5dac20 No.757622
I swear.
Reading the Bible is the hardest thing ever. It's hard to start reading it daily.
It's hard to read it hard to comprehend
Like I'm a brainlet I can discipline myself to do other stuff but reading the Bible is impossible.
9a17ff No.757658
>>757622
Faith without works is dead. God wants to see that sweat on your brow. Keep at it.
8e9983 No.757659
What do you find hard about it OP?
a3d933 No.757660
YouTube embed. Click thumbnail to play.
>>757622
You will enjoy this.
Put this in a search engine and you'll find a torrent of a great audio book bible: Alexander Scourby + torrent
ce998f No.757663
>>757659
I have a hard time reading. I just don't really enjoy reading. I also don't comprehend stuff very well. Idk ;__;
Maybe I should just man up and do it.
>>757658
True true.
I just have to man up
f3e51d No.757665
8e9983 No.757672
>>757663
What version are you using? And I have a hard time with it too, just try to read a chapter a day. I find it’s better this way, because this allows you to meditate on a small amount of scripture daily.
346386 No.757694
>>757622
>swearing on /christian/
a6de03 No.757735
afa0a7 No.757764
>>757622
You can try audio versions of the Bible, though I don't think it's wise to completely replace reading your Bible with listening to an audio version. I suggest to just keep trying it daily.
Also, some books of the Bible are much more difficult to understand than others. I really struggled with some of Paul's writings at first. If you come across something that you don't understand, meditate a little on it and look at the context of the passage, and if you still don't understand then just leave it for now and continue reading. If you come across something you'd really like to understand, then commentaries can be of help. Though beware to never blindly accept someone's explanation of scripture as truth, always search the scriptures yourself to see if what they say is true. And last, but definitely not least, pray. God made several promises about seeking Him and seeking truth, put your trust in these promises: Psalms 145:18, Proverbs 2:3-5, Matthew 7:7-11.
e531c6 No.758216
>>757622
you should not just "man up and do it" the replies that state this are off base.
Listen to good sermons, check the verses people are referencing. I didn't find an interest in reading the Bible until I had been a Christian for years. And even now "busting through the sermon on the mount" is a useless endeavor. Knowing what the meaning behind what the Bible says and why it says it where it does is imperative.
b75753 No.758262
Read a translation you can understand well. Interpret everything you read in the Old and New Testaments through the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Use a catechism for guidance. Read at your own pace as well - I find it edifying to read 5 chapters in the morning and 5 in the evening.
Of course, if you have a priest, listen to his sermons and don't hesitate to ask him for guidance, that's what he's there for.
5f12d5 No.758269
Lot's of different authors, some were great writers, some terrible.
76f398 No.758471
>>757658
Ok Pelagius, chill out with your misinterpretation of James 2.
72375b No.758497
>>758471
Daily reminder Pelagius was orthodox and wasn't himself Pelagian
76f398 No.758498
>>758497
>T. Pelagian
Don't make me get Augustine out on you.
3dbd12 No.758499
>>758497
Based
>>758498
So he could use his platonist sensibilities to misrepresent us to all history?
76f398 No.758517
>>758499
Implying orthodox aren't the most influenced by neo Platonism
76f398 No.758521
>>758519
>Orthodox tend to dismiss Augustine.. and just give him nods for being a decent man… but with bad theology.
That explains why you view of salvation is wack and unscriptural. I can actually give kudos to Catholics for having enough common sense to adopt his view on theology.
afaf60 No.758522
>>758521
Darn. I edited and was going to add more.
But seeing that you now jumped the shark and doubt any standing with God on my part, I see that it was a waste of time.
And then you strangely flip the switch and now say Augustine was cool for adopting Neo-Platonism. Weird.
3dbd12 No.758524
>>758517
Orthodox here is not referring to the "eastern orthodox" dum dum
It means correct
76f398 No.758526
>>758522
>And then you strangely flip the switch and now say Augustine was cool for adopting Neo-Platonism. Weird.
What do you mean? I just like his writings on free will and grace.
76f398 No.758527
>>758524
I meant eastern orthodox
afaf60 No.758528
It's funny. The people who only depend on revelation from the scriptures are the "unscriptural" ones. But the people who adopted some queer's philosophy is the scriptural based one.
I can't wrap my head around this.
afaf60 No.758530
>>758526
>What do you mean? I just like his writings on free will and grace.
You're accusing Orthodox of being Platonist, while in the same breath, upholding the main Platonist in the Patristic tradition.
3dbd12 No.758531
>>758527
I know, that's your mistake
The claim "pelagius was orthodox" does not refer to "eastern orthodoxy"
76f398 No.758533
>>758530
I don't care much about any of Augustine's other writings. I literally just like his writings on free will and grace. also, I was referring to the Pseudo-Dionysian texts.
>>758528
You think Cathodox are the most scriptural? I'd like to see you defend your beliefs.
82586c No.758539
>>758533
I didn't say anything about Cathodox. I'm defending Orthodox (not Cathodox) from this silly notion that they're Platonists. They're far from it. Condemning Platonism is literally in the pronouncement of Anathemas. And it's everywhere in the Eastern Church Fathers. Just read them sometime, if you can.
St. Augustine is more the father/root of the Roman Catholic church. He's the Neo-Platonist, and barely mentioned in the East. Both RC's and many Reformers held him up high (especially Calvin). I have no interest in any of this. But the Neo-Platonic strain runs through here. It has no place in the East.
b62176 No.760966
>>757622
Quit reading the KJV, it's just as good as almost any other translation in the sense that it is the word of God. Try taking a look at CEV, NIV, or NCV translations for something that isn't in Shakespearean English.
7d7efb No.761094
>>758531
Pelagious wasn't orthodox by Western or Eastern standards.
Saying he was a good Christian is like our frienfss at the church of East saying Nestorius isn't a nestorian.
8f2dd3 No.761336
c6bd12 No.770593
>>757622
just keep trying op
81e27f No.770597
I have never seen anyone with an honest unbiased understanding of the Bible. Idk if it’s that they never actually read it or magical thinking and brainwashing. I hope you have better luck than them.
fce71e No.770601
>>770597
Expecting lack of bias is the problem. The scriptures are supposed to have bias: It's about one people - those in covenant with God. And since Jesus, that's the Church. And the Church itself have been the stewards of the scriptures since. Assuming anyone else has the right to interpret it is what has produced so much chaos in biblical interpretation. That's the whole fault of Protestantism: That the individual alone is the important thing. Look where that's led the world.
256bd9 No.770620
>>770601
>Look where that's led the world.
Yep, I can see.
http://newser.com/story/263325/hundreds-of-pennsylvania-predator-priests-named.html
>A long-awaited grand jury reportexamining clergy sex abuse in Pennsylvania was released Tuesday, and it lists more than 300 "predator priests" accused of abusing more than 1,000 child victims over a period of seven decades. The almost 900-page report also has harsh words for Roman Catholic Church leadership, reports the Philadelphia Inquirer: "Priests were raping little boys and girls and the men of God who were responsible not only did nothing: They hid it all," it says.
>Some of the accounts included in the report are shocking, including one describing four priests who allegedly used whips and forced one victim to pose, naked, as Christ on the cross. Other accusations include a priest accused of raping and impregnating a teen, then helping her get an abortion; a priest accused of sexually abusing five sisters, including one who was abused from the age of 18 months to 12 years; a priest accused of keeping pubic hairs from his alleged victims; a victim who was forced to perform oral sex and then had his mouth washed out with holy water; and a victim who was forced to say confession to his alleged abuser. The grand jury did not recommend any new charges. Many of the offenses are beyond the state's statute of limitations, and grand jurors said they were "sick" over crimes going unpunished, the AP reports.
8c42dc No.770629
Aside from listening to audiobooks I find the only way for me to read books is to read to myself semi-aloud not stopping to process each individual sentence unless it seems like something of particular interest. You can always examine individual verses later, and there's plenty of commentary and discussion around to answer a large amount of questions.
8fe703 No.770633
As others have asked, what translation are you using OP? I made the mistake of starting off with the KJV, seldom Googling language I didn't understand, and reading for long periods of time (e.g. the book of Genesis in 2 sittings). Naturally, I didn't digest information as well as I should have. I'd recommend you read no more than 2-3 chapters per sitting, meditate on what you just read, and maybe even wait a day before reading any further. Ideally, you'll come to accept that the Bible is not any old book that should be finished in less than a month; you will never cease reading, studying, or learning from it throughout the course of your life.
ea460b No.770637
>>770601
The notes in Bibles, including Cathodox ones, are notoriously full of magical thinking and weird stuff (but some are SIGNIFICANTLY better than others.) And unfortunately even if you take someone like St. Augustine as an ultimate authority on scripture their works are not all encompassing and leave many questions unanswered. So even though the saints answer a few big things, in some parts you have to choose between magical thinking or personal interpretation. Even different translations lead you to different conclusions. When reading English Bibles my personal interpretation NEVER coincides with popular Christian opinion but when I read the Vulgate I come to conclusions that perfectly match the Catholic catechism. Maybe some languages are just better than others. With Latin being above English and personally guessing what’s mainstream being the worst form of religious interpretation.
ea460b No.770638
>>770633
This. Language is important. I can’t read Greek but I can read Latin and the Vulgate is vastly superior to English translations.
8c42dc No.770650
>>770638
If you like the Vulgate you should look at the Wycliffe translation at biblegateway.com
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+1&version=WYC
9a4824 No.770756
>>757622
You can try a bible study. Otherwise there are scores of reading plans you can easily find.
Have some faith, OP.
da32ae No.770760
>>757663
Find yourself an audiobook. Repeat any bits that slide you by. It has been said that a written word cannot move you as well as a good orator can.
c4e442 No.771135
>>757622
I started reading it from the beginning for at least 30 minutes a day on sunday. The only problem Im having is the old testament is huge and since I know most of the stories i start getting the urge to skip ahead.
702385 No.771139
As a man created in the image of God it is your duty to read not only the Bible but all good writing. The intellect creates an almost infinite distance between man and beast, make use of it.
395207 No.771244
>>757622
Yeah man totally, the hardest thing ever.
That aside, if you are struggling with this that means God wants you to do it. Pray that the Holy spirit will grant you focus when reading Holy scripture. Chances are demons are behind this lack of focus, I've had similar experiences. Just remember that it is God's holy will for you to read and learn about the faith. Don't let yourself get in the way of that, humble yourself and beg for concentration, when you find your mind wandering gently pull it back into you heart. God bless brother.