Thank you for your further insights.
What I gather from your posts- in one aspect of several- is that stepping out and engaging in glossolalia is perhaps a way to petition God by letting Him know that you do not have the vocabulary to express your feelings and- perhaps- speaking in this way indicates your helplessness in expressing much like an infant has no way to communicate in ordinary language- and thus an act of humility in that it shows our utter dependence upon God. If this is correct- in a sense it’s not much different than kneeling or prostrating to communicate our condition. Paradoxically however- it seems to fit within your definition of a ritual.
I can’t say I have a problem with it if done with this attitude- and not performed like a Pharisee- nor required to prove some level of spirituality.
Yeah. That’s rather accurate, I think.
As to ritual . . . I suppose one could say brushing one’s teeth is a ritual.
I don’t think we’d say that breathing is a ritual.
I don’t think we’d say communicating with our spouses, friends and kids is a ritual—hopefully.
Praying in tongues is more like the latter two, for me. I’d feel exceedingly bereft of a robust way to communicate deep inner stuff and even routine stuff in a satisfyingly thorough way, without tongues.
I certainly agree about the pharisee aspect. And so have all the better pastors I’ve known.
Paul said
“I THANK GOD I SPEAK IN TONGUES MORE THAN YOU ALL”
for at lease a reason or two.
It was NOT a BAD reason.
He said “Forbid not to speak in tonuges” for a reason.
Naysayers tend to behave and talk as though those verses were not in the Bible for the New Testament Church age/era/dispensation.