timh@linus.uucp (Tim Hoogasian) (06/09/90)
i know the question of whether "speaking in [unknown] tounges" has been bashed around for many years, but i still have a lot of difficulty accepting the speech that sounds like "gibberish" to my ears. i tend have similar feelings to John MacArthur in that in the original context of tounges, the "tounges" were foreign languages - and that whenever they were manifested, the Spirit also provided someone to function as an interpreter for the speaker. while i have friends who are "charismatics" whom i consider very God- fearing and spiritual, i don't see a purpose behind the incomprehensible sounds that emanate when they "pray in tounges." i've heard arguments that it is some form of "groaning utterances" the Spirit controls, either for praise or supplication, but that doesn't wash well in my mind. it doesn't seem reasonable that "tounges" is a "special" form of prayer - at least, not in any way superior to "normal" prayer. why would God wish to promote division in the Body by giving special attention to anyone in particular's prayer format? i guess the whole question comes back (in my mind anyway) to "what's the point? what purpose does it serve? if it doesn't really have much purpose (seemingly), why is it manifiested?" this is a serious question. would the Spirit provide a gift that can't be understood? why? -- tim Tim | ARPA: timh@ide.com (home) (415) 574-2125 Hoogasian | UUCP: sun!ide!linus!timh (work) (415) 543-0900 x332 =============================================================================== #define DISCLAIMER "Are you nuts? I don't represent anyone, let alone myself!"