Eselam...I am no means a 'spokes-person' for all Christian (and definitely not the Catholics); however, the Jews were given specific instructions about how they were to observe the Law. That was the nature of the old covenant. Specific laws had to be followed precisely. A Jew could obey the Law of Moses without ever really loving God.
But the new covenant is different. God wants a close, loving relationship with his people now. The new covenant is not about memorizing scripture or rituals and keeping a bunch of laws. It is about loving God and keeping him always in our hearts.
Nothing wrong with trying memorizing the Scriptures, but it is not a requirement. Thanking God and glorifying him for his love and the sacrifice of his Son and showing love to our fellow man is what makes someone a Christian. I base what I just said on the following Scriptures:
Matthew 15:6-9
Thus you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition. 7 You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you: 8 These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. 9 They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.
Mark 12:33
To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.
Luke 16:15
You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of others, but God knows your hearts.
John 5:42
But I know you. I know that you do not have the love of God in your hearts.
May, I say that you made some good points. I will point out that to be a good mathematician you have to learn the multiplication and division tables. To be a good writer you have to know how to spell (well at least before the days of computers) and it would have been a good idea to rules of grammar quite well.
I knew a person who memorized the Bible (Yes, he had the entire Bible memorized). He was a good fellow, and no doubt he would have been a good fellow if he hadn't had the entire bible memorized.
One should remember that the Old Testament is a guide to a Christian. I would think Psalm 119 may have been pointed out to you often.
Psalm 119
9How can a young man keep his way pure?
By living according to your word.
10With my whole heart, I have sought you.
Dont let me wander from your commandments.
11I have hidden your word in my heart,
that I might not sin against you.
12Blessed are you, Yahweh.
Teach me your statutes.
13With my lips,
I have declared all the ordinances of your mouth.
14I have rejoiced in the way of your testimonies,
as much as in all riches.
15I will meditate on your precepts,
and consider your ways.
16I will delight myself in your statutes.
I will not forget your word.---World English Bible
By the way, God eschews creative and imaginative interpretation of His Word, so it is good to know the content of it, at the very least and to memorize passages that are important to you.:yes:
But is rote learning of the Bible the way to look at it. Sometimes I think too much rote learning is bad thing. Example:
A Chinese school is both a stressful and stale place, forcing students to remember facts in order to excel in tests. Neuroscientists know that stress hampers the ability of the brain to convert experience into memory, and psychologists know that rewarding students solely for test performance leads to stress, cheating, and disinterest in learning. But ultimately, the most harmful thing that a Chinese school does, from a creativity perspective, is the way in which it separates emotion from memory by making learning an unemotional experience.
excerpt from,
How China Kills Creativity | China Power
In other words take time to think about God's Word, instead of just memorizing it.
