Proverbs, Chapter 19: No hugging, no learning

An actual quote from a professor at Jerry Falwell's Liberty University, recorded in the book Unlikely Disciple: A Sinner's Semester at America's Holiest University by Kevin Roose: "I just want to say this, Liberty students. My biggest worry about you, about all of you, is that you’ll become educated beyond your obedience." From a man who claimed to read Proverbs every single day of his life, and clearly glossed over all 50 000 instances of the words 'wisdom' and 'fool' in this book. Just in this chapter, there are 3 fools, 2 foolishnesses, 1 wisdom, 1 understanding and 1 wise, and I don't doubt he could recite all of them, I have no faith in his analysis.

Another place where he shows his true colours is in his footnote to verse 10 (Delight is not seemly for a fool; much less for a servant to have rule over princes) which reads 'Two unfitting situations: a fool in luxury and a slave in power.' It goes without saying, but it's fun to do it anyway, that he exemplifies the first. As to the second, for those of you who are new to the culture wars, Jerry Falwell was a racist bigot until the 1970s, when he figured out that the sands were shifting and changed his tune to that of a homophobe.

This chapter takes on the theme of wealth and friendship, and warns us not to surround ourselves with hangers-on and yes-men, reminding us that when you're broke, you're broke alone.

Henpecking wives are like dripping water: constant and annoying. Of course it has nothing to say about husbands so lazy and useless they need to be henpecked. Men pass on wealth to their sons, but prudent wives are god's gift. Naturally there is nothing about how rare a gem a prudent husband is. Stupid sexist book.

Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep; and an idle soul shall suffer hunger. (v. 15) If only! We had our spring time change last night, so I only had like, 4 hours of sleep 'cuz I rock like that, but I still worked all day and cycled 10k to and from.

Yay! Another verse on beating your children, even if they cry! Also skeptics and fools!