Bible Study

[SmartBlondeGPhB]

I have to agree with the tread lightly comments.

I am also Catholic and until college was very active in quite a few aspects of my church (including Catholic schools) but no way would I have gone for any type of Bible study with my sisters. The term even makes my skin crawl. And as my sister already said, I sure wouldn't have wanted a group "spreading the gospel" in the house I was paying room and board on.

But I spent my freshman year with a Muslim room mate (and Jewish sisters).

[sairose]

Originally posted by GeekyPenguin
I would have been extremely offended if one of my sisters had asked me to come outside of a general annoucement at meeting, or if this was held in our chapter house. It didn't say in my lease anything about the home being used to indoctrinate people with religious beliefs.

If you like studying the Bible with your brothers, great, but I don't think you should expect enormous attendance or ever pressure anyone to come.

Why would it offend you for a sister simply to invite you to come? Would you be offended if someone else (not Greek) asked you to come to church or a Bible study?

ASKING someone to come is one thing, and FORCING is another. If a religion means a lot to someone, they should have the right to invite you to come. Do you understand what I mean? As long as they are respectful of you and your decision not to come, I don't see the harm.

[GeekyPenguin]

Originally posted by sairose
Why would it offend you for a sister simply to invite you to come? Would you be offended if someone else (not Greek) asked you to come to church or a Bible study?

ASKING someone to come is one thing, and FORCING is another. If a religion means a lot to someone, they should have the right to invite you to come. Do you understand what I mean? As long as they are respectful of you and your decision not to come, I don't see the harm.

YES! My sisters more than anyone should know my religious beliefs, and know that those do not involve discussing the Bible with others. I would be extremely offended by anyone who asked me to attend a Bible study. Like my sister said, the term makes my skin crawl. I study the Bible in Theology, and that's all the Bible I need.

[SmartBlondeGPhB]

Originally posted by sairose
Why would it offend you for a sister simply to invite you to come? Would you be offended if someone else (not Greek) asked you to come to church or a Bible study?

Yes, as a matter of fact I would be offended by anyone asking me to attend. By asking me to attend a bible study (or any other religious thing) the other person is automatically assuming that either a) I don't already attend or b) I'm in need of it. And that assumption is incredibly offensive.

I don't feel the need to spend an hour of my time sitting in church just so others can see me and think that I'm a good believer. I prefer to spend my time helping others less fortunate than myself. My hour a week is much better spent on Monday nights babysitting for women who have been abused and are in support groups.

[phimuandfries]

Originally posted by SmartBlondeGPhB
Yes, as a matter of fact I would be offended by anyone asking me to attend. By asking me to attend a bible study (or any other religious thing) the other person is automatically assuming that either a) I don't already attend or b) I'm in need of it. And that assumption is incredibly offensive.

I don't understand how those are the automatic assumptions. I have asked people because of many different reasons, and neither of those apply. I have asked people I assumed would be interested. Are you offended when guys ask you out? According to you that would mean they assumed a) you aren't dating someone or b) no one else wants you.
I am not trying to be rude, but you make it sound like people who want to include you in their religous beliefs are looking down on you, which is rarely the case. People have all sorts of beliefs, and these beliefs get them through hard times and give them hope. They just want to share that with you with an invitation to learn about what makes them so happy. If you know already that whatever they are teaching isn't going to work for you, then fine, politely decline, but please don't be offended when someone just wants to share with you what makes them happy. Be glad that they thought of you!

[texas*princess]

Our chapter has our own Bible Study group It isn't at all mandatory, just something a few of the sisters do.

On our campus we even have an All Greek Bible study which is held in the Chi Omega chapter room.. again, not mandatory, but all greeks are invited

[sairose]

Originally posted by SmartBlondeGPhB
Yes, as a matter of fact I would be offended by anyone asking me to attend. By asking me to attend a bible study (or any other religious thing) the other person is automatically assuming that either a) I don't already attend or b) I'm in need of it. And that assumption is incredibly offensive.

I don't feel the need to spend an hour of my time sitting in church just so others can see me and think that I'm a good believer. I prefer to spend my time helping others less fortunate than myself. My hour a week is much better spent on Monday nights babysitting for women who have been abused and are in support groups.

Wow.

Someone inviting you to a Bible study doesn't mean they automatically think that! In fact, often the people *I* invite to my church are other Christians, often of another denomination. I'm not asking them to convert them to my church, but rather to share mine with them. That's all. Obviously, I invite non-Christians as well, but whenever they turn me down, I respect that as well.

Normally, an invite to church is just meant as a friendly invitation. Yes, they want to share Christ with you, but it doesn't mean they look down on you OR your beliefs.

I had Jewish friends in Connecticut who invited me to their services. I went a few times. No, I did not believe what they did, but I was glad they invited me. They came to my church a few times as well. None of us meant it as, "you need Jesus!" or, "convert to Judaism!". We were just sharing our beliefs.

I respect what you believe, but it's a tad offensive to me that you say your one hour a week is better spent helping others. That's fine that you do not wish to attend church, but please don't make it sound like others are wasting their time for doing so.

[Rudey]

The difference is that in the Jewish religion we don't "spread the gospel".

I personally think yes people should do it in the chapter if they want because well hey it's your chapter, do what you can that doesn't violate a rule and brings you closer to your brothers/sisters. But I think that if your chapter becomes a tool in "spreading the gospel" you've gone too far. There is a very thin line between that 99.9% of people would not see.

-Rudey

Originally posted by sairose
Wow.

Someone inviting you to a Bible study doesn't mean they automatically think that! In fact, often the people *I* invite to my church are other Christians, often of another denomination. I'm not asking them to convert them to my church, but rather to share mine with them. That's all. Obviously, I invite non-Christians as well, but whenever they turn me down, I respect that as well.

Normally, an invite to church is just meant as a friendly invitation. Yes, they want to share Christ with you, but it doesn't mean they look down on you OR your beliefs.

I had Jewish friends in Connecticut who invited me to their services. I went a few times. No, I did not believe what they did, but I was glad they invited me. They came to my church a few times as well. None of us meant it as, "you need Jesus!" or, "convert to Judaism!". We were just sharing our beliefs.

I respect what you believe, but it's a tad offensive to me that you say your one hour a week is better spent helping others. That's fine that you do not wish to attend church, but please don't make it sound like others are wasting their time for doing so.

[phimuandfries]

Originally posted by Rudey
The difference is that in the Jewish religion we don't "spread the gospel".

I personally think yes people should do it in the chapter if they want because well hey it's your chapter, do what you can that doesn't violate a rule and brings you closer to your brothers/sisters. But I think that if your chapter becomes a tool in "spreading the gospel" you've gone too far. There is a very thin line between that 99.9% of people would not see.

-Rudey

What would constitute being a tool in "spreading the gospel"? When would that line get crossed?

[Rudey]

Originally posted by phimuandfries
What would constitute being a tool in "spreading the gospel"? When would that line get crossed?

I'm telling you that most of you people just wouldn't get it. Out of sight, out of mind.

When you're thinking about "spreading the gospel" and Christianity and start recruiting or trying to get more people to your group, I'd say it has. Now if you say hey i have a bible study, here is the time, here is the place and people come the chapter is not a tool for it.

-Rudey

[Optimist Prime]

Originally posted by AggieDelt
We recently started doing a weekly bible study in our chapter, and I was wondering if anyone had any advice on a good way to run it. The last few weeks we have just been picking some verses, reading and discussing them, but I feel a more topical approach may be the way to go. Are there any good reasources for this kind of thing online? Also, how do you all stimulate chapter participation? We have a 60+ man chapter, but can only manage to get 4 or 5 out for bible study each week. Thanks.

Make sure your brothers are Christian first. If not, then they might not care too much about the bible. Trying finding verses from whateever other religions that are similiar to the bible verses you're talking about and you should have more people there

[valkyrie]

Originally posted by GeekyPenguin
YES! My sisters more than anyone should know my religious beliefs, and know that those do not involve discussing the Bible with others.

GP makes a very important point. I would be offended if I were a collegiate and a sister invited me to Bible study because I would hope that my sisters would know that my religious beliefs do not involve Christianity/the Bible. I would never invite someone to come to a Buddhist temple with me because I feel that religion is a personal decision.

[phimuandfries]

I agree that religion is an extremely personal decision, that you should make on your own completely. But how does inviting someone to a Bible study, temple, church, yoga class violate that personal decision? I am not saying you don't have the right to feel offended I would just like to better understand why it is offensive.

[Rudey]

Originally posted by phimuandfries
I agree that religion is an extremely personal decision, that you should make on your own completely. But how does inviting someone to a Bible study, temple, church, yoga class violate that personal decision? I am not saying you don't have the right to feel offended I would just like to better understand why it is offensive.

There's a difference between them knowing it's there and being invited and you constantly inviting and "recruiting" them.

-Rudey

[Wine&SilverBlue]

I think the bible study is a good idea as long as it is announced lightly as something someone in the chapter is starting as THEIR project, not as the CHAPTER's project.

i do NOT think it is a good idea to:

- refer to it in a way that implies that people are expected to go because they are in your chapter

- try to convert people (is that what "spreading the gospel" means? well, i wouldn't try to convert people unless they chose to show up to your bible study of their own accord)

- do anything that would make people of other religions uncomfortable

depending on where you go to school, things like this might be perceived differently, but i personally wouldn't want to be a part of a chapter that has any religious affiliation (especially one other than mine)