I don't think anyone has adequately addressed the fact that in the Bible it was NEVER written that Jesus spoke in tongues..
That's true that Jesus never spoke in tongues (as far as is recorded in the Bible, not everything Jesus said and did was recorded), but thats not really proof of anything. Jesus never got married does that mean christians should not marry? I don't know that Jesus ever picked up snakes or drank poison either, despite saying that believers could do those things, as well as tongues..anyway it's a tough one to think about.
.kind of wondering also the difference between sitting in silence before the Lord and letting your heart and his commune likewise is different or not better than speaking in tongues...
Tongues is very similar except it's our spirit communicating with God. Normally when we speak in tongues our mind is focussed on the things of God as well. "I will pray with the spirit I will also pray with the mind".
'is it not better to draw near than the sacrifice of fools?' (I think that is Eclisiastes, spelling I know is wrong)...where I am at I often pour out my heart without a sound (sometimes with groans) but in deep (but not cold) intense silences, where it almost feels like we are breathing together...also, kind of wierd even in Paul's letters, it seems tongues (whatever they are) can be interpreted. If they can be interpreted, then it isn't true what some have claimed that the same message cannot be conveyed in intelligible words, right? Unless you want to claim it is a paraphrase, which the Bible doesn't support.
Tongues can be interpreted. But there's a reason why Paul said to
pray for interpretation , and not to find an interpreter who learnt 50 different languages at college- because the interpretation must come from God. It's very rare for the tongues to be in one of the key languages we are used to, there are thousands and thousands of languages both in the present and in the past. Even if they are unintelligable sounds God still knows the intent of the spirit/heart and can give the interpretation.
Anyway, I first turned to the Lord when I was in a baptist/non-denominational contemporary church. And they didn't have or believe in the spiritual gift of touching people and 'them falling over or feinting'. Lately, I have attended more pentecostal oriented churches and was at first quizotic about this practice or gift-of-you-will that some pastors seem to only have within the congregations where I have seen it practiced. Also wondering over a time I went and saw a hypnotist at my brothers school, and it seemed like many of the actions were identical...the pastors usually ask for the music to be softened, and people often fall over in the same way...Though seeing in church in done up close, it did seem like 'their spirit left their body and their bodies fell done without life' and also some pretty strange but true spirits reacting within people to it at times...I have seen a course evil sounding laughter--not that the practice is evil but the person seemed to have a spirit or spirits in them that seemed to pervert (in the evil sense just and not sexual) their voice and body...I am confounded by this and tongues (which I am not either way for or against right now) and was wondering what others have seen of this gift or supposed gift if-you-will...this seems to have very little to no support in the Bible that I know of other than that Jesus commands spirits and that Paul and Peter (both I believe) were able to affect people just by walking by (which isn't the same).
Falling over - yeah, God's power is called
power for a reason
, that's really what it is. Despite the stereotype of hand waving pastors in pentecostal churches, I've been in traditional church services where a person has fallen under God's power during traditional worship, without anyone touching them or any "hypnotism". Never had it happen myself, but I've been close to it, wobbly legs and all
. Usually when it happens God's Spirit is also speaking quite strongly and clearly.
re: "evil sounding." , what do you expect? surprise surprise, not everyone in church is full of the Spirit right? Whilst everyone may appear nicey nicey christian in your traditional baptist etc churches, and you'd think there's not a nicer and more perfect christian church around, "Mrs Smith, nice little 70 year old lady could never have a demon, how dare we say such things" lol, ....when you look at the spirit things may appear far different. At times I've been in a nice prayer circle praying with people until someone suddenly manifests a spirit of anger and disrupts everything and boy oh boy, it scares you the first time especially when you don't expect it (you expect the next person to say a nice little prayer rather than manifest a demon), then someone or the pastor deals with it (be quiet in Jesus name, or , come out) and then the person is in their right mind apologising. Happens all the time, but that's what christians are supposed to do - cast out demons, that's in the Great Commission. Wheat and tares, both are in the church, we have to remember that. Does the devil go to church ? Sure does. But let's not think there's a demon around every corner, just when or if they manifest , they deal with it and move on. One time Jesus turned and said to Peter "get away from me satan" so yeah even genuine believers can let satan get the better of them sometimes and entertain a wrong spirit.
Quite a few pentecostal churches entertain this "soup" of both Spirit-filled and devil-manifested people and don't bother to do any casting out of devils, which is something I don't agree with coming from a more traditional background myself. Not every manifestation is God.
I would also be interested in the conscious/unconscious aspect of tongues...Are we closer to go when we are unconscious of what we are doing and He is working through our actions? Or are we closer to God when we are aware of our actions and creating as He wills as a symbol of God himself? I know some would say the tongue is creating with God, but what I am addressing is the fact that all who speak in tongues (that have posted and that I have known) seem to suggest they are mostly to completely unaware of what they 'are going to say' and comparing this to what happens with intelligible words, say when I pray for (or speak to)someone and I don't know what to say then I feel God come to my rescue and take control of intelligible words and say whatever He wants prayed for or said to them. Even people who speak in tongues don't often console or commune back and forth with other people through tongues, and personally I draw into silence and wait for God, praying; and then speak whatever He leads me to or He speaks through me...why I was wondering the differences/benefits of silence and waiting/listening versus tongues or vice versa.
Do we feel closer to God? Yes. Are we really closer to God? No - God is always the same distance from us no matter what we feel. Actually since God's Spirit is inside us God really can't get much closer. You never go unconcious when speaking in tongues, unless you fall under God's power you might, or if you fall into a trance. With tongues we are completely unaware of what we are going to say next and can stop and start it at will, although at times it is hard to contain it. The next syllabal, word, sound etc comes from the Spirit. We are only aware after it happens, it just flows out, and sometimes the expression of it too is inspired by the Spirit - eg loud, soft, peaceful, angry etc, and if you sing with it it becomes singing in tongues where the Spirit controls even the melody you sing. That means you don't think about it, it comes from the spirit.
