To say 'amateur ignorance' doesn't tell me how the ignorance classifies between the two classic categories of ignorance: profound &amp; enlightened*.  By not identifying, it attacks the person, but not the problem(s).  The [ex-]speaker touts his great experience, however “...the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God...”, “for God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom,...”(1 Co 1:25&amp;3:19, NRSV)  “Remember, amateurs built the ark; professionals built the Titanic.”**( <a href="http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Anonymous#N">http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Anonymous#N</a> )

My latest conclusion is life's lessons are solely for us to realize that while there will always be things we don't know, we should (a) minimize our delusion that we do-know those things we <span style="text-decoration: underline;">think</span> we know, &amp; (b) perceive the pain of God, by noting our behavioral motivations stemming from those qualities we've in common with God (and note that not-looking-as-a-chimpanzee does not approach defining either God or our essential selves).  (From earlier,) the koan “Does a dog have Budda nature?” so far has me conclude I can neither deny no confirm such (but in the mean time I can be generous and maybe eventually I'll find he does not).

I remember Chris's Buy &amp; Sell around here.  Maybe he took his pawn shop to Wall Street figuring he had years of experience buying &amp; selling, and discovered there was a quality/skill needed there he didn't have.

And then there's amateur ignorance picking spouses...and not learning.  I believe Newt has picked three times (&amp; abandoned twice).  You cannot pick your Congress—you work with who you have.

Just imagine where the chariot of passion could take this country.  I'd prefer inspiration (from God) to passion (from fallible human senses).

*Profound ignorance is when you do-not-know what you do not know, whereas the enlightened ignorant know what they do not know.

**I understand the Titanic failed as it was operated incorrectly--not according to the intelligent-designers thought.  The operators decided to miss the obstacle rather than hit it straight on.  In seeking to avoid disturbing the occupants, they reduced the impulse*** but made a long stretch of damage, and sank the ship.  Isn't this the dynamic we get from Congress?

***'Impulse' is a term found in physics, specifically mechanics.

Shalom