Nothing divides the religious world as much as the slightly spooky practice of speaking in tongues. Most Jesus followers of the Reformed tradition believe it to be totally obsolete for those on the spiritual path. If you’ve got the Bible that’s all one needs, apart that is from a trained pastor-teacher to feed you its gems! Meanwhile, Pentecostal and Charismatic Christians are only too willing to burst into tongues at the drop of an ecstatic hat, before trying to sell you their beatific experience! No wonder the non-Christian world shies away from such opposing camps, dismissively declaring ‘Thanks, but no thanks!’
Now, many books have been written for and against the modern psycho-spiritual phenomenon known as tongues speaking, or to give it its more respectable Greek name glossolalia. In this little article I’ve no intention of arguing my way through the theological minefield of trying to prove either the validity or spurious nature of this religious utterance, for like a well-loved security blanket, the proponents of either side of the argument are highly unlikely to change their minds. Instead, I wish to briefly examine the psycho-spiritual practice from a slightly different perspective.
First, let me come clean! I am still a tongues speaker even after all my painful experiences within the somewhat whacky world of Charismatic Christianity. My disillusionment with the vision and often dysfunctional, hierarchical practices of faith groups within that particular religious stream have surprisingly not shifted this most unusual of verbal curiosities. Many of my fellow ex-Charismatics dumped their tongue many moons ago, as they ran back into the security of conservative Christianity or into the freeing wilderness of non-belief.
Let’s face it – speaking in tongues doesn’t have a particularly good press. Wide-eyed fanatics dancing wildly in little wooden churches while belting out their glossolalic gushings to all and sundry, do tend to make the casual onlooker more than a little nervous. Send for the ‘Ghostbusters’ or the men in white coats is one’s instinctive reaction! Yet, the experience of being in a crowd of well-behaved tongues singers is a most uplifting spiritual high; one similar to tuning into the most sublime Gregorian chants. There is definitely something to this strange but comforting occurence, but what?
Let me come at this question from the angle of mimetic desire and the freedom of the Queendom/Kingdom of God. In our day-to-day consciousness, ego or fragmented psyche is never far away. When pressure situations unexpectedly confront us our little ego warrior is always there ready to protect us, albeit by demonizing the other, the one blamed for our fast-approaching catastrophe. The pre-wired fight or flight tendency within the neural programming of our magnificent central nervous system, is all too willing to work hand in hand with our edgy ego advocate. Sadly, it looks like we’re stuck with such an automatic reflex response to perceived, if often illusory, dangers. Or are we?
Saul of Taurus, aka St. Paul, who claimed to be the most prolific of tongues speakers within the early Yeshua movement, has a somewhat interesting take on things. He claims that glossolalia is a verbal expression of the human spirit; a psycho-spiritual link joining our inner Divine Spark to the transcendent Divine Fire without. In previous articles I’ve suggested that experiential salvation has less to do with escaping a fearful fiery hell and more to do with our release from our internal psychic prison, viz. our skewed desire center and its ego ally.
So may I respectfully suggest that tongues speaking is a psychic switch of sorts, a tool to unhook us, albeit temporarily, from the dominance of our conscious mind and its default desire settings. In other words, the voluntary act of speaking in an unlearned language is a form of desire detachment, a realignment with our spirit I AM, and subsequently, an experiential connection with the energising flow of Divine Presence. The tongue in question is somehow tuning our inner receiver into the Divine channel, while defusing our psychological tendency for desire conflict.
Without having to enter into an uncontrollable, frenzied state of nihilistic abandonment, the tongues speaker has consciously moved into an altered state of consciousness, one where they retain full control but have a therapeutic, detached space in which to breathe – a mini ‘holy of holies’ if you like, one free from the constant chatter of their restless, love-starved sub-personalities.
So where does that leave us? Well, for me, the gift of tongues is an authentic psycho-spiritual ability for the purpose of disengagement and connection. To disengage from the swirling desire Matrix in which we all swim – to connect to our core Self and its Mother Ship, Divine Love. Though best done in private I reckon, far from the showbiz settings of white-suited TV evangelists and their somewhat hypnotised followers.
Dylan’s Author Page ~ https://goo.gl/7BJ8JR
Detachment and connection, psycho-spiritual, unhook from dominance of our conscience mind. Yep, hard to explain the inexplicable. There is a place of activation for all believers into the realm of the Spirit where the melding and blending of God’s Holy Spirit and our human psyche (spirit) combine in a wonderful personal gift. Speaking in tongues, elevates us beyond where we are into an unseen arena where we are paticipants with our Heavenly Father’s Divine desire.
However, the abuses of the gift of tongues has been rife within the Charismatic/Pentecostal circles. Too many times it becomes the be all end all and, as such, it looses it importance in personal edification…
Shall we ignore the gift because of abuse. Or do we learn from our mistakes and move forward in Christ with a greater revelation of the purpose of ‘glossalalia”.
There is a balance that we that are out of the pentecostal circles must seek. In this way, a healthy perspective and restructuring of what so many of us have experienced can find it way into this structure of organic churches.
I do not discount the gift of tongues. I question a “heavenly prayer language,” and I would certainly discount any argument that says that it is “the evidence of being filled with the Spirit.”
If one has unimpeded access to the Father praying by the Spirit in the name of the son, and if by tongues that access is heightened, then the life of that person should reflect one that is Christlike.
Unfortunately those whom I’ve met who vehemently defend their tongues speaking lead lives to the contrary.
Miguel,sadly your observations are often very true. Religion and its rivalry can take hold of the most sacred of gifts and make it into a weapon of war. As you say, the evidence of authenticity lies in the outgoing flow of Unconditional Love and not dogmatic and divisive belief.
Thanks for dropping by!
Dylan
“…a psycho-spiritual link joining the Divine Spark within to the Divine Fire without.”
Thanks for sharing–I really love how you explained your experience with tongues.
Thanks Julie. Words cannot really describe the connection I guess but I gave it my best shot!
Your encouragement is gracefully received!
Blessings
Dylan
Love your writing style! Despite what you said, some of us “tongue talkers” move on to a more progressive form of Christianity. I often explain glossolalia as “verbal meditation” to my skeptical friends.
Hi Sherlockspal
Totally agree – the gift can be taken with us as we travel through the marketplace of religious belief and practice.
I love your ‘vertical meditation’ take on it!
🙂 Dylan
Thank you for this, Dylan. I walked away from a ‘spirit-filled’ congregation years ago, and have wondered ever since about this amazing gift. Your explanation of using tongues to ‘detach and connect’ has freed me once again to reach into the depths of my soul and experience that ‘altered state of consciousness’ that I have missed for far too long.
Wonderful Lorretta. Yes many of us have thrown out the grace gift with the religious bathwater of abuse and control. Tongues was always meant for intimacy between ourselves and our Lover Creator. Go girl!!!!
🙂 Dylan
I’ve written about this too Dylan. This gift has so enriched my spiritual experience. The first time I attended a charismatic church was strange. Really strange. But I kept praying for the tongues of fire. I sang the songs, prayed the prayers, studied and meditated day and night…
Until one day I knew I was ready to receive the gift of tongues. Sitting Indian style in the middle of the living room floor, Bible open to the 2nd chapter of Acts, I tilted my head back as if I was gargling, lifted my arms in full surrender, opened my mouth and began to speak… and then it happened. Rivers of living water flowing from somewhere deep within, words I’d never uttered before. I could hardly believe my ears. That heavenly language so organic and sweet that no devil in hell could discern it, only God and the angels who spoke the same tongue.
Hi Debra
Glad that you are into ‘tongues’, a much misunderstood and often religiously packaged ‘gift’. May it continue to bring the River of Life swirling up from your ‘inner I Am’ and beyond!
🙂 Dylan
Beautfuly and gracefully put.
Thanks Bryan.
I needed the encouragement today!
🙂 Dylan
you made me speak in tongues brother,
What can I say Billy! You’ve left me speechless!
Speaking in tongues is not mysterious or difficult. I feel you make it out to be something spooky spiritual in your description. It’s clearly a gift to empower the believer and there is plenty of evidence and power behind it, sadly I feel many don’t understand or experience it because they think it has to be worked up like some frenzy. And to those that would point at other tongue talkers sin as a means to prove it has no merit….really? Why would you even use that method of measure as it will surely be measured unto you, no?
It’s a gift that enables the follower of Jesus to pray properly when he knows not how to pray! It’s used to speak the oracles of the Living God to His people and others can interpret. P.s. This has a prerequisite for being able to hear from God. If that sentence causes discomfort, then I would encourage you to press deeper into the Lord and His grace. If you need help, try a book by a man named Steve Sampson called “You can hear the voice of God.” It’s short and sweet and lays out in scripture a clear path for the unbeliever.
There would be so much more to say about this, but I don’t know how many characters it will allow.
Ike
I appreciate your perspective. I have 30+ year Pentecostal roots and have gone through major deconstruction. I find that I now speak in tongues as much or more than any time in the past. I also meditate in ways I learned from other traditions and find spiritual practice fascinating and enjoyable instead of a chore. Why wouldn’t I continue the one outlet that my right brain enjoyed in years past.
Peace : ‘)=
I remember may years ago when I experienced speaking in tongues. I was in my early 20’s and it lead me into a deeper experience with God. Surely those who do not experience what we call Penecost are missing out on deeper moving’s of the Spirit of God in their lives. It is joy unspeakable and full of glory.
The joy of the Lord is our strength.
I have experienced speaking in tongues… And it’s indescrible ecstasy ……but I have moved on spiritually and feel its not a “requirement” for truth seekers….but available from God for those who seek it……
I found this conversation very interesting….i believe “speaking in tongues” is a very personal way to connect with God….
“the voluntary act of speaking in an unlearned language is a form of desire detachment, a realignment with our spirit I AM, and subsequently, a contact with the flow of Divine Presence.”
I have never spoken in tongues, although a recent gift inventory showed a latent gift in tongues so the day may well come, but I would like to ask some questions from my perspective of a lot of ignorance. I am interested in learning more from those who speak in tongues as something genuine, not a show in response to a cultural expectation in certain churches.
When you write of speaking in an unlearned language as a voluntary act, I am a little puzzled. It sounds like I could just decide to speak in tongues and do it. I could speak gibberish, but I don’t know how I could speak in an actual unlearned language without the direction of the Holy Spirit.
From my few experiences of hearing from people who sometimes seem led to speak in tongues, it seems that it more or less just happens not that it is a willed thing. It then requires an openness and receptiveness, but something quite different than a speaker of more than one common language consciously choosing to change what language s/he is speaking.
Hi Bill. Thanks for dropping by with you perceptive comments. For me tongues is just a means of letting the spirit part of me fly free. Will, I’d suggest plays a role in switching us from the conscious mind to that part of us aligned with Divine Source. At times Divine Love can gatecrash our rational party, but it is rare. Once we have spoken in tongues I believe it to be within our control. If it’s not then I reckon religious ego has kicked in and hijacked the psycho-spiritual experience. Hope that helps!
🙂 Dylan
To Bill above I would say 1. It can be used properly or not, so choose life. 2. Yes one could speak in an earthly language or languages switching with every sentence, but this is different than that or faking/ acting gibberish or phoneme groups. It is more like singing with meaning, like something, or ones soul emoting and listening at the same time, thus therapeutic and informative at the same time. Doing it for longer periods can give one a light and happy sensation. I certainly am not a seeker of “highs” but it happens anyway. Perhaps the Spirit speaks all the stuff we do not know about, really handing things over to the Capable One and we no longer feel the burden. That would be an impression of stage one on this, it gets better, but to me is best done in relation rather than rule or duty.
For me it is my prayer language that comes upon me just as the Spirit in me awakens in prayer to pray more specifically God’s will in the situation I have learned not to quench it but to allow it to flow as it will.. I do not ever expect an interpretation It is just my communication with God… Do I know what I said, but I know how I feel while praying and it is edifying to my soul.
Proper use of tongues, especially (as you say) when singing together, is amazing and excellent. I personally have had several experiences which have convinced me that the gift is utterly real, and, for the record, I don’t use it in public at all, so it’s never a showy-off kinda thing. But the misuse, as always, is what brings it into disrepute, and like all things truly Christian, it has been hijacked by whackos. But this does not detract from the superlative of the real thing.
Some of your respondents have mentioned that some denominations require ‘sight of’ the gift as evidence of the baptism in the Spirit. A wicked and adulterous generation looks for a sign! No way I am performing for some jumped-up church leader’s judgement of my gifts! This is plain man-pleaseing, and tbh I don’t care if anyone else believes I’m filled or not!
This is a great article, Dylan; nice one 🙂
Thanks Tony! Great to hear your take on tongues! 🙂 Dylan
When I was about twelve years old I attended a little Pentecostal church. I was at the altar seeking the infilling of the Holy Ghost as we called him then. The ladies of the church were all around me some saying, hold on and others saying let go…I couldn’t even think…moving on to their next person seeking…I was left alone. I saw my sister and my cousin dancing in the spirit and I wondered what was wrong with me? Why couldn’t I receive? I heard a still small voice within me say, “Don’t seek the gift, seek the giver of the gift.” I was twelve, what did I know. All of a sudden I found myself lying on the floor, speaking in languages I had never heard before…for 3 hours I spoke in unknown tongues…some sounded like German, Chinese, other languages I thought I recognized but some I did not know. My mother had to carry me and put me in the car to go home. I remember all through the night I’d wake and would be praying in heavenly languages…I learned this is what they were called later. So for me I know without a doubt this is real. As I’ve grown in the Lord…I’ve come to realize that we can tap into this heavenly realm or we can let it go. I attend a nondenominational church now and I only pray in tongues in private. I’m on our prayer team sometimes it is very difficult when I’m praying not to pray in tongues…it’s almost like my first language in prayer…I don’t argue with people about it. I share my experience when led to do so. Speaking in tongues helped me in childbirth…and it has allowed me to reach places in the Lord I otherwise would not have gone…If it is was good enough for the early church it is certainly good enough for me. Just because you speak in tongues doesn’t mean you are better than someone else. We still have to live by faith and if we don’t have love than all the tongue talking in the world won’t save us…this is my testimony…my experience and I thank God that he allowed me to seek him and to receive his gift. Thank you.
Thanks for sharing your experience and observations Maria. Much appreciated! 🙂 Dylan
I feel the very same way. Best in private unless there is someone to interpret when done publically. Good article!