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. These statistics originally included my family just so you
know we have had first hand experience with speaking in tongues. But what many are wanting to know is if
speaking in tongues as seen in the Church today is always from God or are there other explanations. Note that
speaking in tongues is also known as glossolalia, unknown tongues and ecstatic tongues.
History of Speaking in
Tongues
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 can not 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 in 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. This does NOT mean of course that one practising
speaking in tongues as seen today is possessed or not saved. That of course is just simply not true. When God
confused the languages of His people who were rebelling at Babel in Genesis 11, they also spoke in “new tongues”
and note this happened without the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
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. These statistics originally included my family just so you
know we have had first hand experience with speaking in tongues. But what many are wanting to know is if
speaking in tongues as seen in the Church today is always from God or are there other explanations. Note that
speaking in tongues is also known as glossolalia, unknown tongues and ecstatic tongues. 
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 can not 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. 
