Daily scripture study

[stemelbow]

2 minutes ago, rockpond said:

Adam Miller's book "Letters to a Young Mormon" has a great chapter title "Scripture" that goes into this subject beautifully.  I highly recommend it.

I've read that book and liked it.  I'll have to go back and check out the chapter. 

[stemelbow]

3 minutes ago, JLHPROF said:

I have a slightly more expansive view of canon, so I don't think it needs to be in the 4 standard works if that's what you are asking.
But just as prayer is important daily, so is focusing on the gospel.

I think limiting ourselves to the 4 standard works is akin to wanting to only talk about Christ in our meetings.  Not a bad thing, but limiting.

I'd agree the limiting part. 

[rongo]

16 minutes ago, stemelbow said:

Thanks.  I think you're saying (correct me if I'm wrong):  You think daily scripture study does carry more purpose and meaning (thus blessings from God) to individuals who so engage moreso than studying and reading other things each day? I ask, what blessing do you have that others do not have for doing so? 

I find that there is a "drop by drop" accumulation of "oil" in our lamps, so to speak, by consistently studying the scriptures daily. Those who "experiment upon the word" and put it to the test are able to know for themselves what the difference is.

When I see you say, "I read a chapter in the Standard Works every day" It sounds like you are saying your scripture study consists of reading out of the scriptures.  Is there

study involved or just reading?

I make sure that I read the scriptures daily. I also study, but that is not my scripture reading. 

 

Do you ever study extra-scripturat material and/or aids to help supplement scripture and if so, is that ever seen as a replacement of scripture reading to you?

All the time, but it is not a replacement for reading the scriptures. It's supplemental and extra-curricular. If you saw my nightstand, there are about eight books right now. It took me ten years to work my way through the Interpreter's Bible (multi-volume scholarly work). 

I think a lot of people who want to replace reading the scriptures with something else want to read about the scriptures without reading them. I think this is low on the "good, better, best" spectrum . . .  

[rongo]

11 minutes ago, JLHPROF said:

I have a slightly more expansive view of canon, so I don't think it needs to be in the 4 standard works if that's what you are asking.
But just as prayer is important daily, so is focusing on the gospel.

I think limiting ourselves to the 4 standard works is akin to wanting to only talk about Christ in our meetings.  Not a bad thing, but limiting.

I've made my own Journal of Discourses index, but I didn't count that as scripture study . . .  

[bluebell]

I'm reading the Lectures on Faith right now but I listen to the NT every day while I get ready (we are reading the BOM as a family ever morning but only 10 verses a day).  I agree that sometimes thing pop out to me when i'm listening that I don't notice when i read.  And being able to listen to multiple chapters at a time really changes the way everything flows for me and helps bring the big picture much more alive, compared to reading one chapter a day (which is what I usually do if i'm reading).

I think changing up scripture reading habits can be really beneficial.  There is no doubt that my scripture study is too shallow sometimes.

Besides scripture reading I'm trying to work my way through the Screwtape letters (not my favorite so it's slow going), a book by Robert Millet on Prayer, and Lund's book of fiction about the life of the savior (I think the series is called Come Unto Me).  

[stemelbow]

1 hour ago, hope_for_things said:

I was taught that there is something supernatural about it, that you would literally have protection.  Think about the primary song Scripture Power. 

I don't think there is anything supernatural about a daily scripture practice anymore.  Just like exercising, a daily practice of things will help you keep ideas in your mind that could be helpful, but I don't attach a supernatural expectation to this daily practice.  My muscles are stronger if I exercise daily, but I can't turn into He-Man and call down powers of super strength.  

You've got to be kidding.  You don't call out the powers of Greyskull each day?  I thought that was a given. 

[rockpond]

8 minutes ago, bluebell said:

Besides scripture reading I'm trying to work my way through the Screwtape letters (not my favorite so it's slow going), a book by Robert Millet on Prayer, and Lund's book of fiction about the life of the savior (I think the series is called Come Unto Me).  

You seem to read like me.  I usually have 2-3 books that I am slowly working my way through.  I keep telling myself that I should focus on one book and finish it faster but I can't stop myself from starting new ones along the way.

[rongo]

10 minutes ago, bluebell said:

Besides scripture reading I'm trying to work my way through the Screwtape letters (not my favorite so it's slow going),

You should read Lewis' "The Great Divorce." Much better than "Screwtape letters.

[stemelbow]

4 minutes ago, bluebell said:

I'm reading the Lectures on Faith right now but I listen to the NT every day while I get ready (we are reading the BOM as a family ever morning but only 10 verses a day).  I agree that sometimes thing pop out to me when i'm listening that I don't notice when i read.  And being able to listen to multiple chapters at a time really changes the way everything flows for me and helps bring the big picture much more alive, compared to reading one chapter a day (which is what I usually do if i'm reading).

I think changing up scripture reading habits can be really beneficial.  There is no doubt that my scripture study is too shallow sometimes.

Besides scripture reading I'm trying to work my way through the Screwtape letters (not my favorite so it's slow going), a book by Robert Millet on Prayer, and Lund's book of fiction about the life of the savior (I think the series is called Come Unto Me).  

THanks.  This reminds me.  Some years ago, when I worked for the Church, I went on a work trip with about 10 of us.  The main boss asked me what I was reading currently, what I had brought.  I told him.  As I recall it was a philosophical work by Kierkegaard, By the Hand of MOrmon, and The Origins of Biblical Monotheism, oh and the scriptures (I remember Givens book because it was brand spanking new then and I was eager to get into it).  I got relentless hassling for that the rest of the trip.  "hah...don't you read anything interesting?" they all good-naturedly mocked. "I guess not".  I was hoping to get into any discussion about them, but no one took me up on it.  Everyone else brought harry Potter and other such stuff.  To be fair, I didn't try to get into a discussion about their readings either--sounded boring. 

 

 

[stemelbow]

4 minutes ago, rockpond said:

You seem to read like me.  I usually have 2-3 books that I am slowly working my way through.  I keep telling myself that I should focus on one book and finish it faster but I can't stop myself from starting new ones along the way.

Same.  Although every once in a while I'll focus on one. 

[bluebell]

1 minute ago, rongo said:

You should read Lewis' "The Great Divorce." Much better than "Screwtape letters.

I've read Mere Christianity and loved it, but man, reading things from the perspective of devils is hard.  You learn from seeing it from the other perspective, but there's no comfort or light in it.

What is The Great Divorce about?

[juliann]

I broke the bank and ordered this http://www.bibliotheca.co/#about

I have the reader's edition of the BOM, too. It really is a more satisfying read to have it in the original form of a document rather than the artificially chopped up and numbered stuff we are used to now.

[stemelbow]

18 minutes ago, rongo said:

I find that there is a "drop by drop" accumulation of "oil" in our lamps, so to speak, by consistently studying the scriptures daily. Those who "experiment upon the word" and put it to the test are able to know for themselves what the difference is.

Let down.  Since perspective is so biased, it's likely we can't say much more than this in describing vaunted blessings for this, I suppose. 

18 minutes ago, rongo said:

 

 

I make sure that I read the scriptures daily. I also study, but that is not my scripture reading. 

Quotas must be met!  I'm sorry.  I'm just saying that as a recall for all the comments I got like that when I criticized conference for only having one woman speaker during the 5 sessions of Conference on Conference weekend. 

18 minutes ago, rongo said:

 

 

All the time, but it is not a replacement for reading the scriptures. It's supplemental and extra-curricular. If you saw my nightstand, there are about eight books right now. It took me ten years to work my way through the Interpreter's Bible (multi-volume scholarly work). 

My wife won't let me leave my works on the nightstand.  Have to put it away or in a drawer.  Show some consideration, my man. 

18 minutes ago, rongo said:

I think a lot of people who want to replace reading the scriptures with something else want to read about the scriptures without reading them. I think this is low on the "good, better, best" spectrum . . .  

Well, we're all poor judges and that's why God cautions us against such. 

[stemelbow]

5 minutes ago, bluebell said:

I've read Mere Christianity and loved it, but man, reading things from the perspective of devils is hard.  You learn from seeing it from the other perspective, but there's no comfort or light in it.

What is The Great Divorce about?

I remember reading screwtapes 20 some odd years ago, just after my mission and as we all made a fuss about whats-his-name getting quoted by GAs so much I had to read something from him.  I like playing devils advocate so I thought I"d enjoy it.  Didn't work.  I barely remember it. 

[bluebell]

5 minutes ago, rockpond said:

You seem to read like me.  I usually have 2-3 books that I am slowly working my way through.  I keep telling myself that I should focus on one book and finish it faster but I can't stop myself from starting new ones along the way.

Yes, it's not the greatest way to do it but I can't seem to help myself.  I love to read but I tend to read based on my moods and they change every day.  

I'll probably add some silly mindless fiction into the mix before the month is out.  I just finished a weird YA trilogy from the 1980s that I had never heard of before but it sucked me right in.  "The Forbidden Game."  By L.J. Smith.   

Before that, it was Ready Player One.  Now that is an excellent book!  Spielberg is making it into a movie that's coming out next spring so I encourage everyone to read it now.  If you grew up in the 80s you will love it!

I hate when a good book ends.

[stemelbow]

6 minutes ago, juliann said:

I broke the bank and ordered this http://www.bibliotheca.co/#about

I have the reader's edition of the BOM, too. It really is a more satisfying read to have it in the original form of a document rather than the artificially chopped up and numbered stuff we are used to now.

I've heard great things.  Maybe someday I'll break the bank and do the same. 

[rongo]

2 minutes ago, bluebell said:

I've read Mere Christianity and loved it, but man, reading things from the perspective of devils is hard.  You learn from seeing it from the other perspective, but there's no comfort or light in it.

What is The Great Divorce about?

Heaven, hell, the spirit world. It is fascinating, a good read, and has a lot of LDS affinity. My wife's friend who really struggles with some things let us borrow hers, and we read it and my wife gave it to me for Christmas. 

One thing I really like is the rationalizations from many characters as to why they don't actually want to go to heaven. They think they do, but they really don't when it comes down to it. The book traces a bus boarding to its destination, and the different takes on different things holding many people bound to earth (the tellestial world) are brilliant. The central message is that when people finally, *really* determine that all they want is to accept the atonement, then they are free. There are good people in the book who just don't want to let go of some of their earthbound things. Some people insist on boarding the bus and going back.

On interesting part, that is not doctrinal (to Lewis or to us --- he makes it clear not to take the analogy too far) is that everything in heaven hurts the spirit bodies --- walking on grass, toughing water in streams, everything. Many turn back because of the pain, but the guides tell people that if they will persevere, their bodies will become accustomed to it and become stronger. 

I guess the thing I liked best was the different vignettes of people and their earth-selves and their hangups they didn't want to let go of. I was impressed at his ability to come up with such a range of "types" that hit home. 

You can read it in like maybe two hours, if that.

[stemelbow]

28 minutes ago, rongo said:

I've made my own Journal of Discourses index, but I didn't count that as scripture study . . .  

Make it digital and share, why don't ya? 

[JLHPROF]

29 minutes ago, rongo said:

I've made my own Journal of Discourses index, but I didn't count that as scripture study . . .

That would have been quite the project.

I find the Journals a better reference than a read.  Kind of hard to pick up a volume and read.
But I am as likely to be reading TPJS or Words of Joseph Smith as the scriptures.
I just finished Mackley's book on Wilford Woodruff and the Temple and am working my way through Arrington's bio of Bishop Edwin Woolley.

[bluebell]

23 minutes ago, stemelbow said:

THanks.  This reminds me.  Some years ago, when I worked for the Church, I went on a work trip with about 10 of us.  The main boss asked me what I was reading currently, what I had brought.  I told him.  As I recall it was a philosophical work by Kierkegaard, By the Hand of MOrmon, and The Origins of Biblical Monotheism, oh and the scriptures (I remember Givens book because it was brand spanking new then and I was eager to get into it).  I got relentless hassling for that the rest of the trip.  "hah...don't you read anything interesting?" they all good-naturedly mocked. "I guess not".  I was hoping to get into any discussion about them, but no one took me up on it.  Everyone else brought harry Potter and other such stuff.  To be fair, I didn't try to get into a discussion about their readings either--sounded boring. 

 

 

Haha!  Your books sound awesome.  But, I also LOVE Harry Potter!  I read it for the first time two years ago because people kept hounding me about it and I had to admit that they were right.  Those books are amazing.  But I like fiction and nonfiction equally.

[CV75]

4 hours ago, stemelbow said:

What does reading the scriptures daily give us?

Is there magic in such an action? 

Or is it possible we gain just as much if we read other things, meditate on other teachings daily? 

Maybe it's not our canonical scriptures that carry great influence but the act of reading, pondering and praying.  If so, can't we read many things and get inspiration, just as much or more so? 

I'd say yes.  what does everyone else think?

We are invited to read them, and “the man of God” reads them, because they give him a key way in which God reveals His inspiration, “and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.” (2 Timothy 3: 16-17).

Magic, no. I think the action of daily scripture reading (reading them as the Lord intended them to be read) is a good habit or discipline brought on and maintained by what can be categorized as spiritual and neurochemical processes.

If someone can gain God’s inspiration for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness and thus be encouraged to become perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works through Christ, in any other way, then in my mind that would broadly be a subset of what I consider to be scripture: “And whatsoever they shall speak when moved upon by the Holy Ghost shall be scripture, shall be the will of the Lord, shall be the mind of the Lord, shall be the word of the Lord, shall be the voice of the Lord, and the power of God unto salvation.” (D&C 68:4). I think the key is for the Holy Ghost to move you to faith in Christ and become more like Him through reading, meditating, observing and otherwise being taught, the latter entailing a degree of submission to another’s influence through whatever media.

But narrowing the focus down to the sheer printed /digitized / audibly formatted canon, I think there is no substitute for the opportunity to discover the fulness of the Gospel in the dispensation of the fulness of times than to engage in the practice of daily exposure to, assimilation of, and application of the contents.

[Garden Girl]

2 hours ago, stemelbow said:

I find the view of the Church constricting and more of a confirmation bias thing.  What I gain from reading from the canon, can be good, at times, but I find it's no more useful or good then if I read many other things, and quite often less useful in a spiritual sense. 

I've also learned, at least for me, scripture is more meaningful if I seek to learn more about the origin of the writings, or the culture from whence it came, or study the experts view of what is meant and why things are said a certain way.  In a way those supplements are just as much the word of God as scripture, ti seems to me.  And if those are, why not other writings?  

My question often boils down to, are we missing too much by shallowly reading the scriptures each day in favor of expanding our minds and understandings in other ways?  I hope not, but often it feels that way when it comes to Church.   

Good morning stemelbow... 

You act like the Church's view is that we read ONLY the scriptures every day... I follow the admonition to have daily scripture study, but in addition to other inspirational writings from poetry to history to art to any number of uplifting or educational materials.  While my scripture study fills my soul like no other writings can, I enjoy what I attempt to be a well rounded, diverse circle of study... I also follow the admonition to seek from the best books... I don't find that to be constricting at all...

from the beach on a welcome rain-free day... GG

[rongo]

35 minutes ago, stemelbow said:

Make it digital and share, why don't ya? 

They're in my own pidgin shorthand, so they would have to be cleaned up and edited (read: re-phrased) to be of any use to anyone. 

I'm a Johnny-come-lately to technology, and it was quite a discovery when I found out that Word documents are searchable. This made combing through what I call my "raw notes" sometimes quicker than using my shorthand index, because I can look for a phrase I know I used or think would be there.

A couple of my FAIR papers from years ago incorporated some of this on some narrow topics:

https://www.fairmormon.org/archive/publications/dead-men-tell-no-tales

https://www.fairmormon.org/archive/publications/well-nigh-as-dangerous

JLHPROF:

That would have been quite the project.

I find the Journals a better reference than a read.  Kind of hard to pick up a volume and read.

It took years. As I read the items, I took notes on important doctrinal, apologetic, historical, background, etc. topics. I thoroughly enjoyed it, although because I was taking notes and trying not to miss things, it was more painstaking than it would have been if I were just reading and not worrying about finding things again. People really have no idea what good things there are in there (analogies, quotes, anecdotes, humor, etc.). I've often used items in talks and people come up after wanting the citation. I often think "There is a better quote or story for that in JoD," but most people are completely unaware of them. 

[hope_for_things]

1 hour ago, stemelbow said:

You've got to be kidding.  You don't call out the powers of Greyskull each day?  I thought that was a given. 

Seriously, those powers of Greyskull were pretty awesome!!  

I seem to recall quotes from church leaders that promise supernatural protection for daily scripture study.  I think this kind of mythos is pretty common in Mormonism.  I think it goes hand in hand with other folklore around temple garments or three Nephite stories.  I was raised on Mormon folklore, all the miraculous stories that prove God is privileging the true believers of Mormonism in very tangible ways. 

[hope_for_things]

1 hour ago, stemelbow said:

THanks.  This reminds me.  Some years ago, when I worked for the Church, I went on a work trip with about 10 of us.  The main boss asked me what I was reading currently, what I had brought.  I told him.  As I recall it was a philosophical work by Kierkegaard, By the Hand of MOrmon, and The Origins of Biblical Monotheism, oh and the scriptures (I remember Givens book because it was brand spanking new then and I was eager to get into it).  I got relentless hassling for that the rest of the trip.  "hah...don't you read anything interesting?" they all good-naturedly mocked. "I guess not".  I was hoping to get into any discussion about them, but no one took me up on it.  Everyone else brought harry Potter and other such stuff.  To be fair, I didn't try to get into a discussion about their readings either--sounded boring. 

I was raised on Young Adult fiction and still enjoy it as a form of entertainment.  Whether its books, or avoiding rated R movies, I think that many church members conscientiously avoid consuming things that they find challenging to their world view.  It's honestly quite understandable, especially considering the rhetoric of avoiding evil "philosophies of men".  Its a self perpetuating mechanism that keeps your average member quite naive about many things.