"Speaking in toungues"

[Elijah John]

What would Jesus have thought of the practice of "speaking in tongues"?

Since neither he nor any of the prophets and Rabbis who preceded him taught it or practiced it (as far as we know), how much confidence should one place in the practice?

Is the practice of "speaking in tongues" yet more evidence that Evangelicals consider Paul's teachings more important than Jesus own teachings?

[ttruscott]

What would Jesus have thought of the practice of "speaking in tongues"?

Since neither he nor any of the prophets and Rabbis who preceded him taught it or practiced it (as far as we know), how much confidence should one place in the practice?

Is the practice of "speaking in tongues" yet more evidence that Evangelicals consider Paul's teachings more important than Jesus own teachings?

Not all nor only Evangelicals speak in tongues.

[Elijah John]

What would Jesus have thought of the practice of "speaking in tongues"?

Since neither he nor any of the prophets and Rabbis who preceded him taught it or practiced it (as far as we know), how much confidence should one place in the practice?

Is the practice of "speaking in tongues" yet more evidence that Evangelicals consider Paul's teachings more important than Jesus own teachings?

Not all nor only Evangelicals speak in tongues.

That's true, but many do. And I side with those who don't. After Pentacost, those apostles spoke in languages unknown to them but known to their multi-national audience. Those were known human languages.

Some scholars suggest this was a literary way of undoing the confusion of languages resulting form the "Tower of Babel" episode.

The apostles, in effect, were not "babbling".

[onewithhim]

What would Jesus have thought of the practice of "speaking in tongues"?

Since neither he nor any of the prophets and Rabbis who preceded him taught it or practiced it (as far as we know), how much confidence should one place in the practice?

Is the practice of "speaking in tongues" yet more evidence that Evangelicals consider Paul's teachings more important than Jesus own teachings?

Jesus would, I believe, warn us to get far away from the practicers of Glossolalia, or, speaking in unknown tongues & gibberish. To my knowledge, nothing Christ-like has ever been associated with "speaking in tongues," since the first century.

When the disciples, at Pentecost (33 A.D.), spoke in "tongues," they were speaking in known languages, with a specific purpose. The purpose was to reach, with the good news about Jesus, every person in the crowd that had come to Jerusalem for the festival of Pentecost from far and near...."from every nation of those under heaven." (Acts 2:5) "So, when this sound occurred, the multitude came together and were bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in his own language." (v.6; see also verses 7,8) This miracle showed that God was indeed with this newly started-up congregation of Christ's followers, and it greatly boosted, or, advanced the spread of the message about what Jehovah was offering to the Jews and, ultimately, to all of mankind. The ability to preach in other languages sparked the advancement of the good news of the Kingdom, which Jesus is the head of, and it spread rapidly to other lands.

That was the purpose for "speaking in tongues," and today there is no need, because we have the complete canon of the Bible and it contains all of the information anybody needs to know for now.

"...Whether there are tongues, they will cease....for we have partial knowledge and we prophesy partially; but when that which is complete arrives, that which is partial will be done away with." (I Corinthians 13:8-10)



.

[Blastcat]

[Replying to post 4 by onewithhim]

[center]

Glossolalia is an extreme form of what I call "religious English".[/center]

Jesus would, I believe, warn us to get far away from the practicers of Glossolalia, or, speaking in unknown tongues & gibberish.

I would call it "woo-woo".

Another case of religious language that... only means something to the practitioners. They might as well babble. It means pretty much the same to me as any other kind of impenetrable religious language.

But.. I can really see the appeal of babbling.
Must be cathartic.

Soothing, perhaps, like a brook.

[onewithhim]

[Replying to post 5 by Blastcat]

Yes! Woo-woo! Might as well be.

And I think what you say about being cathartic is the main draw. Letting out one's emotions is a way to really unwind. I often have wondered, though, how they keep from hurting themselves when they fall down on the floor---"slain in the spirit." I fell down when I fainted because of Lyme Disease last Summer, and I had a serious bruise on my head (and it hurt!).

[bluethread]

Though we do not practice the "prayer language" stuff, one person in our group did have a gift for tongues. She could understand many languages without any formal education in them. She was also able to quickly pick up dialect and inflection, which are very important in personal conversation. In this way she was able to discuss the Scriptures with many people from all over the world after having just met them.

[onewithhim]

Though we do not practice the "prayer language" stuff, one person in our group did have a gift for tongues. She could understand many languages without any formal education in them. She was also able to quickly pick up dialect and inflection, which are very important in personal conversation. In this way she was able to discuss the Scriptures with many people from all over the world after having just met them.

That is something---forgive me for saying it---that I hold high skepticism toward. Have you actually observed her doing that? I would almost bet that she is not being totally truthful. At the very least I would say that she did, in reality, study the languages aforetime. I have a feeling, too, that all this is what she has told you.

[Blastcat]

[Replying to post 6 by onewithhim]

Yes! Woo-woo! Might as well be.

And I think what you say about being cathartic is the main draw. Letting out one's emotions is a way to really unwind. I often have wondered, though, how they keep from hurting themselves when they fall down on the floor---"slain in the spirit." I fell down when I fainted because of Lyme Disease last Summer, and I had a serious bruise on my head (and it hurt!).

To be clear, the term "woo-woo" is a derogatory term.

I usually hear it used to mean that what a person just said sounds mysterious, and magical and cool, when it's just impenetrable word salad, and actually, quite silly.

Daniel Dennett credits his daughter coming up with the term "deepity". It means "woo-woo". Sounds deep.. isn't.

The Wizard of Oz would use "woo-woo" words to impress people.
The actual guy behind the curtain was actually quite powerless, and full of bluster.

I started to hear the term "woo" associated with the new age movement.. and the big hitters like Deepak Chopra ... and other woo salesmen.

Whatever magical mysterious power that can't be proved a person claims without a shred of evidence or explanation can also be called "woo".. or "woo-woo".

I'm not sure about the distinction between the woo and the woo-woo.
Perhaps someone would like to investigate.

I never participated, or witnessed a talking in tongues ceremony.. I didn't know they all had to fall down. Like ring around the rosies, I suppose. Acha Acha.. we all fall down!! When my girls were three years old, they could never really get enough of the ring. And they had NO idea what ring around the rosies meant, or why THEY had to fall down, either.

I think that nonsense has a great appeal, really.
A lot of humor is nonsense.

Art, a lot of that is just pure nonsense.
Some of that nonsense sells for millions.

I have a keen sense of the sense that makes none.
I call it woo or woo-woo these days..

And I've been using the term "religious English", too.
Same-same.

Incomprehensible language is nonsensical to me.
When religious people tell me about "spirit" they might as well be talking in tongues.
I never really "get it" at all.

They assure me that THEY do.. but they just can't seem to translate from one kind of English to another one. At least the speakers in tongues aren't even TRYING to make sense to others. It's the JOB of the theologian ( and priest ) to explain what the religious words mean.

I only thought I understood the words when I was a gullible kid. As an adult, I have to admit to my utter ignorance. Spirit you say?

I translate that to "woo-woo", today.
Some prefer the term "deepity".

Some people liken it to a specific kind of organic bovine manure.
We aren't allowed to use that term in here.

[onewithhim]

OK....."spirit" is woo-woo. To you, and undoubtedly to millions more.

But didn't you say previously that we can't see the wind or the air, but it is made up of atoms just the same, and is real. So why is the idea of "spirit" nonsensical just because we can't see it?