Edward Babinski has an interesting post on the miracle of speaking in tongues on his Scrivenings blog. He used to be a tongues speaker and his description of “how it’s done” particularly interested me. It confirmed my interpretation of my own single experience with glossolalia. I was never part of a church that sanctioned tongues speaking, certainly not in church services. The Worldwide Church of God cult of which I was a member for too many years taught tongues speaking was from the devil. Nonetheless, there was a time when during intense fasting and prayer I did find myself speaking in tongues and it pulled me up with a start. I don’t recall now if I consciously decided I’d give it a try or if it somehow subconsciously came upon me in my “intense” state at the time. What surprised me how easy it was. I really could speak in what sounded very much like another language. (None of Ed Babinski’s beginner steps for me!) I wasn’t just babbling a few syllables repetitively but it really sounded as if I was speaking in sentences with “meaningful” phrases, intonation, the lot.
I knew then that it was nothing but something I could do if I just set my mind to it and “stepped out” with “my tongue”. It was very obvious to me that there was no spiritual possession involved. I realized probably anyone could be taught to do it.
Neil Godfrey
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Interesting! Thanks for sharing your story (and mine).
Thanks for that personal perspective. The Archbishop of Canterbury has recently told us all that he prays in tongues as often as he can, every morning if possible: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/jan/21/i-pray-in-tongues-every-day-says-archbishop-of-canterbury
The traditional interpretation of the Biblical account in Acts or Corinthians is that the speaker is possessed by the Holy Spirit. If Welby thinks this is what’s happening to him it might explain some of his arrogant and offensive public statements, such as his assertion in a Lords debate that non-faith schools don’t give their pupils any moral or ethical teaching: https://www.secularism.org.uk/news/2017/12/nss-accuses-welby-of-cynical-abuse-of-religious-privilege-over-lords-education-debate
I’m getting a bit fed up with all this nonsense.
I routinely practice my glossolalia on my neighbor’s dog while I pet her. She doesn’t know the difference, and it’s easier than thinking of something to say. Sometimes I throw in a fragment of koine Greek.
What’s the big deal about speaking in tongues, Danni Kaye (remember him?) did it for comic effect, and I speak in tongues on a regular basis to obnoxious telemarketers.
Love it. I’ll have to remember that. Maybe next time some JWs or Mormons come to the door I’ll greet them like that, too.
Comes in handy during cunnilingus.
Also, as a follow up to my “Tongues” post I just added another about a miracle mentioned in Keener’s book, Miracles, i.e., the boy who could see out of an artificial eye.
https://edward-t-babinski.blogspot.com/2019/04/miracles-by-craig-s-keener-boy-sees-out.html
Exactly the same thing happened to me.