Is there a difference between innocence and ignorance?
My dear friend Josie asked me that. As I read it, I immediately formed an opinion and then spent the rest of the day honing my thoughts. Here's the short version.
Yes, there is a difference.
Innocence is having no reason to question. Ignorance is having every reason to question but still not doing so.
Innocence is literally having no point of reference to make decisions or take actions. It's going with what feels right because you don't have the life experience to know that it may be harmful.
Innocence is circumstance.
Ignorance is choice.
In a recent post, that led to the discussion that led to this post, Joise said, "ignorance does not guarantee protection from evil." I'd go further and say that ignorance invites evil. It opens the door, pulls out a chair at the kitchen table, and offers coffee or tea to evil.
I judge the ignorant harshly. Not because I think myself better. But because life isn't going to be any nicer to you than I am if you refuse to take the lessons it teaches.
I am far more sympathetic to the innocent. It's not their fault they aren't armed against the hell life can throw at them. I blame the people that should have been teaching them.
The conditions are similar. The differences are minor yet important. Unfortunately, the results are usually tragically the same.
1 comments:
Excellent response, Monkey Man! You really did spend time sorting this one out and you hit the nail on the head. Ignorance is a choice. "Don't confuse me with the facts", "I don't know and I don't want to know". I loved your description of evil inviting you to the table, yes indeed! And it can be such a compelling invitation. Keep us from evil. Sometimes we claim to walk in darkness when we are actually closing our eyes so tightly that we cannot see the light. Your summation that the outcome is often tragically the same is right on. We need to be aware, and we need to share our awareness with others. Thank you Frank, for saying things so much more clearly than I am able!
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