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Post by monklady123 on May 12, 2017 10:43:09 GMT
We had an interesting discussion yesterday at a meeting, about reading the bible (or your faith's holy book whatever that may be). One woman was adamant that people who call themselves "faithful" must be reading/studying scripture every day. She said that without doing this one's faith is not grounded firmly. Or something. I disagreed. Heck, religion is my "business" and I don't read scripture every day. I might quote a psalm or other passage to someone in the hospital but I'm not sitting down with my bible and doing some sort of study every single day. This woman probably thinks I'm a heretic.  But, she is self-employed part time and has the luxury of hours of free time every day. I said that many people don't have that. Many people are up in the morning getting kids off to school, getting themselves off to work where they stay all day, then they come home and do dinner, laundry, kids' stuff, and fall into bed after that is all done. She said "well they could be listening to scripture or a commentary on their way to work." I said "yes, but maybe they want to listen to a murder mystery instead!" I don't think she approves of me.  Just wondered what the Pea hive thought.  eta: The discussion was about specifically reading and studying scripture, not prayer in general. |
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Post by LavenderLayoutLady on May 12, 2017 10:56:33 GMT
I'll just add my opinion: I don't think anyone should tell another person that the way they exercise their faith, and how they find connection with their god or creator, is wrong.
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Post by GamGam on May 12, 2017 11:07:38 GMT
"In my Father's house are many rooms.... ". You have chosen to live in one, and she another. I do 't think it's a right or wrong, but each of us chooses our way to relate to the Father.
However, I bristle at others who want me to go to rooms that are not comfortable for me. And it sounds like you do too.
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Post by scrapqueen01 on May 12, 2017 11:11:57 GMT
I think trying to study daily is a great goal so long as it doesn't become legalistic. I also don't think prayer has to be done with head bowed and eyes closed. I can pray just as easily doing laundry.
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J u l e e
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Post by J u l e e on May 12, 2017 11:12:26 GMT
Pea hive!!!  |
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PrettyInPeank
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Post by PrettyInPeank on May 12, 2017 11:15:39 GMT
When I think of a doctor, do they read their medical textbooks daily? If they start to commit things to memory and only revisit literature periodically are they no longer good doctors? Of course not. Because like religion, reading the same thing over and over is bot somehow superior. Someone who is a great doctor probably gets information from multiple sources and journals, shares thoughts with colleagues, and then puts it all into practice therefore getting even more knowledge from experience.
Same with being "faithful." There's supplemental literature, bouncing ideas of one another in groups, studies, church, there's prayer, and then acts of service, tithing, missions, etc. My point is, she's got one piece of the puzzle and she needs to zoom out a bit. They all form a larger picture together, and if you hyper focus on one area, you may miss others.
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Post by monklady123 on May 12, 2017 11:23:46 GMT
I think trying to study daily is a great goal so long as it doesn't become legalistic. I also don't think prayer has to be done with head bowed and eyes closed. I can pray just as easily doing laundry. Yes, definitely. I think I'll go edit my original post to say that I wasn't referring to prayer, but to reading and studying scripture. Prayer is something many of us do every day because, as you said, you can do it anywhere. When I get a call to rush to the ER I pray on the way. And when I'm subbing I say a prayer for my class during the morning "moment of silence". Doesn't have to be in church or synagogue or mosque. |
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Post by Layce on May 12, 2017 11:25:59 GMT
I agree! Christianity is not a set of rules to follow. It is a relationship with Jesus Christ! So, want to be faithful? Have a little talk with Jesus Layce |
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Post by pondrunner on May 12, 2017 11:33:06 GMT
We are all doing this thing the best we can. When God is in your heart, that is your perfection, quiet times and studying and all the rest are expressions of it but none is a more perfect believer than another because the perfection is from God not from what we do.
"You do you" would apply here. I do my religious work, you do your work, other people do theirs. God is big, we are not, this is fine.
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Post by melanell on May 12, 2017 11:39:14 GMT
One woman was adamant that people who call themselves "faithful" must be reading/studying scripture every day. I think that whatever people choose to call themselves is really none of my business nor are the parameters they have in their mind that lead themselves to categorize themselves in such a manner. If you call yourself "religious", then fine, you're religious. I'm certainly not going to quiz you on you knowledge, beliefs, or behaviors to see if you meet my definition of "religious". As long as you're not falsely labeling yourself as someone/something in order to bring to harm to someone else, you can call yourself whatever you wish. |
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Post by worrywart on May 12, 2017 11:47:09 GMT
I think that people's faith and beliefs are private and personal. Plus, I am not really into being judged by other imperfect people!
And no, I do not think that 'reads the bible daily' is a criterion to be faithful.
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Post by mikklynn on May 12, 2017 12:02:05 GMT
I'll just add my opinion: I don't think anyone should tell another person that the way they exercise their faith, and how they find connection with their god or creator, is wrong. I agree with you 100%. I feel my actions account for a lot more than reading the bible daily. |
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scrappinmama
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Post by scrappinmama on May 12, 2017 12:08:21 GMT
It's really not up to her to judge who is religious or not. We are all free to practice our faith or to have no faith at all. I know people who have a strong faith in God and consider themselves religious, but never go to church. I have no problem with that.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 12, 2017 12:08:56 GMT
I remember there was a long conversation about this topic many years ago on the old board.
Someone made the point about people who can't read - are they any less Christian because of that? I'm sure the pea gave the example of black slaves who were not given the opportunity to learn to read but had great faith in God which helped them cope with their terrible situation.
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Post by disneypal on May 12, 2017 12:15:07 GMT
I don't think you HAVE to read scripture daily to be "religious"
However, I do think it good for you, spiritually, to read the Word daily. I don't think it is a matter of not having time, you make time for what is important to you....get up 20 minutes earlier, or read just before bedtime when everyone else has settled down and gone to bed, etc. I feel if you want to read the Bible daily, you will find a way to make the time.
That being said, I don't think someone who reads daily is more religious than someone who doesn't. My grandpa couldn't even read, yet he was very religious!
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Post by myboysnme on May 12, 2017 12:23:23 GMT
I am not religious but I just had to say I love the term Pea Hive.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 12, 2017 12:25:22 GMT
I don't read any religion's "holy" book every day, so she probably wouldn't call me "religious" yet I consider myself faithful. I refuse to cede the word "faithful" to the "religious".
I'm faithful to my family and my friends. And to a lesser degree, though I try to work on that, to my community and to the broader community. I'm faithful to the notion that there is injustice on earth and that my job is to increase justice and decrease injustice as much as I possibly can, and, I hope, more and more every day. I'm faithful to a lot of things. Reading a "holy" book every day is not one of them.
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mallie
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Post by mallie on May 12, 2017 12:45:37 GMT
There were two women in store on Tuesday who were loudly proclaiming their "Christian" faith beliefs and favorite biblical passages while they debated about which of severAl biblical scripture plaques to buy. Then they got to the cashier line and made that poor woman's life hell because the POS was being wonky. Cashier was doing her best, manager came over very fast (less than two minutes total from moment they got to the cashier) and had to reboot the POS and took them to another register and immediately checked them out herself. Not good enough, they had to bitch at her too. I bet those women call themselves and their lives faithful. But their actions tell us otherwise.
I am no fan of Paul, but I do agree that you can loudly proclaim your Christian faith and study the scriptures, but if you do not ACT in love, your faith means nothing. Your braying is sound and fury, signifying nothing, just like those two women in the store. Plus the PHarisees studied the scriptures all the time and Jesus was no fan of theirs.
So long story short, daily reading is not necessary to being faithful.
Then again, I am an atheist!
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Country Ham
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Post by Country Ham on May 12, 2017 12:54:59 GMT
I have to admit this is something I have been really struggling with lately. I really believe we should be in His word daily. In what form I struggle with. You don't need to be able to read to be in His word. Many many folks who can't read seem to know more scripture then those of us that do. But scripture commends the Bereans who searched the scriptures daily to ensure they were in the truth. We are told by scripture to "study to show thyself approved". God's Word is a lamp unto our feet. How do we keep that lamp lit without being in His word? The Word is a sword. How can we effectively use the sword without knowing the Word? I am not in his word daily and I am struggling with that. I can't see it doing anything but being a benefit.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 12, 2017 13:09:07 GMT
This is the 11th Article of Faith of my religion. Something I try to live by.
I try to read/study scripture on a daily basis. I'm not always as successful as I would like to be. I find that I am more centered, at peace, and receive blessings when I keep to a daily schedule. I also like to set aside the same time every day.
However, I don't believe it makes me any more religious than the next person. To each his own.
There is another saying that I try to live my life by.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 12, 2017 13:15:48 GMT
This is the 11th Article of Faith of my religion. Something I try to live by. I try to read/study scripture on a daily basis. I'm not always as successful as I would like to be. I find that I am more centered, at peace, and receive blessings when I keep to a daily schedule. I also like to set aside the same time every day. However, I don't believe it makes me any more religious than the next person. To each his own. There is another saying that I try to live my life by. By that reckoning, the Pea boards would seem pretty important to me. And, in fact, they are. |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 12, 2017 13:31:24 GMT
Don't be concerned about her approving of you. You only need to be concerned about what our creator thinks of you and He loves you more than you can comprehend.
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Post by crazy4scraps on May 12, 2017 14:51:39 GMT
I don't read any religion's "holy" book every day, so she probably wouldn't call me "religious" yet I consider myself faithful. I refuse to cede the word "faithful" to the "religious". I'm faithful to my family and my friends. And to a lesser degree, though I try to work on that, to my community and to the broader community. I'm faithful to the notion that there is injustice on earth and that my job is to increase justice and decrease injustice as much as I possibly can, and, I hope, more and more every day. I'm faithful to a lot of things. Reading a "holy" book every day is not one of them. This is me, too. I don't call myself religious but I do consider myself to be a spiritual person. I am definitely faithful in a good number of ways. Whether you want to call one of those ways faith in a higher power, God, Jesus, karma or whatever. I pray, more these days than probably ever before in my life. I have read the entire Bible all the way through, twice. I spent 18 years listening to it in church every week. I get the gist and don't really feel the need to read it or study it any further than that but if other people do, that's great. Whatever floats their boat. |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 12, 2017 15:02:35 GMT
I generally find that people who are 'adamant' about faith when it relates to other people are insecure in their own faith.
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Kerri W
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Post by Kerri W on May 12, 2017 15:07:30 GMT
I generally find that people who are 'adamant' about faith when it relates to other people are insecure in their own faith.  It comes across to me that she's trying to one-up everybody else. She's more faithful, thus more religious and a better Christian, than anybody not doing exactly as she is. Sadly those attitudes make some aspects of Christianity more challenging for the rest of us. |
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Post by anonrefugee on May 12, 2017 15:16:46 GMT
I am doomed if I'm supposed to study each day. No matter how much free time I have it doesn't happen. I'm not much a daily routine person, sometime i study because I need it, sometimes to give thanks. I work on or complete one and roll to the other.
It's good to have goals, including studying each day. Some people need or want rules, that's good for them, but do not enforce them on others. I appreciate the use of legalistic above, I'm dealing with someone in another capacity who would develop a rule for all scenarios, real and imagined. It's making me crazy...
I do pray multiple times per day, mostly small quiet things.
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scrapngranny
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Post by scrapngranny on May 12, 2017 15:17:53 GMT
My faith and how I practice it between me and God. She must have missed all the passages that talk about judging others.
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Post by jenjie on May 12, 2017 15:36:17 GMT
I have to admit this is something I have been really struggling with lately. I really believe we should be in His word daily. In what form I struggle with. You don't need to be able to read to be in His word. Many many folks who can't read seem to know more scripture then those of us that do. But scripture commends the Bereans who searched the scriptures daily to ensure they were in the truth. We are told by scripture to "study to show thyself approved". God's Word is a lamp unto our feet. How do we keep that lamp lit without being in His word? The Word is a sword. How can we effectively use the sword without knowing the Word? I am not in his word daily and I am struggling with that. I can't see it doing anything but being a benefit. I agree. I don't read my Bible every single day. I do it as often as I'm able. But for a long while after Dh died, I didn't. Not because I didn't want to. But I wasn't able to. I couldn't focus on the words in front of me. I couldn't focus on anything important. I wanted more but short and fluffy was all my brain could handle. It was very frustrating. I spent a lot of time at the pea hive (love it) and Facebook. However, I wasn't without scripture. The Bible speaks of hiding God's Word in your heart. Because of the years I had been in the Word regularly before this happened, those verses that were hidden in my heart sustained me. I meditated on the Word of God throughout the day. Every day. But that was because it had already been deposited. When darkness fell I was able to fall back on what I knew to be true from the scriptures. I believed that God's mercies are new every morning. That He is the God of hope. That He works even this together for good, using it to conform me to the image of His son. I depended on the truth of how he sees me. Those truths and more held me up during a very dark time. But if I had not invested time to read and learn beforehand, they would not have been in my arsenal. Btw I don't consider myself religious. But I'm a Christ follower. |
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Post by ntsf on May 12, 2017 16:59:06 GMT
and there is a big difference between pulling out some book and reading something random and a focused study of one part or another.. no one should judge someone else's religious faith and how they practice.. we all have our own ways... and it's ok with my God at least.
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Mystie
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Post by Mystie on May 12, 2017 17:17:33 GMT
"In my Father's house are many rooms.... ". You have chosen to live in one, and she another. I do 't think it's a right or wrong, but each of us chooses our way to relate to the Father. However, I bristle at others who want me to go to rooms that are not comfortable for me. And it sounds like you do too. I've been "Amen"-ing through this whole thread! And I wish I could "like" this more than once! What a fantastic interpretation; t will stick with me, I know. |
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But, she is self-employed part time and has the luxury of hours of free time every day. I said that many people don't have that. Many people are up in the morning getting kids off to school, getting themselves off to work where they stay all day, then they come home and do dinner, laundry, kids' stuff, and fall into bed after that is all done. She said "well they could be listening to scripture or a commentary on their way to work." I said "yes, but maybe they want to listen to a murder mystery instead!" I don't think she approves of me. 
It comes across to me that she's trying to one-up everybody else. She's more faithful, thus more religious and a better Christian, than anybody not doing exactly as she is. Sadly those attitudes make some aspects of Christianity more challenging for the rest of us. 
