"Radical Centrist Proverbs"
Explained
Radical Centrism really is something new, but it rests on
foundations which
extend back millennia. What is interesting is that, once
you learn the premises
of Radical Centrism, you can find prototype wisdom in the
Bible, sayings that
reflect RC philosophy.
There is no claim that the Bible is a Radical Centrist
book. Any claims that
the Bible supports one kind of politics to the exclusion of
all others simply
does not match the evidence.
You can find several political viewpoints in its pages,
upholding several
perspectives. These include the concern for the poor which
is typical
of liberals , concern for family values which characterizes
conservatism,
plus repeated reference to forms of monarchism. As well,
depending on
how you interpret the Book of Judges, 'when there was no
king in Israel
and everyone did what was right in his own eyes,' maybe a
form of'
libertarianism. And the twelve tribe amphictyony
--confederation--
may suggest a predecessor to democracy.
Regardless, there are precedents for Radical Centrism in
the Judeo-Christian
scriptures. Far more, in fact, than the following material
suggests. But to secure
a foundation, a number of verses from the Hebrew Bible (
Old Testament )
Book of Proverbs and from Ecclesiastes should make matters
clear.
Most of the verses simply indicate the kind of ethical
views that Radical Centrists
take for granted. But a few seem to go further and
anticipate actual Radical Centrism
as we now know it. These are :
Proverbs 11 : 14 For want of leadership a people
perishes,
safety lies in many advisers
That is, basic to RC is seeking as many viewpoints as
possible before arriving at
decisions or conclusions.
Proverbs 14 : 15 The simpleton believes any
message, a person of discretion
treads a careful path.
That is, we are not --or not usually-- likely to find
political panaceas appealing
and generally are highly skeptical of political claims that
offer what cannot be delivered.
Proverbs 28 : 18 Whoever lives an honest life will
be safe, whoever wavers between
two [dubious] ways falls down in one of them
This seems to be exactly what we are all about even if, to
be sure, there is much more
to be said. The word "dubious" has been supplied but seems
to be implicit in both the
New Jerusalem and the New English translations. Most
quotations are from the NJB
but some are from the NEB, with a few that use one or
another word from the other
since this seems to make the sense clearer.
Ecclesiastes 4 : 12 Where one alone would be
overcome, two will put up resistance;
and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
This verse needs to be "expanded" broadly but if that is
done we can find the principle
that reliance on just one side in a debate is questionable,
seeking the best from two sides
is far better, and arriving at a third view which combines
the strengths of each side is best.
Ecclesiastes 11 : 2 Divide your merchandise among
seven ventures, maybe eight,
since you do not know what disasters may occur on
earth.
Here we get the Radical Centrist principle that it often is
necessary to take into account
as many political ( or other ) views as possible, not just
Right and Left.
The proverbs selected begin with Wisdom speaking, as She
does in most of the
Book of Proverbs. Her advice is excellent but to the point
is that this seemed
like a good idea so that the reader will know who is
speaking, namely,
Wisdom personified as a "divine woman," the Chokhma, to use
one
Hebrew version of the name.
Billy
Oct 21, 2011
==========================================================
Radical Centrist Proverbs
Proverbs 1
|
20
Wisdom calls aloud in the streets, she raises her
voice in the public squares;
|
|
21
she calls out at the street corners, she delivers
her message at the city gates.
|
|
22
'You simple people, how much longer will you cling
to your simple ways? How much longer will mockers
revel in their mocking and fools go on hating
knowledge?
|
|
23
Pay attention to my warning. To you I will pour
out my heart and tell you what I have to say.
|
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Proverbs 3
|
13 Blessed
are those who have discovered wisdom, those who
have acquired understanding!
|
|
14
Gaining her is more rewarding than silver, her
yield is more valuable than gold.
|
|
15
She is beyond the price of pearls, nothing you
could covet is her equal.
|
---------------------------------------------------------------
Proverbs 8
11 For Wisdom is more precious
than jewels, and nothing else is so worthy of desire.
33 Listen to instruction and
become wise, do not reject it.
----------------------------------------------------------
Proverbs 11
3 The honest have their own
honesty for guidance, the treacherous are ruined by their
own perfidy.
14 For want of leadership a
people perishes, safety lies in many advisers.
19 Whoever establishes
uprightness is on the way to life, whoever pursues evil,
on the way to death.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Proverbs 12
11 Whoever works his land shall
have bread and to spare, but no one who chases fantasies
has any sense.
18 Thoughtless words can wound
like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.
26 The upright shows
the way to a friend; the way of the wicked leads them
astray.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Proverbs 13
20 Whoever walks with the wise
becomes wise, whoever mixes with fools will be ruined.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Proverbs 14
15 The simpleton believes any
message, a person of discretion treads a careful path.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Proverbs 15
7 The lips of the wise spread
knowledge, not so the hearts of fools.
22 Without deliberation plans
come to nothing. Plans succeed where counsellors are many.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Proverbs 17
3 A furnace for silver, a
foundry for gold, but the Almighty for the testing of
hearts!
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Proverbs 18
2 A fool takes no pleasure in
understanding but only in airing an opinion.
|
12
The human heart is haughty until destruction
comes, before there can be glory there must be
humility.
|
|
13
To retort without first listening is both foolish
and embarrassing
|
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Proverbs 20
15 There are gold and jewels of
every type, but a priceless ornament is speech informed by
knowledge.
18 Plans are matured by
consultation; take wise advice when waging war.
------------------------------------------------------------------
Proverbs 23
23 Purchase truth, never sell it ; buy
wisdom, instruction, and understanding.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Proverbs 27
17 Iron is sharpened by iron, one person is
sharpened by contact with another.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Proverbs 28
18 Whoever lives an honest life
will be safe, whoever wavers between two [dubious] ways
falls down in one of them.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Proverbs 29
8 Scoffers set a city in
ferment, but the wise moderate anger.
18 Where there is no vision the
people forget all good sense; but a guardian of the law
keeps them on a straight path.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Proverbs 31
|
8
Make your views heard, on behalf of the mute, on
behalf of all the unwanted;
|
|
9
make your views heard, pronounce an upright
verdict, defend the cause of the wretched and the
poor.
|
=========================================================
Ecclesiastes 3
|
1
There is a season for everything, a time for
every purpose under heaven:
|
|
2
A time for giving birth, a time for dying; a time
for planting, a time for uprooting what has been
planted.
|
|
3
A time for killing, a time for healing; a time for
knocking down, a time for building.
|
|
4
A time for tears, a time for laughter; a time for
mourning, a time for dancing.
|
|
5
A time for throwing stones away, a time for
gathering them; a time for embracing, a time to
refrain from embracing.
|
|
6
A time for searching, a time for losing; a time
for keeping, a time for discarding.
|
|
7
A time for tearing, a time for sewing; a time for
keeping silent, a time for speaking.
|
|
8
A time for loving, a time for hating; a time for
war, a time for peace.
|
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Ecclesiastes 4
12 Where one alone would be
overcome, two will put up resistance; and a threefold cord
is not quickly broken.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Ecclesiastes 7
14 When things are going well, enjoy yourself,
and when they are going badly, consider this: God has
designed the one no less than the other so that we should
take nothing for granted.
20 No one on earth is sufficiently upright to
do good without ever sinning.
----------------------------------------------------------
Ecclesiastes 9
|
18
Wisdom is worth more than weapons of war, but a
single sin undoes much good.
----------------------------------------------------------------
|
Ecclesiastes 11
2 Divide your merchandise among seven ventures, maybe
eight, since you do not know
what disasters may occur on earth.
------------------------------------------------------------------
Ecclesiastes 12
9 - 10 Koheleth turned over many maxims in his mind and
sought how best to set them out.
He chose his words to give pleasure, but what he wrote
was honest truth,
-- 