Scripture difficulties

[Anonymous]

Does anybody here have difficulties reading the scriptures? I have barely touched the scriptures for the last two years because it came to a point where all I could hear was this perfectionist voice in my head that tore me down; every verse was evidence that I was a terrible person. I would like to get to a point where I can read the scriptures comfortably because I think inspirational things can be found in them, but I can’t seem to get around some of my feelings and thoughts. How do you all deal with having this really changed view and be able to read scriptures?

[Anonymous]

I think you have to start looking at them as any other book. If you got a book at Barnes and Noble about how to be a better person, and one of the chapters didn’t sit well with you, you’d probably ignore that chapter. Now I know we are supposed to think of the scriptures as perfect, but they are not. They are journals of the spiritual experiences of men that lived a long time ago. Their words may or may not apply to you, and they may or may not apply right now. Don’t be afraid to disagree with some verses and chapters and move on to stuff that makes you feel good.

[Anonymous]

If reading the scriptures is tearing you down, then don’t read them. Or don’t feel like you have to read them while that is your reaction. This is what is so great about a community like ours. You can ask this kind of question, or make that observation, and nobody is going to freak out.

I agree with Brown though. If you can find a different way of looking at scripture, you might be able to mine spiritually valuable ideas from them again. I also made the shift towards looking at them more as inspired/inspiring literature. They are the letters and journals of people who were just trying to figure it all out like me. They can be wrong. They can also be very inspiring and insightful. I learn a lot about my thoughts, especially when I disagree with something I read. It’s win-win.

Also, once I let go of the feeling that I had to harmonize everything in the scriptures as if it were a coherent and well-thought out theology written by God, I really enjoy seeing the contradiction and interplay of ideas. Peter and James didn’t get along or agree with Paul. It seems likely some people went in after the fact and embellished the Gospels and the Epistles in the New Testament. What was their drive? What is the interplay of ideas that upset them enough to want to “fix” the texts? I love that stuff. Also, I find Mormon-specific scripture interesting in similar ways. What fingerprints does Joseph Smith leave in our LDS scriptures? What questions drove Joseph to seek revelation and word things the way he did. It changed over time. What was going on in his heart and soul to inspire this? Where do these ideas and changes match my own personal spiritual development? I love those kinds of questions now.

If you want a primer on the New Testament, I did an interview with Jared Anderson on Mormon Stories. It’s almost 7 hours long, and manages to touch on the highlights of some fascinating issues: http://mormonstories.org/?p=1476

There’s also two excellent FREE online lectures on the Bible as literature:

Yale University, New Testament course: http://oyc.yale.edu/religious-studies/introduction-to-new-testament/content/downloads

Yale University, Old Testament course: http://oyc.yale.edu/religious-studies/introduction-to-the-old-testament-hebrew-bible/

[Anonymous]

Brian Johnston wrote:

…[The scriptures] are the letters and journals of people who were just trying to figure it all out like me. They can be wrong. They can also be very inspiring and insightful. I learn a lot about my thoughts, especially when I disagree with something I read. It’s win-win.

Also, once I let go of the feeling that I had to harmonize everything in the scriptures as if it were a coherent and well-thought out theology written by God, I really enjoy seeing the contradiction and interplay of ideas.

Brian, this is a very inspired and enlightened view of scripture.

In my impression, the basic problem with religion is the mental schema (“tree of knowledge of good and evil“) we build up as a result of being taught the dogma that scripture is the literal word of god, and our leaders are always right. Because of our emotional attachment to the dogma, it is hard to have a genuine relationship with either the church or scripture.

The key is what you said: to “let go” of that schema — stop partaking of the fruit of dogma, and to be free to see the inspiration that well-meaning individuals (well, mostly) wrote as they grappled with the problems of life.

[Anonymous]

I suggest looking at them as a trigger for personal inspiration. You will get ideas as you read them. Just as you get ideas from reading a book on positive thinking or some other self-help topic (kind of like what others have said). You get ideas about how to improve your life when you read those books too, so in that sense, the BoM isn’t a lot different.

Also, one Church historian concluded that the Book of Mormon is not a factual history, it’s “19th century revelation”. So, as I read about the things that people say are not factual or historically defensible in the BoM, or that make the BoM seem like it was fabricated by JS, I think of it as the inspired writings of someone that will help you be good. The actual historicity of it doesn’t matter — it’s the concepts and goodness in it that matters the most, as well as the ideas reading such a book triggers in my mind.

Also, try focusing on those passages which bring you peace — targeted, surgical reading. Some of them still do that for me. Avoid the parts that make you feel like a heel.

Also, read it with the attitude that you love and forgive yourself. That you have eternity to progress, and that sometimes, the statements of prophets, current GA’s and everyone are made extreme to simply move people in a certain direction. It’s not uncommon for people to stateFor example, one passage says “that a people once enlightened become more hardened and wicked than people who were never enlightened at all”….When I read that a while ago, I thought I was a lost cause. I have been enlightened, have a testimony of sorts, and haven’t the same kind of commitment I once had. Does that mean that I’m going to fall harder and further if I don’t go imediately back to a literalist TBM mindset? The answer is “no”. I think that was an extreme generality, and potentially made to move people or prevent them from backsliding. I leave myself open to the fact that it’s not a universal truth applicable everywhere.

[Anonymous]

red1988 wrote:

Does anybody here have difficulties reading the scriptures? I have barely touched the scriptures for the last two years because it came to a point where all I could hear was this perfectionist voice in my head that tore me down; every verse was evidence that I was a terrible person.

I used to feel that when a talk or scripture made me feel bad about myself, that was the spirit telling me I needed to change. While I still believe that wanting to change myself is a step up from trying to change other people, I now see that being too hard on myself can be destructive as well.

I know that God doesn’t see you as a terrible person or as a disappointment. You are of infinite worth – not your potential, but you – right now.

I’ve been reading the epistles of Paul with some background info from “Paul’s Life and Letters.” I find a lot in there that gets glossed over at church. Paul was an interesting guy. At one moment he seems to be saying that we are saved through faith lest any man should boast but at other times he tells the congregation to expel certain sinners. At some times he champions the gentile converts against calls for their circumcision and at other times he requires his companions to be circumcised. He writes inspiring passages on love being greater than all, but at other times he nurses grudges for his fellow servants’ offenses. He seems to have been significantly autonomous from the church HQ, receiving his call, ordination, authority, and direction strait from God. He seems to have been an intensely complex and passionate man.

Anyway, I find some parts that really gel with me and those gems become personal beacons. In other parts I think, “hmm, how interesting.” In still others I affectionately say to Paul, “You so crazy!” 🙄

[Anonymous]

I have stopped reading the BoM for now. I plan on letting it sit for a while until I can approach it without any hostility. I think part of my attitude there stems from having it shoved down my throat for the past 30 years. As part of my faith deconstruction, I have read a bit about the Bible, and the NT specifically. I am by no means an expert, but having gained some insight, I can now approach those volumes consciously and appreciate them for what they are. If parts don’t make sense to me, I don’t have to be upset. I can reject other parts outright. But I can also see and appreciate how the authors may have been attempting to put into words the same ineffable concepts that we still struggle with communicating, and there is beauty in that.

[Anonymous]

I’ve been reading “Jesus the Christ” again. I like the way Talmage writes & lays events in chronological order.

He compares different records to the same event, etc. He has alot of notes & footnotes for additional information.

I wanted to start with the life of Christ before rereading the BOM or the other scriptures.

Sometimes, I think we focus too much on JS & his writing. In the process we can lose focus of who we worship.

That frustrates me more then anything else at church.

Does anyone have problems with “Jesus the Christ” or James Talmage?

Mike from Milton.

[Anonymous]

Try reading other scholarly books about scriptural topics – or about Jesus, himself.

I loved reading “Jesus before Christianity” by Albert Nolan. I like reading CS Lewis. I like reading some of the younger, less traditional LDS scholars. I’m looking forward to reading the newly published Joseph Smith Papers project – which is much more of a simple compilation of all his writings and not so much commentary about them. I still like to read the scriptures, but that’s mostly because I learned at a very, very young age to accept whatever I got from them and chalk up the rest to the opinions and views of the authors – even if I accepted them as “prophets” of their peoples and in their times.

I’ve never believed they were / are infallible, so I’ve never seen scriptures as the literal, inerrant word of God.

[Anonymous]

I agree that it helps to consider scripture in context… both what canon has been through… & “likening it” to ourselves.

Since realizing religion to be different than I thought, I’m more selective on what I internalize from scriptures.

Some scriptures were written specifically for the intention to keep people submissive to political powers (ie Constatine) through fear & shame.

I’m still learning & I do believe the scriptures have many truths – but it’s a treasure hunt through a lot of non-treasure.

Although I don’t believe everything I read, 2 books especially helped me put the scriptures in perspective:

Putting on the Mind of Christ & The Power of Now.

One scripture that changed the most for me is this one:

“And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them & said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.” -Luke 17:20-21

How else can you experience God/Spirituality – except within?

So many of us are “lookin’ for love (God) in all the wrong places.”

[Anonymous]

I have read Lord of the Rings twice in my life. I find that very sufficient and am positive I will never read the trilogy again. I am not sure why we insist on reading scriptures multiple times to the point of tedium. I suggest everyone read them as many times as you find value and then move on. Besides it is not like the scriptures make sense all the time. It takes a fair amount of flexible thinking to get them to mean what you are actually told they mean.

[Anonymous]

Cadence wrote:

I have read Lord of the Rings twice in my life. I find that very sufficient and am positive I will never read the trilogy again. I am not sure why we insist on reading scriptures multiple times to the point of tedium. I suggest everyone read them as many times as you find value and then move on. Besides it is not like the scriptures make sense all the time. It takes a fair amount of flexible thinking to get them to mean what you are actually told they mean.

This is so logical & based on common sense, I wonder why it strikes me as odd to… move on from the script. 😯 Then, what? :crazy: 😆

Ironically, there are multiple scriptures explaining to not have other gods (including prophets, scriptures) before God.

There are some good bits of wisdom, especially in Proverbs.

Yet, there are also some really mentally twisted, psychologically insane teachings in the scriptures.

I’d say the most important thing to get out of the scriptures are:

1. That the only way you experience God is within you (not through a church, etc.) Luke 17:22

2. God is love… Pure Love never fails because it’s based on serenity to accept what we can’t change, courage to change what we can & wisdom to know/figure out the difference.

So if we love ourselves & others as well as we can, we’re probably on the right track – or at least headed in a GOoD direction.

[Author]

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