"HOW A WISE MAN SPOTS A FOOL"

Originally posted by twhitehead
Luckily, I am not a unicornist and you don't know where I live.
I believe your religion arose from a misunderstanding of the invisible pink unicorns that live in my fridge. They are neither holy, nor to be worshiped. And leave rather annoying foot prints in the butter 🙁

Ahhh.. No what you have there is an infestation of invisible pygmy butter elephants.
I had them in my fridge a few years back...

They are about 4 inches high and are bright yellow due to always being coated with
butter.

The best way to get rid of them is to place sugar mice in your fridge, as they are mortally
afraid of them.

Originally posted by Grampy Bobby
Pettiness doesn't become any human being. Unresolved issues of an intensely personal nature usually underlie such behavior. Nobody succeeds in building their happiness on the unhappiness of others, now or ever.

When you can support your argument without resorting to animosity and gibberish you might be taken seriously.

Originally posted by Grampy Bobby
Nobody succeeds in building their happiness on the unhappiness of others, now or ever.

Dictators and billionaires would beg to differ.

So. Are there any wise men in this thread that have succeeded in spotting a fool? Are they willing to share the names with us?

Originally posted by googlefudge
Ahhh.. No what you have there is an infestation of invisible pygmy butter elephants.
I had them in my fridge a few years back...

They are about 4 inches high and are bright yellow due to always being coated with
butter.

The best way to get rid of them is to place sugar mice in your fridge, as they are mortally
afraid of them.

typical gf trying to explain the supernatural with the mundane.

The Impersonator

😏

Originally posted by kevcvs57

When you can support your argument without resorting to animosity and gibberish you might be taken seriously.

A. A FOOL HAS A STOUT (HAUGHTY, PROUD) SPIRIT---Proverbs 28:26 "He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered. Prov. 14:3 In the mouth of the foolish is a rod of pride: but the lips of the wise shall preserve them."

Originally posted by twhitehead

So. Are there any wise men in this thread that have succeeded in spotting a fool? Are they willing to share the names with us?

"Introduction: The word, "fool," is found in 62 verses of scripture; "fool's" (possessive) in seven verses; "fools" in 42 verses; "foolish" in 52 verses; and "foolishness" in 20 verses. In our text, the Bible warns about becoming a companion of fools. How does a person identify a fool? The Bible gives us plenty of characteristics of a fool. I want us to learn them so that we can…

1. Avoid The Companionship Of Fools

2. Avoid The Characteristics Of Fools.

... topic's focus isn't on naming persons but on personal behavior characterstics; so, please try to color within the lines.

Originally posted by twhitehead

Dictators and billionaires would beg to differ.

Power and material lust, consummated or not, in no way provide durable happiness or contentment. A frantic search for 'happiness' betrays a desperately unhappy man. In his Letter to the Philippians (4:11) The Apostle Paul wrote, "Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therein to be content." And in I Timothy 1: 6 "But godliness with contentment is great gain." Neither adversity nor prosperity alter the tranquility of genuine happiness.

Originally posted by Grampy Bobby
I want us to learn them so that we can…
1. Avoid The Companionship Of Fools
2. Avoid The Characteristics Of Fools.
... topic's focus isn't on naming persons but on personal behavior characterstics; so, please try to color within the lines.

So you are teaching a man to fish and refusing to give him fish. OK. Fair enough.
I still think that if we don't compare fish, one of us might be catching eels, and the other lobsters.
Why is it important to keep private the list of people you are avoiding?

Originally posted by Grampy Bobby
Power and material lust, consummated or not, in no way provide durable happiness or contentment. A frantic search for 'happiness' betrays a desperately unhappy man. In his Letter to the Philippians (4:11) The Apostle Paul wrote, "Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therein to be content." And in I Timothy ...[text shortened]... great gain." Neither adversity nor prosperity alter the tranquility of genuine happiness.

I would suggest that a single parent, existing below the poverty line, working two
jobs just to feed their kids, unable to afford healthcare or give their kids a decent
education...
Up at nights worrying how to pay the next bill...

Would disagree that "Neither adversity nor prosperity alter the tranquility of genuine
happiness"

And while happiness climbs less slowly with gains in wealth over a certain threshold,
it climbs rapidly below it, and still does climb above it.

So you can apparently (to a certain degree) buy happiness.

Originally posted by Grampy Bobby
A. A FOOL HAS A STOUT (HAUGHTY, PROUD) SPIRIT---Proverbs 28:26 "He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered. Prov. 14:3 In the mouth of the foolish is a rod of pride: but the lips of the wise shall preserve them."

But my point was you are quoting fools who are trying to coerce others into joining them in their foolish beliefs by labelling them fools if they do not comply.

Nothing personal just a comment about fools who cowtow to the philosophies of other fools.

Originally posted by Grampy Bobby
Power and material lust, consummated or not, in no way provide durable happiness or contentment.

So you claim, but most of the worlds population, desperately seeking both, beg to differ.
Merely stating something doesn't show it to be the case. Can you give any actual argument as to why you think durable happiness or contentment may not be attained through power or wealth? Other than religious platitudes of course.

Originally posted by twhitehead
So you claim, but most of the worlds population, desperately seeking both, beg to differ.
Merely stating something doesn't show it to be the case. Can you give any actual argument as to why you think durable happiness or contentment may not be attained through power or wealth? Other than religious platitudes of course.

I think there is a certain amount of evidence to support the thrust of this particular argument, in that the gain of material things tends to fail to satisfy to the extent that people expect it to.

Unfortunately I have neither the time nor the resources right now to investigate and see if I can find evidence to actually back up this assertion.

--- Penguin.

Originally posted by Penguin
I think there is a certain amount of evidence to support the thrust of this particular argument, in that the gain of material things tends to fail to satisfy to the extent that people expect it to.

Unfortunately I have neither the time nor the resources right now to investigate and see if I can find evidence to actually back up this assertion.

--- Penguin.

The data suggests that in general doubling your income will give a (roughly) constant fixed
gain in happiness.

This means that on an average plot of happiness (linear scale) vs Income (log scale) in any
given country the result is a strait line.

What this means is that as you get richer the happiness gain per unit wealth goes down,
and thus gains in wealth have less and less effect.

Here is an article (which completely misunderstands the data) that has the relevant plot...
http://theweek.com/article/index/243484/yes-money-can-buy-you-happiness

The data is accurate... the conclusions are just all wrong... A consequence of not understanding
what the wealth scale being logarithmic means.

So if you are poorer then in general increasing your income will have a big positive effect.
If your relatively well-off to wealthy then increasing your income will have a much smaller effect.
And my not be worth the extra effort (assuming there is any).

Originally posted by twhitehead

So you are teaching a man to fish and refusing to give him fish. OK. Fair enough.
I still think that if we don't compare fish, one of us might be catching eels, and the other lobsters.
Why is it important to keep private the list of people you are avoiding?

Originally posted by twhitehead
"So you are teaching a man to fish and refusing to give him fish."
______________________

Originally posted by Grampy Bobby
[b]"HOW A WISE MAN SPOTS A FOOL"
(Proverbs 14:7; 13:16-25; Key Vs Proverbs 13:20)

"Introduction: The word, "fool," is found in 62 verses of scripture; "fool's" (possessive) in seven verses; "fools" in 42 verses; "foolish" in 52 verses; and "foolishness" in 20 verses. In our text, the Bible warns about becoming a companion of fools. How does a person identify a fool? The Bible gives us plenty of characteristics of a fool. I want us to learn them so that we can… "

1. Avoid The Companionship Of Fools

2. Avoid The Characteristics Of Fools.[/b]

I. A FOOL IS REVEALED BY HIS SPEECH--Ecclesiastes 5:3 For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and a fool's voice is known by multitude of words.

A. THE FOOL HAS A SURPLUS OF WORDS---Ecclesiastes 10:14 A fool also is full of words: a man cannot tell what shall be; and what shall be after him, who can tell him?

B. THE FOOL HAS SLANDEROUS WORDS---Proverbs 10:18 He that hideth hatred with lying lips, and he that uttereth a slander, is a fool.

* To slander someone is to make accusation against them without verifying that it’s true.

C. THE FOOL HAS SCOFFING WORDS—Psa. 14:1 The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.

* An atheist doesn't truly BELIEVE there is no God; he just SAYS there is no God.

D. THE FOOL HAS SWIFT WORDS---Proverbs 29:11 A fool uttereth all his mind: but a wise man keepeth it in till afterwards. Proverbs 29:20 Seest thou a man that is hasty in his words? there is more hope of a fool than of him.

* A fool talks without considering a matter first.

* Prov. 18:13 He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him.

* One of the most foolish types of programs on television is the average news commentary with two or more people "debating" the issues. They have nearly every characteristic of a fool's speech that the Bible gives!

II. A FOOL IS REVEALED BY HIS STEPS---Ecclesiastes 10:3 Yea also, when he that is a fool walketh by the way, his wisdom faileth him, and he saith to every one that he is a fool.

A. A FOOL HAS STUMBLING STEPS---Eccl. 2:14 The wise man's eyes are in his head; but the fool walketh in darkness: and I myself perceived also that one event happeneth to them all.

B. A FOOL HAS SINFUL STEPS---Proverbs 26:11 As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly.

> In the story of the Prodigal son, the fool was the young man who decided to leave home and waste his inheritance. When he came to himself, he decided to return to the Father's house. The most foolish thing a man does is to reject the gospel. The most foolish thing a Christian does is to reject his Father's fellowship and go the way of the world.

III. A FOOL IS REVEALED BY HIS SPIRIT---Proverbs 14:16 A wise man feareth, and departeth from evil: but the fool rageth, and is confident.

A. A FOOL HAS A STOUT (HAUGHTY, PROUD) SPIRIT---Proverbs 28:26 He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered. Prov. 14:3 In the mouth of the foolish is a rod of pride: but the lips of the wise shall preserve them.

* A fool promotes himself; a wise man humbles himself and lifts up Jesus!

B. A FOOL HAS A STUBBORN SPIRIT---Proverbs 12:15 The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise.

* A fool is stubborn; therefore, he is not teachable. Proverbs 15:5 A fool despiseth his father's instruction: but he that regardeth reproof is prudent. Proverbs 23:9 Speak not in the ears of a fool: for he will despise the wisdom of thy words.

* A fool is stubborn in rejecting the truths of the Bible about salvation, about service, about sin and separation, about service.

C. A FOOL HAS A SWIFT SPIRIT---Proverbs 13:16 Every prudent man dealeth with knowledge: but a fool layeth open his folly.

* A wise man is swift to hear, but slow to speak, slow to get angry, and slow to make a decision that requires contemplation:

* As I quoted about a fool's speech: Proverbs 29:20 Seest thou a man that is hasty in his words? there is more hope of a fool than of him.

* Proverbs 19:2 Also, that the soul be without knowledge, it is not good; and he that hasteth with his feet sinneth.

D. A FOOL HAS A STRIVING SPIRIT---Proverbs 20:3 It is an honour for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling.

* A fool gets into arguments all the time.

E. A FOOL HAS A SEETHING (SOON-ANGRY) SPIRIT

* Eccl. 7:9 Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.

* Proverbs 12:16 A fool's wrath is presently known: but a prudent man covereth shame.

IV. A FOOL IS REVEALED BY HIS SPORT---Proverbs 10:23 It is as sport to a fool to do mischief: but a man of understanding hath wisdom. (Sport is what makes a person happy. It is pleasure.)

A. HE ENJOYS MISCHIEF

* We think of mischief as a joke, but in the Bible it’s more serious than that.

* Mischief in the Bible is anything that is harmful to another person.

* This is one of the seven abominations to God, according to Prov. 6:18.

B. HE ENJOYS MEDDLING IN THE AFFAIRS OF OTHERS---Proverbs 26:17 He that passeth by, and meddleth with strife belonging not to him, is like one that taketh a dog by the ears. 18 As a mad man who casteth firebrands, arrows, and death, 19 So is the man that deceiveth his neighbour, and saith, Am not I in sport?

* He is willing to lie about others in order to stir up a fight.

* He’s a gossip. He’s always talking about others to try to make people angry at them.

I am afraid that many of us have been unaware of what marks a fool. I am afraid that many of us are companions of fools. I am afraid that many of us are foolish in our own ways. Let us not be foolish, but wise. Let's be kind and witness to all people, but let's not have fools, but wise men, as our companions." (OP)

http://www.jdarrenduncanministries.com/outlines/How_A_Wise_Man_Spots_A_Fool.htm

> "So you [¿] are teaching a man to fish and refusing to give him fish."