For so called Pentecostal churches it is characteristic that they insist on signs and miracles by which believers try to prove that they are with God. The simplest way to notice that in their case a manifestation of miracle is not from God is the example of their gift to speak in unintelligible tongues.

The real gift of speaking unintelligible tongues, together with other gifts, was given to Christ's disciples on the Day of Pentecost when they were all filled with Holy Spirit, so that they could preach the Gospel more powerfully (Acts 2). The gift of tongues received its practical application three and half years later when they started preaching the Gospel to pagans (in their mother tongues which Christ's disciples had not been familiar with).

The possession of spiritual gifts is not purpose for itself, but the means of expressing love.

In his attempt to respond to the needs of the church and the world, man notices that he lacks different gifts and that is why the Holy Spirit gives those gifts to him as well as His divine power to apply them.

Contrary to the real gift of tongue, the false gift of tongues does not have the qualities of a spiritual gift (it does not serve for preaching the Gospel) but has the qualities of a "spiritual" fruit. By means of his gender of impure gender, man imitates his feeling of self-justice in him.

It appeared for the first time in history with the female oracles in Delphi and then, not far away in the Corinthian church.

You can see that God's spirit has not been disclosed through the above mentioned manifestation of the gift in Corinth, by the fact that apostle Paul had to write an epistle to the Corinthians telling them how to "self-control" that gift, as though the Holy Spirit, if working through that gift, did not have the power to control itself and remind the believers of the desperate situation the church was in.

Contrary to the real gift of tongue, the false gift does not demand the unity of church (1 Corinthians 1:11-12; 11:18-19). As it is not a spiritual gift, it does not serve people (1 Corinthians 14:2), but serves for abomination (1 Corinthians 14:23). It develops one's own self-justice and not the church (1 Corinthians 14:4). It demands a translator (1 Corinthians 14:9). It is mindless (1 Corinthians 14:14.20). As it is not the fruit of God's spirit it has to control itself (1. Corinthians. 14:27-28) and is characterized by disorder (1 Corinthians. 14:23.31-33).

If we ask the one who has been "baptized" by such a gift of tongues, about the purpose of that gift, what kind of blessings and advantages he has considering that he cannot understand it with his mind, we shall notice that the person will not be able to provide a sensible and rational answer to us. He will explain to us that the Holy Spirit is praying through him in his own divine tongue without justifying its practical importance for him. It represents the temptation for man's sinful and self-righteous nature which would first accept anything else rather than salvation, than Christ.

When we ask a religious supporter of meditation why he needs to meditate when there is already God to pray to, he will try to convince us that meditation helps him in the spiritual development and will list the same arguments the bearers of the gift of tongue use in order to justify their speaking in unintelligible tongues. The one who really believes in God, naturally does not need any additional technique.

If the Spirit has a message for someone, He will then forward it by the gift of prophecy on the language understandable to that person.

Accordingly, it is absurd to reveal the Spirit by means of gift in the tongue not familiar to the bearer of that particular gift. Does not the Holy Spirit have the power to pray in the language understandable to any man?! Is not the revelation of the Creator in the world created adapted to His creatures?

It is impossible for us to love God with our soul and all our mind if our mind does not take part in expressing that love, but only is a passive and useless audience.

And if a bearer of the gift of tongue "must" pray in an unintelligible tongue which meaning is hidden, why is it necessary for him to be aware of the prayer of the Holy Spirit when he does not understand it? Why should my mind listen to the things that do not bring any fruit to it? There are many important happenings but they will burden our mind only if we are aware of them.

It would be the same thing if I put a microphone in front of my mouth during a meal in order to be able to amplify the sound of my slurping and thus increase my own enjoyment in food. Chewing is important and necessary but it does not mean that I must listen to it.

It is even more unreasonable for a man to subdue to the spirit without the participation of his mind and a voluntary choice of God through the understanding and acceptance of his character (and that is also close to the experience of meditation).

Sometimes, those who have the "gift of tongue" say: "Try the experience of the gift of tongue and you will see how good it feels." Thus they lead man to check the offered way by personal experience, in the same way by which Satan had tempted Eve. However, experience is not a criterion (Genesis 3:6). Faith, contrary to an assumption, must have reasonable foundations. Man is responsible to examine the inspiration of spiritual experience intellectually and not to "gamble" with himself/herself by means of senseless subduing of his will to the power which obsesses him. That is why apostle Paul reminds the Corinthians:

"For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful. What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also. ... Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men." (1 Corinthians 14:21)

A false gift simply does not have any other purpose but to give to a sinner a "proof" of God's acceptance and calm down his impure conscience. Among their supporters one can observe the fruit of that subtle form of justification by works. We shall hear conversation like the following: "And have you been baptized by the Holy Spirit?... Lucky you! I haven't been baptized by it yet but I hardly wait to start to speak in tongues myself!"

The plan of salvation is sufficient and complete so that there is no need for its further compensation and improvement by means of some additions as such as could be, for example, the above mentioned gift of tongue.

Contrary to the false gift of tongue which scandalizes the unfaithful (1 Corinthians 14:23), the real gift of tongue actually represents a sign to the unfaithful (1 Corinthians 14:22). Being a gift, it serves to import others (1 Corinthians 14:12.19.26). It is characterized by the spiritual unity of the church (Acts 2:1). It does not need a translator (Acts 2:6-8). It is reasonable (1 Corinthians 14:15). It does not have to self-control itself as it inspired by God (Acts 2:4). It is characterized by decency and order (1 Corinthians. 14:40).