monk222: (Devil)
monk222 ([personal profile] monk222) wrote2006-11-07 06:59 am
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Speaking in Tongues


Ms. Morgan, a co-author of the study, was also a research subject. She is a born-again Christian who says she considers the ability to speak in tongues a gift. “You’re aware of your surroundings,” she said. “You’re not really out of control. But you have no control over what’s happening. You’re just flowing. You’re in a realm of peace and comfort, and it’s a fantastic feeling.”

-- Benedict Carey for The NY Times

We have some neuroscience imaging on this rather striking phenomenon of 'speaking in tongues.' The article is surprisingly both fairly positive and sciency on this excited mental state:

Contrary to what may be a common perception, studies suggest that people who speak in tongues rarely suffer from mental problems. A recent study of nearly 1,000 evangelical Christians in England found that those who engaged in the practice were more emotionally stable than those who did not.
I expect that I would still find it off-putting if I were to come across it, but such are the varieties of religious experience and the human.

xXx

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