Wisdom

 

Dennis Prager narrated a video on wisdom which I took notes on and will comment on:  “The only way to build a better society is by studying goodness. Some think to be good or do good you must just have good intentions.

 

No, we must study how to be good and wise.”

 

My response: “Yes, Prager is correct: we cannot assume because we feel that we have good intentions, that we are good and doing good.  We do need to study wisdom and goodness and then adopt the right set of values, and then, practice them consistently, and then our actions in the world should make things better not worse.

 

Prager: “Wisdom is the study of goodness and how to make a good world. Now few parents or schools teach wisdom. The result: moral chaos.

 

The West made the best societies and its thinkers got their wisdom from the Bible’

 

For example, 1. Do not show partiality in judgment. A compassionate society is built on justice not compassion. Chapter 1:17 Deut.”

 

My response: I agree:  a compassionate society is built on justice under the law, not feelings called compassion.

 

Prager: “Be compassionate in private lives but judges make decisions based on justice. Judge not to favor the rich or the poor.

2. Do not be afraid of anyone” Duet: 1:17; Fear God not men. Dietrich Bonhoeffer feared God not man though he was executed. If the German people feared God not Hitler tens of millions of people would not have been murdered.

3. You will find him if you seek him. Deuteronomy, 4:29; It may take years to find God but the effort is worth it. Without God life has no objective meaning. If there is no God, we are individually not significant. If there is no God, then more people will kill themselves as disbelief sets in.

4. Deuteronomy 5:17: You shall have no other gods before me. We have modern gods: sicence, government, causes.

 

My response: The Old Testament provides much wisdom but I am a polytheist, but I now believe that God the Father will not mind if we worship Him and other deities that are good.

 

Prager: “Science can’t help much for it says nothing about good and evil and the meaning of life.”

 

My response: Great point for science provides us with facts but we need our values from God, the Bible and the Great Books in the Western canon.

 

Prager: “5. Deuteronomy: Love God with all your heart. We endure much suffering in life so it is hard to love God but in Deuteronomy we are told to love God and that God loves us.

6. Teach wisdom and moral values to your kids again and again, all the time.

7. Deuteronomy 12:17: You shall be happy as a moral commandment not just as an emotional state. We owe others being happy or at least acting happy. Be happy to everyone in our live and to God too because unhappy religious people make atheism appetizing to onlookers.”

 

My response: There is is much wisdom conveyed in this short video. To be happy as a moral commandment sounds like me to something like cultivating a positive attitude no matter if one is suffering or feeling stung by reality. The person of a good will loves, is grateful and appreciative.