Speaking in Tongues: Real or Fake?

Glossolalia or speaking in tongues is practiced by an estimated 100 million Christians in the world today and the number engaging in this practice is growing at a massive rate every year. That is approximately 20% of all Christians. What many people are wanting to know is if speaking in tongues as seen in the Church today is always from God or are there other explanations. Speaking in tongues has been practiced for many centuries, but despite its long history, differences of opinion accompany almost all questions regarding the phenomenon: is it sent from God? Is it of the Devil? Need it be a religious experience at all? Or is it a result of a mental disorder? People from all different walks of life have strong opinions on the subject. Throughout recorded history there have been many occasions where people have spoken in what was called ecstatic tongues. Note most of these accounts predate Pentecost and were of non-Christian origin. Christians therefore cannot say with confidence that every occurrence of glossolalia must be an expression of the will of God even though many do subscribe to this view. Those practicing speaking in tongues today portray Pentecost as the supreme example of supernatural tongues; however, the recorded cases of glossolalia go back as far as 1100 B.C. On that occasion a young Amen worshiper attracted historical infamy when he became possessed by a god and began to make sounds in a strange ecstatic tongue. Seven hundred years later, the Greek philosopher Plato demonstrated that he was well acquainted with the phenomenon of speaking in tongues as he referred to several families who practiced ecstatic speech, praying and utterings while supposedly possessed. He also pointed out that these practices had even brought physical healing to those who engaged them. Plato and most of his contemporaries asserted that these occurrences were caused by divine inspiration. He suggested that God takes possession of the mind while man sleeps or is possessed and during this state, God inspires him with utterances which he can neither understand nor interpret. Plato’s thoughts on speaking in tongues are similar to what Glossolalia speaking Christians are. In Acts chapter 2, Apostle Paul writes “On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place. Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other tongues, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability.” Most Christians who speak in tongues believe that it is a perfect language that comes from heaven. Brown explains it as follows, “Tongues is the heavenly language. It is what is spoken in heaven; the only difference is that the people in heaven understand what they are saying.” Having attended a Pentecostal church myself for over a year, the congregation made it very clear to me that in order to be filled with the Holy Spirit, one must show physical proof; speaking in tongues. It was once explained to me that in order to receive this “gift from God”, I start out by simply praising God and thanking Him for all he has done for me. After my praise offering, I was to ask for the ability to speak in tongues. I was told I would feel my lips begin to tremble and I was to just open my mouth and let whatever sounds or noises flow. Some would say whatever would have come out of my mouth at that time would have been tongues but some would argue that wasn’t the case.