What are some of the bad things that can be learned if you study the bible with NO study guides?
There are a couple of religions that discourage bible study without using study guides that their religion publishes. These churches have to have a reason and I’m curious just what could be learned that their church doesn’t approve of.
In a nutshell: these sects are concerned that members will adopt interpretations of scripture that do not coincide with their “official” interpretation. Using the sect’s study guide while reading assures that the bible researcher will be persuaded to adopt the “official” interpretation and not attempt to form his or her own (possibly schismatic or even erroneous) interpretation.
Actually, there *is* some rationality in this way of thinking. After all, all Christians know that only 1 interpretation of the bible *could* be absolutely, wholly correct, and if we knew that interpretation, we would know what fault lies in all the contrary interpretations.
The problem with this manner of thinking is that a sect which insists on a study guide is, essentially, claiming that *only* its interpretation is correct, and all other interpretations are false to the point that you should not even entertain them. In other words, it eradicates any “wiggle room” for contrary interpretations that, quite frankly, normally have no bearing on someone’s salvation.
For example, there are the genealogies of Jesus given in Matthew and Luke. Now, first and foremost, we are ordered not to concern ourselves too much with such things. Nevertheless, a *friendly* discussion should be possible between Christians of opposing views. Some claim that Luke actually has Mary’s genealogy. Others (such as myself) insist on a much more reasonable (grin) case of Levirate marriage. However, Christians will actually *split* over such issues, when in fact the relationship between these two genealogies has nothing whatsoever to do with anyone’s salvation. In other words, as Christians, even if we are wholly unmovable in our positions in this matter, we should be entirely willing to “agree to disagree”. A sect taking a stand on this issue in an “official” study guide would not permit any deviation – i.e. no one with a contrary view would be tolerated by the publishers of the guide, even though a contrary view has absolutely *nothing* to do with the person’s salvation.
Jim, http://www.jimpettis.com/bibles/
