🔥 TREE 600: Jeff Gill – tongues
This is TREE 600! What a lovely big number. When I started TREE, I chose a numbering system for my posts in iA Writer that will take me up to 9,999. We’re just getting started.
Just one story from my childhood today.
11
When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. (Acts 2:1-6, NIV)
I come from a Christian tradition which believes this really happened and that it still happens today, usually without the wind and fire. My parents prayed with me to be ‘filled with the Holy Spirit’ (also known as ‘baptised in the Holy Spirit’) when I was 13ish. What happened that evening was – imagine that happiness was liquid and that a spring of it was bubbling inside of you and when it came out, it came out of your mouth in the form of sounds you never spoke before. It was like that. Strange but very enjoyable.
After the initial event, I could speak in tongues whenever I wanted to. It was always the same ‘language’ and distinct from anyone else I heard speaking in tongues. I’m a person with a very busy brain. I found that speaking in tongues quieted my mind and allowed my creativity space to work. Now that I’m no longer a Christian in any recognisable sense of the word, I still sometimes speak in tongues, especially if I can’t sleep.
Imagine trying to live your life 100% rationally. You’d go insane, right?
Grow slowly
Jeff
I remember confronting our pastor about the fact that they believed you weren't "filled with the spirit" unless you spoke in tongues. I was on my way out to a mission in Romania and I didn't speak in tongues. How could you send someone on a mission that you didn't believe was "filled". At that time I had no idea what gate-keeping was, but oh the peer pressure was astounding. It still makes me angry for my younger self.
You're probably going to get some comments on this one because it's so polarizing and honestly, triggering for a lot of people. But, it's your past, and sometimes your present. That's the point of this series.
My kiddo has Autism and sometimes the pressure in her mind and body builds up causes her to stim. This makes some people incredibly uncomfortable to watch. This reminds me of that. Sometimes you just need a way to release pressure.
I find speaking in tongues to be an issue to my believability of faith. But I do find it interesting and worth debate.
To my limited knowledge the gift of tongues was given so that the disciples could go into the world, to countries with non native language to spread the word of God.
Now the tongues spoken by ( usually pentecostal / Evangelical) Christians is mostly of a non earthly language. This is conveniently explained as language of angels.
Secondly what is the point? Why would God need to do this. It has no purpose and is almost like possession. Maybe it is demonic possession?
Thirdly, all these tongues sound similar. I can do a close approximation. If there was someone from Botswana in the congregation who could not speak English and then someone spoke in their language then, hold my coffee, I would be impressed!
Your last line about logic is a throwaway line with humour but really logic is everything and all this seems like man made hypnosis and hysteria and not really scriptural or of use to modern preaching.
I remember going to church and feeling a bit like, 'I'm not worthy' as I couldn't / wouldn't speak in tongues. Then some other person would stand up and give a generic, God loves you, translation. Interesting though!
keep up the good work.