Close Topic Options

Resting Your Scriptures On The Floor - Page 2

I don't like to see scriptures on the floor or in a place where it can get dirty. I am trying to teach my 8 years old son to be more mindful of these things since it is sacred scripture and should be treated as such.

Floor The Scriptures Resting

Name: Stewart

Comments: What we must remember when we answer this question is, why do we see the laying of scripture on the floor as disrespectful?

I believe that that is just a belief, taken upon by our culture.
If there was a different culture that regarded the floor as (for the lack of a better word) "sacred", would it still be disrespectful. I do not believe so.

The only trouble about having them on the floor is that there is a greater chance of them getting damaged. Other than that, it is all in perception, and in what we have been raised to belief.

However, in all truthfulness, I do myself try to avoid having scriptures, or even hymn books, on the floor.

Resting Your Scriptures On The Floor Studies Doctrine Mormon

I still cannot fathom why any self respecting person would put their scriptures on the floor when there is an option not to.

Page 2 Floor The Scriptures Resting

I think that the scriptures, and the Hymns should be respected, and taken care of, yet the scriptures should be read, and like one of the other posts said, a well-read set of scriptures, even when marked and with side notes, are better then an unread, well-preserved set of scriptures.
If your concerned about price, since it can cost $50 and more for a set of scriptures, you can buy the economy editions of the Scriptures, the Bible costs only $8.20 plus tax Source 8
The Triple Combination costs $5 Source 7

Floor The Scriptures Resting

I believe you should be careful with your scriptures, but it is more important that you should be reading them. I had a friend in high school that was so careful with his scriptures that he would not open them. In seminary, he would look on with a friend. He did not want the gold leafing to come off so he chose not to open his scriptures. He was silly that way.

I have to admit that some pages of my scriptures have fallen off and I have had to fix them because I have read or referred to certain areas more often. I am not interested in buying new scriptures because all my markings are in them and I don't want to transfer all those markings to new scriptures (and they have sentimental value to me also). I think it is more important to read them than where you keep them. If you are reading your scriptures in bed and you happen to fall asleep while reading them (sorry to admit sometimes), it is not a problem if they fell to the ground when you fell asleep. However, do try to respect them and treat them properly.

Resting Your Scriptures On The Floor

Name: Casey

Comments: I heard a talk by Elder Bednar to mission presidents were he pointed out that he never once saw the brethren put their scriptures on the floor.

Resting Scriptures The Floor - Page 2

I was at a Lansing Michigan Stake Conference in 2007 and he spoke on the issue. He said something along those lines there.

Anyway, I consciously never set my scriptures down (if I have to, I put a hymn book or something underneath them...if it's on the ground outside I even take a piece of paper and set it underneath it if that's all I have. I don't know why I'm that careful; there's no commandment to not let it touch the ground. Maybe it's just because they mean more to me than anything else.

I cringe a little bit when people compare our practice with the scriptures to those who value the Qur'an (which is not--I repeat, not--scripture). We should not get into the business of emulating the practices of others. I've been criticized by some for marking my scriptures and writing cross references in them when I was serving as a missionary. Just because someone else goes to an extreme in idolizing a book doesn't mean we ought to. To value the physical book too much is to disregard the larger picture; it's the revelations we cherish, and the revelators we respect. Many Christians think every word is written by God; they're not. Even in the Book of Mormon the prophet Mormon puts out a disclaimer saying that if there are any errors, they are the errors of men.

Don't confuse the package with the message, otherwise a problem with the package (say, a typo in the earlier copies or an inconsistency in the record...which is true of the Bible but not the Book of Mormon) could shake a person's faith.

That said, given the words of the scriptures we ought to follow the example of Alma when he told his son Helaman to make sure the records retain their shine or brightness (Alma 37, I believe). This was an obvious reference to the care that should be taken by those who are responsible to keep scriptures. I think it even goes on to say that it might seem like a small thing but taking good care of the scriptures physically can have great consequences. However, this was not addressed to us but to Helaman. We don't have the same responsibility to the records as him.

Despite this, we can apply the principle directly to our lives:

If you love the scriptures, you will treat them in such a way that shows that you value them. Be mindful of what you are valuing: is it the revelation or the printed pages? Only you can say why you personally respect or disrespect the scriptures.

Resting Scriptures The Floor Mormon Doctrine Studies - Page 2

That's strange I've never done that. I do feel that nothing of worth should be placed on the floor. I would put my palm on the floor, neither my clothes, so why put the scriptures.