I had planned on writing a rebuttal to the Professor�s diary entry in regard to the Holy Spirit and speaking in Tongues, but I haven�t been able to force myself to sit down and write. There are two reasons for this. One is irrational, the other is not.

The irrational reason is that I don�t want to snuff out the light of someone so zealous. I don�t want to say something or do something which would minimize Bioux�s search for truth. Why is that irrational? Because his search for truth and understanding is and will forever be his. It is his business. He will learn what God needs him to know and that is the important part.

The non-irrational reason is that I simply haven�t had the time to devote to an entry at all, let alone an in-depth discussion about the meaning of verses in the Bible. There isn�t enough time in the world for me to bicker about whether or not I agree with someone else�s interpretation of the Word.

It has always been interesting to me when two people can read the same thing and �get� different things from it. But that�s the way of the world. If everyone �got� the same thing from everything that was shown, the world would be extremely boring and a waste of time.

Regardless, I�m going to attempt to get into some of Bioux�s entry just so that I can have something to talk about. I�ve been neglecting my diary far too long. And thus, I�ve been neglecting those who also share that look inside my head. (It�s getting cluttered in there, I know.)

In Bioux�s most recent entry about speaking in Tongues, he talks about how the charismatic churches babble during their services. He goes on to say that the description of Tongues taking control of people is a lot alike the spiritualists that speak to the dead and summon demons. He says also that Tongues is granted at need, not turned on and off by the person.

I for one, don�t necessarily agree that all charismatic churches are �babbling�. I�ve listened to a lot of different people who speak in Tongues. Some of them do sound like they�re babbling. -- my father described it as saying �IwannahondanotasubaruIwannahondanotasubaru� -- I don�t know much about the �description of Tongues taking control of people�. I haven�t heard that before. Of course, I haven�t really been a member of any charismatic church, nor have I ever really visited one.

I haven�t ever personally witnessed a spiritualist talking to the dead, nor have I ever seen someone summon demons. I�m not all that interested in seeing either of those things either. I don�t have to walk on hot coals to know that I don�t like having my feet burned.

I don�t really agree with the way I interpret Bioux�s comment that Tongues is granted at need, not turned off and on by the person. I�m not exactly sure what he was trying to say. I suppose I should state what I believe/understand/think. Maybe I�ll find out that we�re in agreement.

I believe that speaking in Tongues is the language of the Holy Spirit. I believe that it is a legitimate language and not just guttural grunts and sounds. The way I�ve seen Tongues work with those I know who speak in Tongues; well, nine times out of ten, the words uttered are words of praise and adulation of God. They are words of thanks and words of blessing. I know that when those close to me speak in tongues, I don�t understand what they�re saying.

Of course, I haven�t asked for the gift of Tongues. I haven�t really asked for the gift of interpreting Tongues either. In my conversations with God, I have told Him that I would gladly accept the gift of Tongues if He wanted me to have it, but I didn�t want it without also interpretation. For, as Bioux pointed out later in that specific entry, how could I agree to something I didn�t understand?

In a previous entry Bioux had implied (I don�t know that he meant this, but I interpreted it as such) that speaking in Tongues wasn�t actually speaking another language, but speaking your own language and having other people understand you. I really, really don�t agree with that. When Mom speaks in tongues, it isn�t her language. It isn�t English. When Dad speaks in Tongues, it isn�t English either. They can both interpret what they say (which I ask them to do) but it�s definitely not English. It�s not French, Latin, German, Russian, Norwegian, Italian or Greek either. I�ve sung in or heard all of those languages. Not them.

And again, nine times out of ten, the words they�re saying in Tongues are praises and adulation of God and Jesus. From what I have experienced, I think that Tongues is definitely a language of its own.