Leaderboard

That does not follow logically. That's why you had to change the subject fast. No real effort to address the question, just a personal attack. If something is related SPECIFICALLY to the "mechanics" of spirit, if its sum and substance is SPIRITUAL, then its composition is PRIMARILY spiritual and its MECHANICS are primarily spiritual. Written text is PRIMARILY intellectual, and secondarily anything else. The point that was raised was the NEED for a specific PHRASEOLOGY to produce an effect that SUPPOSEDLY was SPIRITUAL and NOT intellectual. When the mysticism is stripped away, that is an issue that can't be laughed off with a glib phrase, an insult, and a change of subject. Another is the OBVIOUS COMMONALITY of the speakers. In twi, everybody's TIP and prophesy sounded the same as everyone else's. And in ex-twi groups, when doctrine changed overnight, and everyone's beliefs changed overnight, the TIP and prophesy changed overnight and just happened to match it completely. Those STRONGLY suggest that was all a matter of intellect, belief, and group cohesion rather than a thing NOT of any of those.

I've just dropped in for the first time in years, but I thought I'd add this. Has anyone seen "Religulous"? A sometimes interesting, often annoying critique of religion in general by Bill Maher, great humanitarian and smartass of our time. Anyway, there are a few minutes of video in that movie of people outside of WayWorld speaking in tongues, and it's creepy. REALLY creepy. But, as with The Way, the folks seem VERY pleased with themselves to be bringing forth this miraculous stuff into the world. It's PROOF by golly. As far as interpreting or prophesying, I'd say that I pretty much faked it. I was trying my best to do as I was told, but it never seemed like anything but just making things up extemporaneously. And I noticed over the years that the brighter, more eloquent people usually had the more eloquent interpretations as well. And those not as bright were - surprise - rather dull and dopey in whatever they "brought forth" as well. The tongues SEEMED real, though. I mean, there was something going on there, obviously. But WHAT was going on, I'm pretty sure, was nothing more than a parlor trick. Like firewalking or voodoo or tarot cards, people can be convinced that easily explainable phenomenon are the work of God or the devil, if the one doing the explaining is himself deluded or has a vested interest in continuing the delusion.