By Kelly O'Connell ——Bio and Archives--February 16, 2014
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Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or turn away from them. Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you.
a. accumulated philosophic or scientific learning : knowledge b. ability to discern inner qualities and relationships : insight c. good sense : judgment d. generally accepted beliefOne normally considers wisdom the result of experience, advice or insight. Wisdom could be both secular and religious. It is mentioned especially in the Old Testament as the goal of life, a perpetual study, and a highly prized insight. King Solomon may well be writing for his own children, as well as his subjects, in his works, as he describes Wisdom in his Proverbs 9:1-6,
Wisdom has built her house; she has set up its seven pillars. She has prepared her meat and mixed her wine; she has also set her table. She has sent out her servants, and she calls from the highest point of the city, "Let all who are simple come to my house!" To those who have no sense she says, "Come, eat my food and drink the wine I have mixed. Leave your simple ways and you will live; walk in the way of insight."An example of secular societal wisdom might include some of humanist Ben Franklin's famed advice, from his Almanack's Poor Richard:
Distrust & caution are the parents of security. Three may keep a Secret, if two of them are dead. Diligence is the mother of Good-Luck. Whate'er's begun in anger ends in shame. All things are easy to Industry, All things difficult to Sloth. He that cannot obey, cannot command. Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise. Fish & Visitors stink in 3 days.
Delaying gratification is a process of scheduling the pain and pleasure of life in such a way as to enhance the pleasure by meeting and experiencing the pain first and getting it over with. It is the only decent way to live.The incredible damage done by the unleashing of rampant sexuality is truly mindboggling and nearly impossible to accurately quantify. In all sectors of American society, huge changes have been wrought which have almost universally created a deleterious effect upon individuals. For example, modern sexual mores have created a generation of fatherless kids, as the NY Times reports over 50% of 30 and under women have children out of wedlock. The US Dept of Health reported, "Fatherless children are at a dramatically greater risk of drug and alcohol abuse, mental illness, suicide, poor educational performance, teen pregnancy, and criminality." Further, new developments in gay marriage seem to offer a return to sanity to a previously untethered sector. And yet Mark Regnerus' study from the University of Texas paints a dark picture of the hopes of the children of gay unions...
Of those (adult children of gay unions) in their twenties...58% of the children of lesbians called themselves "gay," and 33 percent of the children of "gay" men called themselves "gay." (Contrast these rates with current studies indicating that around 3 percent of the general population is homosexual.)If a person were humane they would certainly note that 1/3rd of gay teens attempt suicide, or that according to studies gays suffer much more than others: "Homosexual people are at substantially higher risk for some forms of emotional problems, including suicidality, major depression, and anxiety disorder, conduct disorder, and substance dependence..." A wise person would instead use a common sense or biblical model for family. Instead of a 50% divorce rate, the wise would ponder this quote, "For I hate divorce," says the Lord, the God of Israel." (Malachi 2:16) And people seeking wisdom would ponder the devastating impact of single parent households and fatherlessness, before they chose to break with long-established standards. If Americans used wisdom, we would back off from the PC standards, and return to common sense ideals for dating, marriage, procreation, child rearing, and other elements of family life. In many other areas of American life, we see a lack of wisdom or even common sense in approaching decision making. For example, in the political realm we are currently grappling with a wholly self-satisfied, semi-educated Marxist ideologue, and yet is an utter failure. Who would be in office if Americans had asked, "Who is the best qualified presidential candidate in 2007?" Instead, we worry about the candidates color or gender. But, isn't electing a completely inexperienced person to the US presidency simply begging for trouble? Or, if Americans used Ben Franklin's standard for spending, we wouldn't have $17 trillion dollars of debt and no way to pay it off! A wise society would never fall for the idea, recently proposed by Obama, that those who don't want to work will be willingly supported by those who do. Or that a healthcare program is so important that the government has the right to lie about its details to garner support from the people. Or that it doesn't matter if the individual parts of this program don't work as long as the idea behind the program is attractive.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. For through wisdom your days will be many, and years will be added to your life. If you are wise, your wisdom will reward you; if you are a mocker, you alone will suffer.There may be no easy way to return to a society of wisdom, one which avoids obvious and stupid mistakes as much as possible. But certainly, until the US repents and returns to the ways which helped form the USA into the greatest country in history, we will never be able to find greatness again....a strength and faith born of wisdom.
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Kelly O’Connell is an author and attorney. He was born on the West Coast, raised in Las Vegas, and matriculated from the University of Oregon. After laboring for the Reformed Church in Galway, Ireland, he returned to America and attended law school in Virginia, where he earned a JD and a Master’s degree in Government. He spent a stint working as a researcher and writer of academic articles at a Miami law school, focusing on ancient law and society. He has also been employed as a university Speech & Debate professor. He then returned West and worked as an assistant district attorney. Kelly is now is a private practitioner with a small law practice in New Mexico.