Actually, when Paul wrote the first epistle to the Corinthians even he must have seen the necessity of having some form of checks and balances to keep everyone from just babbling like idiots. 1 Corinthians 14:27-28 says " If anyone speaks in a tongue, two--or at the most three--should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret. If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and God (NIV)." Pentecostals and many other preachers don't practice this, however. They seem to just want to show off their "abilities" at a particularly fervent "see what I can do?" moment. Maybe they should read their Bible more.
In the Christian School I attended, I was often asked if I was ready to be "baptized with the holy spirit" which supposedly means accepting the endowment of certain spiritual "gifts." Speaking in tongues is not readily a gift given to everyone. 1 Corinthians 12:10-11 states that gifts are given by the Spirit "to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines (NIV)."
People who supposedly speak in tongues rarely have translators because no one knows what the hell is being said. If there is a translator present he or she is in cahoots with the preacher and is just reaffirming whatever was being said during the sermon.
In the Christian School I attended, I was often asked if I was ready to be "baptized with the holy spirit" which supposedly means accepting the endowment of certain spiritual "gifts." Speaking in tongues is not readily a gift given to everyone. 1 Corinthians 12:10-11 states that gifts are given by the Spirit "to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines (NIV)."
People who supposedly speak in tongues rarely have translators because no one knows what the hell is being said. If there is a translator present he or she is in cahoots with the preacher and is just reaffirming whatever was being said during the sermon.
