Answering the Fool
By Wayne Jackson (paraphrased in part)
The inspired writer of Proverbs cautioned:
"Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest you also be like him."
And then he said:
"Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit" (Prov. 26:4-5).
Is it not remarkable that these two statements, which appear so at odds, are found side-by-side? Do they contradict one another? They do not. The fact that they occur in such close proximity reflects design, not disorder.
These juxtaposed admonitions urge caution in responding to the "fool." First, it should be observed that in Bible parlance, the "fool" is not merely a simple-minded person; rather, the term denotes one who is spiritually senseless. The fool is an individual who is insensitive to the divine demands for religious and ethical conduct.
Note, then, that in both cases an "answer" is being made to the fool — which means that he had made a statement, asked a question, or offered a challenge that was intended to elicit some response. From that implication, then, comes this general truth. Not all circumstances are of equal merit. There are times to answer the opponent of God, and there are times when he ought to be ignored. And the prudent person must decide when to do what.
Perhaps this principle can be illustrated best from the ministry of Jesus himself; after all, he was the supreme Teacher of all time (Jn. 3:2).
On one occasion, when Jesus was teaching in the temple, the chief priests and elders of the Jewish system approached him and asked: "By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?" Rather than answering their questions directly — because they were not honest inquiries — the Lord asked: "Was John's baptism from heaven or from men?" (Mt. 21:25).
They managed only the confused response: "We don't know," for they carefully calculated the dilemma of the Savior's question. If they denied the validity of John's mission, they would be in deep trouble with the multitudes — who were impressed with John's prophetic office.
On the other hand, if they admitted the truth of John's mission, they could be asked: "Why did you not believe him?" The Lord's brilliant maneuver, in just the right manner at the most propitious moment, was devastating. These blind guides, who fancied themselves such skilled teachers of the law, needed to be "put in their place," and the Master-of-all-occasions neatly put them there!
Then again, consider the episode when Jesus was presented to Herod Antipas (during the course of those outrageous "trials" through which he was taken, preliminary to his crucifixion). This wretch, who had beheaded John the Baptist, merely because he was an evil and weak man — controlled by a worse woman, interrogated Christ with "many words." And yet, significantly, the Lord "answered him nothing" (Lk. 23:9). There was nothing at all to be gained by disputing with this old fool whose main desire was to be entertained by seeing the Savior perform a miracle (cf. v. 8).
The teacher of God's word will be called upon time and again to make decisions about with whom, and how much time, is to be expended in responding to those who appear to be antagonistic to the gospel. It is a chore of no small magnitude to identify the "dogs" and "hogs" that clutter the religious terrain (Mt. 7:6). One certainly needs wisdom in framing the appropriate response, or non-response, to those who would question him.
This office receives dozens of questions from readers each week. Surprisingly, a good number of them are from skeptics. On a rare occasion, an unbeliever will pose a thoughtful question, which, misguided though it may be, seems to be sincere, and his inquiry is decently presented. To such folks we try to respond, showing, as kindly as possible, the fallacy of the logic, and perhaps the underlying bias harbored. Sometimes we seem to be making some progress, and such is a thrilling reward.
In the vast majority of cases, though, the venomous tongues of infidelity spew nothing but willful ignorance and a disgusting arrogance. Frequently, laced with profanity, these foolish people throw out some trite argument (that has been answered countless times by competent apologists), and demand that it be answered. When I encounter this disposition, I remind myself of something that I read once from the celebrated scholar Thomas H. Horne, who for many years was associated with the British Museum. Horne wrote:
"Pertness and ignorance may ask a question in three lines which it will cost learning and ingenuity thirty pages to answer; and when this is done, the same question shall be triumphantly asked again next year, as if nothing had ever been written on the subject."
It is therefore prudent, in most of these instances, to ignore these pathetic souls and let them rant on. Rarely have they anything substantive to say, and it is valueless to spend precious time quibbling with them.
About the Author
Addendum
Pr 24:7 Wisdom is too high for a fool: he openeth not his mouth in the gate.
Pr 18:2 A fool hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover itself.
Pr 27:22 Though thou shouldest bray a fool in a mortar among wheat with a pestle, yet will not his foolishness depart from him.
About the Author
Wayne Jackson has written for and edited the Christian Courier since its inception in 1965. He has also written several books on a variety of biblical topics including The Bible and Science, Creation, Evolution, and the Age of the Earth, The Bible on Trial, and a number of commentaries. He lives in Stockton, California with his dear wife and life-long partner, Betty.
Col 3:4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. Christ appears in your life right here, right now: one nanosecond after you believe and confess that Jesus is Lord.
https://www.facebook.com/CAYMCameroon
https://www.facebook.com/CAYMCameroon
On Saturday, July 11, 2015 6:24 PM, "Agbor Enow Augustine Enow007@yahoo.com [camnetwork]" <camnetwork@yahoogroups.com> wrote:
All this write-ups serve no purpose,order than the recycling data which is freely available on the Web. The former Southern Cameroon, just like the many other areas that passed through a plebiscite is a matter for international and constitutional law analysis and has no bearing on what is happening today. Call it sovereignty referendum, self-determination referendum, or plebiscite, we went through one, which was just a legal instrument used by the UN to overcome the political deadlock in the Cameroons and hundreds of other territories in the era in question.
After independence of the Cameroons, the UN has no part to play,except watch as the people of Cameroon choose freely in 1972 to forge a unitary system. All that is left for Anglophones to do is to fight for the protection of minorities or against the tyranny of the majority. The best way to do this is to align with other minorities such as the Bamileke, and many of the ethnic tribes in the north of the country. This wannabe secessionist agenda is good only for a matango or mbuh house.
Augustine Enow Agbor
The outcome of my life is not more than three lines:
I was a raw material
I became mature and cooked
And I was burned into nothingness.
Rumi
I was a raw material
I became mature and cooked
And I was burned into nothingness.
Rumi
On Saturday, July 11, 2015 5:18 AM, "Ambasbay SC ambasmediasc@gmail.com [camnetwork]" <camnetwork@yahoogroups.com> wrote:
Executive Summary
United Nations General Assembly Resolution 1608 (XV) of 21 April 1961 resolved that the Trust Territory of the Southern British Cameroons shall achieve independence on 1 October 1961. It also resolved that on the same date trusteeship shall end and the Southern Cameroons should freely associate with Republic of Cameroun in a federation of two states, equal in status. Trusteeship was indeed terminated on the appointed date. But independence was not achieved. Free association did not take place. Rather, on 1 September 1961, the National Assembly of Republic of Cameroun passed an annexation law illegally asserting territorial claim to the Southern Cameroons. One month later, on 30 September 1961 the Administering Authority invited to the Trust Territory a foreign Head of State, the President of Republic of Cameroun, transferred power over the Southern Cameroons to Republic of Cameroun in violation of international law and left. In violation of international law as well, Republic of Cameroun physically occupied the Southern Cameroons and has remained in colonial occupation of the territory to this day. The Southern Cameroons thus passed from British to Republic of Cameroun colonial rule. More than 55 years on, the former United Nations Trust Territory of the Southern British Cameroons is still languishing under the yoke of colonial domination and oppression by Republic of Cameroun. The Territory continues to cry out for freedom and independence.
Purpose
This Briefing Paper seeks:
(i) To apprise the fair and conscientious world of the long and ongoing re-colonisation of the former United Nations Trust Territory of the Southern British Cameroons by the contiguous State of Republic of Cameroun, formerly French Cameroun;
(ii) To alert the world to the existential threat that the people of the former United Nations Trust Territory of the Southern British Cameroons are faced with;
(iii) To request urgent measures by states and international organisations to ensure by joint and separate action the speedy decolonisation of the Southern Cameroons;
(iv) To urge states and international organisations to provide any means or form of assistance recognised by the international community to the dependent people of the Southern Cameroons in their just and peaceful epic struggle to free themselves from colonial oppression and the bonds of domination by Republic of Cameroun; and
(v) To recommend to the African Union and the United Nations joint and separate speedy action in this matter.
http://comdesc.org/2015/05/24/the-re-colonisation-of-the-former-united-nations-trust-territory-of-the-southern-british-cameroons-a-comdesc-briefing-paper/
United Nations General Assembly Resolution 1608 (XV) of 21 April 1961 resolved that the Trust Territory of the Southern British Cameroons shall achieve independence on 1 October 1961. It also resolved that on the same date trusteeship shall end and the Southern Cameroons should freely associate with Republic of Cameroun in a federation of two states, equal in status. Trusteeship was indeed terminated on the appointed date. But independence was not achieved. Free association did not take place. Rather, on 1 September 1961, the National Assembly of Republic of Cameroun passed an annexation law illegally asserting territorial claim to the Southern Cameroons. One month later, on 30 September 1961 the Administering Authority invited to the Trust Territory a foreign Head of State, the President of Republic of Cameroun, transferred power over the Southern Cameroons to Republic of Cameroun in violation of international law and left. In violation of international law as well, Republic of Cameroun physically occupied the Southern Cameroons and has remained in colonial occupation of the territory to this day. The Southern Cameroons thus passed from British to Republic of Cameroun colonial rule. More than 55 years on, the former United Nations Trust Territory of the Southern British Cameroons is still languishing under the yoke of colonial domination and oppression by Republic of Cameroun. The Territory continues to cry out for freedom and independence.
Purpose
This Briefing Paper seeks:
(i) To apprise the fair and conscientious world of the long and ongoing re-colonisation of the former United Nations Trust Territory of the Southern British Cameroons by the contiguous State of Republic of Cameroun, formerly French Cameroun;
(ii) To alert the world to the existential threat that the people of the former United Nations Trust Territory of the Southern British Cameroons are faced with;
(iii) To request urgent measures by states and international organisations to ensure by joint and separate action the speedy decolonisation of the Southern Cameroons;
(iv) To urge states and international organisations to provide any means or form of assistance recognised by the international community to the dependent people of the Southern Cameroons in their just and peaceful epic struggle to free themselves from colonial oppression and the bonds of domination by Republic of Cameroun; and
(v) To recommend to the African Union and the United Nations joint and separate speedy action in this matter.
http://comdesc.org/2015/05/24/the-re-colonisation-of-the-former-united-nations-trust-territory-of-the-southern-british-cameroons-a-comdesc-briefing-paper/
__._,_.___
Posted by: Agbor Enow Augustine <enow007@yahoo.com>
| Reply via web post | • | Reply to sender | • | Reply to group | • | Start a New Topic | • | Messages in this topic (2) |
Camnetwork is the premier Cameroon/Cameroun forum since 1997.
.
__,_._,___
0 comments:
Post a Comment