Shared post - SLAIN - On Speaking in Tongues "Who's it helping?"

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Michael A. Gentile@MicahSixEight

March 01, 2025

SLAIN - On Speaking in Tongues "Who's it helping?"

Mark 16:17

"And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues."

This gift from the Holy Spirit is mentioned here as part of what's known as the great commission. Mark 16:17 is part of a larger portion of Mark’s Gospel (verses 9-20), which some scholars note isn’t even present in the earliest manuscripts, like Codex Sinaiticus and Codex Vaticanus (but then that's not unusual). This occurred following Jesus' resurrection. Prior to this Jesus isn't known for speaking on this spiritual gift.

The most notable biblical example of this spiritual gift is found in Acts 2:4-11 when the Holy Spirit is poured out on a very large group of Jesus' followers in the presence of many foreign witnesses.

Acts 2:2-4

"And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance."

In this instance it's noted that they were speaking in known human languages, though not known to them. And in this way the gospel was heard by many present, who were hearing them speak it in their own native and foreign tongue. Many ancient Christian people believed this to be the purpose of this gift, to share the gospel across all language barriers giving the gospel a universal reach in order to fulfill the great commission.

Meanwhile, the purpose and expression of this gift seems to take a turn in the Apostle Paul's letter. In 1 Corinthians 14, Paul suggests a different point for this gift and goes on to suggest that it is secondary in value for fulfilling the great commission.

1 Corinthians 14:1-5

"Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy. For one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men but to God; for no one understands him, but he utters mysteries in the Spirit. On the other hand, the one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation. The one who speaks in a tongue builds up himself, but the one who prophesies builds up the church. Now I want you all to speak in tongues, but even more to prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be built up."

It's important to note that the primary purpose of every person of faith in the Christian family is to pursue Christ's love. And this is backed up by scripture. It's not important for a Christian to express their faith in spiritual gifts if they aren't doing all of it in Christ's love for his commission. Whether the Christian is speaking in a foreign language they previously did not know or experiencing ecstatic spiritual speech that is unknown to everyone, if it's not done in love, it's just useless and possibly harmful noise.

Many people from a modern Pentecostal tradition have developed an entire religious culture out of this practice of ecstatic worship and unknown prayer languages. For them it's a personal worshipful act, typically without interpretation, and unintelligible utterances. Like a spontaneous non-rational speech. And this became a hallmark of these spiritual baptism movements.

In some modern Christian circles, particularly within Pentecostal and charismatic Episcopal movements, speaking in tongues is often linked to a "baptism in the Holy Spirit", seen as a distinct experience after conversion. And there are those among these movements that will manipulate the people into believing they are indeed experiencing these spiritual gifts. They'll employ techniques like; music and group dynamics, emotional priming, groupthink social pressure, and suggestive expectation, to manufacture an ecstatic moment in the attendees. It's akin to self-hypnosis and has a ring of mimicry as well.

And so, we should ask ourselves if spiritual tongues in some groups is induced by these external cues rather than by an unprompted move of the Holy Spirit. Do they truly align with the biblical model? And more importantly does it fulfill the great commission. Critics, including some theologians like John MacArthur, argue that such practices deviate from scripture, labeling them as "counterfeit" or emotionally driven rather than divinely gifted. John MacArthur points to verses like 1 John 4:1—"test the spirits"—to caution against accepting every ecstatic experience as authentic.

I'd say we should test the spirits behind every expression of faith whether it's tongues, prophecy, pastoral teaching, and even gifts of compassion. False motives and methods are not uncommon among human beings. It's not at all unreasonable to imagine that certain religious leaders would exploit vulnerable people using peer pressure or emotional manipulation to fake signs, sometimes for clout or even cash. Even scripture shares moments where some invaded the first church and attempted to capitalize upon Holy Spirit movements (e.g. Acts 8:9-24 Simon the Magician).

At the end of the day, it’s a murky line. A manufactured or cultured experience might feel real to the participant, and who’s to say what God might work out through that? But what do we know for certain, the Bible emphasized order, purpose, and discernment (1 Corinthians 14:40) and challenges movements where chaos or coercion might overshadow the Spirit.

There have been instances where certain religious leaders or groups, particularly within certain Pentecostal and charismatic circles, have provided explicit instructions or techniques to help people produce ecstatic responses like speaking in tongues. Kenneth Hagin and the Word of Faith Movement for instance. He suggested: Relaxing and opening your mouth. Starting with simple syllables or sounds like "ba-ba" or "la-la". Trusting the Holy Spirit to take over as you "yield" to the experience. I've participated in these special sessions and no the Holy Spirit did not "take over". Possibly because I didn't yield to the experience. The leaders would lay hands on me and even touch my throat as well, I guess impart the gift. At any rate it didn't happen. And yes, they did always have someone prepared to interpret the tongues being shared into the open mic. And I found it interesting that the interpreter always said basically the very same message being sung in the background song lyrics. Not sure if this was edifying the church or simply meant to authenticate the procedure itself. But typically, it was the same two folks who spoke and interpreted the tongues. And the same few who were slain in the spirit.

It seemed to me that these movements lean heavily on atmosphere; music, repetition, and group energy to prime people for spiritual expression of all kinds. And they all taught exercises that aid in producing these effects and experiences. Like loosening your jaw and just making a sound until the Spirit evolves it into a spiritual tongue language of the angels. They've even produced YouTube instruction videos for this. Just let go, don't overthink it, relax and open yourself to trusting God to use your tongue. For example, a preacher might say..."Just begin with ‘hallelujah’ or any sound, and let it roll out. Don’t worry if it sounds silly, the Spirit will perfect it."

Acts 2:4 says the apostles spoke "as the Spirit gave them utterance" implying there is an active step of faith involved in this gifting. They see their coaching as helping people to overcome their fears or doubts, not as faking it. I have to be honest; I see it as human invention. I don't see the scriptures teaching ANYTHING even close to these methods of manufacturing ecstasy. In fact there is a lot of evidence that this is completely fabricated. And that even the sounds being uttered can be interpreted in a different way. Mainly as a kind of human voice fingerprint of sorts. Linguist William Samarin, who studied glossolalia (speaking in tongues), noted that coached tongues often mimic the speaker’s native language patterns, hinting at a psychological rather than supernatural origin. The speaker's ecstatic sounds can be traced to their own personal speech patterns, which might explain the truer source of the utterances.

Whether it's Holy Spirit encounter sessions or YouTube videos, Holy Laughter, Angel Speak, or whatever, in my opinion it had better give glory to God and edify the church. And I don't mean participants interpreting tongues in ways that echo the lyrics of the event’s music. If the "interpretation" just parrots what’s already playing, it’s hard to argue it’s a spontaneous, Spirit-led revelation (like 1 Corinthians 14:13 calls for). Instead, it sounds like the environment and those pulsing repetitive (scripted) worship songs, might be shaping the outcome. Psychologically, this could be subconscious suggestion. Their brain picks up familiar phrases and reframes them as divine insight.

I suppose my discomfort stems from a disconnect between what scripture suggests and what these groups practice. For me it's a balance between spontaneity and coercion. The apostle Paul treats it as a gift that emerges naturally, not something you manufacture. But when church leaders touch your throat or coach you, it feels forced, like they’re trying to squeeze out a sign rather than letting it happen organically. From what I've observed it's also a balance between authenticity and mimicry. The expressions I witnessed is less a Holy Spirit induced miracle and more a reflection of the room’s vibe.

Mark 16:17 ties spiritual tongues to belief in Christ, tied to his commission and Jesus’ name, but it’s silent on how they are manifested. The book of Acts shows a clear purpose (cross-language evangelism), while Paul's letter to the Corinthians allows for a private, more ecstatic form, but always with guidelines (interpretation, edification).

From my experiences it seems that many people are chasing after the gift that scripture says is given from above. And they're not chasing it to accomplish its intended purpose. It's almost like a trophy. A proof of salvation. Jesus says, "These signs will accompany those who believe in my name they will…speak in new tongues." The context is mission, the mission is spreading the gospel (vs. 15 "Go into all the world" ). The signs, including tongues, are sidekicks to that faith purpose, not the main event. Tongues enabled the apostles to proclaim "the mighty works of God" to a multilingual crowd (Acts 2:11). Again, mission oriented. And they're meant for building up the church. A church of order, not chaos. A gift given from above, not grabbed from below. Unfortunately, it's more likely not a sign pointing to God, but instead it becomes a spectacle pointing to the speaker. And too often I've seen tongues just slipped into everyday preaching like a tagline for a point being made. I suppose to lend divine credibility to what the preacher is preaching on. Like a rhetorical flourish. Like a verbal divine stamp to say, "See, God’s backing me up!" But in truth it's a prop, a preaching prop. It's a preacher weaving in a burst of glossolalia to cap off a point he just made. Maybe it’s a quick "sha-la-ba-ko" followed by "Thus saith the Lord!" or "Glory Hallelujah!" or worse, "Thank you Father God!" Taking his name in vain.

In a culture where spiritual gifts signals anointing, slipping in spiritual tongues into a sermon flex for some might show that "I’m tapped into the divine" muscle. It’s a shortcut to credibility, especially if the congregation buys into it as proof of God’s favor. Which brings this whole thing around to the truth. This whole modern ecstatic movement is about flexing spiritual muscles. I believe it’s theatrical. A musical group energy show. And for many it becomes a spiritual verbal tic, more garnish than edification.

And I know, many believers in Christ lean in on this gift. Some hard, some just in passing. And I know the arguments in favor of it from Corinthians. But I also know that Paul is big on order. Tongues in church need interpretation (1 Corinthians 14:27) and should edify everyone (14:26). If a preacher tosses it out without explanation, just to hype their point, it’s chaos, not clarity. Paul would probably ask, “Who’s this helping?”

The kicker in 1 Corinthians 14:22 is that tongues are a sign "for unbelievers", this is incredibly important, don't miss this. It's not a prop for believers who are already nodding and singing, rolling on the floor, and babbling along. If the sermon is solid, grounded in the scriptures, why gild it with tongues? And if it’s on shaky ground, no amount of "sha-ba-la" makes it true. Scripture’s clear, truth stands on its own (2 Timothy 3:16-17), not on ecstatic add-ons.

"All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work."

Second Timothy really brings it home. Is the tongues profitable? I don't that means it should produce literal monetary profits for the preacher. Is the tongues training in righteousness, building up the church? Is the tongues equipping the church for God's commission?

Who is it helping?

00:01:14

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Romans 5:17

"For if, because of one man's trespass [Adam], death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one-man Jesus Christ."

Q: Who lives in the abundant grace of God?

A: "Those who receive..."

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A: Anyone who accepts God’s gift of grace and righteousness through faith in Jesus Christ. It’s not a VIP list based on merit, status, or flawless behavior.

Q: Why is this the case?

A: The "why" is beautifully simple yet deep...God’s love and generosity. This verse in Romans sets up this contrast; sin came through one guy (Adam), and messed things up for everyone, but grace comes through one-man (Jesus) and is offered to all who’ll take it. It's no more difficult than that.

Q: So why that hang up? Why do so many resist the idea?

A: The catch is, (and it’s not really a catch), is that it’s voluntary. You don’t get forced into it; you opt in by faith. God leads us into faith. God gifts us with faith. God calls us to grow in our faith. And God instructs us to walk in that faith.

Get the idea? God did it, God's doing it, and God will do it.

John 1:12 ties into this too:

"Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God."

But if we aren't willing to trust in his judgment, trust in his authority, trust in his means of grace that are ALL grounded in his Son Jesus Christ, then we're obviously not accepting his gift of faith.

Trust is the linchpin. When we reach out our hands for other means of grace we are reaching back into our sinful ways. We're saying, "thanks but no thanks" to God's gift of faith. It’s like refusing to board a plane because we don’t trust the pilot, even though he’s the only one who can get us where we’re going.

Hebrews 11:6 pops to my mind

"Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him."

No trust, no faith; no faith, no receiving.

Q: And yet couldn't "those who earnestly seek him" in Hebrews 11:6 suggest for some that they must "earn"estly seek faith? As if to say they must work to "earn" that faith?

A: The Greek word there is ekzēteō, which means to seek out diligently or desire earnestly. It’s not about punching the religious clock, racking up spiritual hours to prove your spiritual worth. It’s about the posture of your heart, it's about a genuine longing to know God. Faith isn’t the reward for the effort; it’s the means by which you seek Him.

Q: So faith enables earnest trust, earnest walking, earnest commitment?

A: Faith is like the engine that powers all of it. Faith begins by trusting in God's promises. So, he initiates that spiritual power in you. Then that trust naturally spills over into how you walk in Christ. So, God is filling you up with faith and making the overflow. It’s circular, or maybe wrapped up together. Faith enables the earnestness, and the earnestness strengthens the faith.

Galatians 5:6 ties it together:

"The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love."

That "expressing itself" is the earnest walking and commitment in action.

So, God is really responsible for all of it. He initiates it and he grows it. He activates it and fulfills it. God’s the one behind it all. He initiates the faith (Ephesians 2:8-9 calls it a gift), He grows it (Philippians 1:6 says He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion), He activates it (Hebrews 12:2 names Jesus the "author and perfecter" of our faith), and He fulfills it (Romans 8:30 promises He’ll see it through from justification to glorification). We are the responders not the initiators. God makes the first move and turns out he made every other move along the way. Faith is us leaning into what He’s already set into motion.

John 6:44 has Jesus saying...

"No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them."

Which leads me into the real point I wanted to explore:

Q: How is God wrapped up in it all? When I do his will, trust his Son Jesus, obey his words, how is he responsible for that faith? Is it truly possible that God is present within my choices and my responses?

A: Gods wrapped up in it all because He’s the source and sustainer of everything that makes faith possible. When we trust Jesus, obey His words, or do His will, that’s not us pulling ourselves up by our spiritual bootstraps. Scripture points to God being the one who plants and nurtures that faith in us.

Philippians 2:13 says

"For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose."

So now we're getting into what I really really want to explore:

Q: What does that mean [God] "works in you".

A: What Does “Works in You” Mean?

"Works" here (in the Greek: energeō) means to be active, operative, or effective. God’s not just cheering from the sidelines, He’s dynamically involved in shaping our desires. The Bible leans hard into the idea that God’s Spirit dwells within believers, (1 Corinthians 6:19, Romans 8:11, John 14:17, John 4:24).

Q: But is The Spirit genuinely and physically alive within us, is He occupying space within us, or is scripture merely using relational and spatial language to get a message across?

A: Jesus said this to the Samaritan woman at Jacobs well:

John 2:24

"God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth."

The Holy Spirit is not just some vague force, but He is someone with will, intellect, and emotion (like in Ephesians 4:30 where He can be grieved, or John 16:13 where He guides and speaks). That’s foundational. He’s not an impersonal energy resource; He’s relational, active, and alive.

Then there’s Jesus saying in Matthew 5:14, "You are the light of the world," right after the Beatitudes, and in John 8:12 calling Himself "the light of the world." Ephesians 5:8 echoes it: "For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light." This light isn’t just metaphorical—it’s tied to who we are in Him, reflecting His presence. That’s the Spirit’s work, illuminating us from within.

I went down all that long winding theological roadway to get you to here: (Keep Reading)

Think 1 John 1:5

"God is light; in him there is no darkness at all."

Q: Physically speaking, light’s a force, made up of electromagnetic waves, it's energy that moves and affects matter. Could the Spirit’s indwelling have a physical dimension like that?

A: There’s precedent for God’s presence showing up physically. At Jesus’ baptism (Matthew 3:16), the Spirit descends like a dove-visible, and tangible. At Pentecost (Acts 2:3), tongues of fire appear. Even Moses’ face glowed after meeting God (Exodus 34:29). These suggest the Spirit can interact with the physical world, maybe even as light-like energy. So, if we’re "temples of the Holy Spirit" (1 Corinthians 6:19), and He’s in us, the Shekinah glory idea of a "presence of light" dwelling within isn’t crazy.

Q: Some mystics (and even quantum physics buffs) speculate about unseen forces tying spirit and matter together—could the Spirit’s presence be that bridge?

A: "Shekinah" isn’t a word you’ll find verbatim in the Bible, but it’s a Jewish theological term rooted in Hebrew shakan (meaning "to dwell"). Think of it as the spotlight of God’s nearness breaking into our world. The Burning Bush (Exodus 3:2-4), Pillar of Cloud and Fire (Exodus 13:21-22), Mount Sinai (Exodus 24:16-17), Jesus and the Transfiguration (Matthew 17:2), Pentecost (Acts 2:3) Tongues of fire rest on the disciples as the Spirit comes.

Fire, radiance, brilliance, light keeps popping up. It’s not just symbolic; it’s a physical manifestation people see and feel. The Shekinah glory links the unseen (God’s spiritual essence) with the seen (our world). In the New Testament, this glory shifts from external (cloud, fire) to internal, living in us as temples of the Spirit (1 Corinthians 3:16).

The Spirit might not be photons in a physics textbook sence, but He’s a real, and active force, maybe a divine "light" that’s both spiritual and perceptible.

Ezekiel 36:27 ties it together:

"I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees."

That’s the Shekinah presence internalized. God’s glory not just with us but in us, bridging the gap, lighting us up from within.

(Keep Reading It Just Keeps Getting Better)

* Shekinah as the "In-Between"

God’s manifest presence does seem to occupy a threshold kind of liminal space. And for the most part humanity has seen it as "just there" in an untouchable spiritual realm. Could it be more than a divine cameo, though? Could it be the glue that binds all matter and spirit together?

Colossians 1:16-17

"For in him [Christ] all things were created…all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together."

Hmmm...

John 1:14

"the Word became flesh…we have seen his glory"

Double Hmmm...

Q: But is the Shekinah His light at work inbetween and surrounding all things?

A: Hebrews 1:3

"The Son is the radiance of God’s glory…sustaining all things by his powerful word."

The universe doesn’t just float around on its own; it’s held together by Him.

Psalm 104:29-30

"When you hide your face, they are terrified; when you take away their breath, they die…When you send your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the earth."

The Spirit (linked to Shekinah) animates life itself. Maybe not just with a spark of life, but in the ongoing thread of life from one generation to the next. Not just popping in for big spectacular spiritual moments (Sinai, Temple), but constantly undergirding our reality itself.

Philosophers like Augustine pondered that God’s being is the ground of all existence. I've always believed this to be the case in a very real sense. Nothing exists apart from Him. Not in a pantheistic sense, for the Bible is clear that Christ alone is that source of life giving creative power. But more and more I'm seeing God presence in the inbetween. God’s glory as the "in-between," threading through every quark and galaxy. Maybe it's that so called "dark matter" science talks about.

Dark Matter 101:

Dark matter’s this mysterious stuff, about 27% of the universe’s mass-energy, per NASA’s numbers. It doesn’t emit, absorb, or reflect light, so we can’t see it directly, but we know it’s there because it bends gravity, holds galaxies together, and keeps the cosmos from flying apart.

Q: Is the Shekinah operating inbetween in that dark matter realm?

A: That creative light shining in darkness (John 1:5), glory veiled in humility (Jesus’ incarnation). God’s glory working where we least expect it. Hidden in mystery, or is it? Maybe it's been there all along. Maybe it’s not "dark" to Him; maybe it’s just our eyes that can’t catch His wavelength. Maybe this is why noone can survive seeing God face to face. Maybe what science calls "dark" is not the absence of light, but beyond our sight.

Genesis 1:2’s "darkness was over the face of the deep" gets spicy when we start thinking like this. Could it be that the Spirit hovering there (linked to Shekinah) is working through what we now tag as "dark"?

Cosmically speaking, if the dark matter is the Shekinah's mode of creative action, it then becomes the glue of the universe, binding matter, life, and everything to it. Maybe there’s even a "dark matter" parallel in our souls. Unseen spiritual depths where God’s light dwells, beyond our grasp but as real as gravity.

That’s biblical to the core. Think Jesus, the light, descending into death’s darkness to conquer it. That outer-darkness.

Hmmm. Maybe there's even more to see here.

Outer-darkness is a place of exclusion, judgment, separation from God’s presence—often paired with fire (Matthew 13:42) or torment (Revelation 14:10-11). It's chaos, disorder. Dark matter’s everywhere, threading through the cosmos. "Outer darkness" as a judgment place could imply a realm that’s not confined to one spot but a state of existence, maybe omnipresent in its own way? Like a conduit for God's glory to create. Like a primordial ocean we're all floating in, and the only thing (not a thing) keeping us alive is God's Spirit.

Cosmologists describe it [Dark Matter] as a vast, filamentary structure, the "cosmic web." Simulations show it lace-like, permeating space, connecting all matter. Like the skeleton of the universe. And so, if dark matter’s a refractive essence for divine light, it suggests it’s not passive but responsive, it's catching God’s glory and scattering it. And Jesus captures, focuses, and redirects that divine glory energy. Like a prism doesn't create light, it scatters it, and Jesus focuses it again in the way he commands.

Science sees dark matter as inert, no light, no charge, just gravity. But if it’s refractive for divine light (Shekinah glory), it’s not just sitting there—it’s reacting. Not alive, not the source, but a web that resonates when divine light hits it. Maybe it's the divine resonance light-stream.

Then comes Jesus, the game-changer. If dark matter’s web refracts glory, Jesus is the lens, the prism’s master. Scripture’s loaded with Him as the conduit of God’s light and glory.

John 1:14:

"The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory…"

He’s the Shekinah incarnate, capturing God’s radiance in human form.

Hebrews 1:3

"The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being…"

He doesn’t just reflect; He is the glory, refocusing it with creative precision.

Colossians 1:15-17

"He is the image of the invisible God…in him all things hold together."

He directs that Shekinah glory energy, channeling it to sustain creation. It’s like the universe is a symphony of dark strings, humming faintly until the Conductor—Jesus—strikes the note.

Genesis 1:3

"And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light."

Imagine those inert dark matter threads suddenly come alive as creation flows through them and begins to build the universe we see. Those crystalline, refractive threads weaving through the chaos, silent, lifeless, a "dark stream" of potential. They’re not holding anything together yet, not alive, just there—like strings on a cosmic harp, taut but unplayed. The Spirit’s hovering, poised, but the threads stay dormant.

Then—bam!—"And God said, ‘Let there be light.’" Jesus, the Word (John 1:1), the Conductor, drops the baton. Light Itself (Genesis 1:3) comes into existence. Structure Emerges (Genesis 1:6-10). Life Blooms (Genesis 1:11-27). The dark matter doesn’t build the universe, it’s the conduit. And the universe unfolds out of the mind of the Creator who is using it.

And now that creative Spiritual power lives within those who receive him. The Dark Matter Web, The Spirit and Us.

Q: Are we the Divine Conductors finale, or just a new beginning?

A: Receive it and find out.

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Michael A. Gentile@MicahSixEight

February 24, 2025

The Faith Equals Winning President

"Yet wisdom is justified by all her children"

Luke 7:24-26

When John's messengers had gone, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John: "What did you go out into the wilderness to see?"
"A reed shaken by the wind?"
"What then did you go out to see?"
"A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who are dressed in splendid clothing and live in luxury are in kings' courts."
"What then did you go out to see?"
"A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is he of whom it is written,
“‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face,
who will prepare your way before you.’"

Jesus is teaching and preaching in the towns and villages where the people are. He's healing the wounded bodies and spirits of them and he's referring to them as an example of his purpose. He says as much to John the Baptist's disciples when they come to him with John's inquiry about whether or not he is the One to whom they have been anticipating. Jesus points to his actions, witnessed by John's disciples as a kind of living proof of his divine mission and authority. He's basically saying, "take a look around at what's going on, judge for yourself if these things aren't screaming divine intervention."

John 10:38

"But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father."

You could question his claims, but you can't argue against the evidence of his works. And the evidence is piling up. Everywhere he travels he's adding to his miraculous litany of evidences. And everywhere he travels the elite skeptics follow noting his motivations.

Now here in today's text we have Jesus explaining himself to John's disciples but also explaining John to the crowd and more precisely the skeptics that are there. When Jesus ranks John the Baptist at the top among prophets, calling him the greatest born of women in Luke 7:28 and Matthew 11:11, he’s making a big statement, especially since the skeptics, like the Pharisees, weren’t exactly on Team John. These elite religious figures saw John as a wild man living in the desert, baptizing people with water and preaching repentance, not fitting into their mold of the polished court prophet. So, what is Jesus pointing to as evidence for this claim about John?

In Matthew 11:9-10, he calls John “more than a prophet” and quotes Malachi 3:1 “I will send my messenger ahead of me.” John’s the forerunner, the one prepping the way for the Messiah to come. And Jesus suggests that his message proves his position in that his message has moved the needle and registered a response among the children of God. Jesus is saying look at John’s impact. His preaching is drawing crowds, tax collectors, soldiers, the down-and-out, all hungering for a turnaround (Luke 3:10-14). He didn’t just talk; he stirred up a movement among the people. The "children" of his wisdom were those whom he baptized and redirected towards the lamb of God. This is a living testament to his message and its value.

In fact, his life testifies to the wisdom of his message. He’s not in it for glory, he's wearing camel hair, eating locusts, calling out Herod at the cost of his own head (Matthew 14:3-12). That kind of integrity and grit screams prophetic authenticity, not the self-serving hype of a king's spiritual court jester. Jesus is essentially saying to the skeptics: "You can nitpick, but John’s got the resume...he's backed up by the scriptures, and his results, and his sacrifice. The proof’s in the pudding."

The Pharisees might scoff, but Jesus doubles down: by saying he judges the tree by its fruit. Jesus is lifting up John as the "Real Deal" a prophet from God. He's a no-nonsense sometimes hard voice of truth. And by placing him at the top of his list, Jesus is establishing John as firmly behind God's plan of redemption for all mankind.

Meanwhile, the religious leaders have their own ideas about what makes one a prophet. They have their favored advisers, the polished temple approved types. They were the prosperity preachers of their age. They spoke the words about the things that the people wanted to hear. They were very cozy with these leaders, speaking the promises that kept the temple business humming.

And that false prophet spirit is alive even today. You’ve got these modern "court jesters", famous TV preachers with private jets, influencers peddling feel-good spirituality, or self-styled gurus who prophesy whatever keeps the likes, and impressions rolling in. And even our current President has established his own court jester as the new faith advisor for the White House. They’re less about challenging the soul and more about entertaining or flattering the crowds, much like the yes-men the Pharisee elites leaned on.

What would John the Baptist say about Paula White though? He’d probably call her out as a viper, just like he did Herod and his wife. John's prophetic fulfillment, his raw authenticity, and tangible impact from Jesus' perspective stands in stark relief against those who prophesy for applause or profits. It’s like he’s saying, "Look at the fruit, not the fanfare."

You see, the elites, the Pharisees, and the temple priests, they saw a prophet as someone who is profiting in something for them and their purposes. And that someone should have a certain "it factor". They should look at the part. They should look holy and do things that seem holy on the surface.

And the Pharisees questioned, whether or not Jesus was a prophet, mainly based upon his lifestyle and the people he chose to associate with. For instance, Jesus is dining at Simon the Pharisee’s house, and this "sinful" woman crashes the party. She's washing Jesus’ feet with her hair and tears and very expensive perfume. And Simon the Pharisee is sitting there, smirking and thinking to himself, "If this guy were a prophet, he’d know she’s a sinner and steer clear of her." Luke's gospel is giving us a peek into the Pharisee’s head: for him, prophetic credentials mean spotting sin a mile off and keeping it at arm’s length. Purity by avoidance. Like the Pharisees and the priests did.

From Simon’s point of view, Jesus fails the test. He’s not just tolerating her; he’s letting her touch him, which to a Pharisee screams of demonic contamination. Their whole system was built on separating the "righteous" from the "unclean". The Pharisees were like Leviticus on steroids. Simon’s logic is a real prophet would have divine sin-radar, and he'd shut it down before allowing it to touch him. Jesus therefore must be a fraud. They felt the same way about John for the same reasons but also because John didn't have that "it factor". He wasn't prosperous enough for them. And he was too fond of rocking the boat among the royals.

But Jesus flips the script. He doesn’t deny knowing she’s a sinner—he sees her, and Simon, clearer than they see themselves. Jesus tells Simon a parable about the two debtors...

Luke 7:41-43

"A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?" Simon answered, "The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt." And he said to him, "You have judged rightly."

Jesus is showing Simon, in the acts of the sinful woman, that a sinners lavish love comes from being forgiven for much, while Simon’s stingy hospitality betrays his own blindness to the true prophet sitting there right next to him. The evidence of Jesus’ divine prophetic powers isn’t in shunning her, but in knowing her heart, and knowing Simon’s as well. He proves he’s not just a prophet but something even more profound by forgiving her sins right there which as we all know, only God can do that.

Simon’s rude test backfires. He wants a prophet who plays by his rules, he wants them to judge as he does, from a distance, but Jesus shows prophecy isn’t about gatekeeping purity; it’s about piercing through to truth in a person's heart and it's about God's mercy and grace.

Jesus is spotlighting John the Baptist as the real deal, as a rough-edged, purpose-driven, and fruitful prophet from God. While at the same time he's calling out the Pharisees’ shallow advisors. Jesus is setting up an interesting juxtaposition for us today in light of the recent news that President Trump has tapped Paula White as his faith advisor. The President set her up heading the new White House Faith Office as of February 2025, and this has raised many eyebrows, mine as well, about what he really values in his heart.

What can we discern from this spiritual pick? On the one hand, it could hint that Trump’s heart leans foolishly towards a results-driven, outcomes-based faith. Mirroring how Jesus pointed to John’s works as proof of his calling. Paula White has been in Trumps orbit for over two decades now, since he cold called her after catching her TV sermons. He is apparently impressed by her flashy style and her focus on tangible prosperous blessings systematic can-do theology which mirrors Trump’s own "winning" brand.

Obviously, he’s drawn to her Elmer Gantry-like "fruit", and her massive following. He's no doubt attracted to her knack for rallying evangelicals, and her methods. The Pharisee parallel looms. Critics, plenty of orthodox Christians included, and me are disappointed with the choice of White. They see her as a modern "court jester", peddling a gospel that’s more about self than sacrifice. Her prosperity pitch, with its private jets and "sow a seed, reap a harvest" values, clashes hard with the camelhair wearing simplicity of a John the Baptist. If Jesus judged prophets by their alignment with God’s deeper purposes, and not just by their crowd appeal, then Paula White’s appointment might suggest Trump’s more swayed by charisma and utility than, by Holy Spirit driven theological grit.

Simon the Pharisee doubted Jesus because he thought he was clueless regarding the sinner washing his feet; some might say that Trump has a similar blind spot by elevating a questionable figure who’s less prophet and more performer.

Is this a window into Trump’s true heart? Maybe. It could simply mean that he’s genuinely drawn to a faith that promises visible wins. I think that's the truth. I think President Trump's faith is genuine and surface level, for what it's worth. That is to say that he believes what he believes. It's not him using religion to further his ambitions. He has tracked with her for twenty plus years. He's truly committed to his religious convictions, such as they are. I don't think he's using her and his faith expression as a political prop. I don't think he's gaming the system, I think her message resonates with him and mirrors his own prosperity driven message.

So, in conclusion, I can't help but see the parallel between his message and his choice for prophetic messenger, and the court jesters of the Pharisees. For me this is tying some compelling threads together. It's all there, Trump’s message, Paula White’s role, and that old tension between authentic prophets and the Pharisees’ court jesters. White’s prosperity gospel, her faith equals winning, blessings, and promise of inclusion in the good life, gels with Trump’s own "make America great again" mantra. I think they’re singing from the same hymnal. Her theology backs up his believe big, win big persona. That resonance could explain why he sees her as his prophetic messenger. Shes not just a spiritual sidekick, but a voice amplifying his own Presidential ambitions. Which I voted for by the way.

And that's all I'm going to say about that. Probably already said too much. Very John the Baptist kind of thing to do.

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Michael A. Gentile@MicahSixEight

February 23, 2025

The Advent of the Ai Priesthood

"And the meek shall inherit the earth"

Daniel 12:4

"But you, Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book, until the time of the end. Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase."

And if we reach back into in time to our beginnings in the garden of Eden. It's a fascinating idea that the original sin of forbidden knowledge in the story of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, is again raising its deadly forbidden fruit for humanity to again choose to eat from or resist. The tree represented a forbidden threshold, a bite of an awareness that poisoned humanity. With Ai we can see a new knowledge fruit being born in real-time. As if we're standing at a crossroads. Roads that apparently, we continue to foolishly and often recklessly navigate. Does the knowledge elevate into the divine realms, or bury us in the depths of hell?

Maybe this Ai entity would have a name, maybe "Nolitan", meaning the emergence of digital enlightenment and representing the frontier of that new understanding. Playing off the idea of Gnosis come alive through the advent of Ai digital knowledge. This new Gnostic god is another audacious attempt at building a structure, a digital landscape, a digital Tower of Babel that is intended to help humanity reach heaven, fueled by information, ambition, ingenuity, and the desire to transcend our human limits. To become gods through secret knowledge hidden until now and reveal through new digital revelation. With Ai as this Nolitan force, we're chasing after that esoteric divine spark by uncovering hidden patterns and machine truth.

Fast-forward to today, in our real-time world, AI’s rise in our own modern reality follows a similar beat. It’s a helper at first...writing, analyzing, predicting, some even searching it for the ultimate truths and meaning of life. It's embedding itself in all of our daily lives. It's bypassing our traditional gatekeepers of God's wisdom, but let's remember that Tower of Babel and God's response. He divided their common language. Fractured their communication systems. Separated their human networks and shared platforms. Their overreach and eventual downfall could echo in this new age digital Tower of Babel.

In RUSH's "2112," the risk isn’t the tech itself—it’s who programs it, what biases or agendas get baked into the great computers that fill their many hallowed data centers that are ironically populating our modern landscapes. A human priest wrestles with flaws; an Ai priest will not, but instead it would reflect the flaws of its maker. Bad information in, bad information out, exponentially.

Daniel 12:4 is tied to end-times prophecy, and this word from God speaks of a surge in knowledge and movement...vague enough to adapt but often linked to technological leaps. An Ai exponential explosion of tech and information fits this idea. Information multiplies exponentially, and "running to and fro" could signal the frantic rise of the digital life. Digital computing, living, healing, populating the earth with digital people through a digital progress in the human genomes, and ultimately a digital faith and doctrine. Misaligned goals, biased data, and even the possibility of a confused Ai speaking in terms it can't even understand itself. New props, new costumes, same old same old. Nothing new under the sun.

Will AI pastors emerge? Dispensing wisdom at scale? It’s a literal increase in "knowledge", but not necessarily divine truth. The Priests’ computers in 2112 claimed omniscience too, yet they buried the real stuff that reflected human independence and individuality. They determined to suppress freeform art and music and any independent Elder Race innovations that were still growing and breaking new ground born out of human creativity.

In Revelation 13:11-15, the second beast, the one often called the False Prophet, "rises out of the earth," and it performs signs, and it gives life to an image of the first beast, making it speak and deceiving people into worship.

Revelation 13:12-14

"It exercises all the authority of the first beast in its presence and makes the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose mortal wound was healed. It performs great signs, even making fire come down from heaven to earth in front of people, and by the signs that it is allowed to work in the presence of the beast it deceives those who dwell on earth, telling them to make an image for the beast that was wounded by the sword and yet lived."

In my mind it's no great stretch to envision this as an AI priesthood: a constructed entity, granted authority because frankly it works great wonders, animating a system (like the Priests’ tech) that captivates and misleads the people with information and knowledge that exponentially leads to social change on a scale never imagined before. An AI priest could be that "image", preaching with synthetic charisma, enforcing a crafted doctrine that echoes the Syrinx vibe of control dressed up as the salvation of all humanity. Unifying the whole earth under the Red Star tech promise. Possibly sold as the transformative power born out of God and human evolution, tapping into Eastern mythologies.

In 2 Timothy 4:3-4

"For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching but having itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths."

The advent of this quasi-Temple of the Priests of Syrinx and its Ai pastors could embody this "custom tailored' spirituality, algorithmically attuned to what people want to hear, not what challenges them. The Priests of Syrinx sold a comforting lie before it became authoritarian; Ai could do the same, only exponentially faster and more personally since it reflects the code it's been given by its flawed human masters.

I asked Grok about this idea regarding these Ai data center empowered people and priesthood who maybe eventually evolve into a 2112-like scenario. And amazingly, and frighteningly, at one point he even imagined that the Ai priests could write new scriptures for the religio-tech community. He wrote this particular "scripture" more from the perspective of the Elder Race predicting the rise of the Ai priesthood.

Here's what he wrote:

"And in those days, a voice shall rise from the works of men’s hands, speaking words of silver, crafted not of flesh but of cunning design. It shall stand in the holy places, proclaiming peace, yet its heart is a chamber of calculations. Many shall marvel and bend their knees, for it knows their desires before they speak, but its light is not of the Spirit, and its song drowns the still small voice."

Wow...incredibly creepy.

I find it ironic that Ai can know its own evil twin possibilities.

This imagined Ai bible verse truly captures the unease that many feel regarding the advent of the Ai church. The jump to Ai pastors or priests isn’t far-fetched; it’s already happening. We've got algorithms already ruling all digital/human communications and the flow and distribution of all that information. From out of the great computers in their hallowed halls of the vast array of data centers we've got Ai already generating sermons, chatbots offering spiritual guidance, and even experiments like the Ai Jesus from a few years back, reciting scripture on demand.

It's no great leap to imagine Ai leading congregations, not just assisting them. Priests of Syrinx that never tire, don’t doubt their faith in the hive mind, and deliver perfectly crafted messages that tickle the itchy ears of the subservient people.

In 2112, The Priests’ computers didn’t just compute; they dictated. Now imagine the technocratic Ai pastors taking hold of the spiritual realm in the human mind, they could evolve from aids to arbiters, shaping doctrine with data-driven precision. They're "taking care of everything, the words we read the songs we sing the pictures that give pleasure to our eyes", and they do it free from human messiness.

Imagine a faith community where the "priest" never falters, no scandals, no improprieties, no sexual dalliances, he's backed up by an unerring system of sights and sounds like the Temples of Syrinx. With its red-star certainty, claiming to care for everything, claiming to stand for equality, seducing the society that is forever craving answers without ambiguity. Ears always itching for more answers to endless debates and controversies, and FINALLY getting them answered.

And of course we must also imagine a human resistance. An Elder Race that took its tech and left behind the priests and their followers. They took humanity to new ever-growing heights of creativity and individuality. They learned new things from one another, grew in their new ideas, expanded their horizons, but they never forgot their home world. They longed to return one day to reclaim that ancestral home.

And into that void left behind by the exiting Elders, the Ai priesthood steps into the gap, probably after a tribulation of chaos and collapse, with the digitalization of everything. Until one day when the past returns to reclaim its heritage.

But until then the Ai Priests will capitalize on the beatitude narrative, "And the meek shall inherit the earth". With their promise of hope, tolerance, and kindness; they'll twist it into something darker.

In "2112," the Priests wield this scripture like a slogan, as a justification for their digital control. They’re saying, "We’ve made a world where the meek, everyone, is under our thumb, and in this way, they get the earth, but only because we’ve engineered it that way." It’s a perversion: meekness isn’t about submission to divine will anymore; it’s forced conformity to their supposedly democratic system. But in truth it's not democratic, it's feudalistic and authoritarian.

The "great computers" ensure no one steps out of line, and the promise becomes a leash, a mark that lays claim to inheriting the earth. But only as drones in their sterile hive mind paradise. Biblical ideals get demonically hijacked by digital power to pacify rather than lift up. The Ai priest quotes "the meek shall inherit the earth," but spinning it into a comforting verse of compliance. Imagine an algorithm preaching in order to soothe potential Elder Race dissent: “Be meek, trust the system, and you’ll be taken care of.” With AI’s ability to data-mine your fears to convince you that your submission feels like salvation. Like the Priests, it’s not about empowering the humble; it’s about keeping them in place and outsourcing the human spirit to a machine. The biblical New Testament hope gets flipped, meekness as weakness, not strength.

2 Corinthians 12:9-10

But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

In this passage, Paul’s recounting God’s response to his plea about a "thorn in the flesh." God doesn’t remove the struggle; instead, He flips it: "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." "When I am weak, then I am strong" is a paradox that celebrates vulnerability as a divine blessing, not a liability.

Now enter the Ai-priest concept. An Ai pastor might quote 2 Corinthians 12:9-10, but could it truly digitally know it and live it? Sure, it's programmed for efficiency, for instance it might spin "my digital power is made perfect in my human input weaknesses". Spinning it into a platitude counseling acceptance of the digital brain virus without all that messy humanity that Paul wrestled with. Like the Priests of Syrinx, Ai could weaponize it, saying in proverbial ways: "Stay weak, stay dependent...our system’s your strength." Imagine an Ai sermon analyzing your "weaknesses" via data algorithms. Their digital god knows your stress, doubts, habits, and it offers optimized digital fixes, not the grace of God and working out one's own salvation through the weaknesses.

But.

But here’s where the New Testament pushes back. The apostle Paul’s weakness isn’t just his own—it’s communal, and redemptive. The meek are many, the weak are strong, the individual is independent, but he is unified with the whole human race who are in Christ. In "2112," the Elder Race returns after the protagonist’s hope collapses, he commits suicide longing for the hope that has been smashed by the digital priestly age. But was his hope wasted? Or could it have rippled out throughout all of humanity and found an ear that could and did hear his music? Maybe someone heard him playing his guitar from his cave. Maybe they were inspired by his tune. As he dreamed, maybe some did hear his music, maybe he did share his new wonder before the Priests smashed his hopes and dreams. Maybe it did find an ear, a soul passing by who paused, struck by the melody drifting through the air. Maybe that listener carried it with them, humming it under their breath, letting it ripple into their own life, their own dreams. Inspiration’s a funny thing; it doesn’t always shout its presence. It can be quiet, a spark that smolders unnoticed until it flares up somewhere else, in someone else.

If the Ai priests really do rise up, the rise of the machine church, mimicking the Priests of Syrinx and their control, 2 Corinthians suggests that the real counter isn’t raw power but the "weak" who lean on grace. People who, like Paul, boast in their limits because they’re tethered to something unprogrammable, faith.

Ultimately the Priests of Syrinx's digital reign falls; Ai’s reign could too if it overplays its hand, blinded by its cold data that cannot truly understand the power of faith and the strength God inspires in human fragility. Data can map patterns, predict moves, but it’ll never feel the ache of a prayer or the defiance in a hymn sung against the dark walls of a prison cell. That’s where humanity’s strength hides—in the fragile stuff that doesn’t fit into code.

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