by: The Workshop Team, November 5, 2025
As someone who practices Charismatic spirituality, I was initially shocked when I watched a video of Fr. Chad Ripperger, a Catholic exorcist and theologian, warning that not all manifestations of the gift of tongues are from the Holy Spirit. Some, he claims, may even be diabolical in origin. He went so far as to say that his most difficult case of exorcism involved a person who spoke in tongues.
This unsettling claim invites serious reflection. Could it be true? Are there hidden risks beneath the surface of this charismatic gift? Or was Fr. Ripperger perhaps influenced by clericalism, given that the “baptism of the Holy Spirit”, which often confers this gift, is frequently administered by laypeople? In the Catholic Church, the Holy Spirit is traditionally received through two sacraments, Baptism and Confirmation, which are both administered by clergy. Or could his view stem from an exclusivist bias, since the practice of tongues originated in Protestant Pentecostalism?
Fr. Ripperger’s short lecture on speaking in tongues: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pc0UwaF6FJQ
My Personal Encounter
When I was first “baptized in the Spirit” many years ago, I expressly asked the Holy Spirit not to give me the gift of tongues, and She honored it. I didn’t reject it because I thought it was diabolical, but because my mother, who had joined the Charismatic movement in the mid-1980s, often prayed in tongues at home. As a young person, I found it unsettling. But it also gave me the opportunity to observe and study the phenomenon closely. I asked the Lord for a different gift… and I realized, He gave it as a hind sight.
What Is the Gift of Tongues?
Initiation into the Charismatic movement typically involves a formation or revival seminar, culminating in the ‘baptism of the Holy Spirit”, which simulates the Pentecost event described in the book of Acts. Participants receive various spiritual gifts through the laying on of hands. The most immediately observable is the gift of tongues, where a person begins to pray, sing, or speak in a strange language, believed to be divine and understood by God alone.
However, there are 2 schools of thought pertaining to the gift of tongues. Conservative Catholics consider the gift as ”Xenolalia” or when the apostles spoke in real, foreign language unknown to them, but understood by the listeners (Acts 2:1-17). Possibly, Fr. Rippergers belongs to this team.
On the other side, modern Charismatics and Pentecostals consider the gift as “Glossolalia”, referring to speaking unknown or ecstatic languages that no one can understand, except for God (1 Corinthian 14:1-15). But St. Paul warned that for the community, it is of no use if there is no one who has the Gift of Interpretation of Tongues to impart the prophetic message to people.
It appears that Xenolalia’s purpose is for evangelism, while Glossolalia is for personal prayer and for prophecy to address the community.
Deeper Waters: The Spiritual Portal
What is rarely discussed is that during glossolalia, a spiritual portal may open that allows the Holy Spirit to use the participant’s voice box to speak or pray. A portal is an invisible doorway through which spiritual realities can enter the physical realm. Humans are composed of body, soul, and spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:23), and each has boundaries that protect us from interference. These boundaries are God’s way of safeguarding our well-being.
The Nicene Creed affirms belief in “all things visible and invisible”. If the boundaries between these realms were removed, we would be overwhelmed. I suspect that some cases of schizophrenia, which are marked by hallucinations and erratic behavior, may be linked to the sudden, unregulated opening of such portals (through trauma, drugs, or occult practices, like Ouija boards).
One Charismatic gift, the Discernment of Spirits, allows a person to perceive the spiritual realm and diagnose spiritual conditions. It’s similar to clairvoyance, but guided by the Holy Spirit. Fr. Ripperger likely understands this, which may explain why he views tongues with such caution, comparing it to channeling or mediumship found in spiritualism and New Age circles.
Scientific Perspective
There is scientific research that supports the idea of altered states during glossolalia. A 2006 study by Andrew Newberg and colleagues at the University of Pennsylvania used SPECT imaging to examine brain activity during glossolalia.
They found:
• Decreased activity in the frontal lobes, which govern self-control and intentional speech.
• No activation in language centers, unlike normal speech.
• Increased activity in emotional and limbic regions, indicating a deeply felt, non-cognitive experience.
This suggests that glossolalia is not consciously generated.
A similar 2012 study by Peres et al. in Brazil used SPECT imaging on 10 mediums during trance writing. Experienced mediums showed reduced activity in the frontal and hippocampal regions while producing complex content, that suggests a dissociative state with minimal conscious control.
Both studies show trance-like states with reduced executive function, though neither proves demonic influence. However, they do suggest that a spiritual portal may be opening which raises the question, Who or what is entering?
Comparative Lens: Eastern Spirituality
The gift of tongues is not unique to Christianity. In Indian yogic traditions, particularly Kundalini yoga, similar phenomena occur during Shaktipat, that is a ritual where a guru lays hands on the aspirant to awaken the “kundalini” (sacred energy at the base of the spine). This initiation can result in:
• Spontaneous emotional outbursts
• Speaking in unknown languages or sounds
• Involuntary muscle movements
• Spiritual visions or hallucinations
• In the long term, if done right, will lead to deep spirituality and the receiving of spiritual gifts (“siddhis”).
The parallels are striking. But again, the key question is, What is the source of the power entering the portal?
(To make an informed judgment, pasted below are short video links for your comparative study:)
Comparative spirituality- Kundalini/Shaktipat practices and Baptism in the Spirit:
Charismatic spirituality:
Catholics who are singing in tongues:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLmMHdYjWGI
Tongues of Fire activated by David Diga Hernandez: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/SdAEubhJhek
Indian Shaktipat/ Kundalini awakening:
Shaktipat with Shankaracharya and Anandamayi:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3y2Js53uqs
Shaktipat Initiation by Satguru Arhant : https://www.youtube.com/shorts/DKM7f-UXcdU
“By Their Fruits You Shall Know Them” (Matthew 7:15–20)
Just because a portal opens, or because brain scans of mediums and Charismatics look similar, or that it resembles the Indian shaktipat, doesn’t mean the experience is evil.
Consider the following:
• The practice is biblical, rooted in Pentecost (Acts 2), though some Christians believe tongues ceased after the apostolic age.
• Spiritual gifts are for service, not status. Paul emphasizes the need for interpretation and community edification. These are not to be used manipulatively for deceiving people.
• Private prayer in tongues can deepen intimacy with God, but should not be used to elevate oneself spiritually (spiritual elitism).
• God’s revelation is not limited to the West. Eastern spiritual traditions may also reflect divine truths in culturally unique ways.
• The real issue is spiritual hygiene. When in a Church or a satsang, we are protected by Divine power (Matthew 18:20); but what happens when we’re alone or in some other places, but not in a community of believers?
Sanctification: The Lifelong Safeguard
From observing my mother, I noticed that once the portal is opened, it remains open. She could pray in tongues alone, during Mass, or when worship music played. This is where the risk lies.
Imagine your soul as a house. If it’s clean, fragrant, and filled with light, it may attract benevolent visitors. But if it’s dark, filthy, and neglected, it may attract malevolent ones. Like attracts like in the spiritual realm.
Sanctification, that is living according to God’s will, is the ultimate safeguard. It means avoiding sin, but also actively doing good. It means keeping our “spiritual house” clean.
Ways Portals Can Be Compromised
1. Occult practices: Ouija boards, incantations, invocation of unknown deities, unknown symbols in amulets.
2. Cursing and rage: These tear open spiritual defenses.
3. Hate, unforgiveness, and resentment are food for malevolent entities
4. Despair and isolation: These attract spiritual heaviness.
5. Immoral environments: Drugs, debauchery, and spiritual filth cling to us.
6. Unloving intimacy: Spirits can transfer through sexual acts.
7. Vulnerability: The elderly and sick need prayer and protection.
There’s a saying in the Charismatic movement:
“A backslider can become worse than his old self.”
Once Spirit-filled, if we stop praying and purifying, our open portal can be invaded, and we may become unrecognizable, even dangerous.
On Being “Slain in the Spirit”
I only respectfully disagree with Fr. Ripperger on two points:
1. Spiritual gifts can be desired. St. Paul writes: “Earnestly desire the higher gifts” (1 Corinthians 12:31) and “Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy” (1 Corinthians 14:1). Gifts are for the good of the Church, and not reserved only for clergy.
2. Being “slain in the Spirit” is real. Though not named in Scripture, it reflects the biblical concept of dunamis or God’s power. This is akin to prana (India), chi (China), ruach (Hebrew), or orenda (Native spirituality). I’ve felt this energy myself during prayer and laying on of hands- both on the receiving and giving ends. It was like a warm electric current that flows throught the whole body and terminates through the hands. Some people pass out because they maybe too sensitive to the feeling of warm energies passing through their head, which may cause dizziness.
Some short vids on the phenomenon of being “slain in the Spirit”:
Baptism of the Holy Spirit Nairobi, Kenya by Jason Reynolds: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/MgGkFArl27A
Experience the powerful Shaktipat: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/NeMxYUUQ8l8
Final Word
The gift of tongues is real, powerful, and sacred, but it is not immune to misuse or deception. It can elevate us to divine intimacy, or expose us to spiritual danger. Once the portal is open, it requires a lifetime of sanctification to keep it clean, clear, and protected.
The Holy Spirit is not a performer, She is a purifier. If we seek spiritual gifts, we must first seek holiness. Otherwise, the gift may become a curse. And when we backslide, we risk becoming worse than before, and we can bring harm not only to ourselves, but to others.
𝗣𝗿𝗮𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗯𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗼𝗿𝗱 𝗖𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁!
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References
Hernandez, D. (n.d.). Tongues of fire activated by David Diga Hernandez. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/SdAEubhJhek From the channel: https://www.youtube.com/@DavidDigaHernandez/shorts
Longworth, I. (n.d.). Catholics Singing in Tongues. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLmMHdYjWGI From the channel, Fr. Isaac Longworth, CC https://www.youtube.com/@isaaclongworthcc
Newberg, A., Wintering, N., Morgan, D., Waldman, M. (2006). The measurement of regional cerebral blood flow during glossolalia: A preliminary SPECT study. Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging
Peres, J.F.P., Moreira-Almeida, A., Caixeta, L., Leão, F., Newberg, A., & Kosslyn, S.M. (2012). Neuroimaging during trance state: A study with Brazilian mediums. PLOS ONE
Reynolds, J. (n.d.). Baptism of the Holy Spirit Nairobi, Kenya. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/MgGkFArl27A . From the channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Jasonjreynolds/shorts
Ripperger, C. (n.d.). Speaking in tongues video on Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pc0UwaF6FJQ From the Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@SwordsofSaintMichaelOrg
Sadhana Ashram. (n.d.). Shaktipat with Shankaracharya and Anandamayi. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3y2Js53uqs From the channel https://www.youtube.com/@sadhanaashram2991
Satguru Arhant. (n.d.). (Shaktipat (Initiation ) by Satguru Arhand. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/DKM7f-UXcdU From the channel: https://www.youtube.com/@satguruarhant0/shorts
Second sight Foundation. (n.d.). Experience the powerful Shakti Pat video on youtube. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/NeMxYUUQ8l8 From the channel: https://www.youtube.com/@secondsightfoundation/shorts
The Holy Bible. New International Version.