Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I've grown spiritually from mine so I will continue.
Some of the bad things I used to do I no longer desire to do.
At my church they do a more advanced bible study on Wed. nights that I've never been able to make because of work
And yes we've studied the rapture and were shown several different interpretations on how it could take place. A couple of those views were quite interesting.
Sorry you didn't enjoy your class. I hope you did at least enjoy the people
Thanks for posting.
It's been my experience (and I've been to many different denominations and non-denominational churches), that Bible studies are studies in name only. I have never, repeat never, attended a Bible study that actually studied the Bible or even taught the students HOW to study the Bible.
The overwhelming majority of Bible studies are little more than middle school level regurgitated religious dogma with a clever anecdote thrown in for entertainment value.
Those who attend these intellectually insulting groups are exposed to little more than viewpoints of those things they've already been exposed to albeit from a different angle or point of view. For example, a study on the Rapture will only review the twelve out of context scripture points used to justify this deceit. There is never a review of where it came from (John Nelson Darby in the 19th century), or how it doesn't fit with Biblical context. Try this one time and you'll be tarred and feathered and run out of the church on a rail. This is the single greatest example of misinformation perpetrated upon delusional Christians I've ever seen yet it is repeated often. Students sit in class and nod their heads like dashboard bobble heads in a car. No one questions a single point.
Christian Bible studies do not come anywhere close to academic training, intellectual stimulation, or provision for individual study. For example, how do you do a personal word study? Do you know? Have you been taught how to do it? How do you perform a comparative study of the gospels? What text books do you use to do it? What is a commentary and how many different types do you need to use to verify the context of a scripture portion? Has the reader EVER been taught any of these things in a church Bible study? I'll bet you haven't and this proves my point.
Bible studies are nothing more than a review of accepted simplistic ideology. They give nothing new and are suitable only for social gathering. There is nothing of study about any of them.
and that's me, hollering from the choir loft...
Congratulations on being so much more illuminated than the rest of us and gracing us with your explanation of our foolishness in studying the Bible in a church setting.
We're just all really lucky that you took some of your valuable time to clue us in. Thanks so much.
Those who attend these intellectually insulting groups are exposed to little more than viewpoints of those things they've already been exposed to albeit from a different angle or point of view. For example, a study on the Rapture will only review the twelve out of context scripture points used to justify this deceit. There is never a review of where it came from (John Nelson Darby in the 19th century), or how it doesn't fit with Biblical context. Try this one time and you'll be tarred and feathered and run out of the church on a rail. This is the single greatest example of misinformation perpetrated upon delusional Christians I've ever seen yet it is repeated often. Students sit in class and nod their heads like dashboard bobble heads in a car. No one questions a single point.
Tried it, been there, done that, including the tar and feathering part. That's why I started my own. If I choose to wear feathers and dance like a chicken to talk about "flying away", then, it's my choice.
Peace
Congratulations on being so much more illuminated than the rest of us and gracing us with your explanation of our foolishness in studying the Bible in a church setting.
We're just all really lucky that you took some of your valuable time to clue us in. Thanks so much.
Tried it, been there, done that, including the tar and feathering part. That's why I started my own. If I choose to wear feathers and dance like a chicken to talk about "flying away", then, it's my choice.
Peace
I've grown spiritually from mine so I will continue.
Some of the bad things I used to do I no longer desire to do.
At my church they do a more advanced bible study on Wed. nights that I've never been able to make because of work
And yes we've studied the rapture and were shown several different interpretations on how it could take place. A couple of those views were quite interesting.
Sorry you didn't enjoy your class. I hope you did at least enjoy the people
Thanks for posting.
I rejoice that you've seen a change in your life. I suspect, however, these gracious changes are due more to the ministrations of the Holy Spirit in your heart than to any intellectual opportunities offered by the church.
Church Bible classes are rarely conducted by someone with formal Bible and/or educational training. We expect professional people with specific educational training to teach our kids, but for some reason we settle for less when it comes to adult religious training. Why?
I've attended good educational studies directed by pastors, but most of the time the task is assigned to volunteers who are never easy to find (re: law of 80s and 20s) and seldom qualified (hence the liberal use of videos and pre-printed material).
There is nothing that can match individual attention to individual study and research.
God has appointed leaders to guide us and provide us with the proper tools to do this. If we don't do it ourselves on our own quiet time then our opportunity will be buried in the sand of neglect and time. Remember what Our Lord said about the fellow that buried the gold he was meant to invest? It was taken from him and given to another who used that which he was given.
and that's me, hollering from the choir loft...
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
That's why I started my own. If I choose to wear feathers and dance like a chicken to talk about "flying away", then, it's my choice. 
