This phrase can be found (4) times in the KJV Bible translation, and it always points towards a particular topic of discussion, such as not being ignorant of how Satan operates, or how Spiritual Gifts operate. God doesn’t want us un-educated about certain and important topics.

As I pondered a recent conversation with a fellow Christian from my previous Church, I couldn’t help but come back to this phrase. Not in criticism of this brother in Christ, nor of his church, yet they [that church] definitely holds the mentality (taught from the top down) that any opinion contrary to their standard set of beliefs is to be ignored. Just don’t listen they say. Plug your ears and go la la la la la. Thanks but no thanks.

Is that Purposeful Ignorance?

Willful blindness (sometimes called ignorance of law,^[1]:761willful ignorance or contrived ignorance or Nelsonian knowledge) is a term used in law to describe a situation in which a person seeks to avoid civil or criminal liability for a wrongful act by intentionally keeping himself or herself unaware of facts that would render him or her liable. – Wikipedia

I had no idea this was actually a legal term, phraseology or part of a legal argument. As in my previous post, Are We Cherry-Picking Scripture, I referenced a quote from a Sci-Fi/Fantasy novel written years ago by Terry Goodkind called Wizards First Rule. What is this rule?

“People are stupid. They can be made to believe any lie because either they want to believe it’s true or because they are afraid it’s true.”

This is just a quote! I am in no way implying anyone is stupid! In fact, I wish Terry could have worded this a little different. I would replace the word stupid with gullible. People are gullible, otherwise, the Cult system wouldn’t exist, modern politics wouldn’t be what they are, etc.

God in no way wanted his people to be purposefully ignorant. Nor did He want them accepting all other forms of thought. In fact, the story of Solomon is a picture perfect example of the danger of being free of conviction. Yet, being open minded, by definition, does not explicitly or implicitly mean that listening to another opinion automatically taints you by it.

o·pen-mind·ed

willing to consider new ideas; unprejudiced.

having or showing a mind receptive to new ideas or arguments.

unprejudiced; unbigoted; impartial.

Likewise, ignorance simply means the lack of knowledge. Ignorant is not negative, bad, demeaning or criticism. There are many topics of which of which I am ignorant. I have no idea how to prep a drug needle, or take blood. Don’t ask me how to change car breaks, fix a sewing machine, or how to find the distance between the Earth and the Sun, etc.

Purposeful Ignorance is the pure two-word definition of what the Wizard was trying to say. There are people who believe wholeheartedly, and with conviction, things that can easily be disproven with basic reality, yet they will not listen, they will blindly hold on to what they believe. It is because they want to believe it. Believing something else would cause painful change or admission of being wrong.

If 0 was absolute liberality, no control, a free society without restriction, and 10 was complete domination, dictatorship, individuality suppressed, my former religious denomination would land around 7/9. When expressing this to a current member of my previous denomination, their reply was the fertilization of this article.

“Well, I respect your opinion, but I disagree, and I don’t want to talk about it.”

I don’t want to talk about it. I don’t want you planting seeds in my brain. Don’t cause me to question the status quo or make me wonder if something is wrong – or more importantly if something else is right.

This reminds me of the movie The Matrix, in which robotic AI has conquered humanity and created a fake artificial world in which people existed. Their reality was controlled by the machines and made to look as altruistic as possible, as to keep their senses dull. There is always a little bit of truth in every lie of the devil. Make ignorance feel just good enough that there is little to no desire to find reality.

This makes truth seekers a little rebellious, black sheep, outsiders and rule breakers. We are Neo’s of the Matrix, pushing boundaries and asking that universal question: Why?

Some are satisfied with not knowing. Others are not.

I would not have you ignorant brethren…