A lot of time is spent quoting scripture. Verses lined up to prove some point or another, usually aimed at an opponent, real, or imagined. Then the other side, if real, could have their own set of verses, to prove that their point which is also based on scripture. Then of course both sides think that they are influenced by the Holy Spirit, and are therefore blessed with infallibility, more all encompassing than any Pope would dare to admit. An impasse is met, and sometimes both sides will condemn the other to hell for not being scriptural, or even Christian. The worship of the bible can be a terrible thing. Mistaking each personal interpretation, which is based on ones unique situation in the world, as if given by the Holy Spirit, creates a very ugly situation for Christians, and causes a great deal of scandal, both within the church and without. We can find pretty much anything we want in the scriptures, both Old and New Testaments. It pretty much is based on the psychological health of the person wielding this weapon that dictates what they perceive the Holy Spirit is telling them, or simply put, what they are looking for to back up some preconceived notion.
So a man or woman, who has never studied scripture, will on a Sunday, receive Christ, and suddenly they are experts on the Scriptures, preaching, teaching all kinds of nonsense to those who are willing to put aside any kind of discernment in order to listen to them. It is a problem that will not go away, and I don’t worry about it. For in the end I have to trust the process that we are each going through, and simply let it go at that. For the arguing of Scripture is a waste of time, energy poorly spent. It goes nowhere, just endless cycles of the same things repeated over and over again. It is like arguments with Atheist; both sides pretty much rehash old arguments. Also atheist like Christians will use the scriptures to back up some biased position. I think this is the reliving in the modern world, of the myth of Sisyphus.
I am a Christian, and am proud of my heritage, there is a lot of depth and wisdom to be mined, if one is patient enough to slowly grow in the mystery of Christ, who He is and what He is about.
Br. Mark Dohle, OCSO
