Saturday, 04 July 2009
-
Speaking in Tongues: Scientists Study Brain Activity
My favorite quote from the whole video is this one: "Buddhist monks & Franciscan nuns were found to be in control of their frontal lobes while meditating, while those who were speaking in tongues were not." This shows that the power of God is real, that speaking in tongues is a real gift from God, and that God is the Only True God!
Here is what the Bible says about tongues. I speak in tongues. I have seen people healed from sickness when I prayed for them. I have gained the power to overcome my sins when I started daily speaking in tongues.
Do you speak in tongues? If so, please describe your experience with speaking in tongues. What do you think is the purpose of speaking in tongues?
-
recommend
- recs 4
-
share
-
email
- sent 1
Related Posts
Post a Comment
- Back to revelife's Revelife Site!
- Note: your comment will appear in revelife's local time zone: GMT -05:00 (Eastern Standard - US, Canada)
About the Author
-
- From: MDrabing83
Stats: This Week All Time Posts: 0 1 Views: 0 1500 Comments: 0 74 View all posts by MDrabing83
Comments (77)
Do I speak other languages that others may not understand? Yes, fluent Spanish and some French and Italian. That is what the Bible means by "tongues", not incoherent blathering.
@scrambledmegzntoast@hardestlevel - I disagree with you, not only because have interpreted some tongues at one point in my life, but also because I speak it. The Catholic church also has a charismatic movement. When I was still a teenager and still in the Catholic church because of my parents, we were visited by those who spoke in tongues (unknown/known languages). I have friends in Catholic circles who also speak in tongues.
My question would be - what exactly is speaking in tongues? How do you know you're speaking in tongues? how do OTHERS know you're speaking in tongues? How do you know it's from God?
The Bible is also clear that if you're "speaking in tongues" that it only helps if someone can interpret what you're saying. I Cor 14: 26What then shall we say, brothers? When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church. 27If anyone speaks in a tongue, two—or at the most three—should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret. 28If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and God.
Most commentators also believe, as scrambledmegzntoast has already pointed out, that "tongues" refers to other languages - hence the interpretation command.
@Christenstein@xanga - Well, OK, that is fair. But my understanding is that is not what Scripture refers to? On Pentecost, Scripture refers to specific languages, but says the people didn't understand them; much like someone who doesn't understand Spanish wouldn't understand it being spoken and it would sound like a weird gibberish. Maybe I am missing something else; I am just trying to understand that part of Scripture connected to what you describe and even Catholic charismatics.
I still think it is weird watching recordings of people in worship/prayer.
@scrambledmegzntoast@hardestlevel - I've heard that and I can see how people come to that conclusion but I've never really studied it. Do you have any resources for your claims? I'd be interested in checking them out.
If anyone has any good resources concerning the issue of tongues I'd be interested (no matter the position held).
I think you think it shows more than it does.
That is really really interesting. Thanks for sharing!
i believe speaking in tongues can provide healing purposes, it also it a weapon against the enemy (Satan) because it has been said that he cannot decipher words spoken in tongues. i think speaking in tongues is necessary when dealing with spiritual warfare issues as well. while it may seem like a weird thing for some, i have seen the power speaking in tongues has had for changing peoples lives. i think it's an awesome thing that we don't have to have a script to speak to God, whatever happens to come out of our mouths, He will understand and honor.
@nicolevw@xanga - You mentioned part of what I was going to say-- if you are assembling together, all things are to benefit, edify, and strengthen the Church. That is why Paul spoke in such specific terms there in Corinthians. The current "movement" of coming together speaking (without interpretors) and more than one at a time is unscriptural.
However, 1 Cor. 13:1 among others speaks of speaking in the "tongues of the Angels". I personally do not have the gift.
However, not every "tongue" was a discernable language. There were, certainly, times when they were speaking in tongues of human language to witness the news to people that had a language barrier before them.
I used to be far more skeptical of this subject until I received the Holy Spirit. Then I learned that the Lord does in deed move in people.
Like many "christian" things, though, there will always be 'fakers' and people seeking to make a buck or two off of it-- that is why we have to test the Spirits to know if someone is from God or not.
@sarahflorida1085@xanga - I agree. I wrote a post similar to what you have communicated here. Click here for post.
So...is being in control of your frontal lobe a bad thing now? My understanding is that it's a rather critical part of your brain, one that you should probably be using routinely.
I do not have the gift and am still extremely skeptical. However, what strikes me is that Paul speaks of the experiences of praying in tongues as being out of mind, as the video suggests. Check these out.
1 Cor 14:14 - For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful.
2 Cor 5:13 - If we are out of our mind [praying in tongues], it is for the sake of God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you.
Further, it is because it is an "out of mind" experience that Paul says it should be limited and controlled in context of a church gathering. 1 Cor 14:18-19 says, "I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. But in the church I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue."
I believe it is a gift, but as with any gift, it can be misused.LOL ok then... I'm pretty sure not having control over your frontal lobe is not a sign of divine presence but of supreme stupidity. but that is just my opinion. Have fun with that
Great post!
I myself, do not speak in tongues. Frankly, it's not a gift I think I want. I think I would get a bit freaked out not being to understand what I was saying!
That being said, I DO believe that people can speak in tongues, whether it is manifested as a recognized language, or as something only the Lord understands. BUT I think a widespread problem is the fact that people often use their gifts, particularly the gift of tongues, in an un-biblical manner.
The bible is VERY clear on the fact that if you are publicly speaking in tongues there MUST be an interpreter. I have heard many people speaking in tongues, but I've never once heard an interpretation.
And before I get attacked on the whole tongues vs. prayer language debate, I believe if you are speaking audibly where someone can hear you speaking in tongues, it needs to be interpreted. If you want to speak your prayer language at church, that's fine, but it either needs to be silent, or just under your breath.
I guess my whole point is, your gifts, no matter what they are, need to be used appropriately and in accordance with the rules given in scripture. I recently read a small book called "The Afterglow" by Henry Gainey. I believe it really outlines Calvary Chapel's position on such gifts, but has a very solid biblical foundation for using the gifts.
"This shows that the power of God is real, that speaking in tongues is a real gift from God, and that God is the Only True God!"
It really doesn't show much of anything, other than the fact that you don't use your brain much when you speak in tongues. Maybe it's because it's incoherent babbling, maybe it's because God has something to do with it. Either way, your statement is jumping to conclusions.
I haven't spoken in tongues, and to be honest I'm a bit skeptical. I've been to churches where people speak in tongues and interpret, and my impression is that 1) the interpretations rarely include anything that isn't already in scripture, 2) the practice seems pretty 'controlled' for a spirit-lead activity. The timing in the service is usually predictable, at least in my experience, and 3) I can't figure out why, in the church I attended with a friend when I was in high school, the interpretations tend to be in King James English. However, because I don't think the bible is 100% clear on its purpose, I don't really condemn the practice.
Scripture is clear, though, that not everyone speaks in tongues (I Corinthians 12:30) - so if someone argues that every believer can speak in tongues, they're contradicting scripture.
For those who prophecy in tongues (The LORD says....), I think we need to be VERY careful about false prophecies. If someone makes a prophecy in the name of God that does not come true, even once, they should not be allowed to 'prophecy' in church any more. I've heard people pray and prophecy over people, and say that God is telling them all sorts of things - that the person will do a certain thing, be blessed in a certain way, etc. Sometimes it involves tongues/interpretation. I've heard and seen prophecies that are way off the mark. (I've also noticed that these prophecies are almost always positive - few people prophecy negative things such as what was said to Paul before he went to Jerusalem in Acts.)
@nicolevw@xanga - If you truly wonder about the answers to those questions, I would encourage you to investigate-maybe read something by a biblical scholar who is pro speaking in tongues in order to understand a different perspective from the ones you might usually consult. I really respect the things you have to say on xanga, and even though we come from somewhat different places theologically, I appreciate you as a sister in Christ. I know this is one of those debates that doesn't usually get far because those of us who speak in tongues know without doubt that what we're doing is from the Spirit, but we cannot possibly convince you of that. I wish I could give you my experience, but since I can't, I hope you will keep investigating, at least as a gateway to understanding more fully where we are coming from.
@Theophilus166@xanga - There are two different uses of speaking in tongues in the Bible. One is to edify the church, which only some people do. It should be interpreted. The other is what happened in the Bible when people were filled with the Holy Spirit. After being filled with the Holy Spirit in that way, the Christian receives a prayer language from God, which can be used for personal worship and prayer. Being filled with the Holy Spirit includes far more than that, but that's part of it. The main thing the Christian receives at that point is power to minister. This is what happened at the Day of Pentecost.
The first use only some people do; the second one is available to all believers. I have never done the first, but I use the second on a daily basis.
I don't expect you to agree, but I wanted to explain why some of us believe speaking in tongues is for all believers.
@Pickwick12@xanga - the problem is, scripture says the exact opposite.
I Corinthians 12 says: Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? But eagerly desire the greater gifts.
Paul uses a series of rhetorical questions, and with each answer, the expected answer is "no." Are all apostles? (no) Are all prophets? (no) Are all teachers? (no) Do all speak in tongues? (no) The entire point of this passage is to say that not everyone has all the gifts, and Paul includes tongues in the discussion. That's why it's completely unbiblical to say speaking in tongues is for all believers. There are also no passages that suggest that all believers CAN speak in tongues. The closest is where Paul says that he would like it if everyone could speak in tongues - however, wanting something to happen and saying that everyone CAN speak in tongues are two very different matters.
I have a lot of grace for our differences on tongues. Though I don't practice it, I won't say that anyone who does is wrong for doing so. However, I cannot let people who believe as you do to teach things that are so clearly against scripture.
@Theophilus166@xanga - I realize it looks contrary to Scripture on the surface, but again, we are talking about two different things: One is tongues for edification in the church, which is what that passage is talking about. The other comes with the infilling of the Holy Spirit.
Paul said: 1 Cor 14:18-19 says, "I thank God that I
speak in tongues more than all of you. But in the church I would rather
speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand
words in a tongue."
There are two different things going on here-Paul spoke in tongues much more out of the church than he did in it, because it was less edifying there.
You believe that what I said is contrary to Scripture, which I am sorry about, though my belief is unshaken. This isn't something I usually even discuss with those who don't believe it because it's such a fruitless argument. However, I don't think you're in control of what I or those who agree with me do or don't teach, so I guess we can agree to disagree. Thanks so much for engaging with me. I really appreciate your effort to be tolerant as much as you can. As members of Christ's body, we have much more in common than not in common. I know that some day, when we are around God's throne, tongues and differences will cease, and we will agree in worship forever. Until then, we see through a glass darkly and disagreements are inevitable.
"This shows that the power of God is real, that speaking in tongues is a real gift from God, and that God is the Only True God!"
wow that sentence is horribly illogical. just because you don't have control of your mind while speaking tongues doesn't mean it's automatically some outside force. Your mind comes up with dreams on its' own.. it can easily come up with some gibberish that comes out your mouth.
From a historical perspective, I am not aware of any real proof that 'tongues' (glossia as transliterated from the Greek) as used in the Bible means some unitelligible utterance as a 'special language.' It can easily be explained as a 'foreign language', or even an 'academic language'. It might perhaps mean a person using Greek to those who knew Aramaic, or using Scripture references to those who had no knowledge of Scriptures. This concept of a 'special utterance' seems more akin to the Gnosticism (a sect which clamed a super secret knowledge) heresy. It promotes nothing and helps nothing. And, to someone's point that Satan cannot decipher it.......where is that written? And does not God know what I will say BEFORE I even say it? Why is there some 'super secret special language' needed? One history placed its origin in churches as being very recent. Where did Jesus/God say this was a good thing and should be practiced? So on this, the Roman Catholic Church advances a correct position. While the 'study' may show brain activity, it proves absolutely nothing about God.
there have also been scientists that have shown that when you are all hopped up on jesus that your brain looks the same as someone who is clinically insane.
@deepestrecesses - I'm definitely not 100% against it - I honestly don't know that much about it. Coming from a pretty conservative background, that's to be expected, and I guess I'm a bit more skeptical. But that's okay. I appreciate your response!
@Pickwick12@xanga - thankyou. I respect you as well and appreciate the things you say too. Although, like I mention above, I'm skeptical, I won't be 100% closed to it. If something crosses my path, I'll be sure to read it! But I have to say, I still lean more in the direction of what @Theophilus166@xanga says. Agree to disagree.
God bless you!