Dear Eileen
Shake on it sister, I too was raised a Catholic. From an infant of 4 to 6 in a Catholic St Mary's convent; 7-16 Catholic Christian Brothers College leaving at Intermediate Science. Rosary, Stations of the Cross, Catechisim, confession and kissing the stone feet of Mary's statue. No Bible teaching, in fact, didn't know such existed. I decided to let God do His bit and leave me to do mine, then we wouldn't get in each others way.
Does that bring back nightmare memories? I'm so sorry to have upset you but we have a starting point in common and that's good.
I thought all I needed to do was learn the ten commandments and I'd go to heaven, but why the thick unreadable book? A friend of ours a very good and regular church goer, I thought, should know and possibly help. To my utter surprise she hadn't a clue. So much for Babylon, all supposed Christians but like my friend clueless.
After a short spell with Armstrong where I learned how to find my way round the Bible, I joined the Pentecostal movement and fell from the frying pan into the fire, but that's the way God teaches, it's not our ways. But to be fair I did learn how to read and follow the Bible not that any of my teachers did. They just obeyed what they were taught.
Now I am here and learning twice as fast and for a change the proper stuff right from the horses mouth as it were, not in any way being disrespectful to Ray or the Scriptures. And you Eileen have the advantage over me in that you have a teacher of the real stuff for a starter. Ray teaches very plainly, just download his paper on the "Twelve God-Given Truths To Understanding God's Word" and truly digest it. You can't go wrong it's easy to follow but not so easy to digest and retain. You'll have to read and re-read several times and slowly, whilst at the same time taking his advice to make sure you pay attention to the words. That is very important.
I never knew one hundredth part of what I know now, in fact, I'm still unloading a lot of the Babylonian garbage that has contaminated my mind. I know how you feel a lot of members here unload a lot of Scriptures without due consideration for inexperienced new comers like you and I, which is neither very helpful nor edifying. I have had to face the same and I've been blunt about it on this site and it has unintentionally offended quite a few. But the truth always hurts and truthfulness is always the best policy. I empathize with you in your situation.
I am only a newbie here like yourself so you are not on your own.
God bless you sister in our joint walk in Christ.
Love in Christ Jesus.
Roy UK