Speaking in Tongues

[steenrots]

I have a specific question concerning a specific aspect of charismatic spirituality.
I did a evangelisation academy in Vienna, Austria with a charismatic renewal group officially opproved by the church. THe fruit this group brings forth is very good. They are very important in Germany, Austria and especially in France. But during the year I began to question the spirituality a bit.

We always started the day by singing praises. In their praises they are speaking in tongues. Of course I know this possibility of prayer is in the bible and considered as one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. I believe however when you have the gift you are careful to display it in public. A lot of saints who had abnormal gifts never liked to display them in broad public. An example is Filip Neri who did all sorts of things because he didn’t want to be considered specially gifted.

The speaking in tongues was also promoted in the group I was in. Just do it they said. But why should you do it when you don’t feel you have that gift of the Holy Spirit?? I never did it because when you speak in tongues because practically everybody in the room does it it is a matter of group dynamics and not of the Holy Spirit. I also believed almost and perhaps all of the people in the room were doing just something and it was not prayer, because it always sounded the same.

How do you all see this? Am I too critical or just cautious or not open to the Holy Spirit? The charismatics believe the latter but is that really true? How can you know tongue speaking is really tongue speaking and not just doing something because everybody makes a noise?

 

[kxaddiso]

I am having the same concerns with this! I go to many charismatic meetings, and to me when everyone starts speaking in toungues it feels as though it is some thing that everyone does to fit in, or at least it seems that way to me. I do not join in as I do not feel that I have the gift of Tounges. I am open to the working of the Holy Spirit in these meetings, but this is a difficulty that I am having as well.

 

[Friar_David_O.Carm]

steenrots:

I have a specific question concerning a specific aspect of charismatic spirituality.
I did a evangelisation academy in Vienna, Austria with a charismatic renewal group officially opproved by the church. THe fruit this group brings forth is very good. They are very important in Germany, Austria and especially in France. But during the year I began to question the spirituality a bit.

We always started the day by singing praises. In their praises they are speaking in tongues. Of course I know this possibility of prayer is in the bible and considered as one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. I believe however when you have the gift you are careful to display it in public. A lot of saints who had abnormal gifts never liked to display them in broad public. An example is Filip Neri who did all sorts of things because he didn’t want to be considered specially gifted.

The speaking in tongues was also promoted in the group I was in. Just do it they said. But why should you do it when you don’t feel you have that gift of the Holy Spirit?? I never did it because when you speak in tongues because practically everybody in the room does it it is a matter of group dynamics and not of the Holy Spirit. I also believed almost and perhaps all of the people in the room were doing just something and it was not prayer, because it always sounded the same.

How do you all see this? Am I too critical or just cautious or not open to the Holy Spirit? The charismatics believe the latter but is that really true? How can you know tongue speaking is really tongue speaking and not just doing something because everybody makes a noise?

Actually the Gift of Tongues in the Bible is that of speaking in a language the speaker does not know but someone hearing it does know.

I can not find this “praying in tongues” that Chrismatics do in the Bible nor can I find anything in the Bible that says that everyone gets this gift.

 

[steenrots]

The last answer brings me to a second question. I have reread the thing St. Paul teaches us in 1. Kor. 14, 1-25. He makes a comparison between speaking in tongues and speaking prophesies. But what kind of conclusions can we draw from it in for the Church today?
I once read a German book where a very good priest quoted the advice he had given to a woman who could speak in tongues. She had an unresistable urge to speak in tongues. He advised her to let it come. She wasn’t told: just try it… This is also the way I imagine a gift from the Spirit. You can’t stop it when you have the gift. You want to, but you can’t.

And yeah, before I went to this charismatic group I also thought about speaking in tongues as speaking in languages. Like when I am on mission for instance in France, the french can understand me although I didn’t learn french… But in my charismatic group it wasn’t language. Everyone made always the same sound. Like I would do when I would do only something…

 

[ChristianIssues]

The following video may help understand why tongues, prophecy and knowledge have ceased.

Speaking In Tongues Part A

God bless,
Mick

 

[fhansen]

I have a specific question concerning a specific aspect of charismatic spirituality.
I did a evangelisation academy in Vienna, Austria with a charismatic renewal group officially opproved by the church. THe fruit this group brings forth is very good. They are very important in Germany, Austria and especially in France. But during the year I began to question the spirituality a bit.

We always started the day by singing praises. In their praises they are speaking in tongues. Of course I know this possibility of prayer is in the bible and considered as one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. I believe however when you have the gift you are careful to display it in public. A lot of saints who had abnormal gifts never liked to display them in broad public. An example is Filip Neri who did all sorts of things because he didn’t want to be considered specially gifted.

The speaking in tongues was also promoted in the group I was in. Just do it they said. But why should you do it when you don’t feel you have that gift of the Holy Spirit?? I never did it because when you speak in tongues because practically everybody in the room does it it is a matter of group dynamics and not of the Holy Spirit. I also believed almost and perhaps all of the people in the room were doing just something and it was not prayer, because it always sounded the same.

How do you all see this? Am I too critical or just cautious or not open to the Holy Spirit? The charismatics believe the latter but is that really true? How can you know tongue speaking is really tongue speaking and not just doing something because everybody makes a noise?

When they say, “just do it”, it’s phony-a work of the flesh. God doesn’t work that way. When it’s a true gift of the HS, you’ll know it.

 

[Claire_from_DE]

The last answer brings me to a second question. I have reread the thing St. Paul teaches us in 1. Kor. 14, 1-25. He makes a comparison between speaking in tongues and speaking prophesies. But what kind of conclusions can we draw from it in for the Church today?
I once read a German book where a very good priest quoted the advice he had given to a woman who could speak in tongues. She had an unresistable urge to speak in tongues. He advised her to let it come. She wasn’t told: just try it… This is also the way I imagine a gift from the Spirit. You can’t stop it when you have the gift. You want to, but you can’t.

And yeah, before I went to this charismatic group I also thought about speaking in tongues as speaking in languages. Like when I am on mission for instance in France, the french can understand me although I didn’t learn french… But in my charismatic group it wasn’t language. Everyone made always the same sound. Like I would do when I would do only something…

If God gives you the desire and the gift to pray in tongues, He doesn’t force you to do so. You may have a strong urge to do it, it may be difficult to stop, but He does not take away your free will. You are able to stop if you wish.

Also, a prayer group shouldn’t make you feel something is wrong if you don’t pray in tongues. The idea is to praise God. If you’re able to praise Him in English, do that. If you can’t yet bring yourself to speak out loud, praise Him in your heart.

Some prayer groups are good, some not so good. Some people are sincere, some aren’t, some are confused. The best thing is to try not to judge the other people in the group. After awhile you will get to know them and you can see if they show the fruits of the Spirit. IMO, praying in tongues can help you abandon yourself to God, but you have to want to give yourself to Him, not just want to pray in tongues.

Also, speaking in tongues isn’t the same as praying in tongues. If someone speaks in tongues it’s for the benefit of others. Therefore, someone else in the group will understand it. Or the person himself or someone else will be able to interpret what he says.

When someone prays in tongues, the Holy Spirit is helping him pray, intercede, or praise. You can do this at home as well as in a prayer group. You can ask the Holy Spirit to give you this gift and He often will. But it’s to help you get closer to God, not to show off in a prayer meeting.