Opinions, Logic, & Dire Straits.

I get a little tetchy.  I get a tad bothered.  Is it just me or are Christians lazy?  Maybe, like the present generation, the last one just never learnt how to think?  Maybe I should just join Pen on her Opinion Free Lent.....

Actually giving up opinions for Lent would probably be self defeating & nigh near impossible because I am impossibly opinionated about all sorts of things & I happen to think that's not such a bad thing.  Which is an opinion.

I have joined the non~denominational bible study which is working it's way through this study.  As they go I'm not a big fan of bible studies of this description with their bent towards right & wrong answers & closed discussion. *sigh* However this one looked more promising than most so I was hopeful.  The lovely lady who leads it works very hard  to make it both interesting & informative but this week's study was scary.  The chapter was entitled The Secret of Wisdom by a man called Philip Baker ~ may be this man; not sure.

Now I read the first paragraph & immediately Googled  wisdom in the bible & turned up more bible verses than I could possibly use ~ as I knew I would ~  but I wanted them because the bible is my foundation & Mr Baker was remarkably short on biblical references.  Indeed everything he had to say was remarkably secular in nature & had a great deal to do with making money.  Lots & lots of money!

Now if I give everyone the benefit of the doubt they did exactly as I was doing & bit their tongue as we read through the chapter together, waiting till we reached the end before expressing an opinion of any sort.  No problem with that.

My problem began with everyone nodding along in agreement at the opinions expressed by the author.    I began biting my tongue harder about there.  He had absolutely no biblical evidence to back up his claims & that alone should have given every single person in the room pause for thought.  This was a bible study.  Where was the bible?  Those verses used had little if anything to do with the biblical view of wisdom!  The biblical view of wisdom should have been the starting point!

So about halfway through someone did express dissatisfaction with the views expressed ~ also with nothing to back her claims!  Aaaargh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Seriously?  People started getting het. *sigh*  The leader began to look harassed, as if she was being personally attacked.  I will keep my opinions about that to myself.  However I felt that at that point I might interject & present some hard core evidence ~ all of which led to the conclusion that wisdom, according to the bible, is a character trait before it is anything else.  It begins with fear of the Lord  [Prov.1:7].  It accepts correction [Prov 13:1].  It shuns evil [Prov. 3:7]. It is cautious [Prov 14:16].  It seeks knowledge [Prov. 18:15] then in James 3:17 you get a list that is remarkably similar to the Fruits listed in Galatians & Ephesians concludes wisdom makes good use of time [5:15~17].  Nothing there about making money.  For what it's worth & without giving you yet another list to check, money is a blessing on the righteous from the Lord.  You don't necessarily have to be wise but you do have to be righteous  Seek ye first the kingdom & all that...

What horrifies me is I know I'm not the brightest sparkler in the pack.  Not the deepest thinker. Not the greatest apologist.  Not the practical thinker who puts ideas into action ~ & I do get types like me drive practical sorts bonkers.  So why was I the only one with a longish list of scriptual references pointing out why this writer was so off track?  Why was I the only one able to point out the flaws in his logic & suggest a better biblical approach?  This isn't obscure doctrinal theology.  It is simple, straightforward, logical thinking. I'm not the greatest at that either ~ which is terrifying, because if I can see it others certainly should have!  No wonder Christianity is in such dire straits in so many quarters!