daily java

Daily Java:

Don’t answer the foolish arguments of fools,
    or you will become as foolish as they are.
Be sure to answer the foolish arguments of fools,
    or they will become wise in their own estimation. (Proverbs 26:4-5).

Someone once said that the Bible is full of contradictions and used this verse as one. And it is a contradiction. However, it is so because there is no real way to deal with a fool.

Whatever you say to a fool, whatever you try to counter his arguments with, he will find another place to go. His argument is liquid and one trying to argue with him cannot ever get a real hold on anything.

He will jump around to illogic, to outright falsehoods, to arguments ad hominem, to whatever he can use to argue with you. And the facts don’t really matter. All he wants to do is win.

On the other hand, you hate to leave his contradictions and his foolishness unaddressed. You want to try to answer what you hear and know to be plain lies and stupidity masqueraded as philosophy or wisdom or in some instances just plain information. You know it is not and that it is leading people astray and you want to challenge it.

But arguing with a fool is like trying to keep the ocean back with a squeegee. It just doesn’t work. The minute you get on one track, the direction changes and you end up looking foolish.

So what do you do? There really isn’t much you can do. You answer him and you look foolish because you have stooped to their level. You don’t answer him and you look like you are afraid and the misinformation remains out there for someone to believe.

It is a conundrum and there isn’t a lot you can do. You can try, but make sure you do not sink to their level.

When Jesus was faced with a fool, he said nothing. At his trial in Luke 23, we read this:

Herod was delighted at the opportunity to see Jesus, because he had heard about him and had been hoping for a long time to see him perform a miracle. He asked Jesus question after question, but Jesus refused to answer. Meanwhile, the leading priests and the teachers of religious law stood there shouting their accusations. Then Herod and his soldiers began mocking and ridiculing Jesus. Finally, they put a royal robe on him and sent him back to Pilate. (Luke 23:8-11)

Jesus knew that all Herod wanted was a show and declined to be the entertainment. He never said a word until finally it made Herod mad and he began to show his true colors. Jesus knew it would do no good to say anything.

So you address what you can when the fool speaks, but in general it is better just to shut up and let him blather. Talk to people afterwards after the fool has gone home to his hovel. Then you will have a certain measure of decorum and common sense.

It is a hard thing to know when to talk and when not to talk. The problem is that fools are often better at it than you.