Below is a very interesting news clip from the Online Edition of ABC's Nightline program dealing with the issue of "tongues." There are few subject matters that serve to polarize the Body of Christ to the degree that this one does. I think you will find this news article (from a completely secular perspective) very enlightening on this subject.

One of the things that I found of particual interest is the fact that this scientific research proved exactly what the scripture says in regards to this spiritual gift:

1 Cor 14:2, 14 "For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God. Indeed, no one understands him; he utters mysteries with his spirit...For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful."

People who practice of "speaking in tongues" or using a "prayer language" will often say--it is not me praying or think up these words, or utterances--it is the Spirit of God praying through me as I submit my will (and tongue) to Him.

The study revealed something that should be eye-opening to even the staunchest of sceptic. When connected to a brian scan and asked to pray in English--the scan showed increased activity in the frontal lobe whicj is connected to language. When the subject was then asked to "pray in tongues" the activity almost entirely ceased! It was though they weren't speaking at all!

THAT is exactly what those who pray in tongues say---it is the Holy Spirit praying through them---thus they need not rely on "their own understanding" or frontal lobe! It is not from the "head" it is from the heart of a man.

Something else that is very interesting is that the same test was done on Buddhist during times of intense meditation and Franciscan Monks during times of deep intercession and neither group produced the results that were consistent with all those subjects which spoke in "tongues."

You can click on this link to wathch the video yourself:

http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=2975128