Speaking in tongues

[Balthazor]

I once went to a Pentacostal Church where they had a service and people paired of to pray. Or so I thought, I was there as a Catholic teenager visiting with a friend of mine. There were several other Catholic teens there also who were paired off and we all went to different parts of the building.
Soon the girl I was with was pressing me to try and speak in tongues. Around us some of the others had already commenced speaking an indicipherable language, rocking on their knees and crying. This included some of the Catholic youth. The girl continued to press me to try and speak ing tongues at one point she asked me if I had ever felt this happy in the Catholic Church... I replied that I felt happier in the Catholic Church. I also told her that my heart was open to it but I do not want to look for trouble... (being a mystic to me is asking God for an incredible gift but also an incredible burden it is not all tongues and love, real temptations can come into your life and many mystics suffer greatly. I was 17 and I felt I had my hands full just surviving high school)
That night won many converts for the Pentacostals. That experience of speaking in tongues must have been a strong one for them.
I am sceptical though.
I do not know what to think, can you induce speaking in tongues?Or any other mystical gift of the Spirit for that matter? I have absolutly no doubt in the gifts that God bestows upon his children but I wonder if this was really God or something else.

[Brother Adam]

I am also deeply bothered by some of the charasmatic things that go on such as 'slain in the spirit' and 'speaking in tongues' (via non-real language that is indecipherable and there is no one to translate). It's a new phenomenon, has no root in Tradition or Scripture, formed from Protestant groups (which by nature do not have authority or the fullness of the truth). I've been trying very hard to understand, have been totally willing an open to listening to explainations, have read books by charasmatics explaining the movement and these gifts, but it all just seems bothersome. One of the things that bothers me the most is it does not lead, like we read in the mystics, to a deeper faith, but seems more rooted on spontanous happiness of the moment, and when spiritual devotion is rooted in emotion...well...emotions change. I like that charasmatics can be filled with love for the Lord and experience great joy at times, but so much seems so problematic.

[son_of_angels]

Simply speaking, Yes, speaking in tongues can be induced. I am in both Greek and Latin, so I have to induce the tongues of angels everyday

Seriously, again yes, if one means speaking in a babble called a 'tongue' by charismatics. Yet this is not (I shouldn't think) the tongues of which the Apostles spoke in the New Testament at Pentecost. At the same the "tongues of angels" referred to in the New Testament can also not be conjured, but rather are gifts of the Holy Spirit. Nonetheless, the psychological nonsense called "tongues" in the charismatic church can indeed be induced, because it is largely a physical phenomenon (One rarely hears of this happening in a Trid. Latin Mass for example, yet the only thing which makes it happen in the charismatic churches is the emotionally charged atmosphere, where something sacramental is not happening).

Moreover, these things have about to do with "mysticism" and "mystical theology" as a terd in a punchbowl. I would suggest you read "The Road to Zion mourns" by Hugh of Balma (a good Carthusian) "Mystical Theology" by Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite and "The Cloud of Unknowing" (perhaps even Julian of Norwich, but I don't really care for her stuff) if you really want to know about Catholic Mystical Theology.

I would also doubt that St. Augustine, St. Irenaeus, St. Justin Martyr, or any of the earliest Christian theologians would recognize much of what you are talking about. Tertullian, maybe, but he was a Montanist and a heretic condemned by the True Church.

[jezic]

My bet would be the true gift, is just that a gift, a grace given by God.

I don't think that it can be induced but must be granted by him (though certain times put a soul at optimum responsiveness to his grace, that is still waiting on Him to do it.)

[Matty_boy]

My brother told me that as a Catholic, it is a sin to go to a Protestant church for services because it is an act of recognizing that they have some credibility. (or something like that). Does anyone know?

Edited December 2, 2005 by Matty_boy

[rkwright]

[quote name='Matty_boy' date='Dec 2 2005, 11:55 AM']My brother told me that as a Catholic, it is a sin to go to a Protestant church for services because it is an act of recognizing that they have some credibility.  (or something like that).  Does anyone know?
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They do have credibility in worshiping God don't they? I mean praying with a group just because they are outside the Church is not a sin. How often does the Pope or a priest celebrate interfaith prayer services?

I would be more cautious about recieving communion with another denomination, as communion is a sign of belief in that Church.

[zabbazooey]

It's a sin to receive Communion in any church that is not Catholic.

[tojo]

[quote name='Brother Adam' date='Dec 1 2005, 08:20 PM']One of the things that bothers me the most is it does not lead, like we read in the mystics, to a deeper faith,
[/quote]

That isn't true. Yes it does. Or at least it can and should and often does and did for me and many, many of my friends and acquaintances.

As to weather Tongues can be induced, if you mean faked, maybe, idk everything. However, if you mean, can people pray to do it and/or be prayed over to do and then do it right away, yes that's how it usually happens, it doesn't seem to be at all unusual for God to give it that way, although sometimes He doesn't in those circumstances.

[Extra ecclesiam nulla salus]

speaking in tounges that ain't my bag baby!

but i do enjoy charasmatic-esque songs.

[cmotherofpirl]

[quote name='son_of_angels' date='Dec 2 2005, 12:40 AM']Simply speaking, Yes, speaking in tongues can be induced.  I am in both Greek and Latin, so I have to induce the tongues of angels everyday

Seriously, again yes, if one means speaking in a babble called a 'tongue' by charismatics.  Yet this is not (I shouldn't think) the tongues of which the Apostles spoke in the New Testament at Pentecost.  At the same the "tongues of angels" referred to in the New Testament can also not be conjured, but rather are gifts of the Holy Spirit.  Nonetheless, the psychological nonsense called "tongues" in the charismatic church can indeed be induced, because it is largely a physical phenomenon (One rarely hears of this happening in a Trid. Latin Mass for example, yet the only thing which makes it happen in the charismatic churches is the emotionally charged atmosphere, where something sacramental is not happening).

Moreover, these things have about to do with "mysticism" and "mystical theology" as a terd in a punchbowl. I would suggest you read "The Road to Zion mourns" by Hugh of Balma (a good Carthusian) "Mystical Theology" by Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite and "The Cloud of Unknowing" (perhaps even Julian of Norwich, but I don't really care for her stuff) if you really want to know about Catholic Mystical Theology. 

I would also doubt that St. Augustine, St. Irenaeus, St. Justin Martyr, or any of the earliest Christian theologians would recognize much of what you are talking about.  Tertullian, maybe, but he was a Montanist and a heretic condemned by the True Church.
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If God wanted to communicate with us, I think HE would use a language someone could understand. I think the babble is simply self -induced
expectations.

Edited December 3, 2005 by cmotherofpirl

[tojo]

[quote name='cmotherofpirl' date='Dec 3 2005, 11:03 AM']If God wanted to communicate with us, I think HE would use a language someone could understand. I think the babble is simply self -induced
expectations.
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He does. Prayer tongues help us communicate with God, not the other way around....

[cmotherofpirl]

[quote name='tomasio127' date='Dec 3 2005, 12:07 PM']He does. Prayer tongues help us communicate with God, not the other way around....
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Making silly sounds that no one can understand is not prayer.

[tojo]

[quote name='cmotherofpirl' date='Dec 3 2005, 11:18 AM']Making silly sounds that no one can understand is not prayer.
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[/quote]

Seeing your extremely close-minded and bigoted attitude toward a form of spirituality the Church approves of, I'm not going to cast anymore pearls before swine.

[dUSt]

[quote name='tomasio127' date='Dec 3 2005, 11:39 AM']Seeing your extremely close-minded and bigoted attitude toward a form of spirituality the Church approves of, I'm not going to cast anymore pearls before swine.
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Where does the church approve speaking in babble that nobody understands? You may want to re-investigate this statement.

[Brother Adam]

[quote name='tomasio127' date='Dec 3 2005, 11:45 AM']That isn't true. Yes it does. Or at least it can and should and often does and did for me and many, many of my friends and acquaintances.


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Appearances can be deceiving. But I've been open to being proved wrong for a long time now, and I'm right here in the center of charasmatic spirituality.