Pity the Fool?

"Timmy, come away from that cliff!" "Shhh, Balthasar. What cliff?" (Source)

     Religion is interesting. Most of the time, its goal is to inspire us away from our darker impulses and inspire us to better and brighter things. We are taught patience, forgiveness, forbearance, and all of those other nice words that would look lovely embroidered on a piece of cloth and hung over a mantelpiece. We are told to forgive our brother not once, not twice, but 490 times (Matthew 18:22) and to love our enemies (Matthew 5:44). There is one person, however, who is not afforded this treatment in the lessons of the Bible--the fool.
     When we hear the word "fool" in the modern day, we might think of Mr. T, or some old crotchety grandparent saying, "don't be foolish". It's not a word that gets much usage. "Foolish" is a synonym for "stupid"--a person who just doesn't know any better. There are actually a few Hebrew words translated into the English "fool". A quick scan of the Strong's Concordance revealed these: 1, 2, 3, 4. The first definition and usage is the most fully-formed, meaning, "one who despises wisdom, who mocks when guilty, who is quarrelsome, who is licentious". A Biblical "fool" is more active than an English "fool". A Biblical fool tries harder to be foolish, is knowingly and stubbornly in the state of "fool". Keep that difference in mind as we continue.

This sentiment is more for modern fools, who can't help it (Source)

     Though the Torah/Law does not concern itself with rulings about fools, the book of Proverbs is almost entirely about avoiding both foolishness and fools. For context, Proverbs was written by Solomon, the son of David. Solomon was rewarded with extreme wisdom (1 Kings). As is fitting his knowledge, much of his writing has to do with wisdom and its importance. Solomon was not without problems, though. In addition to extreme wisdom, Solomon was blessed with a terrible son, Rehoboam. Rehoboam's actions led directly to the splitting of the kingdom of Israel. The people, upset with heavy taxes, asked Rehoboam to reduce them. Ignoring the advice of his elder and wise counselors, Rehoboam sought the advice of his childhood chums, who told him to oppress the people more. Rehoboam's answer to the people was as follows, "My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to your yoke; my father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions." (1 Kings 12:14). Thankfully, he ignored his friends' advice to bring Solomon's "loins" into the matter (1 Kings 12:10). Knowing what Solomon was dealing with at home adds meaning to his long rants about the importance of wisdom and being a good son; Rehoboam obviously never listened to anything he said, probably adding more than a few gray hairs to Solomon's head.
     That being said, let's dive into what fools are said to do.

• The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkens unto counsel is wise. (Proverbs 12:15)
• A fool despises his father's instruction: but he that regards reproof is prudent. (Proverbs 15:5)
• A scorner loves not one that reproves him: neither will he go unto the wise. (Proverbs 15:12)
• A reproof enters more into a wise man than an hundred stripes into a fool. (Proverbs 17:10)
• He that begets a fool does it to his sorrow: and the father of a fool hath no joy. (Proverbs 17:21)
• A foolish son is a grief to his father, and bitterness to her that bare him. (Proverbs 17:25)
• Speak not in the ears of a fool: for he will despise the wisdom of thy words. (Proverbs 23:9)
• Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh: For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags. Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old. (Proverbs 23:20-22)
• Whoso keeps the law is a wise son: but he that is a companion of riotous men shames his father. (Proverbs 28:7)
• He that trusts in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walks wisely, he shall be delivered. (Proverbs 28:26)
• The legs of the lame are not equal: so is a parable in the mouth of fools. (Proverbs 26:7)

    There are many, many more places in the Bible speaking of fools. They talk excessively (Ecclesiastes 5:3); they celebrate while wiser folk mourn (Ecclesiastes 7:4); they do not plan ahead (Matthew 5); they are enslaved by pleasures (Titus 3:3), and so on, and so on. The picture painted is a clear one. Fools disregard sound advice, don't learn from their mistakes, disrespect their parents, party too hard, and trust themselves above all others. I'm sure we all know at least one person who has these traits--more likely, we know more than one. The question now becomes, what are we to do about it? Do they fit into another group? Do we care for them, as we do for our enemies and strangers? Unfortunately, there is no clear answer, no solid action suggested by the Law. All we have are the verses explaining the effect of fools.

• A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the fool's back. (Proverbs 26:3)
• Answer a fool as his folly deserves, lest he be wise in his own eyes. (Proverbs 26:5)
• Let a bear robbed of her whelps meet a man, rather than a fool in his folly. (Proverbs 17:12)

     As Proverbs tells us, and as Solomon was no doubt intimately aware, there isn't much to do. You can beat a fool, but as Proverbs 17:10 tells us, the lesson will not sink in. We are to rebuke a fool as deserved, but according to Proverbs 23:9, the fool will not listen. This leads us to the last verse on the list, Proverbs 17:12. Because of the thorny problem fools present, it's better to be attacked by an angry bear than to meet one. 

This photographer gets to meet both at once! (Source)

Conclusion

     What makes fools a tricky topic is the lack of clear guidelines. Repentant sinners should be forgiven; enemies should be cared for; friends, supported and assisted. The required instruction and punishment of fools doesn't do much good, so the best recourse, like when meeting an angry bear, seems to be to run far, far away. If you meet with a fool, I wish you godspeed. If you are the fool, I wish you luck in seeking wisdom.

Holidays and Nature

It's that time of year again--the fall feasts!

Last year, I wrote an outline of the holidays, what one is supposed to do, etc etc. This year, I wanted to talk about the holidays in a more poetic sense. As such, this post won't be so Bible-heavy as my other ones. It's more about my observations and feelings towards the Holidays in general, but especially the ones in fall.
     When I was a Christian, I missed something about holidays in general.; when I read stories about older religions, I appreciated the connection of their holy days to the time of year. This seemed to imbue the days with special significance. Rather than just existing in space, as it seemed the Christian holidays mostly did, these other holidays were tied to the earth, to how life was being lived. I have come to deeply appreciate how the Israelite/Biblical Holidays are tied to the season--not just in "when", but in "how", and "what about".
     For example, today, we are celebrating the Day of Atonement (also called Yom Kippur). On this day, we do absolutely no work, nor do we eat or drink. It gives one a lot of time to think. I like that this day is in the fall. It is a slow day, a solemn day, and it fits with the general weather. The leaves are dying, and we consider our lives. It's rather solitary. Also, because this day takes place during the general "harvest" time, it seems like a more momentous task. There are tomatoes ripening on my tomato plants, but I will not pick them today. There are many, but I will not turn them into a pasta. Not today. I think it highlights the strict feeling we're supposed to have about the holiday.
     Sukkot, for a happier example, is also perfect for the fall. It is during the harvest, as well, but it is a festival. A feast. It's time for us to whip out our most daring recipes and share them with others. It's a time for family and also friends. The best part of Sukkot, in my opinion, is the combination of sleeping outside and the full moon. Every year, a full moon! It adds excitement. If we are celebrating with other people, it allows for late nights, singing around the fire, and then having an easy time walking to our tent. The weather is very nice for camping, all seasons considered. Though it rained buckets last year, typically, it is dry, breezy, and decent-temperatured. Sleeping outside, you get to observe the changes in the world; was there dew in the morning? How loud were the crickets? Was it colder this morning than yesterday morning? And since this Feast lasts an entire week, it tends to stand out in memory as the season moves to winter. [Fun fact: Thanksgiving is thought to come from Sukkkot! The pilgrims read about the holiday in their Bibles and wanted to do something similar. (you can do your own research here)]
     When I first became an Israelite, I was a little surprised to learn there was not a holiday in the winter. America/Christianity has three! Christmas, New Year's Eve, and New Year's Day! But, upon considering, it makes sense for there not to be a holiday in winter. First of all, not much of religious significance happened in the winter (Israelite/Biblical holidays are based on significant occurrences in the Bible), which makes sense, because people, naturally, in the winter, don't do much. It's too stinking cold. Also, seasonally, in winter, the world is dead. What would there be to celebrate? Symbolically, not much. And then, in spring, after the barley is green, we see the return of the holidays with the Spring Feasts. Winter, I think, is a bit like the day of Atonement. Serious, slow, and with much time for thinking. It's strange to move through winter as just a season when everywhere around, people are bustling here and there to prepare for Christmas, and then New Year's. It makes it feel like we have so much more time, to be honest. We're less constrained, more free. We don't have to make travel plans in the horrid weather. We don't have to be a certain place at a certain time. We get to just watch the season pass.
     I could keep going, but I'm wanting to keep this post short as it's not really about anything of dire importance; I'm just sharing my feelings. I like how the holidays I celebrate tie in to the Bible, to history, and to the world around me. I like how they allow God to exist in a more 'real' way. With the Biblical Holidays, he's tied to the world, not choked in a vacuum. If you don't celebrate the Biblical holidays, but follow the Bible, I highly suggest you try them out. There's something special about them, and Sukkot, after all, is just around the corner.

Your Duty to Your Fellow Man (Syria, Illegal Immigration, Refugees, People in Need)

(Source)

     At one time or another, most people have probably asked themselves, "What do I owe my fellow man?" There are many answers, and, for the religious, our answers have special significance. We represent not just ourselves, but our entire religion, and, more than that, our God.
    Lately, I've been seeing some--not a majority, thank God! but some--people taking a hard stance, especially in regards to people of other religions. Things along the lines of, "They got what's coming to them". It's rather common; you especially see this kind of fear-mongering in regards to immigrants, "they'll take our jobs!" "they're all criminals" "Just look at (this place) and what happened to them!". There's a sort of glee these people display when talking about bad things happening to the well-intentioned: "Europe is getting crushed under all these refugees! That's what they get for trying to help!" Many of these people claim to be followers of the Bible--Christians, Israelites. But, after some study, I have found, as per usual, the Bible does not allow for the easy way.

The Reason Behind the Fear
     What you see most often behind the faces of these heartless folk is a refusal to see other people as human beings. The media calls them "illegals", "the horde", "a mob", "potential criminals", "disease", "crowd", "drove", "fetus". The point is to make them seem "other", part of a threatening whole that will descend upon the unknowing and rip it to shreds. Why? Just because. Media doesn't have to answer this question; it simply needs to plant the fear. And, once the people are dehumanized, we don't need to feel guilty about ignoring them or cheering on their misfortune.

    As I teach my students when they read about the Holocaust, "anytime someone doesn't call a person 'human', they are trying to make you okay with killing them." When we are scared of someone's "other" ness, it's easy to forget that they are people, too. They have families. They have things they are afraid of. They have things that make them angry. They have people they love. They get hungry, tired, sleepy, sick. It's important to put ourselves in others' shoes. How would we react in their place?

To Humanize

Before we go any further, let me show you some humanizing pictures, to get the image clear in your mind.

These are people. (source)

These are children. (source)

This is a baby (source)

These are also children. (source)

This is a man. (source)

This is a family. (source)

This is also a family. (source)

This is a woman. (source)

This is a child. (source)

I could keep going, but I'm sure you get the picture. People, no matter their country of origin, their beliefs, their disabilities, their age, their status, are people. Now that we're on the same page, let's see what the Bible has to say.

The Lord Sayeth, Verily.....

• Thou shalt neither vex a stranger, nor oppress him: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt. (Exodus 22:21 KJV)
• If thou meet thine enemy's ox or his ass going astray, thou shalt surely bring it back to him again. (Exodus 23:4 KJV)
• Also thou shalt not oppress a stranger: for ye know the heart of a stranger, seeing ye were strangers in the land of Egypt. (Exodus 23:9 KJV)
• When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. (Leviticus 19:33)
• Thou shalt not abhor an Edomite; for he is thy brother: thou shalt not abhor an Egyptian; because thou wast a stranger in his land. (Deuteronomy 23:7 KJV)
Do not deprive the foreigner or the fatherless of justice, or take the cloak of the widow as a pledge. (Deuteronomy 24:17 NIV)

• "Cursed is anyone who withholds justice from the foreigner, the fatherless or the widow." Then all the people shall say, "Amen!" (Deuteronomy 27:19 NIV)
• "You are more righteous than I," he said. "You have treated me well, but I have treated you badly." (1 Samuel 24:17 NIV)
• If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink...  (Proverbs 25:21 KJV)
• “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard." (Isaiah 58:6-8)
• You have heard that it was said, 'you shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you... (Matthew 5:43-44 KJV)
• John answered, "Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same." (Luke 3:11 NIV)
• “Then He will say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’ “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’ “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for Me.’ “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.” (Matthew 25:41-46 NIV)
• "...and love your neighbor as yourself." (Luke 10:27)
• “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Yeshua told him, “Go and do likewise.” (Luke 10:36-37)
• Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. (Romans 12:20 KJV)
• See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men. (1 Thessalonians 5:15)
• Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. (1 Peter 3:9)

Breaking Down the Verses

I could have kept going with the verses, but I don't think I need to. The meaning is clear. We are given the same rule, over and over again. From God himself in the Law (many times!), from kings, from wise men, from Yeshua Himself, from prophets and scribes. The rule is very simple. "Love your neighbor as yourself."

Now let us tackle the common opposing points of view:

1. What if my neighbor is of another religion? Surely I can laugh as their hardships then! 
• No. Simply look above at the verses from Proverbs, Matthew, Luke, Romans, 1 Thessalonians, and 1 Peter.
2. But what if they're from another culture/country? I don't owe them anything!
• Aha, you might be tempted to think so, but review the verses from Exodus, Deuteronomy, Samuel, Matthew, and Luke!
3. But what if the practicality of the situation is just too tough? My people/nation/neighborhood shouldn't suffer because of these low-lifes!
• Peruse Luke 3:11 and Isaiah 58. Do you have two shirts? Hm. What about two pieces of bread? What about the people in your neighborhood, or your country? If they have two shirts and two pieces of bread, they can help. We can help.

(source)

Conclusion

     People are people, and we, the religious, have a duty to these people, regardless of who they are. It doesn't matter if they have different beliefs. It doesn't matter if we bear a personal grudge. It doesn't matter how or why they got into their situation. It doesn't matter if they'll hurt us later. It doesn't matter that it's hard and scary to help people. We are called to do the right thing, not the easy thing. By helping people, we help God (Matthew 25, Proverbs 19:17). When we help others, even our enemies, we show them a little bit of the 'light'. We show a better way. We make the world a better place. So go out there and help someone.

Wisteria Interview Transcript

Wisteria

Questions:

1. How do you identify yourself, religiously?

Torah-pursuant.

2. What is your relationship status?

Married for two years.

3. What, if any, questions do you have before we commence the interview?
4. What is your general reaction to what you listened to?

From what I've listened to so far, there have been some things I've agreed with, but even the things I agree with are said in a way I don't agree with.

5. Do you believe women are unable to understand men, and therefore unable to judge their actions?

I think that there are certain situations where both of those statements are true, but God made us different, so that, in a marriage, both people can have the perspective of each other. I think a woman should talk to her husband if he's going against Torah, and he should do the same for her, but a woman should not go to another woman's husband, and a man should not go to another man's wife.

6. React to the statement, “women are a possession”.

I think, in the term of “possession”, they (women) are something to be protected and cherished, but they are not something to be trodden upon. I do not agree with their definition of “possession”.

7. How do sex slaves, like Bilhah and Zilpah, prevent “the lust of the world”?
8. How do you define “love”?

Marriage love is where you respect the other's person's opinions, wants and needs, and you take those things into consideration in your own life.

9. Does love create crippling, unmanly weakness in men?

Haha. No. It makes them stronger because they have a wife to care for. Loving someone means you aren’t dwelling on yourself as much; you are taking care of someone else. Their perspective is not focused on only themselves.

10. React “the American woman is the enemy of a man”.

What kind of American woman? There are so many kinds.

11. From this podcast, what is a “Biblical” marriage?
12. From this podcast, what makes a man? What makes a woman?
13. What makes a good marriage?

Mutual agreement based on the same faith and a mutual desire to help each other grow.

14. (If married) how does your marriage work?

In our marriage, my husband is the head of our household and the family-spokesman to the outside world, but we make decisions together, and we discuss decisions that need to be made together. Sometimes, we discuss our different opinions until we find one we can both agree with.

15. How do you think this makes Israelites appear to non-Israelites?

It makes it seem that the Bible says to demean women and walk all over them. It makes it seem we think all men should have multiple wives. They make it seem that women don’t have any say in anything, and, I know some people think that men and women are equal, and I agree in some ways, but everyone has different responsibilities and jobs, and so, you can’t compare the two, in my opinion.

16. Any closing thoughts/comments?

It seems like what they’re saying is that women cannot have thoughts for themselves, and that women cannot express those thoughts to their husbands. I disagree with that belief.

Raising your children in this way [the podcast], the mother would be oppressed by her children, especially her sons, because they would raise the children to believe that the mother is the bottom of the family, but, really, the children should have respect for their mother.

Dahlia Interview Transcript

Dahlia

Questions:

1. How do you identify yourself, religiously?

I identify myself as an Israelite, a follower of YHWH and believer of Yeshua (Jesus)

2. What is your relationship status?

I have been married to my husband for eight years.

3. What, if any, questions do you have before we commence the interview? 

No

3. What is your general reaction to what you listened to?

I would have to say that I was mostly confused (not from lack of knowledge but from never hearing this stance before) listening to this podcast.

5. Do you believe women are unable to understand men, and therefore unable to judge their actions?

I do not believe that women are unable to understand men.  I do believe that we should not judge men, or any person for that matter, but it is not from a lack of understanding.

6. React to the statement, “women are a possession”.

- Genesis 2:18 (KJV) - 18 And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him. - ʻêzer, ay'-zer; from H5826; aid:—help ( My opinion is that a woman is not there to be possessed but to help)

7. How do sex slaves, like Bilhah and Zilpah, prevent “the lust of the world”?
8. How do you define “love”?

I define love as a respect for one another.  I respect my son and he respects me, we love one another.  I respect my husband and he respects me, we love one another.  I respect my pastor and his wife and they respect me, we love one another.

9. Does love create crippling, unmanly weakness in men?

This was something that I was confused about during this podcast.  I do not believe that my husband has a crippling, unmanly weakness because he loves me.  Does YHWH love the people of Israel?

10. React “the American woman is the enemy of a man”.

I do believe that this statement is too broad of one to make.  As not all “American” women are the same.  Just as not all “Cubans,” “Europeans,” “Koreans,” “Catholics,” “Christians,” or even “Israelites,” are the same.  There are some factions/sects of every religion or culture that can become the face or the “standard” for an entire group and to label an entire group based on your perception of said group is a judgement that I don’t believe you should pass.

11. From this podcast, what is a “Biblical” marriage?

I felt that this podcast defined Biblical marriage as one where the man is in possession of his wife.

12. From this podcast, what makes a man? What makes a woman?
13. What makes a good marriage?

I believe that a good marriage is one where there is respect for both people.  Men and women are not created to be equals but are valuable in making a marriage work.  

14. How does your marriage work?

My husband and I have a mutual respect for one another.  We both have roles that are more “gender specific” in that my husband works to provide for our family financially, where I work on keeping the household up. This includes me educating our child (and future children) as well as maintain a comfortable home for my husband and family to enjoy.  We work together as one could not do without the other. I am able to stay home from work because my husband provides and I am able to make sure that what my husband provides supports and maintains our household by not living outside of our means.

15. How do you think this makes Israelites appear to non-Israelites?

As I stated in question 10, to pass judgement on an entire group based on one person’s/group’s beliefs is a judgement I don’t believe we should pass.  That being said, I can see how many people could be turned away from a religious sect based on the podcast heard tonight.  

16. Any closing thoughts/comments?

A few of thoughts that I had during the podcast were as follows:  If there should be no romance, why then would an entire book of the Bible be devoted to the subject (i.e. Songs of Solomon)?  Also, in Genesis 2:24 it states that two (man and woman) become one. If you are a part of that man, how then would you become his property/possession? Lastly, if wives are property and are being compared to slaves, which was stated in the podcast, do wives then have an opportunity to leave their husbands on the seventh year of marriage as long as they have not awled their ears as stated in the Torah?   These are some questions/thoughts that I will also discuss further with my husband.

Magnolia Interview Transcript

Magnolia

Questions:

1. How do you identify yourself, religiously?

I was raised in a Born Again Christian Church. I was baptized with this Church, Grace Christian Fellowship. I do not identify with this fellowship as an adult. I believe in a higher power, but I do not believe in religion. Religion has torn the world apart. I believe in love, forgiveness and understanding.

2. What is your relationship status?

Engaged to a man who I have been dating for three years and lived / cohabitated with for two and half years.

3. What, if any, questions do you have before we commence the interview?

None.

4. What is your general reaction to what you listened to?

Shock, complete and utter shock.

5. Do you believe women are unable to understand men, and therefore unable to judge their actions?

No, women can understand men, and yes, we can judge them for their actions. Also vice versa.

6. React to the statement, “women are a possession”.

Nope! Women are not possessions. I believe no woman nor man should be a possession of the other. In a relationship they should be as a team: not one above the other, but side by side together.

7. How do sex slaves, like Bilhah and Zilpah, prevent “the lust of the world”?

8. How do you define “love”?

A spiritual emotion that affects the body both physiologically and psychologically.  

9. Does love create crippling, unmanly weakness in men?

Not in my experience. My own man has professed many times, I bring out the best in him and I strengthen him both emotionally and physically. Love has been described as the strongest emotion throughout ages. How could love be crippling? If someone finds love crippling, they’re doing it wrong. Or the poor person has no clue, idea, or understanding of what love means.

10. React “the American woman is the enemy of a man”.

Ummmmmm. What the actual f**k???!!!! This statement is infuriating. Granted, I was raised as an American girl, as an American woman, and with the mindset America is the best of the best. As an adult, this is not true; America is no longer the best of the best. That’s a whole other thought. American women are not the enemy of man. We, meaning women, have more influence in America and the world today than we ever have. We, as women, have the potential to do great things in this world. American women are not privileged; we have fought for our rights and our standing in today's world.

11. From this podcast, what is a “Biblical” marriage?

Man to woman or man to multiple wives i.e. Polygamy.

12. From this podcast, what makes a man? What makes a woman?

A man’s value is measured by his possessions, his land, wife “wives” and seed “children”.

A woman’s value is measured by her womb, by her potential to bare seed “children”.  

13. What makes a good marriage?

Above all, communication between spouses, expressing love verbally, emotionally and sexually is the most crucial communication in a marriage. Also [in] discussion and conflict, spouses should strive to challenge one another in all aspects of life. A sense of humor--both spouses should have a sense of humor.  

14. (If married) how does your marriage work?

As an engaged woman, I can only hope my marriage is full of love and laughter.

15. How does this make you feel about this religious sect?

Well, they’re extremists. I fear for the poor souls influenced by this very biased and extreme interpretation of the Bible. Religion isn’t all bad, but this form is the most dangerous. I find it alarming and scary. I fear for their “seed”--children and youths.

16. Any closing thoughts/comments?

What the actual f**k! These poor women live in America and truly believe that American women are a threat to all men. Where, how, who taught you this? I have so many questions. Also, the conviction in their voices is f*****g terrifying. They believe they are possessions of their men. That is not okay. No one should ever be anyone’s possession or property. Also, their only goal in life is to bare seed, and, if they fail to do so, they are failures to their husbands. Okay, what about just companionship, conversation and love? Oh, wait, passionate love is a sin. WHAT THE HELL, PEOPLE!! I can’t even begin to understand these poor ladies. I wish I could because I believe in understanding, but they are radicals, and logic seems lost on them.