speaking in tongues

[tiredlady]

If anyone has got time,could someone explain about speaking in tongues please? What is it? Why do people do it? What does it mean?
I don't want to give away too many details, but I work in mental health and this has come up in a client.I know I could just google this but I prefer to get a MN opinion first!
Thank you!

MmeBlueberry, I do agree that people frequently confuse evangelicalism with fundamentalism, and it annoys the hell out of me when they use the 'f' word as an umbrella term. However, I suspect this is because the two approaches have more in common than other expressions of the Christian faith.

Thankyou for the responses. The more I read the more fascinated I am becoming - my poor patient is starting to take a back seat.
Thanks for the definitions weegie mum,I think I get the difference, but the whole evangelical /fundamental thing is confusing me. I need to wiki and educate myself!

DutchOma, I haven't gone down the road of getting someone to interpret, or asking in detail what is being spoken. I don't think the content is necessarily relevant. By getting in someone to "interpret" I feel that would send a message that the content is meaningful and important and I feel this would shift the emphasis. My emphasis at present is that the speaking in tongues along with a number of other symptoms are indicative of an episode of mental illness. This is where I feel the focus should lie at present.
Of course when/if my patient recovers, they may well want to think about the signifcance of those particular symptoms to their illness, in which case a discussion about the content may be more appropriate.

Anyway,thanks again ladies. I might start hanging around on the religion boards to learn a bit more. I hate not knowing about interesting stuff!

I don't think I can add much OP, weegiemum and others have gone into it pretty comprehensively. Just to say from my perspective (which is a slightly mixed bag of evangelical-charismatic-emergent with liberal elements and a theology degree ) it does sound somewhat extreme, but without knowing all the details of how it is affecting your client I can't tell for sure. There are known episodes where someone will leave everyday life behind for a period say to fast and pray; Jesus himself did for 40 days, so that kind of thing is not unprecedented. However, the tongues thing.....hmmm, not sure. I find tongues to be a help when I'm no longer sure what to pray, or if I feel exhausted spiritually and emotionally and need to get it out; it's like a deep thing in my spirit, and very much a private thing. Some churches, notably pentecostal, go very much overboard on the whole thing and make it all about that - ie, you're not a Christian if you don't speak in tongues, which is incredibly damaging and plainly wrong. They can also have this whole culture of everyone shouting out this stuff quite aggressively with no order to the thing which Paul warned against. I have no problem with some public expressions of it, eg a large crowd singing in tongues can be an incredible experience (although doubtlessly laughable to those not as nutty as us).
Not sure where I am going with this - merely thinking aloud I suppose. I feel slightly uncomfortable with how you describe your clients behaviour but can't make a really objective judgment. You sound like you are going into it fully in order to help the client and I am sure will be able to come to the right conclusion.
Tongues is like anything else in the mad Christian world - given by God for the good, twisted by people for the less good, unfortunately. sigh....

I think the crux is the "change in behaviour"

Usually, speaking in tongues happens in regular prayer times (as in normal / usual - not time tabled)

I think if it has radically changed from their norm, there is reason to worry.... if they have always spent days in tongues then it is probably normal for them and not a MH issue (removing all debate at whether tongues is a mh issue in the very first place)

I went on the Alpha course many years ago and during the last session, the vicar advised us that we might find ourselves "speaking in tongues" and not to be alarmed but it was something that quite often happened to people at this point during the Alpha course.
It struck me as very odd that there was almost an expectation and encouragement for us to start speaking in tongues and I certainly didn't become overwhelmed in that way at all. For me, it just backed up all the misgivings I had had about the course from the outset and I felt that I was somehow not responding in the desired way by not being overcome by the holy spirit as they seemed to think someone at the end of the Alpha course should be.
(Actually any faith I had had previously was smashed to smithereens after going on the course so thanks Alpha)

This thread made the Tourettes Syndrome come to mind. There has been research on modern day speaking in tongues and Tourettes. Your client might potentially fit into this category especially if its occurring in the extreme and are of the emotional nature.

just a thought

displayuntilbestbefore, this probably sounds a silly thought, but I am reminded that my daughter (aged 10) will at some point soon, start her period. Its a pretty unnerving things, like speaking in tongues is unnerving (I imagine), and any amount of words can't prepare her properly for it. It sounds like the vicar was saying the same thing, but clumsily!

I've never spoken in tongues, but I know that isn't something that is my gift. It isn't something I seek. I've seen others speak in tongues, and some have seen genuine and others contrived. and forced. It IS a gift, but not one we should try to grab, I think, but wait until it is freely offered. Incidently, I've never been on an Alpha course either!

seemed not seen!

displayuntil - what a shame that the Alpha course was so damaging. I've also heard this from other people. I've never done one but did used to go to the church that set it up. There's lots that's wrong with that church, and, from what I hear, lots that's wrong with Alpha. And good stuff, too. But, as with everything, don't let the crap stuff overshadow the good.

Oh, and you don't have to do Alpha or even go to church in order to have a faith.

Or speak in tongues (I don't).

I did meet a great friend through doing the course (who was equally sceptical of the shiny-teethed self satisfied speaker in the videos) so can't regret it completely

Every cloud...!

Rofl at 'shiny-teethed self-satisfied speaker'! I can't think what you mean!