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Original poster

Ever heard anyone singing/praying in tongues?

48 replies

JuniperDewdrop · 22/11/2004 14:25

I experienced this on Saturday and was blown away! Luckily I'd been discussing this with a close friend recently so knew what to expect. She said I'll know if I hear someone doing it and how right she was!
Can anyone do this? Or do you have any other gifts from the holy spirit?
I've had healing experience as in I've laid hands on a friend and dh and it's taken away their back pain. Also tried on MIL yesterday as she's had a headache for days and won't go to the docs. It helped her too.

OP posts:
fruitful · 22/11/2004 14:34

Yes, I do it, so does dh and most of my church. Get us all together and we can be quite tuneful (or a right racket sometimes ).

I like praying in tongues; I get to talk to God without having to try to find the words. Otherwise known as "cut the cr*p" praying! My spirit, talking to his spirit without my mind intervening, lovely. And he talks to me while I'm doing it. As in, when I have a problem, I pray in tongues for a while, and whilst ostensibly all I've done is yabber away in gibberish while doing my washing up, I find I'm a lot more peaceful and I mysteriously know what to do about my problem. Sometimes he talks to me more specifically (words in my head that I know are God and not me) - but not always.

Original poster
JuniperDewdrop · 22/11/2004 14:37

Oh I wish I could do it. Since experiencing this I've found a few church friends do it. We're all thinking of having a regular meeting so they can worship this way together freely.

OP posts:
Papillon · 22/11/2004 14:51

I have done this Juniper - will be back later gotta dash now

krisked · 22/11/2004 14:56

I've heard it at my mums church when i went with her one Sunday. Got a bit freaked out when they all started callapsing on the floor though.....

Chandra · 22/11/2004 14:58

Yes... I always thought people were making it up until that happened to me...

mumwithnoname · 22/11/2004 22:02

Yes I pray in tongues sometimes, find it useful when i don't know wot to pray. occasionally had a message in tongues which someone has interpreted. Find "singing in the spirit" really beautiful, it amazes me how it sounds so harmonious!!

Ameriscot2004 · 23/11/2004 07:18

Any Christian can pray in tongues, Juniper. All you have to do is ask for the gift of tongues - and then get ready to use it by opening your mouth - and practice it.

Papillon · 23/11/2004 11:02

I was told by a palm reader that I was gifted at speaking in tongues among other things. Did not think about it after that but when I did an Alpha course about 4-5 years ago they had an evening on speaking in tongues. It was a pentecostal church so I guess it is an important element of finding Jesus, spirit etc for them. Don´t know if it is usual for alpha courses, but anyway I tried it and it seems that the palm reader was right.

Made my mouth feel very strange. I enjoyed having a good ole rant and conversation! The lady I talked to said I spoke like the people in the country where who husband was a missionary. He was smuggling himself into their country to distribute Christian books - which seems very dangerous and quite rude (imo). Going off on a tangent but part of my speaking in tongues experience!

zephyrcat · 23/11/2004 11:05

Sorry if I'm being ignorant - can someone explain it to me? I've heard th ephrase and seen mock ups on tv etc but not in real life - what actually is it/is happening?

Papillon · 23/11/2004 11:14

For me I see it as me connecting with the spirit / energy. I was not a Christian when I tried it but I was with Christians when it occurred. I have never investigated it outside of the Christian realm but don´t think it is exclusive to their religion.

I think I remember that in Christian terms it is the holy spirit, or holy trilogy coming/speaking through you.

krisked · 23/11/2004 12:30

Its quite interesting as the churches i have been to, everyone appears to be speaking in tounges at some point in the service.....I often thought they were making a spectical of it all as in look at me and what i can do.....They make it look so easy but it sounds like a very special thing.

Before i offend anyone, i dont mean i think that everyone makes it up just that i have experienced it alot and how do you know if you are just gabbing on or if it really is the real thing??? What do you feel???? Im sure these people all believe that they are doing it but how do you know for sure?

Original poster
JuniperDewdrop · 23/11/2004 13:13

that's a good question krisked. I think the fluency of it and how harmonious it sounds makes it real. I've heard people say it's the language of angels and can well believe it. I didn't realise other religions practice it?

Did any of you able to do this feel scared the first time? I didn't feel scared getting the healing gift but this seems a bit daunting to me.

OP posts:
fairyfly · 23/11/2004 13:16

Yes i have heard this and had the Devil pulled out of me at the same time. I have to say i hated every minute of it

Cadbury · 23/11/2004 13:19

I felt very wierd the first time I prayed in toungues but I actually tried doing it at home in my own bedroom to get used to the idea and to see what would happen. If you focus on God totally and sort of allow His spirit to move in you. Ask Him to give you this gift and pray to him, then just open your mouth and try.

morningpaper · 23/11/2004 13:21

It's common in lots of religions and there are several books on the subject. It's called glossolalia.

Lots of Christians say it is the same as that described in the Acts of the Apostles - but this is when the disciples of Jesus suddenly knew how to speak in other languages, and when you read the passage it is clear that it is quite different. They were communicating with other people, whereas tongue speakers generally say they are communicating with God.

The 'language' spoken tends to be quite similar among people of the same mother-tongue, as the speaker utilises syllables and sounds from their own language - so Russians practicers sounds quite similar to each other, as do English practisers.

I spent several years as part of the 'charismatic renewal' movement, where adherents all have these gifts as a sign of their 'baptism in the spirit'.

zephyrcat · 23/11/2004 13:23

Did you feel any different afterwards fairyfly? I have to say I'm genuinly surprised at the amount of you who have experienced it!

fairyfly · 23/11/2004 13:30

Apparently i wasn't open enough to it so nothing happened, he put so much pressure on my head that im suprised i didn't just buckle with the weight anyway. I felt nothing, found it slightly hysterical and frightening and took great offence at the thought the devil had taken over my soul.Saying that I was on retreat in a strange place in Bosnia i had watched people having visions, carried a cross up a mountain, this could have just been the final straw. I got home and rocked for a week, totally messed my head up. Weirdest weirdest week of my life.

zephyrcat · 23/11/2004 13:32

blimey - i bet you were!! utomst respect to you for letting them near you!! My friends Father used to scare the life out of her by telling her that every time he looked at her he could see the devil behind her left shoulder and that she was evil

fairyfly · 23/11/2004 13:32

oh and i was six months pregnant

fairyfly · 23/11/2004 13:38

The entire retreat was about the sodding devil, we had an emergency landing and everyone one said that was the devil pulling us out of the sky. I started to shit myself after a while. My sisters breaking point was fighter planes flying past one night, she didn't know we were near a army base, she got down on her knees and started to cry. We thought the moon had fallen out of the sky as it just dropped so quickly, we both cried at that.
Of course we look back on it all and piss ourselves laughing now.

Original poster
JuniperDewdrop · 23/11/2004 13:44

Blimey FF what religion was that?? Sounds very extreme to me. Poor you, glad you're more lighthearted about it now hun xx

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fairyfly · 23/11/2004 13:49

It hasn't been endorsed by a religion yet, it's supposed to be catholic.They say miracles happen and the Pope must agree it's a special place, but he hasn't given it the all clear yet. Apparently Our Lady is still making apparitions to visionaries and they repeat the messages she wants us to hear. The messages are quite frightening.

DillyDally · 23/11/2004 13:53

FF..I didn't realise you were "One of Us"
Catholic that is not a devil caster outer.

morningpaper · 23/11/2004 13:58

DD: There's a big Catholic 'charismatic' movement - peaked in the 70s I believe and has been dropping off since then. It's still quite active although there are most 'ex-charismatics' than current charismatics. Most people stay in for about four years or so.

They do visions / tongue speaking / spiritual warfare ("the devil's dropping the plane out of the sky!" type language).

Exorcism is also a big part of 'normal' Catholic doctrine although it tends to be hushed up a bit these days as it's rather embarassing for most people.

fairyfly · 23/11/2004 14:00

Not sure if i am to be honest, i don't think i can really call myself one. Quite a bit i don't agree with and quite a lot i don't follow. I think i would offend others if i was to pretend i was, as its not about picking and choosing what bits you want and don't is it. But i do go to church and i do take great comfort in what faith i have.

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