Speaking in tongues

  • Thread starter Thread starter soccergirl
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
S

soccergirl

Guest
My friend, who isn’t catholic, goes to a church where they speak in tongues. She says that she has the gift to speak in tongues. I asked her what happens when she did that, and she said that when she is speaking in tongues she is communicating with the Holy Spirit in a language that only the Holy Spirit and her know. I asked what they are communicating to each other, and this is the part where she couldn’t really explain to me what was happening because it seems like the Holy Spirit doesn’t really tell her anything it’s more like a feeling. Personally, it seems like people are just blurting noises out of their mouths without thinking about what they are doing. I thought speaking in tongues was a miracle that meant people of many different languages could understand you. I don’t know what the Catholic Church thinks about this. Could someone explain it to me?
 
My friend, who isn’t catholic, goes to a church where they speak in tongues. She says that she has the gift to speak in tongues. I asked her what happens when she did that, and she said that when she is speaking in tongues she is communicating with the Holy Spirit in a language that only the Holy Spirit and her know. I asked what they are communicating to each other, and this is the part where she couldn’t really explain to me what was happening because it seems like the Holy Spirit doesn’t really tell her anything it’s more like a feeling. Personally, it seems like people are just blurting noises out of their mouths without thinking about what they are doing. I thought speaking in tongues was a miracle that meant people of many different languages could understand you. I don’t know what the Catholic Church thinks about this. Could someone explain it to me?
 
The Bible says that not everyone gets the gift of tongues and that this gift may cease.

[BIBLEDRB]1 Corinthians 12:30[/BIBLEDRB]
[BIBLEDRB]1 Corinthians 13:1-8[/BIBLEDRB]

So, tongues are not a good indication of whether one has been “saved.” I metion this because some Pentecostal churches reject water baptism in favor of a “baptism of the Holy Spirit” and use tongues as an indicator of this “baptism.” There is zero biblical support for this–when the Blessed Virgin and the Apostles were baptized by the Holy Spirit, there was visible fire and tangible wind. In such a church, there is neither.
 
In those Bible passages, couldn’t tongues just mean different languages?
 
soccergirl said:
In those Bible passages, couldn’t tongues just mean different languages?
Click to expand...
Saint Paul says that no one should speak in tongues unless someone is there to interpret what is said. Our gifts of the Holy Spirit are to be used for the building up of the Church, not just ourselves. Speaking in tongues has become, in some cases, an ego-driven and personal thing. This coincides with the very recent mania for a “personal relationship” with God.

Read 1 Corinthians, chapters 12 and 14 for the “whole story”.
 
The Apostles spoke in tongues after receiving the Holy Spirit. Men of all different nations were able to understand what they said.

I think this is what speaking in tongues means.
 
Jesus,our Lords peace be whit You.
As far as I know speaking in tongues are usual in carismatic Churces,how it happens I don’t know,but I think we should follow what our church,the Catholic Church teach about this matter. And to You who asked this question,I think Your priest has the ansvers You seek for. It is anyhow a matter maybe better not discussed in this forum,unless a priest can ansver it here. Making judgments and talking about other churches is like walking on egg-shells,as far as I see this forum is not the right place,what we can do is to follow what our church teaches and what we read in the Bible. Discussing other churches is a delicate matter where great caution is higly importen.
Blessings,Totterman
 
My understanding was that the Holy Spirit bestowed the gift of tongues to the Apostles, so they went outside and began preaching in their own language, but each person gathered heard them in their native tongue. There is no ‘secret communication’ with the Holy Spirit, only the receipt of the gift to preach to others.

Now, because the Word of God has spread everywhere in the world, and has been written down and translated into virtually every language, it would make speaking in tongues unnecessary. I would ask your friend how their view of speaking in tongues is in agreement with The Bible, and if she cannot explain, then it makes you wonder where their ‘version’ of it came from…
 
Reminds me of a friend I had some years ago. His sister kept nagging him to go to one of these “Charismatic” prayer meetings. He finally told her he would, but if he heard any baloney, he was outa there! He said they went in, sat down, and a guy came up to the microphone and said, “Okay, we’re going to practice speaking in tongues everybody! Repeat after me, 'Butter pecan, butter pecan, butter pecan…” My friend got up and walked out.

Another time, I heard of someone who went to one of these things and people were crawling in the aisles like dogs, hiking their legs up on the pews, etc.

I can guarantee you I get more out of a quiet hour before the Blessed Sacrament than trying to do this sort of baloney!
 
Scoobyshme said:
Reminds me of a friend I had some years ago. His sister kept nagging him to go to one of these “Charismatic” prayer meetings. He finally told her he would, but if he heard any baloney, he was outa there! He said they went in, sat down, and a guy came up to the microphone and said, “Okay, we’re going to practice speaking in tongues everybody! Repeat after me, 'Butter pecan, butter pecan, butter pecan.…” My friend got up and walked out.

Another time, I heard of someone who went to one of these things and people were crawling in the aisles like dogs, hiking their legs up on the pews, etc.

I can guarantee you I get more out of a quiet hour before the Blessed Sacrament than trying to do this sort of baloney!
Click to expand...
That’s just crazy. It is well known that the Holy Spirit prefers pistachio.
 
I don’t know if anyone has seen the Borat movie (I don’t recommend it as it is quite vulgar), but there is a scene where he attends a charismatic, make the lame walk, heal the sick, speak in tongues church down south (can’t remember quite where). So he gets on stage telling his story, and everyone feels bad for him, and tells him that Jesus can help him, and that they will get him to speak in tongues through Jesus.

Now, being a very brilliant man, Sasha Baron Cohen just kinda sticks his tongue out when the preacher ‘places his hand’ upon Sasha’s head, wags his tongue, and just starts making jibberish noises. The people go NUTS with the power of the Spirit, how excited they are God has shown them all of this.

Here’s the thing - Sasha Baron Cohen is devoutly Jewish (he had his long-time girlfriend convert to Judaism before he would propose), and therefore not likely to be overcome by the Spirit while at a Southern charismatic church. Now, if the experience was real, I believe we would have heard about it, and being the brilliant man he is, would have to recognize some power in Christ, which means he would convert. Since we’ve heard nothing, and he is still very much practicing Judaism, I think it’s safe to assume the thing was a hoax. The fact that people believed it that easily and the preacher thinks he can make it happen on the spot is a little alarming to me…
 
quasimodo said:
That’s just crazy. It is well known that the Holy Spirit prefers pistachio.
Click to expand...
Yeah, but can you imagine 40-50 people sputtering “Pistachio, pistachio,…” and spitting all over one another in the process? Yuck! 😛
 
I’m 50 and had my first experience with Catholics speaking in tongues at our parishes’ prayer group.

Now I know what the word Charismatic means 🙂

Most of the people in the group were between 55 and 75 years old. They really enjoyed praying in tongues and I am happy for them.

I once woke myself out of a vivid color dream of an angel, speaking an odd language. I thought my apartment was being broken into by foreigners, only to realize it had been me speaking in tongues.

The problem (as I saw it) was that the speakers didn’t know what they were speaking, just that they were, and in that, they felt more connected to the group and to the Holy Spirit.

Praying through meditation and by reading is where I’m most comfortable, but I’m happy that the charismatics are able to receive in the graces they need through this type of prayer. 👍
 
soccergirl said:
My friend, who isn’t catholic, goes to a church where they speak in tongues. She says that she has the gift to speak in tongues. I asked her what happens when she did that, and she said that when she is speaking in tongues she is communicating with the Holy Spirit in a language that only the Holy Spirit and her know. I asked what they are communicating to each other, and this is the part where she couldn’t really explain to me what was happening because it seems like the Holy Spirit doesn’t really tell her anything it’s more like a feeling. Personally, it seems like people are just blurting noises out of their mouths without thinking about what they are doing. I thought speaking in tongues was a miracle that meant people of many different languages could understand you. I don’t know what the Catholic Church thinks about this. Could someone explain it to me?
Click to expand...
Please refer to the following link for a good answer. The facts are that you will not get a good answer on this forum. For some reason this topic is very polarising where people are either for it and accept it and those who just unilaterally throw it out the window as either a sham or con to it is the devil and all people that speak in tongues are going to hell. But this link gives you the answer you are looking for:

bustedhalo.com/questionbox/speaking-in-tongues
 
=soccergirl;7088996]My friend, who isn’t catholic, goes to a church where they speak in tongues. She says that she has the gift to speak in tongues. I asked her what happens when she did that, and she said that when she is speaking in tongues she is communicating with the Holy Spirit in a language that only the Holy Spirit and her know. I asked what they are communicating to each other, and this is the part where she couldn’t really explain to me what was happening because it seems like the Holy Spirit doesn’t really tell her anything it’s more like a feeling. Personally, it seems like people are just blurting noises out of their mouths without thinking about what they are doing. I thought speaking in tongues was a miracle that meant people of many different languages could understand you. I don’t know what the Catholic Church thinks about this. Could someone explain it to me?
Click to expand...
**1Cor.12: 10 **"to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues…**28] **And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, then healers, helpers, administrators, speakers in various kinds of tongues. 30 Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?

1Cor.14- 50 Now I want [desire] you all to speak in tongues, **but even more to prophesy. He who prophesies is greater than he who speaks in tongues, unless some one interprets, so that the church may be edified. ** [6] Now, brethren, if I come to you speaking in tongues, how shall I benefit you unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or teaching? 18 I thank God that I speak in tongues more than you all;[22] Thus, tongues are a sign not for believers but for unbelievers, while prophecy is not for unbelievers but for believers. [23] If, therefore, the whole church assembles and all speak in tongues, and outsiders or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are mad? [39] **So, my brethren, earnestly desire to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues; **

Tongues is a gift from God an like all gits is to be used for he building up of the Church.

READ 1 Cor. Chapter 12 for a fuller understanding of Gifts.
 
soccergirl said:
I thought speaking in tongues was a miracle that meant people of many different languages could understand you.
Click to expand...
There are two different types of tongues. One is what you describe, which is miraculous, and is intended as a sign for non-believers.

The other is the type your friend describes, which is the language of the Holy Spirit. We can’t understand that language, but God does. It’s described here:

*Romans 8:26 - Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
*
…she said that when she is speaking in tongues she is communicating with the Holy Spirit in a language that only the Holy Spirit and her know.
Click to expand...
You might remember the conversation incorrectly. Either that, or she didn’t understand fully. We don’t understand the language. It is meant to be used by the Holy Spirit to communicate our needs to God that we can’t, or maybe even needs we aren’t aware of.
 
po18guy said:
Saint Paul says that no one should speak in tongues unless someone is there to interpret what is said. Our gifts of the Holy Spirit are to be used for the building up of the Church, not just ourselves.
Click to expand...
That’s not quite accurate. Paul says no one should speak in tongues in the church unless an interpreter is present. In that situation, the tongues/interpretation serves the same function as prophesy, except that the message is delivered via the Holy Spirit through tongues. Paul’s point is that if no interpreter is present, then it might as well just be someone babbling incoherently because none will understand the message.

That doesn’t apply to personal prayer, which is what her friend was doing, as described here:

*Romans 8:26 - Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
*
 
Agree with the previous poster: Paul says that the Corinthians should not speak in tongues in a gathering for worship if there is no one present with the gift of interpretation of tongues. As far a private use of the gift of tongues, Paul has less to say, except that he does it more than anyone else!

As for the gift of tongues “passing away,” I know that those who believe that Christians no longer receive the gift of tongues often recite this passage (I Cor 13:8-10), but the best interpretation is that all of the spiritual gifts are temporary (tongues, interpretation of tongues, and prophecy for sure, but also wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, discernment of spirits, etc.). That is, all life in this passing world is temporary, but that faith, hope and love are enduring and more important than any of the spiritual gifts. The view that the more spectacular spiritual gifts have passed away is not based in the bible but rather in a “dispensationalist” view popularized by the Protestant Benjamin Warfield in the 19th century. The Popes have taken a different view, based in part on the miracles of healing, prophecy, and other spiritual gifts by saints down through the centuries to the present. That being true, I see no need to think that the gift of tongues has passed out of existence. It hasn’t.
 
PLeeD said:
*Romans 8:26 - Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
*
Click to expand...
Who makes the groanings, the person praying or the Holy Spirit?

I am not saying there is no legitimate prayer in tongues. But there is fakery. Hence Paul’s warning.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top