Anna1111 wrote:
Well - the tattoo image is more than a little disconcerting. Given that the Bible forbids tattoos - as does our Church.
I have two reasons for disliking "coloring" in my Bible (and with "coloring" I include underlining)
1) the obvious -that it takes away from the reverence.
but the less obvious reason:
2) If this time I am reading the Bible (to put it in Protestant terms) "God shows me something" and I underline it, or a I hear something in a sermon and underline it -then the next time I read the same passage, I would tend to dwell on the last experience and MISS the next thing He wants me to see.
This passage is a great example - a lot of people read, underline & memorize verses 8&9, but TOTALLY miss verse 10.
Ephesians 2:8-10New International Version (NIV) (source Bible Gateway)
8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
I think by not underlining, it is much easier for me to learn new things about the same passage each time I read, rather than getting stuck in ruts.
I went for many many years not marking in my Bible. (It was more of a "perfectionist" position on my part rather than a consideration of the holiness of it.)
I agree with what you say.... to an extent. "Beginning" Bible marking should be done cautiously. And perhaps it's not good for everybody. I find underlining draws my attention more into the Word. I draw lines or arrows from confusing pronouns to the noun it goes with or circle a word that may appear many times within a few paragraphs. I might choose a specific color to shade "promises" or "prophesies". Other times, yes, I just underline something that speaks to me at that time. (And those are the ones I can sometimes regret.) I now enjoy marking it and I feel more intimate with it.
OTOH, I do not like that doodler's Bible. A total artistic-type person may view it differently, I won't judge. But, to me, that would make the Bible into a "scrapbook" of sorts. I certainly wouldn't want it to be my main Bible. It could be a great hand-me-down to kids and grandkids, tho'.
Interesting subject and one I feel no qualms about at this time. If I were to grab the one Bible I could keep, I would grab my underlined one.