THE UPSIDE OF TONGUES

In the interest of demystifying speaking in tongues, here is the upside of this practice as gleaned from the first few verses of I Corinthians 14:

It is a spiritual gift.

It is speaking to God, not to other people.

It is "uttering mysteries with one's spirit". 

It results in self edification. (i.e., it is something you can do to build yourself up.) 

Paul would like every one of the Corinthian believers to speak in tongues. 

You can pray or sing in tongues.

When praying in a tongue, it is your spirit which is praying. 

Paul suggests the best practice is to pray both ways (by mind and spirit) and sing both ways as well.

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I don't know what you think of that list, but when I isolate just the positive aspects of this practice - and try to release all the baggage that comes along with the term "speaking in tongues" - it sounds rather ...

Pleasant. 

And useful.

And almost as ordinary of a practice as praying with your conscious mind.