And another interesting FACT about the gibberish claimed to be the 'tongues' of the Bible by those that practice it.
Would the Holy Spirit REALLY favor GEOGRAPHY? In other words. Would the Holy Spirit USE a geographical LOCATION to offer DIFFERENT 'inspiration'?
For the gibberish professed to be tongues is GENERALLY a SOUTHERN thing. It pretty much took hold and PROSPERED in the SOUTH when those of the North knew NOTHING OF IT.
Even today, it's MOSTLY a SOUTHERN thing. And if one looks back it took off in 'black churches' LONG before it started to become a MOVEMENT in White Churches.
I am NOT a racist. Just posing FACT.
And if what I'm offering is the TRUTH, WHY? Why is that?
Is the Holy Spirit racist? Does the Holy Spirit exist to a GREATER degree in the Black community than the White community?
For almost ALL exclusively Black Churches ACCEPT gibberish as 'tongues'. Yet only a tiny minority of exclusively White Churches agree. Even those Churches with White pastors who profess that gibberish is tongues are usually a mix of both Blacks and Whites.
So is the Holy Spirit RACIST? I think not.
So what is the answer? Why is this 'gibberish' so much MORE prevalent in the 'Black religious experience' than the WHITE?
As Hillsage has mentioned on a few occassions, his perspective is somewhat different to the majority where Thiselton's material should help you to gain a better understanding of the application of
pneuma and to a less degree with our English word 'language'.
I will grant that if you were to read 1Cor 14 only through an English translation, where some tend to add in 'language' without any warrant then you can be easily misled. A good example of this is with 1Cor 14:10-11 where many translations translate the Greek 'phone' as language instead of sound which misses Paul's point completely.
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All that I can say is that you must be visiting some very odd places that I've never been to - wow! You are obviously quoting from some cessationist pamphlet so I should probably suggest that you keep to observable facts and not to silly statements about Voodoo.
Well, I have always lived in the Southern US or overseas. I have quoted NOTHING. The words I have offered are MY OWN. When I offer quotes I also offer the SOURCE. ALWAYS.
What I have offered is personal experience and proper interpretation of the Bible as it is OFFERED. Not how I choose to alter it to suit MY fancy.
The ENTIRE epistle written to the Corinthians that we have been dealing with is REBUKE offered by Paul concerning what he had heard of the STATE of the 'Church at Corinth'. From the first chapter to the last, Paul is trying to offer the TRUTH as opposed to what he had heard about the 'church' there FALLING APART. And the obviousness of this is the statement he offers concerning meat and milk. He offered that he WISHED that he could be offering MEAT, (that which pertains to MATURE Christians), but those to whom he was writing weren't even able to handle MILK, (that which is fed to BABES). And to ask if he should return with a ROD? Oh my. A rod is what was used to BEAT the disobedient CHILDREN of the time.
Yet you and others that insist upon practicing 'gibberish' as tongues have somehow been able to IGNORE the message and turn it around as it Paul is ENCOURAGING the Corinthians to CONTINUE in their contrary behavior.
I offered from the beginning that I have studied this issue for YEARS. Not from a source contrary to such behavior any more than sources that support it. The Bible DOES NOT support the usage or practicing of 'gibberish' as ANYTHING other than an attempt at SELF EDIFICATION. And in every offering by Paul in the letter to those in Corinth, he DISCOURAGES seeking SELF edification and INSISTS that ALL practice that which brings edification to the Body. This PLAINLY illustrates that Paul was NOT 'encouraging' SELF edification, but encouraging those that behaved in such a 'childish manner' to GROW up and PUT AWAY such childish behavior.
If what one utters is NOT understood by the BODY, then there is absolutely NOTHING to benefit such behavior.
But we DO see understanding and knowledge offered by those that practice VOODOO. They OPENLY admit that the utterance and behavior observed in their ceremonies is inspired by direct possession of EVIL spirits. And it's pretty obvious that those that actually INVITE the evil spirits to enter into them are doing so as much to appease the evil spirit as to be the FOCUS of attention.
Studies have been made where those that practice such behavior as 'speaking in tongues' and flopping around on the ground have been hooked up to machines capable of measuring brain activity during such episodes. All indication is that MOST that have been measured have brain abnormalities where the part that most have intact that restrains their compulsive impulses are basically MISSING. And that these people border on suicidal tendencies along with all sorts of COMPULSIVE behavior. In other words, when an idea is introduced that is enticing, they are often unable to RESIST temptation. They can't HELP themselves.
So in reference to this gibberish as tongues, when introduced into a church that practices these things, an individual with the type of brain malformation, due to birth or even injury, finds themselves in a position to basically brainwash themselves into practicing that which the 'church' holds so DEAR. They are compelled to EXCEL in that which others view as HOLY in an attempt to place themselves ABOVE others NOT demonstrating this behavior. In other words, they are doing it for ATTENTION: SELF EDIFICATION. An attempt to make those around them SEE THEM as 'special'. For even in those 'churches' that encourage this behavior, there are usually many more in the congregation that NEVER practice this behavior than those that DO. Just like in daycare or kindergarten there are always a handful of children that act out the MOST while most others DON'T.
But, of course, non of this factual information would mean a THING to those that are incapable of controlling their impulses. Since it's uncontrollable, they find the means to try and justify it instead.
And what if? What if everything I have offered is the TRUTH. And Satan is traveling around like a hungry lion seeking those to whom he may devour. Wouldn't it ONLY stand to reason that he would focus on those with the least ability to RESIST? Those whose brains were malformed due to birth or injury in a manner that makes it impossible for them to resist. In other words, wouldn't it ONLY stand to reason that Satan would USE those that are COMPULSIVE and can't control it to influence those that are NOT?
There are MANY MORE that find amusement attending services of Beni Hindi than actually take part in his charades. Get it? Just like paying to see a movie. There are many that WISH they were capable of ACTING like those in movies. But since they CAN'T, they are more than willing to PAY to experience others DOING what they LONG to do but are unable.
So here's my understanding in a NUTSHELL:
Some are just mimicking what they have been raised to mimic. Basically an immature form of self edification. Doing it for attention.
And then there are others that may well be LED by some 'spirit' to make noises and call it speech. But it's certainly not the HOLY Spirit that guides them. For the Holy Spirit is NOT going to give utterance to something that CANNOT bring edification. And the Holy Spirit is certainly not going to inspire one to seek SELF edification.
Blessings,
MEC
Even if we can't agree on whether it's our spirit the the Spirit praying.
