Tongues and Snake handling

[placebofactor]

Do the Scriptures support the teaching of “Speaking in tongues?” Do any Greek or Hebrew Lexicons support the idea that “Tongues” is a language known only to the speaker and God? Is speaking in tongues a special gift or a pound of baloney?

What about "snake handlers, and those who are touched on their foreheads, then begin rolling up and down the aisles." I have seen it on TV but never in person. To me it looked as if it were staged.

There was a Pentecostal church in Tennessee that used to lose 1 or 2 people each year to snake bites, not sure if it still goes on. A major network did a special on national T.V. a few years ago that used rattlesnakes. In this, the snake handlers endeavor to prove they possess the gifts of the Holy Spirit. These people were trying to imitate Paul's encounter with a viper in Acts 28.

Your thoughts

[Hfighter30]

[Replying to placebofactor in post #1]

In my opinion, the Scripture does supported it (Acts 2:4 also 1 Corinthians 14:5). It is a secret languange between us (spirit) and God (1 Corinthians 14:5). It is indeed spiritual gift. 1 Cor 12:4, 10 lists “various kinds of tongues” as one of the gifts of the Spirit. Like any gift, it can be misused, misunderstood, or even faked. Paul himself give guidelines for its proper use in church (1 Cor 14), saying it’s not meant to be chaotic or attention-seeking, but decently and in order. As for the people you mentioned, i think they just an attention-seeker, they "want to prove" that they possess the gifts of Holy Spirit.

[1213]

Do the Scriptures support the teaching of “Speaking in tongues?” Do any Greek or Hebrew Lexicons support the idea that “Tongues” is a language known only to the speaker and God? Is speaking in tongues a special gift or a pound of baloney?

What about "snake handlers, and those who are touched on their foreheads, then begin rolling up and down the aisles." I have seen it on TV but never in person. To me it looked as if it were staged....

In Bible speaking in tongues meant that all the listeners from different cultures and languages heard the message in their own language. It was not something that was only for God and the speaker. But, this does not mean that the modern version of it can't be true.

Now when the day of Pentecost had come, they were all with one accord in one place. Suddenly there came from the sky a sound like the rushing of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. Tongues like fire appeared and were distributed to them, and one sat on each of them. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other languages, as the Spirit gave them the ability to speak.
Acts 2:1-4
They were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, "Behold, aren't all these who speak Galileans? How do we hear, everyone in our own native language? Parthians, Medes, Elam-ites, and people from Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia, Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, the parts of Libya around Cyre-ne, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians: we hear them speaking in our languages the mighty works of God!" They were all amazed, and were perplexed, say-ing one to another, "What does this mean?" Others, mocking, said, "They are filled with new wine."
Acts 2:7-13

And about snake handlers. I believe God can protect, but it does not mean that we should intentionally try to harm ourselves.

Then the Devil takes Him to the holy city, and he set Him on the wing of the temple. And he said to Him, If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down; for it has been written: "He shall give His angels charge concerning You, and they shall bear You on their hands, lest You strike Your foot against a stone." LXX-Psa. 90:11, 12; MT-Psa. 91:11, 12 Jesus said to him, Again it has been written: "You shall not tempt the Lord your God." Deut. 6:16
Matt. 4:5-7

[placebofactor]

[Replying to 1213 in post #3]

The Red River revival:

Has the following come from the Holy Spirit, or from other spirits? Possibly it was mass hysteria. But the only important question is, "Is what happened Biblical, or a cult deception?

The place? The Red River is near the Tennessee and Kentucky border. The time is 1799. The Pastor? Reverend James McGready of North Carolina. Others present were Mr. Rankin, Mr. Hodge, and William McGee, Presbyterian preachers, and John McGee, brother of William McGee, a Methodist preacher.

It was a marathon service lasting four days. Nothing unusual occurred until the final day when Mr. Hodge was preaching. Suddenly, a woman began to vent her emotions with ear-splitting cries and shouts. When the service ended, instead of the congregation dispersing, they remained.

But a strange thing happened: many in attendance began to weep silently. Mr. McGee did not understand what was happening; he left his seat and sat on the floor. He started to tremble, claiming to feel the power of God on him. Suddenly, he felt an irresistible urge to preach, and the people seemed eager to hear him. As he spoke, the same woman shouted and would not be silent.

McGee expressed his belief that there was a greater than he was preaching and urged the people to "let the Lord God’s Omnipotent reign in their hearts." They were to submit to God so their soul could live. Many became vocal as renewed outcries from the same woman grew in intensity.

The preacher’s emotions had been worked up to their highest level. After reflecting for a few moments, he decided to disregard the orderly procedures of the church service. He then passed along the aisles, shouting and encouraging vehemently.

The noise and confusion increased, and hysteria grew to new heights. Screams for mercy were mingled with shouts of ecstasy as agitation overspread the multitude. This religious fervor soon spread along the Green and the Cumberland rivers.

Men brought their beds and provisions, traveling fifty miles to hear him preach. The idea was new; hundreds adopted it, as new camp meetings sprung up. The first regular general camp meeting was at the Gasper River Church in July 1800, but the rage spread, and a dozen encampments quickly followed. Meetings were held in the woods near churches, and the churches furnished lodging places for the preachers.

As the meetings progressed and the excitement grew more intense, those present rushed from preacher to preacher, singing, shouting, laughing, calling upon men to repent. Men and women fell to the ground, unable to help themselves. So many lay on the ground that the others couldn’t move around.

During the evening, the excitement became so intense that those who fell had to be helped up, carried to the meeting house, and laid on the floor so no one would trample them. Those who fell were called the “spiritually slain;” others lay quiet, unable to move or speak. And yet others would scream as though in great pain, floundering about as if having no control of their bodies.

Your thoughts:

[1213]

...As he spoke....
Your thoughts:

I think more important is what they said, than how they acted in this case.

[Perspectivo]

[Replying to placebofactor in post #1]

I saw a man speak in tongues while ripping cobras into pieces. He has never been seriously injured from snake bites. He went to jail for ripping cobras into pieces though.

[placebofactor]

[Replying to placebofactor in post #1]

I saw a man speak in tongues while ripping cobras into pieces. He has never been seriously injured from snake bites. He went to jail for ripping cobras into pieces though.

I would say he was lucky going to jail and not ending up in a casket.

[placebofactor]

[Replying to placebofactor in post #7]

Red River revival begins to spread. Time, 1807. Place? Logan Co., Kentucky. Here was a place where human imaginations ran wild. It was a turbulent evening, fanatical, to say the least. As campfires blazed, those who had assembled bowed their heads. Hundreds of candles, lamps, and torches blazed, throwing both shadow and light into the woods, giving the woods an eerie appearance.

The chanting of hymns, passionate exhortations, prayers, sobs, shrieks, and shouts were heard from those under intense agitation throughout the evening.

Sudden spasms came upon many, and unexpectedly, they would thrust themselves to the ground. Feelings among them had worked themselves up to the highest pitch of excitement until the early morning hours.
Many hours had passed, and the enthusiasm of those present began to cause strange contortions among the people, coming from what they claimed to be a so-called mysterious agency. From the preachers came an emotional, cheerful, optimistic excitement; and lastly, the zeal of the Methodists, who could not refrain from shouting aloud during the sermon and shaking hands with those close by.

Reverend James Crawford claimed, "those who fell to the ground numbered an astounding three thousand." This revival was then called the New Lights. Following this Great American Awakening, the Quakers, who were united, split into four distinctive groups. To the left of the New Lights, 321 separate groups formed, and many remained divided.

Again, division is the calling card of these forms of activity, as pretentious leaders cause divisions among the rank and file. These are usually the results of these cults that break away from the historical teaching and biblically instructed forms of worship.