Do you have to speak in tongues?

Question

How many people believe that you have to speak in tongues to get to heaven? As I am starting to walk closer with god I truly believe certain religions are majoring in minor things, such as focusing so much energy in tongues. So my question is two fold- Do you have to speak in tongues to get to heaven? And is there a superior religion?

Answer 1

No.

Superior religion? On what basis?

Answer 2

The idea of "speaking in tongues" is a complete myth. The Bible says that the Holy Spirit came down and gave the Apostles the ability to speak and have all hear what they were saying in their own language. This, however, would be completely unnecessary. As Alexander the Great had just conquered the area about 300 years before, he had spread Hellenistic culture throughout what later became the Roman Empire. Therefore, Greek became a very common language. It was actually one of the official languages of the Roman Empire, along with Latin. Latin, however, was only used for ceremonial purposes, like crowning new emperors and in official holiday celebrations. Greek was used for almost everything else. It was the universal language of marketplaces, was used for speaking with soldiers, the addressing of the public by Roman officials, and much more. Anyone who lived in a town or city would be required to know it. The only people in the entire empire who would not have would be the occasional farmer who had never been to a town or city of any consequence. Although the Bible says that Jesus spoke to his disciples in Aramaic, he most certainly would have preached in Greek. All of his disciples would know it, and for preaching, they would need to know no other language. None of them ever left the empire, and all of their teaching was done in cities. Therefore, they would have had no need for the gift of tongues. It makes no sense that God would have given them it if they would have had no use for it. So in answer to your question, no. If there is a heaven as Christianity describes it, you would not need to speak tongues to enter, as nobody has ever had that ability.

Answer 3

I speak English, French and a bit of German and Spanish. Does that count? I usually understand what I'm saying though (Like before the sixth scotch).

But seriously, what does that have to do with anything? How does speaking in tongues (If there is such a thing) make you a better person in anyway?

As for is there one true religion. I tend to think not. I view religions as works of art. They can be ways to look at a reality that is not easy to grasp, but don't mistake them for that reality. That reality will be found within the person appreciating the work of art.

Answer 4

If speaking in tongues is real there must be an interpreter of tongues and I have yet to meet one of them. In the Bible the apostles spoke in tongues in the way that they spoke and all other people could understand them in their own language so they were speaking aramaic and others heard their own language there is no evidence it was the babbling that goes on today. I do believe it is possible but without an interpreter I feel it is fake.

Answer 5

Religion has set its self up as the supreme earthly authority on two subjects that it knows absolutely nothing about, God and the afterlife. If we look at the various religions it is beyond obvious that they don’t agree about who God is. Nearly all of them claim to be the one and only correct path to God.

The one truth that remains constant is that the definition of God that they have come up with is little more than a mirror image of the particular set of biases and prejudices of the group the religion represent. Can this be just a coincidence?

With all of the various renderings of God by all of the different religions we can draw only a very few conclusions about God. Either God is a pathological liar who tries to be all things to all people or God is hopelessly schizophrenic. Personally I see too much beauty in the world to accept either of these conclusions.

To me it seems far more likely that religion is just a lie that people tell about God.

Lucky for us this lie we call religion does not effect the real God in any way.

Love and blessings Don

Answer 6

yes

Joh 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

Act 1:5 For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.

Act 10:45 And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Act 10:46 For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter,
Act 10:47 Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?

Act 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Answer 7

Read 1Corinthians 12
Now about spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant.
There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.

Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret?

Obviously the answer to all of these questions is no.

Just think of the thief on the cross next to Jesus.
Did he speak in tongues? Was he baptized? Did he have good works? Did he go on a pilgrimage? You can go on and on with the questions.
He acknowledged his sin and that he deserved to die. He also acknowledged Jesus as Lord and King.
Jesus told him, "Today you will be with me in paradise."
That is all that is required. All the rest is man made.


http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Corinthians%2012%20;&version=31;

Answer 8

The Bible says in John 3:5 " Except a man be born of the water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God". So, unless we have the HG we are none of His. That's in Romans 8:9.The only true religion is the church that Jesus built.

Answer 9

I speak in tongues, but you do not have to if you want to go to heaven. Tongues is a gift after salvation, if you want it you can have it. There is no superior religion. The relationship with Jesus is the only way to heaven, not belonging to a certain church.

Answer 10

Scripturally, that is bunk. I have heard people say you couldnt get into heaven unless you were a "pew jumpin' tounge talkin'" christian. These are gifts of the Spirit, which some get and others dont- for a reason- like being gifted another way to serve God.

Answer 11

Everyone is given talent(s) from God, for some it's speaking in tongues, some prophet, some teach... so no, not everying needs to speak in tongues.