**CROSS POST** Knowledge & Literacy & a Personal Challenge

**This is scheduled to post later on my other blog. I am posting it early here. These days, there is so much strife among politicians and ignorance on the part of some of us citizens. I believe that literacy is more important than ever.**

Reading, thinking critically, knowing, understanding - this is all so important for all of us. Learning shouldn't stop at the end of our school days. Maturing shouldn't stop at a certain age. Keep growing and keep striving to be a better person - even if just for yourself.

Knowledge & Literacy

When I got sick, the one thing that bothered me the most was not being able to read and comprehend as well as before. I have always loved books. Reading allowed me to see more of the world without ever leaving my room. Reading was how I learned to feel connections with other people in this wide world of ours.

Now that my brain is somewhat healed, I can better read and comprehend the written word. However, there is something about seeing a lot of letters on a page that frustrates me. Sometimes, the letters and words seem distorted. For that reason, I have learned to appreciate audiobooks.

And, thank God for audiobooks. For the past 7 years or so, I have gotten back into the habit of reading or listening to all the writers and poets I love. Zora Neale Hurston is a favorite and I have come back around to others such as those by Oscar Wilde, Alexandre Dumas, Shirley Jackson, Countee Cullen, Sylvia Plath, Nella Larsen, Claude McKay, Lorraine Hansberry, and Harper Lee. 

Even though I started reading at an early age, I have only recently begun to think about all the books, authors, and poets I've avoided. I have never read most of Shakespeare or any of Virginia Woolf, and I just put Sun Tzu's "The Art of War" on my list because of a Bible Study I've been doing.

Yesterday, I started putting together a list. During the coming winter months, I'd like to touch on or get through:

• The Art of War (Sun Tzu). A nephew of mine suggested this one years ago. The Bible study reminded me.
• The Death of Common Sense (Philip K. Howard). Oddly, I saw the author mentioned in the obituary of a television voice actor.
• The History of Knowledge (Charles Van Doren)
• The Federalist Papers (A. Hamilton, J. Madison, and J. Jay)
• The Ninety-Five Theses (Martin Luther)
• The Antiquities of the Jews (Josephus - translated by William Whiston)

It's a short list but some of the works are very intensive and will take me the rest of my life. (I also plan to re-read and study the U.S. Constitution, something I haven't done since my last year of school.)

A Challenge

One book that I have read before and recently read (rather listened to) again is Cultural Literacy (E.D. Hirsch, Jr.). The first time I read this, I made it a goal to start honing my cultural literacy skills. Then I got sick. Last year, I found a copy at my local library and made a note to read it again. When I did, I was encouraged to pursue a very specific challenge: to study for the U.S. Citizenship Test.

I have always been amazed (and sometimes ashamed) by the hard work of many people who come to live in the U.S. and make it their permanent home. Like too many natural-born citizens, I take so much of my citizenship for granted.

When people come here and, starting with less than I have, and go on to do more than I have, that's beautiful. It's also a reminder that I - and many of you - could be doing so much more here. We could be more appreciative of our freedoms and opportunities. We do, many of us, squander so much of that.

The challenge I have given myself is not to prove anything. I just want to study for the test for my personal learning and growth. 

There are many resources online. I started with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Naturalization Interview and Test page. Looking at the test and study resources listed, I decided to just go with other (less official) sources. Right now, I'm looking at this site. There are offerings of "free" training resources I want to check out.

If you are interested in just taking a quiz (it might encourage you) there is one. If, like me, you want to practice for taking the entire test, this is one link. I had initially just thought about practicing for the Civics portion only.

What strikes me is that people only get 2 attempts at passing the actual exam! Think about that. Think about the work that someone - who may not even speak English - has to put in to become a citizen. Maybe we all should have to take this test at some point in our early school years.

I will post about my progress as often as I can. I have not set a start date yet.

Peace

--Free

2 Bookshelf Favorites (and a bonus)

 Since I finished the Learn the Bible in 24 Hours study, I've been lagging. I have started the KHouse video playlist on Genesis but can't seem to settle down and focus. While I wait for my brain and body to calm down long enough to start another 24-video session, I've decided to hit my bookshelf.

The first book I am going back through is Core Christianity (What Is Christianity All About?) by Elmer Towns.

❣ Core Christianity is one of the books I would have loved to have back before I committed to Christ. Being raised by a Christian mother but surrounded by many law-driven church people, I had questions. My mother was a sola scriptura Christian. She went to a Holy Roller church because it was the one she'd been raised in but she didn't practice their questionable practices such as "shouting" or speaking in tongues. She didn't even buy the prosperity message they taught. I think she went to that church because she had been raised to attend church and in our little town, the only other choices were more of the same or the Catholic churches. 

My mother's answer to any question was to study the Bible and trust the Word. I was young and didn't read the Bible much. When I got a bit more mature, I was kind of busy learning to enjoy the world. By the time, I got back to my serious questions on Christianity and faith, I struggled a bit.

Core Christianity is one of the books that I think anyone and everyone should read if they are critical of Christianity. I'd love for everyone to pick up a Bible and read it first but I know a lot of people won't. They haven't been witnessed to. This book is a sort of written witnessing tool.

❣ Another bookshelf favorite is Pagan Christianity: Exploring the Roots of Church Practices (by Frank Viola and George Barna).

This one answered a lot of questions I'd always wondered about in the back of my mind. You know, the questions that if someone asked, you'd want to know too.  I realize now, I had been wondering about a lot of this stuff back when I was sitting in my mother's church.

How'd did Sunday School start?

Why do the various pastors, priest, bishops, etc. dress the way they do? 

Why do we have a certain order of service? 

Why are most services so formalized? 

Why do the pastors and church "leaders" sit at the front (and in special chairs)? 

Why do we worry so much about wearing our "Sunday best"? 

Why is church and church-going so complicated?

 What I love is that the book touches on so many things that I can (and want to) study further. There is a lot of history and background that I need to look into - not to mention checking it all against the Bible.

❣ This last mention is for a fiction series. It belongs here because it's so well-written and keeps true to the Bible. The series is Chronicles of the Host by D Brian Shafer.

The series (volumes 1-5) is an entertaining account of biblical events from the fall of Lucifer to the coming of the Messiah and the start of the Church. After perusing a similar type of series (I won't name it), Chronicles is such a joy to read because I wasn't having to mentally note the biblical errors.

I once had the entire paperback set and gifted it to a friend. Now I have to try to get another set. I would love to gift a set to my young nephew. 

Anyway, those are some of my favorite books. I will get back to my Bible study but I'm going to be re-reading the first two books on this list while I settle myself down.

Peace

--Free

 

NOTE: I used Amazon links because you will be able to get "sneak peeks" or read samples of the books. I buy my books either at Amazon or Christianbook.com.

Bible Study NEVER Ends

 I have finished my Learn the Bible in 24 Hours video study course. It only took me about two and a half years. Or a bit more.

When I started the study, I thought I would be able to get through it quicker. My sarc-riddled brain decided otherwise and I had a lot of days when I couldn't get through more than 10 minutes of a video or a couple of pages of reading. But God is good. I did get finish the study and, you know the most important thing I learned? That a Christian is never finished with Bible study!

Now that I have finished this particular course of study, I have really only just begun. My next goal is to study each of the books of the Bible more thoroughly. I will be again using the Koinonia House resources. 

K House's YouTube channel has, I believe, a playlist of videos for each Bible book. I am going to be starting with the Genesis playlist, of course, and I have the playlist saved.

This time I won't have the helpful book or handbook that I did with 24 Hours, although I will be referring to both. (By the way, I also have the workbook but did not use it. Perhaps I will next time.) I will have to be more organized and do a lot more note-taking. My brain is already being a bully. I keep having to battle thoughts about being too stupid to do the studies. I have severe issues with confusion and when I have to focus on anything, I get a lot of distortion with words and concepts. But, once again, God is good. 

I am reminding myself that it's okay if I only get through 10 minutes of study every session. I don't have to be in competition with anyone. That's what I love about being able to study on my own. No one is around to make me feel embarrassed by my mental limitations. 

Anyway.

One of the things I have learned is how little I know about the Bible. Every time I turn the page, I see get a new insight that I missed before. During the 24 Hours sessions, Missler would often quip that even 24 years is not enough to study the Bible. He and others who spent years and years studying the Bible probably feel as I do: they need more time!

I did thoroughly enjoy the 24 Hours study sessions. I will probably do the set all over again in a few years, God willing that I am here. 

If you struggle with where to get started in Bible study, I highly recommend using the K House resources. Much of the information (and certainly almost all of the video sessions) can be found free of charge on the ministry website and via YouTube. 

About Koinonia Institute
for SERIOUS study:
For those who want to do a deep-dive and more structured study of the Bible, go to the Koinonia Institute.  Here is a list of the available courses. (There are some materials that you will need to purchase but they are all listed on the website.) I am a bit too intimidated to attempt this. Pray for me that I will eventually get the courage to at least try!

If you are curious and considering the Institute, here are some FAQs, and here is the Student Handbook. What a glorious and invaluable resource to have.

The eSword app on my PC was invaluable and, as always, I want to recommend everyone to check that out. Whatever resources you use, please study the Bible. It's the Christian handbook to everything. 

Peace

--Free