Speaking in tongues?

Question

What is it exactly? Is it really foreign language(s) or gibberish? What is the point of speaking in tongues?

Sidenote, the only time I have seen people speak in tongues was in Borat, which may or may not be indicative of groups who do speak in tongues.

Answer 1

Linguistics

The syllables that make up instances of glossolalia typically appear to be unpatterned reorganizations of phonemes from the primary language of the person uttering the syllables; thus, the glossolalia of people from Russia, the United Kingdom, and Brazil all sound quite different from each other, but vaguely resemble the Russian, English, and Portuguese languages, respectively. Many linguists generally regard most glossolalia as lacking any identifiable semantics, syntax, or morphology.[13] Glossolalia has even been postulated as an explanation for the Voynich manuscript.

Psychology

The first scientific study of glossolalia was done by psychiatrist Emil Kraepelin as part of his research into the linguistic behaviour of schizophrenic patients. In 1927, G.B. Cutten published his book Speaking with tongues; historically and psychologically considered, which was regarded a standard in medical literature for many years. Like Kraepelin, he linked glossolalia to schizophrenia and hysteria. In 1972, John Kildahl took a different psychological perspective in his book The Psychology of Speaking in Tongues. He stated that glossolalia was not necessarily a symptom of a mental illness and that glossolalists suffer less from stress. He did observe, however, that glossolalists tend to have more need of authority figures and appeared to have had more crises in their lives.

A 2003 statistical study by the religious journal Pastoral Psychology concluded that, among the 991 male evangelical clergy sampled, glossolalia was associated with stable extraversion, and contrary to some theories, completely unrelated to psychopathology.[14] It should be noted that, as a primarily religious publication, Pastoral Psychology may not be an objective source on this matter.

Nicholas Spanos described glossolalia as an acquired ability, for which no real trance is needed (Glossolalia as Learned Behavior: An Experimental Demonstration, 1987). It is also known as a simplex communication.

Neuroscience

In 2006, at the University of Pennsylvania, researchers, under the direction of Andrew Newberg, MD, completed the world’s first brain-scan study of a group of Pentecostal Practitioners while they were speaking in tongues. The study found that while participants were exercising glossolalia, activity in the language centers of the brain actually decreased, while activity in the emotional centers of the brain increased.

New York Times wrote about the study, and it has been published in Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging, Volume 148, Issue 1, 22 November 2006, Pages 67-71.

Answer 2

It isn't gibbersh. It is actual languages not learned by the speaker. It is God the Holy Ghost speaking through you directly to God the Father. It is a wonderful, empowing experience that's like putting a powerful motor on what was a row-boat.

There are two purposes (other than letting you know that the Holy Spirit came into you in His fullness - the initial evidence).
1. Devotional tongues that is part of your everyday prayer life.
It energizes your faith and when your native language isn't enough to express your worship, the Holy Ghost speaks for you to express your worship to God more fully in tongues.

2. Congregational tongues is used by God as a sign to the un-believer. These tongues are then interpreted (usually be a second person but not always) so that everyone knows what God is saying. It is a "now" word from God to His people. I've been in services where people were saved because they knew the language being spoken and they knew the one speaking did not know the language and the interpretation was right on point. It convinced them that God was real.

Tongues and the Baptism in the Holy Ghost are not just "emotionalism" it is a real experience that comes when you are so in love with Christ and so hungry for more of Him you can't fully express what is in your heart - then the Holy Ghost comes and speaks through you giving complete expression to worship. It is a wonderful, precious gift that should be used everyday.

For those who say it doesn't exist for today, I beg to differ. I have the Baptism in the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in tongues and I pray in tongues every day. Experience disproves your theory.

Answer 3

It's not gibberish or a foreign language. You speak in tongues when you are filled with the spirit. Speaking in tongues puts you on a higher level of communication with God. I've never spoken in tongues, but I know people and have been around several who has. It's powerful and it's real.

Answer 4

*The miraculous gift of tongues in the bible no longer exists. That was the ability to speak a foreign language without learning it. this is defined in Acts Chapter 2, read closely and you will see that the Jews born in other lands of different languages did in fact understand what was being said. Read Acts chaptrer 2 close enough you find it is the direct fufilling of Joel Chapter 2. Not what is doen today. Anyone claiming to be fulfilling Joel chapter 2 today does nt understand scripture and is false. *

The tongues today is just gibberish and is not a spiritual gift at all but a psychological phenomena. *

Answer 5

It is a Heavenly language between you and God. In Acts 2: it
explains this and through-out this Book. Once a person speak in tongues it should be interpreted by someone else, now sometimes this may not happen for the interpreted may not obey God and decline for what the reason may be. That is between him & God. This is a awesome experience, you are beening filled with the Holy Spirit. Do not speak against the Holy Spirit, this is one sin that God will not forgive you.

Answer 6

Tongues aren't really a language, but a series of unitelligable syllables(sounds) which never form words. The language of tongues goes back beyond the Sumerian culture and where a series of unitelligible chants and incantations orignally produced by the demonic priest sects, who believed that they could raise the demons of the underworld by using tongues. Judao-Christanity banned the speaking of tongues and punished or banished those who spoke tongues. Today, many religious sects still believe that tongues are only spoken by demonology cults and used to raise the demons of the underworld and many of these sects have also banned the use of tongues. Due to these reasons Wiccans have banned speaking in tongues.

Answer 7

Peter was moved by the Holy Spirit and was able to preach to the people that spoke all different languages at the same time by speaking in tongues at Pentecost in Acts 2. There were over 5,000 baptized there. The speaking in tongues was a miracle that was used in the times of the apostles to perform such feats and allow them to do the FATHER's WORK. These miracles have since ceased. Have a great evening.
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Answer 8

Speaking in tongues is praying in an unknown language. The Spirit intercedes for us with groans and utterings we can't understand. Sometimes there is the gift of Tongues which is to a crowd and in that instance there must be an interpretation. It is also used by individuals as a prayer language. I've heard of times when the prayer didn't know what he/she was saying but the person next to them understood the language. In acts the crowd thought they were drunk with wine but Peter explained it to the crowd and everyone there heard them in their own language and there were at least 15 different languages represented.

Answer 9

Read Acts in the Bible.

sometimes it's babble
sometimes it's foreign languages the person didn't learn
sometimes it's a heavenly language only the holy spirit understands

teh point? A sign to the unbeliever, a way to pray feelings a person can't put into words, a way to prophecy (with interpretation).

Answer 10

Speaking in tongues is God's language, the Bible calls it the language of love. You don't speak it when you want to, you speak it because the Holy Spirit is speaking thru you, it's not your will it's God's will. You speak it when you least expect to. Speaking in tongues is one of the gifts from the Holy Spirit. Read 1 Corinthians 12:7 - 11 and speaking in tongues is one of those gifts. God speaks in tongues thru a person because not even the devil understands it, it's a holy language that not EVERYBODY understands, other than those that are chosen.