Theory of Glossolalia
This is a rough sketch of a theory of glossolalia; I have no plans to take this
further
into a serious research project. It does not interest me except peripherally.
Yet it seemed
worthwhile to at least look into the subject at this time as a religious
phenomenon
that, as such , deserves some attention.
This is not about xenolalia, speaking in a foreign language that someone has
no prior knowledge of. That idea might be very interesting to explore but I
know of no cases
of a actual xenolalia. To be sure, there are claims made by Pentecostals and
other pietist
Christians to this "gift" but nothing is ever verified. On the contrary, I know
of two examples
of solid disconfirmation, one by a Mandarin speaker and the other by a
Norwegian.
As the Norwegian said, when being told that a Pentecostal preacher had been
speaking in
Norwegian, to paraphrase from memory, "that's nonsense, it isn't Norwegian at
all
even if a few 'words' have a vaguely Norwegian sound." About which, there is a
perfectly logical reason why a few words might sound Norwegian: English
contains
maybe a thousand loan words that date to the Viking era when the Norse occupied
sections of Great Britain and spread their vocabulary.
The book of Acts discusses a case of xenolalia in which a large number of people
from around the known world gathered in Jerusalem and, at one point, began to
speak in languages none of them had previously known. But how do you confirm
this event? There is no testimony outside of the New Testament that tells us
this
occurrence was witnessed by anyone else and, since there are no verified cases
of the
phenomena at any time in history since ca. 35 AD, it must be doubted
that it ever happened. Hence, the vignette in Acts is simply a colorful
miracle story.
As far as I can go with it is to guess that the author once heard
a number of merchants at the time of a Jewish pilgrimage to Jerusalem
speak in various languages and there happened to be someone present
who was multi-lingual who could translate several of those tongues
into Hebrew. Possibly the author of Acts ("Luke"), remembering this
episode, built on it to make a point about Christian faith.
Glossolalia is different and is widely attested in the ancient world.
Here is part of the Wikipedia article about glossolalia in discussing classical
era
history; but there is other testimony that places the phenomenon in Mesopotamia
and India as well.
"It was a commonplace idea within the
Greco-Roman<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greco-Roman> world that divine beings
spoke languages
different from human languages, and historians of religion have identified
references
to esoteric<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Esoteric> speech in Greco-Roman
literature that resemble glossolalia, sometimes
explained as angelic or divine
language<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Divine_language>."
"According to Dale B. Martin, glossolalia accorded high status in the ancient
world due
to its association with the divine. Alexander of
Abonoteichus<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_of_Abonoteichus> may have
exhibited glossolalia
during his episodes of prophetic
ecstasy.[20]<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glossolalia#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMartin199590-20>
Neoplatonist<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neoplatonist> philosopher
Iamblichus<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iamblichus> linked
glossolalia to prophecy<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prophecy>, writing that
prophecy was divine spirit
possession<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spirit_possession> that "emits words
which are not understood by those that utter them; for they pronounce them, as
it is said,
with an insane mouth (mainomenό stomati) and are wholly subservient, and
entirely
yield themselves to the energy of the predominating
God."[21]"<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glossolalia#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMartin199591-21>
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glossolalia#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMartin199591-21>
This information answers a question that vexed me about how this practice could
possibly
have gotten started within Christianity to begin with -such that even someone
like Paul
could become involved in it. The Apostle, after all, was a sophisticated man
who had
friends in the Greco-Roman upper classes. Needless to say, glossolalia
speakers today
are just about exclusively associated with the lower classes.
Clearly, in Paul's time this was largely an upper class phenomenon. It was
associated
with high status shrines like Delphi and with various "Pagan" (the word is used
here
descriptively not as a pejorative) prophetic figures. Hence a modern analogue,
the one time popularity of Kabbala in America due to its being promoted
by a number of well known stars in entertainment.
What seems to have happened is that, although the practice of glossolalia
seems to have died out some time during the era of Constantine, it was
revived no later than the very early 1800s or possibly some time during
the 1700s. But this revival of glossolalia was associated with large scale
camp meetings, hence it was "democratized," open to all, and, accordingly,
became something of a circus in the process. It was this form of glossolalia
that served as the model for early 20th century Pentecostalism even though
there might have been at least a minimum of decorum involved depending
on the values of local preachers.
But where did this come from? Many (nearly all Evangelicals) Christians
incorrectly
assume that if it is in the Bible it is unique to their faith, but this is
demonstrably false.
The reason for the error is because of a doctrine observed by various church
groups
to the effect that one should never consult texts about other religions or
about the history
of other religions (except Judaism) since all these texts are false by
definition. Which,
no-one needs to guess, is a view I find dysfunctional, ridiculous and
indefensible.
At any rate, there are examples of something much like glossolalia to be found
in many current non-Christian religions as well as known to observers in the
ancient past
writing about non-Christian (or non-Jewish) religions.
What seems to have happened is that the practice started with shamans in remote
antiquity,
maybe a date like 10,000 BC might be used but possibly more like 50,000 BC for
all
anyone knows. Which is to say that Shamanism should be taken as mankind's
primordial religion, or template for all subsequent religions, and it could
include
examples of a shaman uttering incomprehensible language-like sounds as part of
his or her ritual repertoire. Sometimes -or often- this might be associated
with prophecy.
One thing that was hard to miss when I first started to study Mesopotamian
religion
was its obvious indebtedness to Shamanism in a number of ways. Later I learned
that there is a school of scholarship about this subject which says that just
about
all historic religions on Earth have some kind of connection to Shamanism,
including Christianity. And what are priests but "dignified shamans"?
Therefore, what original Christian glossolalia was, was a new form of
Shamanistic
practice, in Paul's era associated with high status religious observances.
But is it a good idea in the here-and-now?
I have tried to find a secular analog that might shed some light on the
question.
The only phenomenon that comes close is a baby's babbling at age 1 or so,
as the child starts to learn a language. Almost nothing a 1 year old "says"
makes any sense, its all (or nearly all) gibberish.
There is also the behavior associated with glossolalia, sometimes featuring
falling on the floor, making weird sounds that are not supposed to be language,
sometimes consisting of animated physical movements, etc. In other words.,
this is similar to group behavior at some Rock concerts or in social clubs
where those in attendance may wave their arms all over the place, writhe,
more-or-less sing the lyrics to songs, and the like.
Which is to say that there may be some cathartic value to such behaviors.
The question simply is this: Is this the best way to achieve catharsis?
Rock concert gyrations do not interest me and neither do glossolalia gatherings.
Either way there is a lot of needless noise, there is much commotion, and
one's real objective in life, human to human intimacy, is cancelled out by
all the theatrics and loudness. Who needs that?
There is another consideration, which the Apostle Paul alluded to, as matter
of fact.
Put it this way: Who do you most value associating with in life? There are
exceptions
of course, sometimes someone with little "cultural" background offers more by
way
of insight and kindness and native intelligence, is a perfect friend to be with.
But even then, do those good qualities come through raucous expressions
and high intensity religious emotionalism or through honest person-to-person
conversation and relationships?
As for other people, mostly -by far- I like to associate with people who have
made
the effort to become educated, who know what they are talking about,
who are decent and good and like to share their insights. But what if,
in their presence, I started to babble in glossolalia? Say goodbye to
probably most or all of the people who mean the most to me in life.
How would that make any sense at all?
I have a natural aversion to glossolalia anyway but this is all the reason I
could possibly
want, as if I needed other reasons, to reject glossolalia as at best an
archaism that
might have curiosity value historically. Otherwise it is an absurdity
which has negative value.
B.
________________________________
Patheos
Glossolalia in Paganism & Occultism
December 11, 2017 by Mat
Auryn<https://www.patheos.com/blogs/matauryn/author/mauryn/>
Glossolalia is a term that refers to the ability or practice of speaking in a
language unknown to the speaker. Glossolalia is usually used to denote speaking
in a language that doesn’t seem to exist or that isn’t known to humanity.
Xenolalia is a form of glossolalia where one speaks a language that exists but
is unknown to the speaker. Both are phenomenons that occurs while in a trance
state of ecstasy and union with spirit(s).
Glossolalia is most commonly known today as “speaking in tongues”, and is
practiced by Pentecostal and Charismatic sects of Christianity. Growing up in a
Pentecostal & Evangelical hybrid
church<http://admin.patheos.com/blogs/matauryn/2017/05/22/overcoming-past-indoctrination/>
I remember observing glossolalia first hand. Many I believe were making it up,
but I do believe that some were genuinely speaking in glossolalia while in a
state of ecstasy. The Pentacostal church believes that glossolalia is a gift of
the Holy Spirit that was given during the Pentacost in the Bible, but believe
unlike other sects of Christianity, that these gifts are still available to
Christians today. I know some but very few witchcraft traditions that actively
use glossolalia today, so I wanted to research its history since in my mind, I
associate it with Christianity, and share my findings.
<http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/140353522>
I quickly found that glossolalia is not a Christian phenomenon. In fact, in the
Bible Jesus refers to glossolalia as a Pagan practice. “And when you pray, do
not babble on like Pagans (Gentiles)…” (Matt 6:7) The original word used for
“babble” is battologéō<http://biblehub.com/greek/945.htm> which means
“properly, to blubber nonsensical repetitions; to chatter (be “long-winded”),
using empty (vain) words (Souter).” This idea that Jesus is referring to
glossolalia as an already Pagan practice is not only backed by history but by
Jesus stating that “In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in
new tongues (glṓssa<http://biblehub.com/greek/1100.htm>)” (Mark 16:17)
<http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/57067758>
In three different dialogues by Plato, he makes reference to ecstatic speech
that is unintelligible, so does Virgil in the Aeneid. Glossolalia appeared in
the Eleusinian, Dionysian, and Orphic Mystery Religions, as well as in the
ancient cults of Mithra and Osiris. Sibyls and Pythias were known as well for
their practice of glossolalia and ecstatic speech while under trance induced
states. Among other ecstatic and shamanistic practices we also find glossolalia.
George B. Cutten writes in An Ethnological Study of Glossalalia that,
“Glossolalia is practiced among non-Christian religions: the Peyote cult among
the North American Indians, the Haida Indians of the Pacific Northwest, Shamans
in the Sudan, the Shango cult of the West Coast of Africa, the Shago cult in
Trinidad, the Voodoo cult in Haiti, the Aborigines of South America and
Australia, the Eskimos of the subarctic regions of North America and Asia, the
Shamans in Greenland, the Dyaks of Borneo, the Zor cult of Ethiopia, the
Siberian shamans, the Chaco Indians of South America, the Curanderos of the
Andes, the Kinka in the African Sudan, the Thonga shamans of Africa, and the
Tibetan monks.”
The Greek Magical Papyri
L. Carlyle May of Harvard University writes in A Survey of Glossolalia and
Related Phenomenon in Non-Christian Religions the following; “Guillaume states
that in 853 B.C. four hundred prophets raved in ecstasy before the gate of
Samaria, and in ancient Egypt necromancers uttered formulas, believed to be
revelations from the gods, made up of foreign words and senseless noises. The
more mysterious and incomprehensible these formulas were, the greater their
power was thought to be. It is entirely probable, moreover, that sorcerers of
India and China, contemporaneous to the Samaritans, spoke incoherently while
divining, curing, and communing with the spirits”
<http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/463913387>
Glossolalia also found its way into the early Mormon church, as Joseph Smith
stated that the “restored” (Mormon) church “believe in the gift of tongues,
prophesy, revelation, visions, healing, interpretation of tongues”. Glossolalia
also has a strong history in mediumship, Spiritism and Spiritualism. Allan
Kardec, the founder of Spiritism (which was less religious oriented than
Spiritualism), pointed to glossolalia as evidence of a spirit’s presence. Allan
Kardec’s work was foundational for much of the practices of modern mediumship.
In Psychology and the Occult Carl Jung also observed a trance medium and
mentions glossolalia as part of her ecstatic trance state,”In reconstructing
her somnambulistic ego we are entirely dependent on her subsequent statements,
for in the first place the spontaneous utterances of the ego associated with
the waking state are few and mostly disjointed, and in the second place many of
the ecstasies pass off without pantomime and without speech, so that no
conclusions about inner process can be drawn from external appearances. S.W. is
almost totally amnesic in regard to the automatic phenomena during ecstasy, in
so far as these fall within the sphere of personalities foreign to her ego. But
she usually has a clear memory of all the other phenomena directly connected
with her ego, such as talking in a loud voice, glossolalia, etc. In every
instance, there is complete amnesia only in the first few moments after the
ecstasy.”
________________________________
<http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/463913387>
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