mouth, according to what was going out around me, and there i was going saying something like "i-bought-a-hiunday-but-i-shoulda-boughta-honda" (not really like that).

One of the many pastors running across the stage, blabbering into their microphones, touched my forehead with his sweaty, cold hand, and said "Oh yea, LORD, he HAS it! GLORY!"

At that point I thought "well, if HE understands it..."

Every time I prayed in tongues I got to the point where I just felt tired and wanted to do things involving thought. Interestingly, it seemed most natural after being hypnotized, sorry again, 1-hour worship at that church.

[chatpilot]

On a serious note guys and gals I came from a fundamental charismatic church where the practice of the gifts of the spirit were employed.I myself have used several of these so called spiritual gifts myself within my ministry.As far as speaking in tongues go I once possesed that gift in full.When I left the church and became an atheist that was one of the many things that I had to try and explain away.

I think personally that it is a result of your environment.The fanatical churches tell you that speaking in tongues is the sign that you have been baptized by the holy spirit.As an ardent believer you want to fit in with the rest of your brethren in the church and so you begin to pray to god for that gift.Inadvertently you are mentally preparing yourself to recieve it by conditioning your mind that you will.And when you least expect it you are praying one day at home or in service and you begin to speak in tongues.If you have ever attended any of these religious services it's hard not to notice that the gibberish they all speak sounds very similar to one another.

I equate it to what is known in hypnosis as influencing en masse where your environment has an effect on your beliefs and behavior.It's all a form of hypnosis.

[bozo]

The whole concept scares the crap out of me. I'm usually a little weary of someone's character if I know they are religious, but if I ever met someone who claims to have spoken in tongues, I'm not even sure what I would do. Definitely not associate with them.

Creepy stuff.

Not sure what to do? Simply tell them they're talking bollocks!
For reading in tongues try checking out " Metropole" by Ferenc Karinthy.
I did and hated every page. It's the most claustrophobic read ever, yet some critics hail it as a " central european classic" or " a stunning novel, nightmarish and jubilant ". Why mention it here you may be thinking? Well it's a vision of hell where a man finds himself in a place where the language makes no sense.

[Edwardo Piet]

Is it not some sort of religious nonsense type of tourettes syndrome? Unless of course on the occasions when its faked? If it can ever be faked?

Have I just said something wrong? I'm not sure...I do apoligise if I have!

[chatpilot]

You have said nothing wrong,I don't think it's tourettes syndrome though.Like I stated in my previous post I think it has to do with being influenced with the environment.You want to fit in so you begin to believe in speaking in tongues and pick up the native gibberish from your fellow brothers and sisters in church.

[Edwardo Piet]

So I guess its kind of brainwashing....and sometimes self-deception/self-brainwashing/delusion.

Is that what you're saying?