Marking Scriptures In Class

This is for encouragement, ideas, and support for people going through a faith transition no matter where you hope to end up. This is also the place to laugh, cry, and love together.
Post Reply
User avatar
Linked
Posts: 1533
Joined: Mon Oct 17, 2016 4:04 pm

Marking Scriptures In Class

Post by Linked » Mon Nov 21, 2022 4:58 pm

My son's primary teacher has started having the kids mark their scriptures in class. Is that problematic?

All growing up I was told which scriptures were important and what they meant and told to mark them. It's so common I am prone to think it harmless and normal, but there's a little voice in the back of my head saying, "But shouldn't marking up books you read be more about what YOU find important and moving than what you are told to find important and moving?"
"I would write about life. Every person would be exactly as important as any other. All facts would also be given equal weightiness. Nothing would be left out. Let others bring order to chaos. I would bring chaos to order" - Kurt Vonnegut

User avatar
alas
Posts: 2357
Joined: Mon Oct 17, 2016 2:10 pm

Re: Marking Scriptures In Class

Post by alas » Mon Nov 21, 2022 7:20 pm

I remember in primary we had new testaments and we were supposed to mark the verses the teacher told us to, and I remember being really uncomfortable because I didn’t want to, and didn’t . But I didn’t want others to notice that I wasn’t marking them. I can’t remember my reason for not wanting to mark them, but I remember being so very embarrassed that I wasn’t doing what we were supposed to be doing.

User avatar
blazerb
Posts: 1614
Joined: Thu Mar 30, 2017 4:35 pm

Re: Marking Scriptures In Class

Post by blazerb » Tue Nov 22, 2022 9:13 am

It is subtle, but it's a way of controlling what the kids pay attention to, I think. It's awkward when children start asking why God threatened to destroy Emma or why Satan controls the waters (even in the bathtub?). It's much better for kids to just be reading that they'll be with their families if all the legal requirements for spirituality are met.

User avatar
Hagoth
Posts: 7075
Joined: Fri Oct 14, 2016 1:13 pm

Re: Marking Scriptures In Class

Post by Hagoth » Tue Nov 22, 2022 10:06 am

If they're going to make primary kids do that, I hope they at least allow them to color in the coloring book part of their quad:

Image
“The easy confidence with which I know another man's religion is folly teaches me to suspect that my own is also.” -Mark Twain

Jesus: "The Kingdom of God is within you." The Buddha: "Be your own light."

User avatar
MoPag
Posts: 3741
Joined: Tue Oct 25, 2016 2:05 pm

Re: Marking Scriptures In Class

Post by MoPag » Tue Nov 22, 2022 10:18 pm

Hagoth wrote:
Tue Nov 22, 2022 10:06 am
If they're going to make primary kids do that, I hope they at least allow them to color in the coloring book part of their quad:

Image
:lol: :lol: :lol:

When I was little, I LOVED looking at the facsimiles. I would make up stories for them Like in this one^^ I would imagine they were all a group of friends hanging out. The two people holding hands were boyfriend and girlfriend and the boyfriend's guy friend was trying to pull him away and get him to hang out with the guys....

I also loved marking my scriptures. I would make pretty patterns and color combinations. It was just nice to have something to do besides listen.

Linked, get your kids some rainbow glitter pens for their scripture bags and tell them to get as creative as they can be.
...walked eye-deep in hell
believing in old men’s lies...--Ezra Pound

User avatar
Hagoth
Posts: 7075
Joined: Fri Oct 14, 2016 1:13 pm

Re: Marking Scriptures In Class

Post by Hagoth » Wed Nov 23, 2022 6:42 am

MoPag wrote:
Tue Nov 22, 2022 10:18 pm
I would imagine they were all a group of friends hanging out. The two people holding hands were boyfriend and girlfriend and the boyfriend's guy friend was trying to pull him away and get him to hang out with the guys....
Love it! The awesome thing about this is that your interpretation was even more accurate than Joseph Smith's. You could tell which characters were male and which were female.
“The easy confidence with which I know another man's religion is folly teaches me to suspect that my own is also.” -Mark Twain

Jesus: "The Kingdom of God is within you." The Buddha: "Be your own light."

User avatar
stealthbishop
Posts: 399
Joined: Sun Sep 09, 2018 9:25 am

Re: Marking Scriptures In Class

Post by stealthbishop » Wed Nov 23, 2022 9:01 am

Marking scriptures has a long tradition. I remember it most in seminary with scripture mastery. On my mission, I had color coding based on connecting certain scriptures to certain discussions we would teach. It's usually a way of proof texting in religion. It can be worthwhile when it is based on individual meaning but in a high demand religion it is all about what the institution deems important rather than the individual (which would be a more reform/progressive religious tradition).
"Take second best
Put me to the test
Things on your chest
You need to confess"

-Depeche Mode

User avatar
stealthbishop
Posts: 399
Joined: Sun Sep 09, 2018 9:25 am

Re: Marking Scriptures In Class

Post by stealthbishop » Wed Nov 23, 2022 9:02 am

MoPag wrote:
Tue Nov 22, 2022 10:18 pm
Hagoth wrote:
Tue Nov 22, 2022 10:06 am
If they're going to make primary kids do that, I hope they at least allow them to color in the coloring book part of their quad:

Image
:lol: :lol: :lol:

When I was little, I LOVED looking at the facsimiles. I would make up stories for them Like in this one^^ I would imagine they were all a group of friends hanging out. The two people holding hands were boyfriend and girlfriend and the boyfriend's guy friend was trying to pull him away and get him to hang out with the guys....
I totally love this!!!
"Take second best
Put me to the test
Things on your chest
You need to confess"

-Depeche Mode

User avatar
Linked
Posts: 1533
Joined: Mon Oct 17, 2016 4:04 pm

Re: Marking Scriptures In Class

Post by Linked » Wed Nov 23, 2022 12:02 pm

stealthbishop wrote:
Wed Nov 23, 2022 9:01 am
Marking scriptures has a long tradition. I remember it most in seminary with scripture mastery. On my mission, I had color coding based on connecting certain scriptures to certain discussions we would teach. It's usually a way of proof texting in religion. It can be worthwhile when it is based on individual meaning but in a high demand religion it is all about what the institution deems important rather than the individual (which would be a more reform/progressive religious tradition).
Thank you for putting my reservations into words. This is another way that the church reinforces itself as Capital T True. By telling you which scriptures deserve special standing and telling you how to interpret them they are coopting the reverence you give the scriptures to support their view. If they do it right then you will never consider other meanings and will force everything to fit into the views which they gave you. The Come Follow Me program takes it to another level. In pre-Come Follow Me Sunday School we would try to individually read through all the non-OT books and just discuss the stuff in the lessons. With Come Follow Me it seems that they go a step further and get involved in the individual study to ensure you never have a non-church view.
"I would write about life. Every person would be exactly as important as any other. All facts would also be given equal weightiness. Nothing would be left out. Let others bring order to chaos. I would bring chaos to order" - Kurt Vonnegut

User avatar
Linked
Posts: 1533
Joined: Mon Oct 17, 2016 4:04 pm

Re: Marking Scriptures In Class

Post by Linked » Wed Nov 23, 2022 12:04 pm

MoPag wrote:
Tue Nov 22, 2022 10:18 pm
When I was little, I LOVED looking at the facsimiles. I would make up stories for them Like in this one^^ I would imagine they were all a group of friends hanging out. The two people holding hands were boyfriend and girlfriend and the boyfriend's guy friend was trying to pull him away and get him to hang out with the guys....

I also loved marking my scriptures. I would make pretty patterns and color combinations. It was just nice to have something to do besides listen.

Linked, get your kids some rainbow glitter pens for their scripture bags and tell them to get as creative as they can be.
I found myself looking through the facsimiles all the time as a kid too haha. I like your interpretation.

Good idea, I'll encourage my son to get creative.
"I would write about life. Every person would be exactly as important as any other. All facts would also be given equal weightiness. Nothing would be left out. Let others bring order to chaos. I would bring chaos to order" - Kurt Vonnegut

Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 54 guests