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Permalink Reply by Jerry McMasters on January 17, 2009 at 7:16pm

Thanks Mr. B

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Permalink Reply by Jerry McMasters on January 17, 2009 at 9:13pm

Always looking for material. I am at a lull at the moment. I have one about half done but I don't know if it's any good so I might scrap it and start over. Any idea for a premise?

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Permalink Reply by Jerry McMasters on January 18, 2009 at 12:30pm

That's got potential...thanks!

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Permalink Reply by BB on January 18, 2009 at 11:06am

Seen, done, etc. The "perks" of growing up in a Pentacostal home. It's really interesting, especially once you study it in detail.

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Permalink Reply by Jerry McMasters on January 18, 2009 at 12:32pm

"done"? What do you remember about it? Did you just get caught up in the moment? Did you do it because you thought it was expected? Peer pressure?

By the way it is Sunday afternoon and I didn't make it to the church to check it out. Next week maybe.

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Permalink Reply by BB on January 28, 2009 at 3:32pm

All of the above. There is the expectation that you will speak in tongues, and the sincere belief among some of the people I grew up with that it was the sign you were filled with the Holy Spirit (and you weren't saved if you didn't have the Holy Spirit). Some even tossed out the trite little saying, "Fake it 'til you make it" with all sincerity.

Studies have shown that Glossolalia (speaking in tongues) is a learned behavior! It is picked up from those around you. Add that to the fact that you want (and even "need") to speak in tongues and STRONG peer pressure and you have a recipe for conformity. Brain scans of those speaking in tongues showed that activity in the language centers of the brain decreased while showing increased activity in the emotional centers of the brain. Not exactly surprising.

Some of the Linguistic studies of Glossolalia are even more interesting. The Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion has published a large number of studies on many aspects of speaking in tongues. The speakers of Glossolalia only used sounds they were familiar with (this is shown across language groups, with each group using sounds distinct to them), but those sounds, although grouped in recognizable patterns, were disconnected from any actual meaning (separate study correlating with the brain scans showing decreased activity in the language center). Type "glossolalia" in google if you want to do some interesting reading.

It is quite easy to get caught up in the emotional situations you have in a church service, especially for a young person. Being in a church service with emotionally compelling music while a group of people are grouped around you, praying that you will "be filled with the spirit" while speaking in tongues around you makes for some strong incentive to speak in tongues. It isn't surprising so many pick up tongues when it is so easy to learn (again, referencing scientific studies). Once learned, it is quite easy to continue (it can still be done by people who have experienced it, even after disconnecting it from the religion they picked it up from... and it is not a specifically Christian phenomenon).

Hope I answered your questions a little! Did you make it to church?

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Permalink Reply by BB on January 30, 2009 at 10:53am

The verse you mentioned is from 1 Corinthians 14. It's a chapter that talks about the use of tongues in church, prophecy, etc. There isn't any spot that says it's from Satan, although the chapter before (1 Cor. 13:1) talks about speaking with the tongues of men and angels and it not mattering if you don't have love.

I haven't run into any Pentacostal pastors that were as blatantly manipulative as the one you mentioned, but I have heard that it happens. Many are not purposefully being deceitful, they fully believe that they are talking to God and fully accept the fact the people will fall over when influenced by the working power of the "Holy Spirit". Some are just sincere (although misguided) believers who honestly want the best for you. That is the scary part. They BELIEVE, and that belief will guide their every action.

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Permalink Reply by Jerry McMasters on January 20, 2009 at 5:49pm

I wonder if there is any recording of it and then breaking it down to see what it really is. Or rather what it really isn't- some kind of completely original god-speak.

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Permalink Reply by BB on January 31, 2009 at 10:08am

The answer is yes. There have been recordings of tongues and there have been multiple studies done on how it works, who can learn it, how it is transferred, what sort of sounds are used, what sort of structure/syntax/form it has, etc. The results are fascinating and conclude that tongues is an entirely natural phenomenon that is easily learned, contains sounds that are familiar to each distinct person (different nationalities with different natural languages will use different sound groupings in their "tongues"). Different churches who have a predominant number of tongue speakers will have "tongues" that sound similar to those speakers versions (something I have anecdotal evidence of myself) and different sounds than other churches. Again, fascinating results. Do a search for glossolalia and you can come across some great info.

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Permalink Reply by Jerry McMasters on January 21, 2009 at 6:25pm

I think most churches call foul on it. Nonsense is okay, but it must be approved nonsense.

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Permalink Reply by Debauchery Divine on January 21, 2009 at 11:10am

Oh yes i've seen it and it's freaky! I hear it comes from confusion and an elated amount of emotion...

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Permalink Reply by Jerry McMasters on January 21, 2009 at 6:26pm

Yeah I think so too. This weekend I'm going to go. For sure this time. Last Sat I was out til three a.m., I wasn't about to get up early Sunday just to satisfy some stupid curiosity.

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