Speaking In Tongues

[Gawen]

I've always considered speaking in tongues to be an example of religious hysteria, and hysteria is an irrational and out of control state.  Just my $0.02.

My feelings exactly.

[Ecurb Noselrub]

What branch of Christianity do you associate yourself with EN.

No particular branch anymore. I grew up Southern Baptist, and was in a Charismatic group for awhile, but now I'm not associated with any denomination.

[Ecurb Noselrub]

When it would happen spontaneously, what were you doing? You weren't or hadn't been involved in any religious thing (activity, ritual or even thought) at all? Did you feel before the sounds coming out that you were about to speak in tongues or did it happen totally unexpectedly?

The most recent time I was just walking down the street and was suddenly overcome with a sense of gratitude about my family.  The sounds sort of erupted.  There have been times when I had more advance notice, and of course in those times I have the choice of whether or not to allow the experience to proceed.  I always do, as it is a generally pleasant and uplifting phenomenon.

[xSilverPhinx]

When it would happen spontaneously, what were you doing? You weren't or hadn't been involved in any religious thing (activity, ritual or even thought) at all? Did you feel before the sounds coming out that you were about to speak in tongues or did it happen totally unexpectedly?

The most recent time I was just walking down the street and was suddenly overcome with a sense of gratitude about my family.  The sounds sort of erupted.  There have been times when I had more advance notice, and of course in those times I have the choice of whether or not to allow the experience to proceed.  I always do, as it is a generally pleasant and uplifting phenomenon.

Pardon my curiosity, but did you ever speak in tongues before you had your defining moment of religious experience?

[Jose AR]

The spontaneous speaking in tongues is typical circular logic. If there was a god I suppose that he wouldn't need to be held up by this kind of logical trick. Let us let go of the specifics of speaking in tongues and substitute "behaviour X".

1. the occurence of behviour x shows a connection with god, and even proves god.
2. behaviour x is defined as something that cannot be understood (by others).
3. the specifics of behaviour x cannot (or will not) stand up to obejective scrutiny.
4. the occurence of behaviour x comes from god and cannot be questioned.
5. the person doing behaviour x cannot control the occurence of behaviour x.
6. behaviour x comes from god

That is like saying that when I hop on one foot, god is flowing through me, because when god flows through me I hop on one foot, and I don't expect that you will accept this because it cannot be understood.

[Ecurb Noselrub]

Pardon my curiosity, but did you ever speak in tongues before you had your defining moment of religious experience?

No.  It was not part of the religious tradition in which I was raised.

[AnimatedDirt]

When it would happen spontaneously, what were you doing? You weren't or hadn't been involved in any religious thing (activity, ritual or even thought) at all? Did you feel before the sounds coming out that you were about to speak in tongues or did it happen totally unexpectedly?

The most recent time I was just walking down the street and was suddenly overcome with a sense of gratitude about my family.  The sounds sort of erupted.  There have been times when I had more advance notice, and of course in those times I have the choice of whether or not to allow the experience to proceed.  I always do, as it is a generally pleasant and uplifting phenomenon.

I'm not quite certain what to think here.  So when speaking in tongues...a gift from God...comes to you, instead of embracing it wherever and whenever it comes, you instead suppress it?  More so,, this gift from God is "generally?" pleasant and uplifting?  When has speaking in tongues been unpleasant?  I've read that some proponents of speaking in tongues say it is the language of heaven.  How can anything heavenly be anything but pleasant, to say the least?

Reading from 1 Corinthians 14:4,5 one can see that speaking in tongues is not "generally" uplifting.  Certainly it does more than that.  It "edifies himself."  Paul goes on to say, "I would like every one of you to speak in tongues, but..."  Hardly words spoken to the believers simply for them to gain a feeling of "general" pleasantness (is that a word?)

If we continue through to verse 19 of that chapter, it is clear what the believer should hope for.  If he/she does speak in tongues, it should not be without interpretation that ALL be edified or "gifts that build up the church."

[Ecurb Noselrub]

When it would happen spontaneously, what were you doing? You weren't or hadn't been involved in any religious thing (activity, ritual or even thought) at all? Did you feel before the sounds coming out that you were about to speak in tongues or did it happen totally unexpectedly?

The most recent time I was just walking down the street and was suddenly overcome with a sense of gratitude about my family.  The sounds sort of erupted.  There have been times when I had more advance notice, and of course in those times I have the choice of whether or not to allow the experience to proceed.  I always do, as it is a generally pleasant and uplifting phenomenon.

I'm not quite certain what to think here.  So when speaking in tongues...a gift from God...comes to you, instead of embracing it wherever and whenever it comes, you instead suppress it?  More so,, this gift from God is "generally?" pleasant and uplifting?  When has speaking in tongues been unpleasant?  I've read that some proponents of speaking in tongues say it is the language of heaven.  How can anything heavenly be anything but pleasant, to say the least?

Reading from 1 Corinthians 14:4,5 one can see that speaking in tongues is not "generally" uplifting.  Certainly it does more than that.  It "edifies himself."  Paul goes on to say, "I would like every one of you to speak in tongues, but..."  Hardly words spoken to the believers simply for them to gain a feeling of "general" pleasantness (is that a word?)

If we continue through to verse 19 of that chapter, it is clear what the believer should hope for.  If he/she does speak in tongues, it should not be without interpretation that ALL be edified or "gifts that build up the church."

I didn't realize that my use of the world "generally" would be the focus of such intense scrutiny.  There have been a few times when I prayed in tongues in a situation of grief or despair, so that's why I used "generally."  And since I don't do it outloud in a worship service, the interpretation/edification issue doesn't arise. It's only for my edification, not the church's. 

[AnimatedDirt]

I didn't realize that my use of the world "generally" would be the focus of such intense scrutiny.  There have been a few times when I prayed in tongues in a situation of grief or despair, so that's why I used "generally."  And since I don't do it outloud in a worship service, the interpretation/edification issue doesn't arise. It's only for my edification, not the church's.

Why would you be surprised?  If I was to say,
"God took me up to heaven.  The time spent in heaven was generally pleasant and uplifting."
What does that say about heaven?  In the least, it says heaven is ok...it's not great, but it's ok.

"I could take it or leave it..."

It could also be taken as time spent with God/Jesus/HS is not all that great...heh.

Your word choice was/is odd, to say the least, concerning an apparent gift from God.

[Ecurb Noselrub]

I didn't realize that my use of the world "generally" would be the focus of such intense scrutiny.  There have been a few times when I prayed in tongues in a situation of grief or despair, so that's why I used "generally."  And since I don't do it outloud in a worship service, the interpretation/edification issue doesn't arise. It's only for my edification, not the church's.

Why would you be surprised?  If I was to say,
"God took me up to heaven.  The time spent in heaven was generally pleasant and uplifting."
What does that say about heaven?  In the least, it says heaven is ok...it's not great, but it's ok.

"I could take it or leave it..."

It could also be taken as time spent with God/Jesus/HS is not all that great...heh.

Your word choice was/is odd, to say the least, concerning an apparent gift from God.

Well, I just described what it was like for me.  Sorry I didn't meet your expectations. I didn't claim that it was like being transported to heaven.

[AnimatedDirt]

Well, I just described what it was like for me.  Sorry I didn't meet your expectations. I didn't claim that it was like being transported to heaven.

No, you didn't claim it was like being transported to heaven.  However, by default, truly speaking in tongues is a gift from God and to think it "generally pleasant" seems at odds to me and simply calls into question whether it is from God in my mind.

Carry on. 

[MariaEvri]

Speaking In Tongues

I was reading the translated version of ghost in the machine by ebonmuse... or something very similar name. There is a part in the brain that remembers words and how they sound. If that brain part is damages, the person forgets how the words sound. He speaks in "words" that sound like a foreign language, but in reality they mean nothing. The person himself wil think he's speaking normally