Many a times I have been watching a tele-evangelist on TV as they suddenly burst into a long soliloguys of incomprehensible babbling, uttering words that do not sound as possessing the structure and syntax of a recognisable language. I am told that is is called "speaking in tongues" and is a gift from the holy spirit. I am also told that what is being uttered is actually sometimes recognised as a language of some foreign parts of which the speaker would have had no familiarity.

Can someone pour some light on this "speaking in tongues" palaver? Has anyone ever recognised the language in the mouth of the speaker-in-tongue?

=====================================================================================================

Some of my other threads


The Dangers Of Religious Fundamentalism To Intellectualism
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria?topic=110955.msg1929006#msg1929006

Danger! Religion May Damage Your Intelligence And Your Mind If Not Your Wealth
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-115458.0.html

What Are Jesus's Core Moral Teachings And Which Are Unique To Him
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-118622.0.html

With God On Our Side: God-inspired Violence - The Christians
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-118563.0.html

Speaking In Tongues: Is It Real Language Or Garrulous Babble?
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-118036.0.html

Capital Punishment, Religiousity And Secularism
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-118613.0.html

Don't Know Much About Evolution?: Watch Dr Kenneth Miller Make It Simple
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-116650.0.html

The Theory Of Evolution Refuted? The No-witness Argument
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-118701.0.html

Can One Embrace Evolution And Maintain Christian (or Other Religious) Belief
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-118684.0.html

Which Ten Commandments?
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-115811.0.html#msg1998588

Jesus's Doctrine Of Passive Non-resistance To Evil
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-115745.0.html

Does Anyone Not Know What The Permian–triassic Extinction Event Is ?
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-115553.0.html

What Are Spiritual Truths?
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-115666.0.html#msg1996318

Road To Damascus Incident: Paul's Account
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-115689.0.html#msg1996608

Noah, Kangaroos, Sloth, Polar Bear And Panda In A Wooden Boat
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-115589.0.html#msg1994984

Resurrection Accounts In The Gospel: Reconciliation Wanted
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-115582.0.html

Does Jesus Know What Causes Sin? Thank Goodness He Doesn't.
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-115292.0.html

The Dreadful Plight Of Apostasy In The Bible
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-115114.0.html

Is The European Union Prophesied In The Bible? Is It The Anti-christ?
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-115053.0.html

Jesus And The Old Laws
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-115190.0.html

What Can Be Said To Be Definitely Known About Jesus?
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-114935.0.html

Origin Of Christianity And Diabolical Mimicry In Anticipation
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-113860.0.html

Hell Past, Hell Present; Which Do You Prefer?
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-113947.0.html#msg1971669

The Sexual Act And Christian Teaching
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-114332.0.html

Scientific Rationalism, Reason And Faith: Which Produces Systematic Knowledge?
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-114253.0.html

On The Prophesy Of The Virgin Birth Of Jesus, Part 2:
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-113676.0.html

On The Historical Reliability Of The Bible
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-114215.0.html

When And From Where Did Jesus Ascend Into Heaven
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-113519.0.html

https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-114023.0.html#msg1972418
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-114023.0.html#msg1972418

When Was Jesus Born?
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-113449.0.html

On The Prophesy Of The Virgin Birth Of Jesus [/b]13012dg
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-113342.0.html#msg1963529

[b] Was Jesus The Prophesied Messiah? Let's Look At The Evidence.
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-113303.0.html

What Are Your Chances Of Being Saved?
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-113283.0.html

Who Wrote The Gospels And When Were They Written?
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-113277.0.html#msg1962589

God Selects The Rulers Of Countries; G W Bush, Sadam, Pol Pot, Abacha, Hitler
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-113186.0.html#msg1961537

Cannibalism In The Bible: Det 28:53-57, Lev 26:29, Jer 19:9, Ezek 5:10, Lam 4:10
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-113181.0.html#msg1961343

What Are The Core Tenets (doctrines, Value And Virtues) Of Christainity?
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-112990.0.html

Faith-healer And Evangelist, Maurice Cerullo, Investigated
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-113871.0.html

What Fate For Hitler, Stalin, Pol Pot, Constantine And Tomás De Torquemada?
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-112997.0.html#msg1958617

Is The Doctrine Of Trinity Biblical? The Johannine Comma
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-112865.0.html#msg1957266

On The Authenticity Of The New Testament, Part 2
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-112848.0.html

How Is Salvation Achieved?
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-112833.0.html

Only For Those Who Know Their Bibles And Some History: Who Was Jesus?
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria?topic=112697.msg1954632#msg1954632

Only For Those Who Know Their Bibles: Old Testament Stories
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria?topic=112679.msg1954426#msg1954426

Human Sacrifice In The Bible: Lev 27: 29 & Judges 11
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria?topic=112584.msg1953340#msg1953340

Please, Please, Please: Christians - Read Read Read Your Bibles
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria?topic=112578.msg1953311#msg1953311

When Was Jesus Crucified?
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria?topic=112557.msg1952665#msg1952665

On Conversion To A Religion (christianity Or I-slam)
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria?topic=112547.msg1952353#msg1952353

Faith-healers And Tele-evangelists
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria?topic=112398.msg1950528#msg1950528

Where Did Sin Originate?
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria?topic=112377.msg1950291#msg1950291

For The Non-beleivers Only, 1
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria?topic=112262.msg1948957#msg1948957

Would Christains Be Criminals And Offenders If They Were Not Christians?
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria?topic=112259.msg1948919#msg1948919

On The Authenticity Of The New Testament, Part 1
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria?topic=112240.msg1948631#msg1948631

Has Atheism Got Principle? No
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria?topic=112216.msg1948180#msg1948180

It Is Biblical To Have Sex (and Lots Of It) Before Marriage
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria?topic=112139.msg1946940#msg1946940

Should The Old Testament Laws Be Observed In The Modern Era?
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria?topic=112114.msg1946682#msg1946682

Founding A State or Nation On Religious Principles
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria?topic=112086.msg1946268#msg1946268

Great Books About Non-belief
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria?topic=111928.msg1943935#msg1943935

Who Are The Self-declared Non-believer? Resources For You
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria?topic=111806.msg1942137#msg194111quc02137

Beware of a Simplistic Interpretation of Jesus's 2nd Coming Passages
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria?topic=111677.msg1939992#msg1939992

What Is The Evidence That The Bible Is The Word Of God?
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-113161.0.html#msg1960928

Archbishop Cause Furore Over Sharia Law In The Uk
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria?topic=111645.msg1939155#msg1939155

Eminent Christian Scientist (francis Collins) Explains The Evolution Of Humans
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria?topic=111482.msg1936158#msg1936158

Please, Help Me Out With Your Knowledge Of The Bible
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria?topic=111474.msg1936099#msg1936099

What lasting Benefits Did Jesus Bring Into The World?
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-115382.0.html#msg1992157

The Catholic Doctrine, Original Sin And Evolution
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-115525.0.html#msg1994039

Why Biology Is So Important To Our Modern World
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria?topic=111466.msg1935975#msg1935975

Genesis Vs Genetics
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria?topic=111227.msg1932655#msg1932655

Please, Help Me Out With Your Knowledge Of The Bible
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-111474.0.html

Jesus Genealogy
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria?topic=111222.msg1932616#msg1932616

£300 (three - Hundred Pound Sterling) Essay Competition
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria?topic=111143.msg1931508#msg1931508

Beware Of Religious Fundamentalism In Your University Campuses
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria?topic=110965.msg1929160#msg1929160

====================================================================================================

mangrabobobo rbobobobobooo yeskelemmaaamaammaammm rskobororooooroooorooo lalabababababababab


GARRULOUS BABBLE OF PYSCHOSIS

^which you just did. . . .

exactly the point

exactly the point i was making. . .take a look at your post, then u'd understand what i mean and how i mean it.

that is what speaking in tongues is all about

No actually that's what your post is. . .

that was speaking in tongues

Does anyone speak in tongues here?

I had the opportunity to witness a woman (my mother's friend) speak in Calabar language in church during a service. This woman is Igbo, doesn't speak and understand calabar. It was after people told her what she had done, she wasn't even aware of what she did!!!!!! It is real

I had the opportunity to witness a woman (my mother's friend) speak in Calabar language in church during a service. This woman is Igbo, doesn't speak and understand calabar. It was after people told her what she had done, she wasn't even aware of what she did!!!!!! It is real

what exactly was she saying and did she see a revelation??

In my opinion,speaking in tongues is just babbling. The HOLY SPIRIT cannot ''possess'' or enter anyone,let alone make them talk all that meaningless stuff. If for any reason people who speak in tongues are possessed,then they possessed by some onther spirit,but not the HOLY SPIRIT.

y cant we shut
the Bleep up
if we dont know
what we are talking about

some of ur are just blabbing here!!!

amsky:

In my opinion,speaking in tongues is just babbling. The HOLY SPIRIT cannot ''possess'' or enter anyone,let alone make them talk all that meaningless stuff. If for any reason people who speak in tongues are possessed,then they possessed by some onther spirit,but not the HOLY SPIRIT.

At least you acknowleged it's your opinion, not an Authority. Just because you dont beleive dosent change any fact!!

The Bible recorded and recognized the gift of tongues as one of the gifts of the spirit BUT its not either a pre requiste to making heaven or a MUST for every child of God.there are other gifts too.
@Amsky,right in your Bible,the disciples in Anthioch spoke in tongues,check again dear.its for Real.
The most important thing according to the Bible is that all things be to the edification of the body of christ,the church.if you speak in tongues,you are edifying ONLY yourself UNLESS the tongues is being interpretted either by the speaker or another person for the edification of the whole listeners.
some other gifts of the spirit are:
prophesy
discerning spirit
interpretation of tongues
teaching
healing etc

I believe in the gift of tongues. However, I also believe that it is being misused and abused in Nigeria (and other places).
1. You can't teach someone to speak in tongues, you're moved by the Holy Spirit to speak.
2. This may be a contentious one, but I don't believe that you can just say I want to speak in tongues now and then start speaking just like that. All you are doing is rambling. Again, I think you should be moved by the Spirit. At this stage, you're not in control of what you're saying, but the Spirit is interceding on your behalf. Most people just repeat the same few ramblings over and over again and say they are speaking in tongues. God help us not to deceive ourselves.
3. As I said earlier, 'speaking in tongues' is a gift. Therefore, just as not everyone can prophesy, not everyone has the 'gift' of tongues. However, what we witness in churches today is otherwise.

In my opinion, I think churches are doing the very same thing Paul kicked against, or even worse. People should stop 'speaking in tongues' in services unless there is someone to interprete. This is the only way to establish 'tongues' as it's really meant to be.

What i dont understand is why speaking in tongues is complete incomprehensible babble and why theyre so moved they collapse. In my opinion thats scary and I would never enter any church where that is the norm. I think the scriptures are being misunderstood entirely. The gift of speaking in tongues didnt mean they started to utter nonsense, the 'tongues' were the languages of the foreign people who lived in the town and the gift was given to these people to speak their language so they could go out and converse with these foreigners and preach the word to them, as the scriptures say they went into the market places and these visitors were surprised to hear their own language. So why in the modern day would the gift be so skewed as to start rambling and falling about? What use is that to God? Its just another in a long list of examples of how churchs misdirect people, and how people put too much faith in Men of God rather than the Word of God itself.

word!!!

stillwater:

I had the opportunity to witness a woman (my mother's friend) speak in Calabar language in church during a service. This woman is Igbo, doesn't speak and understand calabar. It was after people told her what she had done, she wasn't even aware of what she did!!!!!! It is real

Still,

God bless you. That is one of the very essence of speaking in tongues but so called Christians and spirit-filled people doe not know it. That brings to the fore the actual essence of that gift. It edifies the hearers. It could have been for one person in the entire congregation and that person must hear wht is being said or another person gifted in interpretation will then interpret in the language common to everybody especially if the message being passed across is for everyone.

It is real but the real ones are a bit difficult to see these days! Another kind will actually tell of languages you cannot hear but only known to that. Now that is quite difficult to verify. Let us stop at the first level however.

Cheers.

@all
God all wise and omniscient for knew and inspired paul to write 3 chapters about this very subject "tongues" knowing that in days like this,it will become a big thing dt we go even discuss am for naira land.

1 cor 12,13, and 14 has settled the whole case.

Read it with great understanding and help from the holy spirirt of God and u'll get ur own conclusion.

sm ppl think praying in the holy ghost as it is written in jude as praying in tongues and also that it is the evidence of the holy spirirt dwelling in u because christ mentioned it as one of the signs dt will be following his ppl.

funmib:

@all
God all wise and omniscient for knew and inspired paul to write 3 chapters about this very subject "tongues" knowing that in days like this,it will become a big thing dt we go even discuss am for naira land.

1 cor 12,13, and 14 has settled the whole case.

Read it with great understanding and help from the holy spirirt of God and u'll get your own conclusion.

sm people think praying in the holy ghost as it is written in jude as praying in tongues and also that it is the evidence of the holy spirirt dwelling in u because christ mentioned it as one of the signs dt will be following his people.

So after you read it with great understanding and help from the Holy Spirit, what is your own conclusion, and why should we all have different conclusions?

stillwater:

I had the opportunity to witness a woman (my mother's friend) speak in Calabar language in church during a service. This woman is Igbo, doesn't speak and understand calabar. It was after people told her what she had done, she wasn't even aware of what she did!!!!!! It is real

Just curious Stillwater, after translating, what did the woman(your mum's friend) say , please in English

Xvalier:

Just curious Stillwater, after translating, what did the woman(your mum's friend) say , please in English

why worry? it could have been anything. ranging from the Lord's prayer to a particular message for a specific person in the congregation, to a word for the country or anything that would edify someone or the church.

worry?? I have never had the opportunity to hear someone interpret tongues before,or have you, kindly let the the poster who was a witness reply. Thanks

Does anyone speak in tongues here?

yes ,me,and for real speaking in tongues is real

i speak in tongues wen im eating hot food

Xvalier:

worry?? I have never had the opportunity to hear someone interpret tongues before,or have you, kindly let the the poster who was a witness reply. Thanks

Not a problem. The one i know of was someone from the congregation claiming that was the person who spoke in tongues was reciting was Psm. 23 in his own mother-tongue but the tongue-speaker never knew what he was saying until someone from the congregation validated it.

Dear beloved,
I appreciate all of us for our contribution on this topic may God bless us.
The first thing I want us to understand is this “speaking in tongue is real, and there is fake of it. The fake of it is this some people now learn how to speaking in tongue and which is wrong and it is not biblically at all. If you learn it you learn fake because it is not from God.
Let look at our Bible in Act 1: 5 Jesus told her disciple that He will baptize them with HOLY GHOST and in chapter 2 in the day of Pentecost they are gathered and the suddenly something happen on that day the spirit of God came upon them and they filled with the HOLY GHOST and began to speak with other tongues, as the spirit gave them utterance that is Holy Ghost baptism . You can be baptized with water still you must be baptizing with Holy Ghost. When you are speak in tongue you are communicate with heaven speaking in tongue is the language that devil does not understand.
If you know how to speak in tongue you will be strength in spirit.
So to speak in tongue is good but my people don’t learn it from any body, once you have surrender your life to Jesus Christ ask for the Spirit of God the bible say “Ask it shall be given unto you.
One of the promise of God is speaking in tongue is one of the evidence of Holy Ghost baptism.
There is power in speak in tongue in fact I personally enjoy it.
Apostle Paul know the power in speak in tongue and he succeed
“SPEAKING IN TONGUE IS REAL BUT BEWARE OF FAKE ONE".

Let me tell you Nairalanders.
Speaking in Tongues is of the Lord.

But the Devil also uses it to mimick people. Remember Satan has power. Its only by the Power of God through Jesus and the Holy one can conquer him.

But Most can discern the Real Speaking in Tongues to the Counterfeit.

Dont believe anybody that you see speaking in tongues is of the Lord.

Remember, BY THEIR FRUIT YOU SHALL KNOW THEM. Not BY THEIR SPEAKING IN TONGUES.

Let me tell you Nairalanders.
Speaking in Tongues is of the Lord.

But the Devil also uses it to mimick people. Remember Satan has power. Its only by the Power of God through Jesus and the Holy one can conquer him.

But Most can discern the Real Speaking in Tongues to the Counterfeit.

Dont believe anybody that you see speaking in tongues is of the Lord.

Remember, BY THEIR FRUIT YOU SHALL KNOW THEM. Not BY THEIR SPEAKING IN TONGUES.

Tongues, as expressed by Jesus Christ refers ofcourse to a human language - complete in all its forms .