How Biblically Literate are Mormons as a Whole?

[I Have Questions]

In my experience and observations from them, Mormons as a whole do not have the same familiarity with the Bible as most do the adherents, each taken as a whole, of other self-professing Christian denominations.

Part of the explanation might be that most (all?) other self-professing Christian denominations don't have alternative sets of sect-specific scriptural canon, that they deem "more accurate" than The Bible. Mormons study the Bible once every four years, for everyone else it's all they study. Added to that, Joseph Smith put the notion out there that The Bible wasn't correct in it's translation, he started to re-word it himself, so is it any wonder that Mormon's treat The Bible as a poor relation?

[I Have Questions]

One assumes this friend of yours is a Native American whose ancestors are from one of the indigenous tribes, rather than being the progeny of foreign settlers that immigrated into what is now the USA? What are those words written on the Statue of Liberty? That's right, ""Keep your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost back to where they came from, I refuse to lift my lamp beside the golden door!".

Nope. Not of Native American ancestry. He's 4th generation English on his mother's side, 3rd generation German on his father's. When it comes to immigration his otherwise unfaltering adoration of Ronald Reagan has a blind spot.

I'm guessing your friend doesn't see the irony of his stated position.

[malkie]

Perhaps it's a North American thing, but I'm a bit puzzled about the idea of other denominations "studying" the Bible.

I was brought up in Scotland, in a fairly normal Protestant household. We went to church every Sunday, the minister knew our names, etc. During the Sunday service, when it came time for the sermon, the kids (under 12, If I recall correctly) went to Sunday School classes. But I'm unaware of the adults taking part in any "study" classes. It was assumed, I think, that once you had learned all the usual Bible stories as a kid, there was no need.

Perhaps I might see a Bible in my parents hands 5 or 6 times a year, but I don't think that they were studying it - perhaps looking for something to quote.

Imagine my surprise, on joining the LDS church, to find that Sunday School wasn't just for the children.

My mother's sister and her husband were very religious - sang and played for a variety of the little gospel churches in town, took part in summer Bible camps etc., but while I occasionally saw my aunt reading the Bible, I don't recall ever seeing her put any effort into the study of it.

[huckelberry]

Perhaps it's a North American thing, but I'm a bit puzzled about the idea of other denominations "studying" the Bible.

I was brought up in Scotland, in a fairly normal Protestant household. We went to church every Sunday, the minister knew our names, etc. During the Sunday service, when it came time for the sermon, the kids (under 12, If I recall correctly) went to Sunday School classes. But I'm unaware of the adults taking part in any "study" classes. It was assumed, I think, that once you had learned all the usual Bible stories as a kid, there was no need.

Perhaps I might see a Bible in my parents hands 5 or 6 times a year, but I don't think that they were studying it - perhaps looking for something to quote.

Imagine my surprise, on joining the LDS church, to find that Sunday School wasn't just for the children.

My mother's sister and her husband were very religious - sang and played for a variety of the little gospel churches in town, took part in summer Bible camps etc., but while I occasionally saw my aunt reading the Bible, I don't recall ever seeing her put any effort into the study of it.

Malkie, I am sure that there is a wide range in the amount of Bible study people in the US engage in. With Protestants, considerably more study than you describe is fairly common though there are certainly people like you describe. In some churches, the weekly sermon goes through a careful study of a book of the Bible over a number of weeks. There are midweek study and prayer groups. People are encouraged to study the Bible individually. There is of course a good deal of variety in actual study and kinds of understanding.

[Tapir Rodeo]

I'm guessing your friend doesn't see the irony of his stated position.

What is ironic about it?

[malkie]

Perhaps it's a North American thing, but I'm a bit puzzled about the idea of other denominations "studying" the Bible.

I was brought up in Scotland, in a fairly normal Protestant household. We went to church every Sunday, the minister knew our names, etc. During the Sunday service, when it came time for the sermon, the kids (under 12, If I recall correctly) went to Sunday School classes. But I'm unaware of the adults taking part in any "study" classes. It was assumed, I think, that once you had learned all the usual Bible stories as a kid, there was no need.

perhaps I might see a Bible in my parents hands 5 or 6 times a year, but I don't think that they were studying it - perhaps looking for something to quote.

Imagine my surprise, on joining the LDS church, to find that Sunday School wasn't just for the children.

My mother's sister and her husband were very religious - sang and played for a variety of the little gospel churches in town, took part in summer Bible camps etc., but while I occasionally saw my aunt reading the Bible, I don't recall ever seeing her put any effort into the study of it.

Malkie, I am sure that there is a wide range in the amount of Bible study people in the US engage in. With Protestants, considerably more study than you describe is fairly common though there certainly people like you describe. In some churches, the weekly sermon goes through a careful study of a book of the Bible over a number of weeks. There are midweek study and prayer groups. People are encouraged to study the Bible individually. There is of course a good deal of variety in actual study and kinds of understanding.

That's interesting, huckelberry - thanks. As a Mormon I never got around to thinking much about what other folks study, or didn't study - just assumed that we Mormons in general were better than most

[sock puppet]

I don't know Sock Puppet, if that Matthew verse has the force that you imagine it does, then it seems like the entire Christian right is Biblically illiterate since their main concern is immigration, and they emphatically support a violent deportation agenda. Why would Mormons stand out in particular?

That Matthew verse is an example. I've had law partners of other Christian faiths that seem to have a much greater understanding of the many, varied Biblical teachings than have my LDS law partners.

Damning in a different way is how well versed many of the evangelicals and Baptists are, but don't seem to have a problem shelving many of those Biblical notions in favor of the Christian NATIONALISM.

[sock puppet]

Nope. Not of Native American ancestry. He's 4th generation English on his mother's side, 3rd generation German on his father's. When it comes to immigration his otherwise unfaltering adoration of Ronald Reagan has a blind spot.

I'm guessing your friend doesn't see the irony of his stated position.

I doubt that he does.

[sock puppet]

Perhaps it's a North American thing, but I'm a bit puzzled about the idea of other denominations "studying" the Bible.

I was brought up in Scotland, in a fairly normal Protestant household. We went to church every Sunday, the minister knew our names, etc. During the Sunday service, when it came time for the sermon, the kids (under 12, If I recall correctly) went to Sunday School classes. But I'm unaware of the adults taking part in any "study" classes. It was assumed, I think, that once you had learned all the usual Bible stories as a kid, there was no need.

perhaps I might see a Bible in my parents hands 5 or 6 times a year, but I don't think that they were studying it - perhaps looking for something to quote.

Imagine my surprise, on joining the LDS church, to find that Sunday School wasn't just for the children.

My mother's sister and her husband were very religious - sang and played for a variety of the little gospel churches in town, took part in summer Bible camps etc., but while I occasionally saw my aunt reading the Bible, I don't recall ever seeing her put any effort into the study of it.

Malkie, I am sure that there is a wide range in the amount of Bible study people in the US engage in. With Protestants considerably more study than you describe is fairly common though there certainly people like you describe. In some churchs the weekly sermon goes through a careful study of a book of the Bible over a number of weeks. There are midweek study and prayer groups. People are encouraged to study the Bible individualy. There is of course a good deal of variety in actual study and kinds of understanding.

This comports with my experiences and observations, particularly with Presbyterians. Malkie's experience seems rather nonchalant as to Biblical study compared to what I've seen with attending Presbyterians in general.

[Gadianton]

That Matthew verse is an example. I've had law partners of other Christian faiths that seem to have a much greater understanding of the many, varied Biblical teachings than have my LDS law partners.

that is something I hadn't considered. I can totally see Christian lawyers being more into the scriptures than Mormon lawyers. I was thinking about folks like my right-wing friend who have one of those New Testament only bibles and can barely form a sentence, but yet believe themselves to be quite knowledgeable about the Bible.