The 12 Tribes of Tomfoolery

a parable

Our father once built a beautiful deck, round and central

to the garden. We stand out there - the family and I - sharing

turns at the eye-piece pointed into space; and complimenting

the vintage from his own vineyard... The longer we look

out into space, and the more wine we take for ourselves,

the more we begin to convince each other that father never

existed at all! Except when we were children, and knew for sure

that Santa was really him, though in poor disguise; and we were

never actually fooled by the white beard and pillow in the belly.

Author's Note

"The fool has said in his heart, 'There is no God.' Psalm 53:1
"A fool has no delight in understanding, but in expressing his own heart." Proverbs 18:2
"For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, 'He catches the wise in their own craftiness'; and again, 'The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.'" 1 Corinthians 3:19-20
"For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools..." Romans 1:20-22
"The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning,
But the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise than for a man to hear the song of fools.
For like the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool.
This also is vanity." Ecclesiastes 7:4-6
"The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but he who heeds counsel is wise." Proverbs 12:15
"For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world." 1 John 2:16
"...God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God has chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;" 1 Corinthians 1:27

Reviews

[Lorry]

The feeling of belief as a child and as an adult seem to be poles apart, but perhaps it is that we become less accepting the bigger we get, and forget those feelings as children were innocent and pure, not tied up in the knots we bring to the party as adults. If only we could hold on to that acceptance as adults as easily as way back then....
When knowing didn't dull the imagination and we still found excitement in the what ifs :)

[Beccy]

And he said a lot more besides.

Did you notice by the way, that recently GQ magazine said the Bible Is one of the most overrated books of all time. It is repetitive, self-contradictory, sententious, foolish...

That from one of the most pointless organs ever to grace the magazine stands, which doubtless wouldn't even shortlist Jesus in its vacuous men of the year awards. :))

Beccy

[charlie]

Hmm... If this magazine is the kind of publication that I suspect it is, it sounds like it is rich with the self made fortune of having picked its own pockets of all victuals. Congratulations on that. Fortunate, also, that keen minded 'jane publics' - like yourself - wouldn't waste their short time with such a hollow feast. Thanks again for your thoughts, Beccy. God bless.

[Beccy]

We need to allow ourselves to be fooled sometimes; though of course in the allowing, is the innate understanding that we are not fooled at all; simply that there is a blessed relief in eschewing the world of reality for a time.

“I had rather have a fool to make me merry than experience to make me sad.”
William Shakespeare, 'As you like it.' :))

Beccy.

[charlie]

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted." that Jesus guy said that... 'The Beatitudes'.