VideoGameJunkie Posted February 1, 2016 Posted February 1, 2016 For the 5th Sunday of the month we had a woman speaker who goes around speaking on scripture study. Every week this month sacrament talks have been on reading scriptures. Well anyway the woman said a GA said that Satan gets us in our scripture study and wants us to read the scriptures through from start to finish in order. I found that odd since I've always read the scriptures from start to finish, but she said thats what Satan wants us to do with our scriptures and what we should be doing is looking up a topic in the topical guide and going through the scriptures until we find something that calls to our spirit. I guess I've been reading scriptures the way Satan wants this whole time. 1
Ahab Posted February 1, 2016 Posted February 1, 2016 Do it both ways and you'll make everybody happy. 4
carbon dioxide Posted February 1, 2016 Posted February 1, 2016 19 minutes ago, VideoGameJunkie said: For the 5th Sunday of the month we had a woman speaker who goes around speaking on scripture study. Every week this month sacrament talks have been on reading scriptures. Well anyway the woman said a GA said that Satan gets us in our scripture study and wants us to read the scriptures through from start to finish in order. I found that odd since I've always read the scriptures from start to finish, but she said thats what Satan wants us to do with our scriptures and what we should be doing is looking up a topic in the topical guide and going through the scriptures until we find something that calls to our spirit. I guess I've been reading scriptures the way Satan wants this whole time. If we do read our scriptures, Satan would prefer for us to get as little out of it as possible. If one is deciding that reading through the scriptures from beginning to end is real study, then perhaps Satan would prefer that over detailed study of issues.
VideoGameJunkie Posted February 1, 2016 Author Posted February 1, 2016 I've only read it beginning to end my whole life because I like things to go in as much order as possible.
Avatar4321 Posted February 1, 2016 Posted February 1, 2016 I see absolutely nothing satanic about studying the scriptures from beginning to end rather than by princples. I suspect if it was Satan's influence we wouldn't study it that way in Sunday School. (Which btw was an awesome lesson. I never realized Nephi's bow could be so instructional) 4
Popular Post sheilauk Posted February 1, 2016 Popular Post Posted February 1, 2016 Interesting, as last year, our stake president challenged us to read the book of mormon from start to finish in the year and put up monthly schedules and daily scriptures. Though readers were also asked to mark passages that testified of Christ so they could give the book to someone this year. Maybe that was enough to be topical study? I think I'll just read it the way that suits me. I think satan will be more upset that I'm reading scriptures at all rather than how we read or study them. 5
Bobbieaware Posted February 1, 2016 Posted February 1, 2016 45 minutes ago, VideoGameJunkie said: For the 5th Sunday of the month we had a woman speaker who goes around speaking on scripture study. Every week this month sacrament talks have been on reading scriptures. Well anyway the woman said a GA said that Satan gets us in our scripture study and wants us to read the scriptures through from start to finish in order. I found that odd since I've always read the scriptures from start to finish, but she said thats what Satan wants us to do with our scriptures and what we should be doing is looking up a topic in the topical guide and going through the scriptures until we find something that calls to our spirit. I guess I've been reading scriptures the way Satan wants this whole time. In consideration of the fact that President Hinkley issued challenges to the members of the Church to read the Book of Mormon from cover to cover, this sounds like one of those retellings of a story where something important gets lost in translation. I would love to hear how the guest speaker would respond after reading your interpretation of her remarks. In fact, why don't you get her email address (that shouldn't be too hard to do) and send her your opening post and ask her if you understood her correctly. If she responds to your email, post her response here on this thread. It should make for interesting reading.
JLHPROF Posted February 1, 2016 Posted February 1, 2016 Satanic? Absolutely not. The most profitable method of study? Nope. 1
VideoGameJunkie Posted February 1, 2016 Author Posted February 1, 2016 24 minutes ago, Bobbieaware said: In consideration of the fact that President Hinkley issued challenges to the members of the Church to read the Book of Mormon from cover to cover, this sounds like one of those retellings of a story where something important gets lost in translation. I would love to hear how the guest speaker would respond after reading your interpretation of her remarks. In fact, why don't you get her email address (that shouldn't be too hard to do) and send her your opening post and ask her if you understood her correctly. If she responds to your email, post her response here on this thread. It should make for interesting reading. I will do that! 1
VideoGameJunkie Posted February 1, 2016 Author Posted February 1, 2016 1 hour ago, JLHPROF said: Satanic? Absolutely not. The most profitable method of study? Nope. What is the best method of studying the scriptures? I've only done reading beginning to end. That's why I've never finished the Old Testament.
JLHPROF Posted February 1, 2016 Posted February 1, 2016 43 minutes ago, VideoGameJunkie said: What is the best method of studying the scriptures? I've only done reading beginning to end. That's why I've never finished the Old Testament. There is no best method. But I have had a lot of fun using the following. 1. Pick the topic/word you want to study. (Faith, Love, Holy Ghost, or whatever). 2. Copy down EVERY scripture that refers specifically to that subject (being sure to get enough surrounding verses to have the context) 3. I then add in any secondary prophetic sources referencing the same subject that I consider reliable - Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith for instance. 4. Put those teachings into a straight forward, coherent form (list, bullet points, etc). I then consider that I have an solid footing on any doctrine, and a much clearer view of the what the scriptures say on a subject. It has been a great tool. 1
Glenn101 Posted February 1, 2016 Posted February 1, 2016 There is nothing wrong with reading the scriptures form cover to cover. But once that has been accomplished, there are any number of ways to make scripture study more productive. One thing that I want to try is to find the chronological order of events in the Bible and read them in that order. The The books of Samuel and Kings have stories that are somewhat repeated in Chronicles. Getting those side by side to compare would probably help me out. There is probably a commentary somewhere that does this. And to dig a bit deeper into the figures of speech that were used. The same for the Book of Mormon. Getting the chronology of the different events would help my understanding maybe a bit more. The Sunday lessons only scratch the surface. We must dig for the real meat. 1
rodheadlee Posted February 1, 2016 Posted February 1, 2016 3 hours ago, VideoGameJunkie said: For the 5th Sunday of the month we had a woman speaker who goes around speaking on scripture study. Every week this month sacrament talks have been on reading scriptures. Well anyway the woman said a GA said that Satan gets us in our scripture study and wants us to read the scriptures through from start to finish in order. I found that odd since I've always read the scriptures from start to finish, but she said thats what Satan wants us to do with our scriptures and what we should be doing is looking up a topic in the topical guide and going through the scriptures until we find something that calls to our spirit. I guess I've been reading scriptures the way Satan wants this whole time. Just keep reading them the way you want, if it works for you. You can add another way if you have time for 2 study methods. My wife and I study your way for the most part unless we have a particular doctrinal question. 2
The Nehor Posted February 1, 2016 Posted February 1, 2016 4 hours ago, VideoGameJunkie said: For the 5th Sunday of the month we had a woman speaker who goes around speaking on scripture study. Every week this month sacrament talks have been on reading scriptures. Well anyway the woman said a GA said that Satan gets us in our scripture study and wants us to read the scriptures through from start to finish in order. I found that odd since I've always read the scriptures from start to finish, but she said thats what Satan wants us to do with our scriptures and what we should be doing is looking up a topic in the topical guide and going through the scriptures until we find something that calls to our spirit. I guess I've been reading scriptures the way Satan wants this whole time. Was kind of mean of Mormon to arrange the book in such a way that reading it sequentially is demonic. Either that or you misunderstood the speaker or the speaker is wrong. I do some topical study but jumping from verse to verse to draw chains can get tiresome after a while because is everything is divorced from context. I mostly read sequentially. Do we study General Conference by just grabbing a mish-mash of quotes from various talks without reading them through? 3
Guest Posted February 1, 2016 Posted February 1, 2016 address to OP; Scripture study makes us mighty. Also as the Prophet Joseph taught that, "Satan has no power over us, except that which we give him." Satan prefers that we never obey the commandments of God...he is missable and desire that we are all the same.
smac97 Posted February 1, 2016 Posted February 1, 2016 4 hours ago, VideoGameJunkie said: For the 5th Sunday of the month we had a woman speaker who goes around speaking on scripture study. Hmm. Is this person in your ward? Your stake? Her message seems quite . . . unusual. And it also seems out of the ordinary to have a speaker "who goes around speaking on scripture study." Thanks, -Smac 3
halconero Posted February 1, 2016 Posted February 1, 2016 (edited) The best way to read the scriptures is the one most applicable to you at the moment, in your situation, with the aid of the Spirit. I'll be honest, I've been reading the standard works sequentially for the past 6 months and it's been one of the best experiences I've had with the scriptures. I've also been applying the principle of "debt stacking" to the Old Testament. When I finish a part of the Standard Works I add the chapter I normally would read to the Old Testament to help me get through it quicker. For example, at first I was doing this everyday: - 1 Chapter Old Testament - 1 Chapter New Testament - 1 Chapter Book of Mormon - 1 Chapter D&C - 1 Chapter Pearl of Great Price - One article from the latest General Conference ensign Now it looks like this: - 4 Chapters Old Testament - 1 Chapter New Testament - 1 Chapter Book of Mormon Yes, it's sequential, yes it's what I need right now. It is far from Satanic, it is heavenly and sweet to my soul. Partly because I'm discovering a love for the Old Testament which I have never read in its entirety, and partly because it is redeveloping within me a love of scripture study, helping me become disciplined in it, and helping me read scripture as a medium of revelation whereas I had been getting too wrapped up in the historicity of everything (not that historicity, archeology, linguistics, etc are not important, but that those things were taking center stage from my personal connection to scripture). Learn different ways to study scripture and do what feels works best with you and God. Edited February 1, 2016 by halconero 2
Rain Posted February 1, 2016 Posted February 1, 2016 (edited) The most profitable way to read them is to read them in the way that works for you. Some will find that reading them in order helps them. Others by topic etc. Others by a mix of the two. I like a mix. Right now our family is reading new copies of the BoM and marking them when we find things referencing "blessings". If we only studied by topic found in the topical guide we would miss a huge amount of if on blessings that we are finding by reading straight through. Other times I may read by topic. Right now I am working through a booklet I am reading and looking up all the scripture references and the surrounding comtext. It doesn't matter what anyone else thinks when you discuss with the Lord how you should read them. You might be the only one reading them that way, but if it works best for you then it doesn't matter what works best for others. Edited February 1, 2016 by Rain 3
VideoGameJunkie Posted February 1, 2016 Author Posted February 1, 2016 20 minutes ago, smac97 said: Hmm. Is this person in your ward? Your stake? Her message seems quite . . . unusual. And it also seems out of the ordinary to have a speaker "who goes around speaking on scripture study." Thanks, -Smac She goes everywhere to speak. Goes to California, Utah. Her last name is Alan. Not from the ward or stake. And only and always speaks on scripture study.
VideoGameJunkie Posted February 1, 2016 Author Posted February 1, 2016 She just just reading through is about them and who you're reading about, but reading the scriptures the way she said is about you.
smac97 Posted February 1, 2016 Posted February 1, 2016 (edited) 15 minutes ago, VideoGameJunkie said: She goes everywhere to speak. Goes to California, Utah. Her last name is Alan. Not from the ward or stake. And only and always speaks on scripture study. Hmm. Well, the CHI says that bishops are supposed to approve guest speakers, and is supposed to ensure that presentations are in harmony with Church doctrine. I have never heard of "a GA" saying "that Satan gets us in our scripture study and wants us to read the scriptures through from start to finish in order," or anything even remotely like that. Which GA? When? Where? This point just seems weird. And it appears to contradict several sources from LDS.org, including Elder Packer: Quote We are counseled and urged to read the four standard works from beginning to end. You should do that—read each of the four books of scripture from beginning to end more than once. You could hardly use your time to more advantage. I'm not sure this counsel is exclusive. That we must only read the scriptures from "beginning to end." But to suggest that such a method is satanic is . . . weird. If anything, it reminds me of the warning given in Romans 10:1-3. Thanks, -Smac Edited February 1, 2016 by smac97 2
Rain Posted February 1, 2016 Posted February 1, 2016 (edited) "She just just reading through is about them and who you're reading about, but reading the scriptures the way she said is about you." She doesn't have a great imagination if she meant this. I find that if my heart is in it then no matter how I read them it works for me. Edited February 2, 2016 by Rain 1
cinepro Posted February 1, 2016 Posted February 1, 2016 I've always found that reading the scriptures from start to finish wastes too much time with context and boring parts (I only ever read the entire OT on my mission, and was bored out of my mind most the time). I much prefer the proof-texting method, where I study snippets of scripture focused on one word or topic and apply those snippets in the most LDS way possible. 1
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