My dear and tired lovelies, what a week we’ve had.  Remember 7 days ago when you actually thought things might be different?  I offer you wise words from Lutheran pastor, Dietrich Bonhoeffer from a Nazi prison, as he reflected on how so many of his Christian people could turn so boldly and blindly away from the love of Christ.

In his letter, Theory of Stupidity, Bonhoeffer states:

“Stupidity is a more dangerous enemy of the good than malice.

One may protest against evil; it can be exposed and, if need be, prevented by use of force. Evil always carries within itself the germ of its own subversion in that it leaves behind in human beings at least a sense of unease. Against stupidity we are defenseless. Neither protests nor the use of force accomplish anything here; reasons fall on deaf ears; facts that contradict one’s prejudgment simply need not be believed — in such moments the stupid person even becomes critical —and when facts are irrefutable they are just pushed aside as inconsequential, as incidental. In all this the stupid person, in contrast to the malicious one, is utterly self-satisfied and, being easily irritated, becomes dangerous by going on the attack. For that reason, greater caution is called for than with a malicious one. Never again will we try to persuade the stupid person with reasons, for it is senseless and dangerous.”

Now, you can tell Bonhoeffer is a German because he doesn’t mince words.  I would be quite hesitant to call anyone “stupid,” but I am quite in favor of the biblical concepts of wisdom and foolishness.  Bonhoeffer clarifies that being a “stupid” person has nothing to do with how educated one is, for the brilliant mind can be foolish in the ways of the Lord, and the uneducated mind might equally be incredibly wise in the ways of loving God and neighbor.  Bonhoeffer attributes such stupidity, or as I will call it for the rest of this writing, “foolishness,” to sociology rather than psychology or biology…to groupthink.  He explains further:

It seems that under the overwhelming impact of rising power, humans are deprived of their inner independence, and, more or less consciously, give up establishing an autonomous position toward the emerging circumstances. The fact that the [fool] is often stubborn must not blind us to the fact that he is not independent. In conversation with him, one virtually feels that one is dealing not at all with a person, but with slogans, catchwords and the like, that have taken possession of him. He is under a spell, blinded, misused, and abused in his very being. Having thus become a mindless tool, the [fool] will also be capable of any evil and at the same time incapable of seeing that it is evil.

For today’s comic, I wanted to portray the serious feelings I have about the world today in a light-hearted and (hopefully funny) way.  I am digging more and more deeply into my faith in Jesus Christ right now, because I truly believe Christ is the only true source of liberation. Proverbs 1:7 states:

Wisdom begins with the fear of the Lord,
    but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

You cannot win an argument with a fool.  No amount of facts or data or testimony will matter, for the fool despises wisdom and instruction.  Wisdom begins with the fear of the Lord, and that means we can only combat foolishness with the Gospel.  It means we must brace ourselves to preach the truth to people who, as lamented for in Isaiah, “will be ever hearing but never understanding” (6:9).  You have to believe with all you’ve got that this Good News of Jesus absolutely can liberate the fool from their foolishness.  Operate in a different way from the fool, my siblings, lest you yourselves become foolish.