Is this a bad thing? (if you aren't that good at remembering...)

[rocklobster]

Before I decided to be a more serious Christian, I had a period of my life where I was “going through the motions”. During this time, I tried to be a good Christian, but I wasn’t very vocal about my faith. This was up until I was in college. Anyway, during that time, I never made a conscious effort to memorize Bible passages. It’s not that I didn’t like reading the Bible, it’s just that I’d seen people who memorized Bible passages and didn’t act very Christian. I didn’t want to be associated with those shallow people. I wanted people to see my Christianity in my actions, not my words.
Now that I am a more serious Christian, I often wonder if my former idea was a right one. I’ve tried to memorize Bible passages, but I’m not really that good. The only passages I can quote verbatim are John 3:16, Jeremiah 1:4-5, parts of Psalm 23, and Psalm 131:2.
So, what I’m asking is this: Is it ok if you aren’t that good at remembering where in the Bible certain things are said, but you still know that they are said there?

 

[Trishie]

I keep my bible by me, I know what’s there and I go look for it. I just don’t have a photographic memory, I have to look again and again, so I get to read a fair amount of scripture when I’m looking for particular texts. I do use little tags in my bible to mark pages that mean a lot to me or that I think are helpful for others.

I do have appropriate texts at the beginning of each chapter of my journal, so I sometimes go to my journal when I want to reply to someone…but sometimes I take the time to go looking. You could maybe have a document in your computer for adding texts. I’ve been meaning to do so, as when posting it’s sometimes improtant to back up with the appropriate texts from Scripture.

There’s a lot of enlightening stuff in there, and in places one mightn’t normally look! They give guidance you mightn’t expect to find regarding daily life and decisions and attitudes.

I have some favourite texts I remember also, eg from Isaiah.

God bless, Trishie

 

[juliasmith]

I think that to base your opinion of ‘memorizing bible passages’ on what other people are doing was a little off. If you are worried about not appearing shallow or un-christian, I would not think memorizing bible passages would make one appear christian or un-christian.

You should properly be worried about your own behavior. But know this, you might appear un-christain to others at some point.

You see, the point of the church is to help an imperfect people grow to perfection, to be like Christ. We are not made perfect the instant we decide to darken the church doors. You weren’t made perfect and neither was anyone else.

What I am trying to say, sweetie, is this…don’t judge others and their behavior. Their behavior should have nothing to do with your behavior or relationship with God. Memorize those scriptures if you wish. I think it is a wonderful pursuit.

 

[Christy_Beth]

I pretty much grew up Baptist, and they are definately big on memorizing the bible. But they had no rhyme nor reason on what verses to memorize. It was up to the individual to pick and choose each one.

While there is nothing wrong with memorizing verses, don’t get so caught up in that that everything else gets pushed aside. If you do try to memorize, take the verses that support the Catholic church. That will be a benefit for the times when you are asked about your faith and/or are challenged about it.

 

[NotWorthy]

Focusing on verses can cause one to lose the forest for the trees. I think a similar phenomena comes when one thinks they are reading the bible simply by attending Mass.

In each case, you often don’t get the message of the particular book. Instead one should spend time reading and studying all of the Bible.

For example, I was just listening to a Bible Study on my MP3 player that has got to the part about Revelation. The speaker said that there are 518 Old Testament references in Revelation. One cannot fully comprehend Revelation if one isn’t familiar with the Old Testament.

By memorizing verses or simply listening to readings in Mass, you’ll never get the entire Message.

 

[grandfather]

So, what I’m asking is this: Is it ok if you aren’t that good at remembering where in the Bible certain things are said, but you still know that they are said there?

The Bible says of itself that it is good for instruction. Nowhere in it does it say or instruct people to memorize its parts.

 

[danonwaveland]

I think I heard Scott Hahn once say that Catholics know the Scriptures like men know driving directions: they couldn’t tell you the names of each of the streets, but they know how to get to the destination (e.g., go down to the McDonald’s and hang a left, head to the next light and turn right. . . ). In other words, you don’t need to cite the chapter and verse of the Parable of the Prodigal Son to undersand or explain it properly.

Not to say that memorization is a bad idea, because it’s a great idea. But I wouldn’t worry about it – the more you read Scripture, the more you’ll remember things without realizing it.

God bless,
Dan