#66453 - Public scripture study

[Katya]

http://theboard.byu.edu/questions/66453/

Do you agree with GA that reading one's scriptures in public looks like a prideful gesture? (If you saw someone else doing it, would you assume they were doing it to be noticed? Would you avoid doing it yourself for the same reasons?)

[Fredjikrang]

No. I've been thinking about writing about this for a while. Maybe during lunch I'll expound.

[bobtheenchantedone]

I certainly wouldn't. I spent all of my school years carrying around books to read, and occasionally that did include my scriptures. I'm more likely to judge people who are sitting around doing nothing, because seriously, how are they not dying of boredom without a book to read?

[Fredjikrang]

Okay. Now, I will pontificate. But concisely. Because I just don't have time.

I don't think it is prideful. I think that it CAN be, but that it depends entirely on the why the person is doing it, which Genuine Article does point out.

So, I basically want to talk about two things here:
1. The "pray in secret" idea.
2. Judgment.

1. The "pray in secret" idea.
So, the "pray in secret" argument is something that was brought up a lot in my mission by other missionaries, and it always bothered me. Mainly because it seems like people use it as an excuse to not pray/study/whatever in public, probably because they are uncomfortable with it, though I am sure that there are some who try to do it in order to truly obey what they understand to be Christ's instructions.

But it always bothered me, for the same reason that GA lists, that we should be examples of the believers, and how can I be an example of the believers if I don't, for example, bless my food just because I am in a public place? But, thankfully, one day I encountered a scripture that helped me to better understand this commandment. It is D&C 19: 28, which says:

And again, I command thee that thou shalt pray vocally as well as in thy heart; yea, before the world as well as in secret, in public as well as in private.

So, to me that means that yes, it is okay to pray in public. So, I then would reexamine the scripture in the bible where Jesus seems to condemn public pray, and realize that he really meant to not be a hypocrite in prayer. (Leading to the idea that what determines if it is okay or not are the reasons why it is done.)

2. Judgement
I feel like GA's answer says that they generally assume that people are bad, or that their intentions are dishonorable. Because if we assume that people are good, and that their intentions are honorable, then there are many other great reasons why someone might be studying their scriptures out in public, and so should be lauded, not despised.

I'm obviously not perfect at this, and often judge people assuming that they are up to no good, but I try to think about my judgements and think of good reasons why someone might do what they did. I think that this is a very valuable skill, and that is why I am trying to develop it, and think the best instead of the worst of people. It really makes life a lot easier, as you don't worry so much about things. (Understanding of course that in potentially dangerous circumstances some caution is a good thing, if the cost of judging a person poorly is high.)

So, those are my thoughts in five minutes.

[Katya]

As far as I can tell, the logic is as follows:

1. There exists an activity X (such as reading Dostoyevsky or one's scriptures in public), such that X may be motivated by pride or showing off.

2. Therefore, when you see someone doing activity X in public, it is possible that they are doing it to show off.

3. Therefore, you should never engage in activity X (for any reason), because people may assume that you are doing it to show off.

To be honest, this reasoning strikes me as almost paranoid or at least indicative of an assumption of bad faith on everyone's part (like you said, Fred). Plus, in my experience, it's glaringly obvious when someone is doing something to show off, because they'll get annoyed if you don't pay attention to them, while people who are doing something just to do it will continue on with it, attention or no.

[Dragon Lady]

So clearly the answer is to get a smartphone and read your scriptures on there. Because then you can build yourself spiritually while everyone else thinks you're just playing Words With Friends.

[Fredjikrang]

You could. But I hate studying on my phone. (Yes, this is coming from the digital textbook advocate. ;D )

Also, then you miss out on the wonderful opportunity of maybe reminding someone else that they were going to read their scriptures this morning, but then got distracted by a sale on dealnews, and decided that they would read later. ;D

[Eirene]

Hmm, especially on campus, if I think twice about what someone else is reading, I generally assume they're studying for a class or killing a little free time, not showing off (probably because those are the only times I'd ever read in public). It seems like a lot of work to lug around a book you're not even interested in just to show off.

I would definitely roll my eyes at someone praying vocally in public (like at restaurants), but if people just bow their head for a minute, I mostly feel (a) guilty because I didn't pray over my own public meal and (b) kind of awkward for like talking and walking around while someone's trying to be spiritual.

[Marduk]

Two somewhat unrelated thoughts:

I'm apparently the opposite of Bob; I can't fathom how someone can read in a public place. It is noisy and distracting. When I read I prefer to become engrossed. I hate having to re-read what I've already read because I was distracted the first time 'round. But this would apply to anything read in public.

Second, I think if we're doing anything in which our first concern is how it will appear to others, we're in the wrong. If we don't read our scriptures in public because we are concerned of appearing too pious/offending others/whatever external reason, we ought to re-evaluate our decision making process. The same, then, would apply if we choose to read our scriptures in public to be seen of others. The sister sins of vanity and pride are still very present, with us as with the Jews whom Jesus first excoriated for such behavior.

[Marduk]

None of this applies, of course, when reading scriptures upon your rameumptum.

[Genuine Article]

I don't think people are consciously showing off, but I think reading scriptures in public gives off an air of being holier-than-thou, which only makes other people feel guilty/uncomfortable/inconvenienced. I don't actually care much why they're doing it, just that they're doing it in public, because if they didn't do it in public I wouldn't have the opportunity to resent them for it. There's a time and a place for every activity; you wouldn't eat a hoagie in church, read in a movie theater, or go TPing during the day. Similarly, I view scripture study as a private activity, and people doing private things in public makes me uncomfortable.

[Unit of Energy]

I think that it completely depends on why you're doing something. I do read my scriptures on my smartphone in public, but mostly because I've found that my lunch break is the one time of the day that I will remember to read and still be alert enough to get something out of my study.

I don't mind reading scriptures in public, nor do I think that being conscious of what others think while doing so is necessarily a bad thing. I remember quite clearly an evening when a young man was visiting my apartment. His goal that night was to find the one genre of music that I would hate. I laughed at him and went about my business. I was picking up my living room, and a couple things that belonged in my scriptures had fallen on the floor, so I was putting them away and about to start reading, and almost instantly the music was turned off. When I asked him about it, he told me that he'd noticed the scriptures and wanted to make sure he wasn't distracting. I would have gone about my business, had the music continued or not, but knowing that someone was paying attention to what I was doing has helped me in many ways.

[Fredjikrang]

Second, I think if we're doing anything in which our first concern is how it will appear to others, we're in the wrong. If we don't read our scriptures in public because we are concerned of appearing too pious/offending others/whatever external reason, we ought to re-evaluate our decision making process. The same, then, would apply if we choose to read our scriptures in public to be seen of others. The sister sins of vanity and pride are still very present, with us as with the Jews whom Jesus first excoriated for such behavior.

I completely agree with the above statement.

Similarly, I view scripture study as a private activity, and people doing private things in public makes me uncomfortable.

Could you explain a little bit more about why scripture study is a private activity for you? This seems like the key point in the disagreement, and one that I don't really understand where you are coming from.

For me I really don't see any significant difference between scripture study and studying biology. They are both studies of what could be seen as one eternal truth. Sure, one textbook is more exact and the other has more pictures, but other than that I really don't see much of a difference. Why are they different for you?

[Genuine Article]

They're not. I don't like to see people studying textbooks in public either, the exception being in a library, which is a public place devoted to studying and reading. It's like when people try to study at the gym. Last week I saw a guy on a stationary bike highlighting a reading assignment and I thought, there is no way he's retaining any of that. Why doesn't he do that at home? Similarly, some people eat their lunch in the Wilk bathrooms with couches. Again, I wonder why anyone would choose to eat in a bathroom as opposed to a cafeteria. I feel the same way about scriptures. Why read in public, surrounded by noise and people and distraction when you could do it at home and likely get more out of it? Setting matters.

[Fredjikrang]

So it makes you uncomfortable because you think that they aren't studying in an effective manner? (Still trying to understand.)

[bobtheenchantedone]

Reading in public isn't distracting for me. I'm pretty good at shutting everything out. Also, my intention (admitted or otherwise) is to be unnoticed, and being absorbed in what I am doing is a good way to accomplish that.

I never studied in the library. I needed to eat too frequently. Plus the library is far too quiet. I always hung out, studying or otherwise, in the Wilk.

[Katya]

They're not. I don't like to see people studying textbooks in public either, the exception being in a library, which is a public place devoted to studying and reading. It's like when people try to study at the gym. Last week I saw a guy on a stationary bike highlighting a reading assignment and I thought, there is no way he's retaining any of that. Why doesn't he do that at home? Similarly, some people eat their lunch in the Wilk bathrooms with couches. Again, I wonder why anyone would choose to eat in a bathroom as opposed to a cafeteria. I feel the same way about scriptures. Why read in public, surrounded by noise and people and distraction when you could do it at home and likely get more out of it? Setting matters.

So . . . are you opposed to all reading in public (outside of places like libraries)?

[Digit]

Just be sure to wear this shirt:

[Craig Jessop]

I read my scriptures in the library, pretty much every day. It's quiet and, most importantly, secluded (if you use one of those little study hovels lining the walls). I don't feel comfortable reading the scriptures out in the open, but obviously don't mind reading them in a public place. When people read their quads (have you noticed it's almost always a quad?) in the middle of the lawn at 11:50, or in the Cougareat, or whatever, it makes me feel awkward. It's like they're trying to show off their spirituality -- obviously I can't judge what's in their heart, but it makes me cringe a little.

[Dragon Lady]

Or, maybe, they only have time to read while they eat lunch. Or they can't study in silence. Or they realized they didn't do the reading for class in an hour. Or they had some downtime and figured they do something spiritual instead of playing Angry Birds. Or they're an ANES major and half of their assignments include opening the scriptures.

Personally, I don't like the idea that people would want me to go seclude myself while I read my scriptures. It makes me less likely to just read my scriptures when the urge strikes if I heve to change location to do so. Sorry if that makes y'all uncomfortable.