gjm on Nostr: Apologies for the late reply and thanks for sharing those verses Marakesh 𓅦 . I ...

Apologies for the late reply and thanks for sharing those verses Marakesh 𓅦 (nprofile…30hv) . I appreciate the respectful tone. I am certainly familiar with those proverbs, and I think they can be used to highlight an interesting tension for someone who studies the bible.

There is a subtle irony in the fact that “the Book” (text) contains built-in mechanisms that caution against trusting human reason. From an internal perspective, it is framed as humility, but structurally (read institutionally), it functions as a defense mechanism that effectively squashes intellectual interrogation the moment a person begins to question the framework itself.

It is also worth noting that proof texting isolated proverbs out of their historical, literary, and broader scriptural context can be tricky. Ancient wisdom literature had its own specific cultural context and nuance, and pulling individual verses often overlays a predetermined modern meaning rather than engaging in proper exegesis.

At a fundamental level, every person uses their human intellect and critical faculties to evaluate, choose, and grow in their understanding of any faith tradition in the first place. Reason is the very tool used to enter the door. Every believer at some point says that it “makes sense” to them to be a believer. To then pull the card that says human understanding is untrustworthy when logic leads outside the lines screams intellectual cop-out.

I believe it is not only okay to question, but it is essential. Using our faculties to follow logic wherever it leads is the only way to maintain intellectual integrity. Conversations about faith are far richer when we welcome that ongoing thinking process rather than shutting it down. Cheers! 🙂