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01/23/00 |
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AN EXERCISE IN UNDERSTANDING WISDOM |
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This exercise on understanding wisdom is based on Proverbs 9 from the Bible. I call Proverb 9 – TWO INVITATIONS: ONE FROM LADY WISDOM AND THE OTHER FROM DAME FOLLY. You are invited to a dignified, magnificent banquet and a wild party at two different houses and at the same time you receive two invitations – one from Lady Wisdom and the other from Dame Folly. Lets compare the two hosts, the banquet and the party, people invited, and consequences.
Two hosts:
Lady Wisdom – She is beautiful, enthralling lady like a Queen from heaven. She has a reputation of profound wisdom and a teacher of the highest truths. She expresses generosity, compassion, and kindness in her deeds.
Dame Folly – Her life is filled with deception and the vices. She is a friend of the vices and the great enemy of virtue. Dame Folly is a tempter of forbidden pleasures. She is ignorant of moral principles. She seeks to allure the youth into the pleasures of destructive immorality. She is selfish, unscrupulous, arrogant, and jealous. Dame Folly hates Lady Wisdom.
The Two Events:
The dignified, magnificent banquet of Lady Wisdom – The party is filled with wonderful foods and fine drinks. Lady Wisdom offers the food and drink of Divine Wisdom and virtue. She is the featured speaker
of the banquet. She teaches the skills of earthly prudence: what is real success in the world, how to achieve healthy, prosperity, happiness, and joy, what is the nature of virtue, and how to avoid the evils of the
world. She teaches the ways of Divine Wisdom: worship and awe for God, how to serve God, development of the soul, and the bliss of eternity. Lady Wisdom has a message: Prudence and Divine Wisdom are better than
rubies and pearls. Wisdom is the most valuable and desirable thing of this life.
The wild party of Dame Folly – Dame Folly's party involves the stolen breads and secret drinks of deceit and the vices. The party is filled with lustful sex, plenty of alcohol, and all kinds of drinks. People are gossiping about each other. Dame Folly is loud and alluring people into the vices. People in attendance are having great fun.
People Invited:
Banquet of Lady Wisdom - Persons who seek to improve their character and seek to understand wisdom. Persons who are ignorant about wisdom but have an open mind and goodwill. Persons who are scholars, philosophers, and religious leaders with a genuine love of wisdom.
Party of Dame Folly – Young and inexperienced persons easily lured by the vices. Ignorant persons of poor judgement who can be deceived. Persons looking for pleasure and fun in this world.
Consequences:
From the banquet of Lady Wisdom - Persons whom follow the instructions of Lady Wisdom are likely to live the genuine good life on earth. The persons who pursue wisdom with courage and strength will move toward becoming Masters of Wisdom. In the planes in the life after death the person will probably spend much time on the higher planes and prepare for an excellent next life.
From the party of Dame Folly – The person is likely to live the bad life of vice and destruction to self and other people. The person is likely to fall into a shameless life of unthinking and wild hedonism. In the planes in the after life the person will spend much time in the lower planes purging the vices and problems of the previous life.
Questions for members of this audience to ponder:
1. What are the pleasures and pains of Lady Wisdom's banquet? What are the pleasures and pains of Dame Folly's party? 2. Which event would you choose? Why? 3. What is the meaning and significance of this story? 4. What are the lessons of this story?
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