What is "speaking in tongues"?

Question

I heard some Christian ladies talking about it, but I have no idea what it is do you?

Answer 1

It is self-induced. It is coached and taught. Allegedly it is the Holy Spirit speaking through the individual, but since no one can understand what's being said, what's the point? (The message goes unrecognized.)

Biblical descriptions of persons actually 'speaking in tongues' occur three times in the book of Acts, each time coupled with the phenomenon of the Baptism with the Holy Spirit.

Answer 2

Glossolalia - the theological term - is when the Holy Spirit speaks through a person. In some cases it is in the language otherwise unknown of those around. Acts 2. Most of the time these days, it is a message which must be interpreted, often by another person, and almost always for encouragement.
It sounds as if someone was speaking Swahili, Mandarin, Coptic, Quichen, w/ a Puerto Rican accent i.e. like nothing you have ever heard. It is a "heart language" prayer.

Answer 3

On the day of Pentecost those awaiting a promise from God were given the gift of speaking in other tongues. Many people began uttering in languages they had not learned in the natural. Many people were awed when they heard Jews speaking in their native tongue...perfectly. The bible says that when we don't know how to pray that the spirit (of God) prays for us. In our own personal prayer this is OK. If we speak in tongues in a group of people there must be an interpretation so everyone knows what the message was.

Answer 4

Speaking in tongues is a gift of the Holy Spirit. It is usually a language that no man knows, however, sometimes can be understood, interpreted, and even have words from another human language.

You get the Holy Spirit by being baptized in him. It is a separate experience than being saved or baptized in water, contrary to popular belief.

For the most part, it is the Holy Spirit praying to God on your behalf. Most of the time, you won't even know what you are saying, but God does and he will answer those prayers, since they are according to His will and not yours.

One really good thing about tongues is that not even Satan or his demons or fallen angels know what you are saying, unless you are, at that time speaking the language of the angels, in which case Satan and his fallen angels do know.

Answer 5

Some christians, not all, believe in that talking in tongues is talking in "God's" language or the language of angels. Not all christians believe that what we see today in churches is biblical "tongues". I personally believe it is babbling and emotionalism. That is a very unpopular view, but that is what I believe. The bible says that tongues is a gift, a miraculous gift of the ability to speak in a language you haven't ever learned. The purpose was to teach the gospel to those who did not speak the language of that particular country or area. When you hear it, it sounds like babbling in another language or babbling in baby talk or something. I'm very bias so I encourage you to seek out other sources for answers as well. There are very sincere christians that believe in this.

Answer 6

It is a spiritual gift God hand s down to a believer. The holy spirit guides you to a universal language that only can be interpreted by God. A christian usually speaks tongues during times of prayer, worshiping and fasting.

Answer 7

"Speaking in tongues" is a term used to describe a person who, not knowing the language in which they are preaching, preach anyways, not knowing what they are saying, but the people who know that language can understand what it is he/she is saying. I will point you out to the pentecost when 50 days after Jesus' resurrection, his apostles left the upper room and were filled with the Holy Spirit. They began speaking in tongues, but some people thought that they were drunk, although many who did not know Hebrew could understand the message the apostles were preaching on that day. Pretty convenient way of getting the message across without the internet.

Answer 8

Read 1 Corinthians chapter 12... This discusses spiritual gifts. Speaking in tongues is a spiritual gift. This gift began, I believe, when the church began (AD 62) when they were filled with the Holy Ghost.
But a person does need to take into account 1 John 4:1-6....this begins by saying "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God; because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God; Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God; And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come and even now already is it in the world......
Hope this helps.....

Answer 9

When Christ spoke the Sermon on the Mount, every man heard in their own tongue. Now that is speaking in tongues. There is no "SPECIAL" prayer language. What would be the purpose? I once read an article that taught you how to speak in tongues. It went something like this.......... Just say "Play Your Guitar" over and over again, speeding it up each time. Keep this up and you will soon be praying in the spirit................................Its a bunch of Hogwash, and serves no purpose. Especially when the one speaking the gibberish has no idea what they are saying.

Answer 10

It is a gift of the spirit where one is able to speak in an unknown tongue through the Hoily spirit. Usually the toungues have to be interpreted for the edification of the church. Genuine tongues are not learned or taught but its a gift given from God.

Answer 11

At the time of the Jewish festival Pentecost, shortly after Christs resurrection, many sojourners from other lands came to Jerusalem. Some of the disciples were given the 'gift of tongues' so as to speak in the languages of these foreign visitors. It was with the purpose of telling about the Christ and his ministry. As a result many of these people embraced the early teachings of Jesus Christ and became disciples also...... So unlike today, when you hear of "tongues" that make no sense....and you would not comprehend it.