Memorise bible verses

[latraviata]

Why on earth would someone memorise bible verses? It doesn't help to better understand the bible. It is a skill without any value or meaning other than to brag about it in a 'holier than thou' kind of way.

 

stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2011/09/how-we-memorize-bible-verses.html

[AuntieTo3]

The reason for memorizing verses is for when you are faced in a tricky situation, You will know exactly where the Lords stands on the issues and how to handle the situation based on his word. :)

[marysue]

Of course it has a value!! It helps to keep your brain occupied so that you will not be making sinful thoughts or any thoughts for that matter. It also gets you used to just parroting whatever you are told by the bible, your parents, your pastor, your husband etc

[Kitten]

Ah, no different from memorizing poetry to recite - in fact, it's kind of the fundie equivalent, since I'm sure most poetry is far too secular for them. And like others have said, it gives them something to "throw" at people when they are challenged. Even if it has nothing to do with the issue at hand, it always sounds impressive to reel off a few verses, eh?

At least it is sharpening their mental skills - memorization, like other mental exercises (Scrabble, sodoku, crossword puzzles, etc.) helps improve/maintain mental acuity.

I wasn't raised fundie, but we got awards in Sunday school for memorizing Bible verses. My cousin's church had "Bible drills" in Sunday school - you held your closed Bible, and the teacher would give you a book and verse. The first person to find the verse won a prize. I never even came close... :lol:

[gustava]

To win prizes in ebil non FiCIC Sunday School, of course, kitten. Doesn't every Christian know the shortest verse in the Bible: Jesus wept.? Who cares what it means???? I winIwinIwin.

And yeah, to throw at folks who think I'm ebil.

[latraviata]

Ah, no different from memorizing poetry to recite - in fact, it's kind of the fundie equivalent, since I'm sure most poetry is far too secular for them. And like others have said, it gives them something to "throw" at people when they are challenged. Even if it has nothing to do with the issue at hand, it always sounds impressive to reel off a few verses, eh?

At least it is sharpening their mental skills - memorization, like other mental exercises (Scrabble, sodoku, crossword puzzles, etc.) helps improve/maintain mental acuity.

I wasn't raised fundie, but we got awards in Sunday school for memorizing Bible verses. My cousin's church had "Bible drills" in Sunday school - you held your closed Bible, and the teacher would give you a book and verse. The first person to find the verse won a prize. I never even came close... :lol:

Well, I prefer poetry, not because it sharpening the mind, but to learn how to recite, learn about proper diction and use of language and understand and convey the 'beauty of the poem.'

At least it is sharpening their mental skills - memorization, like other mental exercises (Scrabble, sodoku, crossword puzzles, etc.) helps improve/maintain mental acuity.

We ones (a very long time ago) thought that was the case, recent studies show otherwise.

Sharpening mental skills is more in problem solving than in memorising.

[SimplyMe]

In my opinion, It's so that you can have more knowledgable and educated conversations with people about the bible. If you are discussing a topic, say grace or modesty or whatever, it really does help support your point of view when you can immediately direct people with exact wording and location to where it is written in scripture. That said, i have trouble with rote memorization so I don't spend much time trying to memorize scripture, I mostly just try to know what book a story is in. If I'm discussing Joseph and his coat of many colors, I can say that you find that story in Genesis, and so on. I don't think it's appropriate the way that many fundies use scripture memorization as punishment or feel it will in some way solve behavioral problems and so on. That's really not the function of memorization as I've been taught.

[Jessica]

Ah, no different from memorizing poetry to recite

Exactly. Or song lyrics. Or movie quotes. Or whatever else people keep stored away in their brains just for the heckuvit.

[Kitty]

Nobody here went to AWANA as a kid? I'm surprised. That shit's all about memorizing bible verses. You got special AWANA bucks to buy cool stuff with, then all these pins and badges.

I had zero problem memorizing anything. It's why I can remember John 3:16 and Romans 3:23 so well, despite not having heard those verses in years.

[latraviata]

In my opinion, It's so that you can have more knowledgable and educated conversations with people about the bible. If you are discussing a topic, say grace or modesty or whatever, it really does help support your point of view when you can immediately direct people with exact wording and location to where it is written in scripture. That said, i have trouble with rote memorization so I don't spend much time trying to memorize scripture, I mostly just try to know what book a story is in. If I'm discussing Joseph and his coat of many colors, I can say that you find that story in Genesis, and so on. I don't think it's appropriate the way that many fundies use scripture memorization as punishment or feel it will in some way solve behavioral problems and so on. That's really not the function of memorization as I've been taught.

Ok, well I am not at all interested in the bible and I never discuss the bible I cannot see the point of that, we hardly discuss these matters in this part of the world.

[dianapavelovna]

I guess they're following in Daddy's footsteps.

Pastor Anderson started Faithful Word Baptist Church on December 25, 2005. He holds no college degree but has well over 140 chapters of the Bible memorized word-for-word, including approximately half of the New Testament. Today, most Baptist churches are started by Bible colleges. However, the Bible makes it clear that the church is the pillar and ground of the truth, not a school. Faithful Word Baptist Church is a totally independent Baptist church, and Pastor Anderson was sent out by a totally independent Baptist church to start it the old-fashioned way by knocking doors and winning souls to Christ.

like it's something to be proud of! :lol: There are people out there who memorize dozens of digits of Pi...doesn't make them good mathematicians.

[Rachel333]

"I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you." Psalm 119:11

That's the verse usually used to explain why they memorize Bible verses. It's usually framed as being for personal benefit, so that you'll always remember what the Bible says and be able to recite verses to yourself for comfort in tough times ("the Lord is my refuge and my strength, a very present help in trouble" Psalm 46:1), self-affirmation ("I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made" Psalm 139:14), etc. And yes, so you can win arguments and be able to talk about the Bible and find verses easily, though with all the online Bibles now that is less important. (By the way, although the verses were all ones I still remember from my churchy days, I have to confess that I did need to look up the references.)

I think it's a really good mind exercise to memorize things, and why not memorize something important to you.

I memorized a ton of Bible verses and chapters, even memorizing 2 and 3 John so I could say I had memorized several books of the Bible. I remember after 9/11 happened, I found some comfort in memorizing Psalm 27.

Memorizing scripture is also really important to many Muslims and Jews. I once heard a Muslim guy claim that Islam must be true because of how many people have memorized the entire Qu'ran, because clearly that wouldn't be possible if it wasn't inspired scripture, or something like that.

So yeah, kind of silly, but I think it's pretty harmless, and actually probably does some good in sharpening some mental skills (obviously it's not the same as problem solving, but remembering things is a useful skill in itself).

[SimplyMe]

Ok, well I am not at all interested in the bible and I never discuss the bible I cannot see the point of that, we hardly discuss these matters in this part of the world.

Well, yeah, obviously if you're not a Christian and never around Christians, then it's pointless. But if you are, then you probably spend time with other Christians and do things like discuss scripture. I'm speaking from a Christian (not fundie) perspective. I thought that was obvious.

[Austin]

Nobody here went to AWANA as a kid? I'm surprised. That shit's all about memorizing bible verses. You got special AWANA bucks to buy cool stuff with, then all these pins and badges.

I had zero problem memorizing anything. It's why I can remember John 3:16 and Romans 3:23 so well, despite not having heard those verses in years.

Yes, I was an AWANA kid. I probably still have the hideously ugly gray shirt with all my badges packed away somewhere. For some reason.

I remember AWANA being all about memorization of verses and foursquare. Very edifying (NOT!)

ETA: The reason I memorized verses in my fundie-lite upbringing was because at my church, kids could earn free weeks at summer camp by memorizing a couple zillion verses a year. Since I loved summer camp more than fat kids love cake, I was down for that. Memorization was very easy for me and I still know hundreds of verses (although I admit to being soft on the references these days).

Now I can't remember what I did with my eyeglasses from one minute to the next. Go figure.

[bicyclecat]

It's also very much about indoctrination, which is why there's a nice push for children to do it. Reptitition and memorization are hallmarks of indoctrination practices in everything from Trancendental Meditation to the Anastasia Cult.

In fact, if you think about it, a lot of crazy fundie behavior resembles brainwashing techniques. Lack of food, lack of sleep, lack of education, lack of personal privacy. It's all designed to work together to effect thought control.

Edited because I decided I wasn't finished.

[lilwriter85]

The fundie lite neighbors I had who lived near me when I was growing up, also memorized bible verses for bible studies, VBS and other events. I think at times, there were holier than thou type competitions. But with this family, they once told me that the reason they memorized verses was to know which verse to tell people if someone asked them for help or which verses to share with people during prayer petitions/meetings.

[Guest Anonymous]

Yes, I was an AWANA kid. I probably still have the hideously ugly gray shirt with all my badges packed away somewhere. For some reason.

I remember AWANA being all about memorization of verses and foursquare. Very edifying (NOT!)

I was forced to go to AWANA, I hated it. Memorization is easy for me so that part wasn't too awful, but they also made us play stupid games. I got enough balls hurled at my face in gym, thanks ever so for making me go through it again at church on Wednesdays. :evil:

[Austin]

We were always told that knowing the Bible by heart would come in very handy should we find ourselves imprisoned (with nothing to read) as part of a worldwide persection of our faith. . . or in the end times. . . or in a POW camp. . . or something.

[Guest Anonymous]

I was taught to memorise scripture too, starting with Sword Drill in Sunday School, which I joined aged 10. It was believed we needed 'a grounding in our faith', and memorising scripture was thought to be the primary way of teaching us what to believe.

We even had fun songs about the importance of learning scripture - any Brits remember Ishmael and The Glorie Company? Lots of fun, loud songs, with actions and dancing were used to drill the bible into us, without us really understanding or realising what most of it meant. http://www.ishmael.org.uk/acatalog/Ishm ... 7__16.html

(His very earnest thoughts on this short YT video here:

)

Later on my family moved to a new area, and I was picked up by more conservative Christians where the fun was taken away, but I was in too deep to realise. Scripture memory was then explained as having two purposes:

1 To keep us personally on the straight and narrow road

Psalm 119:11 I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.

and

2: to help us be competent as possible in sharing the gospel with others

1 Peter 3:15 Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.

(I think the verse actually goes on to talk about doing so with gentleness and respect, but that part wasn't in my memory system..... :shifty: )

There is quite an industry built up around it and I bought into it literally. God knows what my secular parents must have thought about me spending my Saturday job money on concordances and topical memory systems...... :roll:

I enjoyed it at the time because learning scripture was highly valued and it helped me feel worthwhile and competent in a church where women were generally not esteemed for their intellectual abilities.

I feel sad now for the wasted time and money.... but it does at least mean that I can give very short shrift to any evangelist that comes my way, hoping to bash me with their bible. I have an internalised 'sword' and I am not afraid to use it against them.... :dance:

[dirtyhippiegirl]

Was anyone here ever in...I think it was called Sparks? Bright red vests and you got tiny little things for memorizing Bible verses.

[Guest Anonymous]

Was anyone here ever in...I think it was called Sparks? Bright red vests and you got tiny little things for memorizing Bible verses.

I think that might be part of the AWANA program. I believe there were different names for different age groups - maybe Cubbies, then Sparks, then AWANA? But it's been a long time so I may be totally wrong.

[dirtyhippiegirl]

I think that might be part of the AWANA program. I believe there were different names for different age groups - maybe Cubbies, then Sparks, then AWANA? But it's been a long time so I may be totally wrong.

No, I think that's it! I had a friend who was into it and my mom let me go for about a year. I remember getting snacks and playing games with other kids in the gym. And being forced to memorize Bible verses to get "badges." I think the first one I memorized was John 3:16?

[latraviata]

Well, yeah, obviously if you're not a Christian and never around Christians, then it's pointless. But if you are, then you probably spend time with other Christians and do things like discuss scripture. I'm speaking from a Christian (not fundie) perspective. I thought that was obvious.

I am an atheist living in a secular country. Discussing scripture is not our national hobby. Christians who prefer to talk about these matters are a small insignificant minority and keep the religious mumbo jumbo for themselves.

[maybeizfundie]

I have no idea into the motives of the Anderson's Bible memorization.

We memorize Scripture for a couple of reasons.

One of them is that memorization and recitation is a nice skill to have. Poetry and prose are included in this category too though. I also love hearing a 5 year old recite the Jabberwocky. :D

The other reasons truly are pointless if you're not a Christian. So, yeah, "Why bother?" would apply and be totally reasonable for someone who is uninterested in the Bible and doesn't consider it valuable. I wouldn't ask a non Christian to memorize Scripture or think that it would be at all useful to them if they were uninterested.

But for those of us who believe it and value it, there's a good bit to "bother" with. :) Our theology and doctrine come from Scripture, and knowing where it comes from and what it actually says is useful to us. Also, there are things which are applicable in a broad way to life situations, and for those of us who believe, it can be comforting to have those words right there and available to us in a difficult moment. We have not done Awana or any public competitions, although the children's Sunday school does do memorization of the verses that are relevant to whatever they're teaching at the moment. I have no idea how much any of us actually knows by heart, and we'd probably fail Bible Bees because our focus has been more on concept rather than exact wording + chapter/verse.

So, yeah, there are a few other reasons besides bragadociousness. :D

[tehgoobster]

The reason for memorizing verses is for when you are faced in a tricky situation, You will know exactly where the Lords stands on the issues and how to handle the situation based on his word. :)

The trouble with that is that people can and do disagree over interpretation. It's not enough to quote a verse and claim that that's clearly God's stance because someone will likely claim that their different interpretation of the exact same verse is "where the Lord stands." That's why there are so many different Christian denominations (and non-denominations).

ETA: I just want to add that I can definitely see where memorization would be helpful and beneficial to Christians, though.