This will have to be a quick one.
When we remain willingly ignorant we become victims and aggressors. I say that because ignorance breeds fear and from fear comes misunderstand. From misunderstanding can either come pride or subservience... neither is good. From this condition hate grows. It is then easier for the man that ignorance grows in to kill his fellow man and act like an animal to kill each other. Ignorance is mentioned 17 times in the Bible and ignorant, "ignorantly", is mentioned 20 times.
We are all ignorant in different subjects, as Will Rogers once said, and I believe that truth. There are things that one need be ignorant of, such as evil, but not so ignorant that one cannot defend themselves. By most terms though, people against a people, it is usually the result of ignorance that drives the hate. As long as there is hate there love cannot reach it's full and intended potential. Forgiveness cannot happen. Kindness runs in short supply if indeed, even at all.
That happened here in America as Europeans and Spaniards came and began to fight in what almost became a genocide to the level of extinction. It happened in Nazi Germany as a certain Jewish sect was almost eliminated. Since time's beginning ignorance has been around. Generally we read just the opposite as the winners write the study books. What is a hero in one place becomes a villain in another. Even the most religious writings have been twisted to keep the people ignorant to the opponent that the people in charge wants to war with, or the people hate.
Devils often use people and make them become ignorant in order to divide mankind. We are fast to convict and fast to boil, so they, along with men, do their utmost to stereotype people. I still cannot for the life of me understand how people can love things about a people, their food, clothing, even their ways, yet hate the other person just because they have been deceived and ignorance is instilled.
Lets take the American Indian for instance. Now we see quotes from all kinds of people saying that Indians believe this or that when in reality, their beliefs vary from tribe to tribe. We forgot that they were many nations, not just one. They honor the Great Spirit. The Sioux had 10 commandments and they did not conflict with ours as Christians. They too had a Great Spirit. The name Great Spirit was used just as Christians uses God, which actually is a title. God is what He is, not His name. I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that most of us know a different pronunciation for our own name. God the Father is a Great Spirit. So where is the problem with that? The Hopi get most of the credit with their many gods. Why? That is what has been promoted. This is what has ignorantly been accepted.
We don't start out ignorant, we're taught it. We tend to latch on to the worse possible thing that is provided to us about a group or groups of people. Why is that? Weaker people are suckered into believing that someone in a group is less than human, or at least less than they, only by using one example, many times created for just that purpose. This enables us to attain unbelievable acts of cruelty against our fellow person. This gives us power for which evil can corrupt, for along with that comes pride, and pride goeth before a fall. Ignorance also brings with it fear.
I would wager that most of the evil deeds done throughout history were done through ignorance. I would also wager that Hell is full of ignorant people. True strength is when one learns not to be ignorant, but learns. One learns about someone different and if they are found spiritual lost or wanting, one accepts that they are blessed to know the truth, but the other one is still your brother or sister. Perhaps when they see that strength in you they will desire it as well. Then again, maybe they won't, but you accept them all the same, for he or she is your brother or sister in blood. One may be more fortunate that one knows the truth, but never better than someone else. Learn a little about them and maybe you will eventually be their light, even if it is through life or death.
There are things I think most of us should be ignorant from, but by and large, not of someone else s' heart. Not someone's color. Not someone's belief. Not someone's ignorance. Jesus didn't.
So if we are to be ignorant then let us be ignorant in evil. In selfishness. In Hate. In grudges. In hard heartlessness. So ignorance can be bliss. Understanding and if we can't understand, let us accept.
Anthony
When we remain willingly ignorant we become victims and aggressors. I say that because ignorance breeds fear and from fear comes misunderstand. From misunderstanding can either come pride or subservience... neither is good. From this condition hate grows. It is then easier for the man that ignorance grows in to kill his fellow man and act like an animal to kill each other. Ignorance is mentioned 17 times in the Bible and ignorant, "ignorantly", is mentioned 20 times.
We are all ignorant in different subjects, as Will Rogers once said, and I believe that truth. There are things that one need be ignorant of, such as evil, but not so ignorant that one cannot defend themselves. By most terms though, people against a people, it is usually the result of ignorance that drives the hate. As long as there is hate there love cannot reach it's full and intended potential. Forgiveness cannot happen. Kindness runs in short supply if indeed, even at all.
That happened here in America as Europeans and Spaniards came and began to fight in what almost became a genocide to the level of extinction. It happened in Nazi Germany as a certain Jewish sect was almost eliminated. Since time's beginning ignorance has been around. Generally we read just the opposite as the winners write the study books. What is a hero in one place becomes a villain in another. Even the most religious writings have been twisted to keep the people ignorant to the opponent that the people in charge wants to war with, or the people hate.
Devils often use people and make them become ignorant in order to divide mankind. We are fast to convict and fast to boil, so they, along with men, do their utmost to stereotype people. I still cannot for the life of me understand how people can love things about a people, their food, clothing, even their ways, yet hate the other person just because they have been deceived and ignorance is instilled.
Lets take the American Indian for instance. Now we see quotes from all kinds of people saying that Indians believe this or that when in reality, their beliefs vary from tribe to tribe. We forgot that they were many nations, not just one. They honor the Great Spirit. The Sioux had 10 commandments and they did not conflict with ours as Christians. They too had a Great Spirit. The name Great Spirit was used just as Christians uses God, which actually is a title. God is what He is, not His name. I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that most of us know a different pronunciation for our own name. God the Father is a Great Spirit. So where is the problem with that? The Hopi get most of the credit with their many gods. Why? That is what has been promoted. This is what has ignorantly been accepted.
We don't start out ignorant, we're taught it. We tend to latch on to the worse possible thing that is provided to us about a group or groups of people. Why is that? Weaker people are suckered into believing that someone in a group is less than human, or at least less than they, only by using one example, many times created for just that purpose. This enables us to attain unbelievable acts of cruelty against our fellow person. This gives us power for which evil can corrupt, for along with that comes pride, and pride goeth before a fall. Ignorance also brings with it fear.
I would wager that most of the evil deeds done throughout history were done through ignorance. I would also wager that Hell is full of ignorant people. True strength is when one learns not to be ignorant, but learns. One learns about someone different and if they are found spiritual lost or wanting, one accepts that they are blessed to know the truth, but the other one is still your brother or sister. Perhaps when they see that strength in you they will desire it as well. Then again, maybe they won't, but you accept them all the same, for he or she is your brother or sister in blood. One may be more fortunate that one knows the truth, but never better than someone else. Learn a little about them and maybe you will eventually be their light, even if it is through life or death.
There are things I think most of us should be ignorant from, but by and large, not of someone else s' heart. Not someone's color. Not someone's belief. Not someone's ignorance. Jesus didn't.
So if we are to be ignorant then let us be ignorant in evil. In selfishness. In Hate. In grudges. In hard heartlessness. So ignorance can be bliss. Understanding and if we can't understand, let us accept.
Anthony
