Scribbles in the Bible -- Disrespectful?

[z_0101]

Good Lord. You have vastly overcomplicated this.

Not overly complicated… just very through. It is important to understand the Church’s teachings within the proper context.

Blessed things are blessed before being put to a holy purpose, (…) treated with reverence.

Is not the study of scripture not a holy purpose? I highlighted the following to illustrate that a blessed object, used for the intent of the material and the blessing, might well include making notes in a “study bible.”
CCC1670 **<…>**There is scarcely any proper use of material things which cannot be thus directed toward the sanctification of men and the praise of God."176

However, you don’t seem to read the CCC the same way I have ( hey, we’re different people ) so maybe we should look at Canon Law:

Vatican: Engl: Code of Canon Law: SACRAMENTALS (Cann. 1166 - 1172)
Can. 1171 Sacred objects, which are designated for divine worship by dedication or blessing, are to be treated reverently and are not to be employed for profane or inappropriate use even if they are owned by private persons.
inappropriate use: So a study bible, blessed such the blessing is to include the intent of using the book for this purpose, might will allow for the notations and highlighting in that it is an appropriate use of the material.

<…>

I have no idea why you have gotten your back up about this.

I certainly haven’t been offended in anyway by your comments. What I am trying to **discuss **(and this is a discussion as far as I am concerned) is the flat statement that one should not be using a blessed study bible for studying by way of highlighting and notations. From what I understand, this does not hold with the teachings of the Church. This is why I went to the CCC and Can. in order to establish the proper foundations.

If you have a blessed bible with scribbles all over it and you are only now aware that it ought to be treated with greater reverence

This is the point… we’re not talking about drawing, doodles, and scribbles. What we are talking about are notations that help the student to better understand the word. As we are all aware, words and phrases change meanings over time and to have the correct meaning notated next to phrase or the Greek/Hebrew word(s) ( such as when Christ asked Peter three times, do you love me? Each word for “Love” in the Greek means a different type of “Love.” In the KJV-Concordance that I have there is only a passing mention that the Greek words have different meanings.) helps the student, all the better!

Anyway… making that notation in a blessed bible, blessed with the intent that the bible be used for the deepening of the understanding of the word, and the bible made for the purpose of such an act, IMHO: certainly falls within both CCC1670 and Can.1171

then simply use a non-blessed bible in future, or use sticky notes if you have to.

Hey, I use sticky notes too
I find though that one does have to be careful when peeling them off the page as some of the paper used is thin; however, in the “study bibles” I’ve noticed that the paper is much heavier… of course, the intent behind that I suspect is to allow one to take notes without bleed-thru to the other side and to handle the greater use of the text.

It isn’t exactly charitable to go off on me, assume that I know nothing and that I must be taught to suck eggs.

1. I have not called you any names. IN fact I have tried very hard to keep the text to second and third person in reference because I am not attacking you, I am questioning your position. I certainly mean no disparagement of yourself in any way what so ever - and apologize if you have taken offense ( :imsorry: ). I must however, ask you to please keep in mind that this should be taken as an academic discussion in the future.
2. I did not assume one way or the other as to your knowledge. It is a proper course of action to refer to supporting evidence in any debate or reasonable discussion.
   (( as an aside, I am often bewildred that many people do not have a CCC in their homes nor have read thru it… of course, it reads like stereo instructions in parts; however, I found the same to be true with Leviticus. ))
3. Eggs are generally good for people. High in protein and other nutrition and low in the bad stuff. Recent studies have even shown that the cholesterol in eggs isn’t as much of an issue as once thought so long (as with most things) the consumption is balanced.
   (( Personally, I wouldn’t suck an egg… commercial raw eggs have too high a chance of having salmonella on the shell, I’ve have a few run-ins with that, don’t want to do that again ))

** - hey, relax here.** No-one is stomping on your grapes. You don’t want to write in a blessed bible, then by all means do not do so… any more than I would wear a blessed Rosary around my neck whereas some will do so… From CCC/Can, IMHO, it’s the intent of the usage of the blessed item that we should be using as the determining factor as to if such a usage is permissible baring anything specific in the CCC, Can. or other parts of the magisterium. To tell someone that they can or cannot do something with a blessed object should be discussed, the reasoning explained, and supported by the magisterium.

Once again, please accept my apologies if I have offended you in anyway… such was not my intent. What I had hoped for was a real reasoned discussion.

 

[POJIUJH]

Not overly complicated… just very through. It is important to understand the Church’s teachings within the proper context.

We were talking about writing on paper that has been blessed.

Is not the study of scripture not a holy purpose? I highlighted the following to illustrate that a blessed object, used for the intent of the material and the blessing, might well include making notes in a “study bible.”
CCC1670 **<…>**There is scarcely any proper use of material things which cannot be thus directed toward the sanctification of men and the praise of God."176

The words being “proper use”.

However, you don’t seem to read the CCC the same way I have ( hey, we’re different people ) so maybe we should look at Canon Law:

Vatican: Engl: Code of Canon Law: SACRAMENTALS (Cann. 1166 - 1172)
Can. 1171 Sacred objects, which are designated for divine worship by dedication or blessing, are to be treated reverently and are not to be employed for profane or inappropriate use even if they are owned by private persons.
inappropriate use: So a study bible, blessed such the blessing is to include the intent of using the book for this purpose, might will allow for the notations and highlighting in that it is an appropriate use of the material.

This isn’t what blessings do. They don’t give you the justification to do something with something. When anything is blessed, the object is blessed the same regardless of the priests own prayer intention. Two rosaries by two different priests using slightly different prayers are both blessed to the same degree. Any priest will want you to study the Scriptures. Study doesn’t equate to always writing notes and highlighting.

I certainly haven’t been offended in anyway by your comments. What I am trying to **discuss **(and this is a discussion as far as I am concerned) is the flat statement that one should not be using a blessed study bible for studying by way of highlighting and notations. From what I understand, this does not hold with the teachings of the Church. This is why I went to the CCC and Can. in order to establish the proper foundations.

And it’s good to make reference to Canon Law. But in order to say that something “doesn’t hold with the teachings of the Church” you need to quote a direct and specific teaching that condemns or contradicts it. The Church doesn’t need to infallibly define or make guidance on such basic and pernickity things.

The fact that the Church teaches that blessed objects are to be treated reverently is enough. Blessed things need to be “set apart”. This is part of treating them reverently, by treating them differently. What other way exactly would you treat a blessed Bible differently than an unblessed one? A rule of thumb should at least be that you ought to look after it as though it now belongs to someone else.

This is the point… we’re not talking about drawing, doodles, and scribbles. What we are talking about are notations that help the student to better understand the word. As we are all aware, words and phrases change meanings over time and to have the correct meaning notated next to phrase or the Greek/Hebrew word(s) ( such as when Christ asked Peter three times, do you love me? Each word for “Love” in the Greek means a different type of “Love.” In the KJV-Concordance that I have there is only a passing mention that the Greek words have different meanings.) helps the student, all the better!

Yes. But such notations are better suited to sticky notes, sheets or perhaps unblessed bibles.

Anyway… making that notation in a blessed bible, blessed with the intent that the bible be used for the deepening of the understanding of the word, and the bible made for the purpose of such an act, IMHO: certainly falls within both CCC1670 and Can.1171

Right, but you realise that depending on the most vague and universal statements to answer the most precise thing isn’t exactly good practise. We can do anything when we squeeze blood from stones.

Hey, I use sticky notes too
I find though that one does have to be careful when peeling them off the page as some of the paper used is thin; however, in the “study bibles” I’ve noticed that the paper is much heavier… of course, the intent behind that I suspect is to allow one to take notes without bleed-thru to the other side and to handle the greater use of the text.

I’m not sure if there is a common category of bible that is different from the rest for the purpose of note taking. I’ve never heard of them anyway, and I can’t seem to find anything on the net. The only thing I would consider a “study bible” would be the likes of the New Jerusalem, that already contains a huge amount of footnotes. But even so, blessed things are to be treated with reverence. They shouldn’t be blessed if they are going to be written on.

Once again, please accept my apologies if I have offended you in anyway… such was not my intent. What I had hoped for was a real reasoned discussion.

I accept your apology. But all the same, this is totally excessive. I’m afraid I just can’t keep going with this.