The Bible Is Full Of Idiots

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I didn’t come up with that title for shock value but, let’s face it, I’m not far off the mark. Let’s consider the evidence.

I’ll start with Abraham. He hardly covered himself in glory now, did he? That business with Hagar, the slave girl, who gave birth to his son, Ishmael. Although his wife, Sarah, didn’t help to be fair. A bit like Adam and Eve. Dumb women egging on even dumber men. You couldn’t make it up. Although doubters would contend it is all made up. But, I digress. Onwards.

I think Samson was at the back of the queue when the grey matter was being dished out. He tended to act first and only engage his brain afterwards, when the damage was already done. I mean, that business with the foxes and setting their tails on fire. It’s like something out of a really bad Rambo movie. Like Abraham he was also a bit of a disaster with the fairer sex. Just ask Delilah.

Which brings me to David. Warrior, King, Visionary. A man after God’s own heart. Oh, and numbskull. He decides to lounge about on the roof of the palace when his armies are on the field of battle. Lo and behold, he sees Bethsheba and the rest, as they say is history. Cue adultery, deceit and murder which culminates in the death of his own son. Not his finest moment.

Peter, Peter, Peter. Where do I start? The disciple whose foot was permanently in his mouth. A man whose very presence within the inner circle of Jesus gives hope to us all. Denying Jesus three times was bad enough. But offering to erect some huts at the Transfiguration when Elijah and Moses descend from Heaven. It’s akin to meeting the Queen, sticking a pencil up your nose and going ‘Wibble, Wibble.’

These men (and women) were idiots. Their words and actions revealed inadequacies and character flaws which we can all relate to. People are weak and flawed; we are vain, selfish and forever falling flat on our faces. Yet, God still continues to pick us up, dust us down, and use us for His purposes. He has a plan, and we are part of it. Any idiot can apply to be part of the team.

I’m no exception. I mess up day after day after day. I ignore God, I moan at God and I consistently do the opposite of what I’m meant to be doing as a card carrying Christian. I don’t go to church enough, I don’t read my Bible enough and I don’t pray enough. I sin, and seek his forgiveness; then I sin again, anyway. I’m forever straying off the straight and narrow. I don’t like being around other Christians and sometimes I don’t like being around God.

Yet still He patiently tolerates me and seeks to use me. He waits and then plants an idea in my head which I reluctantly mull over, before finally agreeing that he was right all along. He encourages me, supports me and motivates me. He reveals to me the truth, His truth, not the tainted truths being peddled by the supposed pillars of our community. Hypocrites are twist the Word to suit their own petty needs.

I get angry when I think about these people, but not as angry as I get about myself. I know I can do better. I let religious buffoonery get in the way of my relationship with Jesus. I hope it’s a righteous anger, a means to an end. For I need an end, a finish line, a target. Otherwise, life is a futile, empty gesture. I need to open my eyes. I need to cast off the shackles. I need to stop being an idiot.

Do you get angry with yourself and other Christians?

Who is your favourite Biblical idiot?

Can you do better in your walk with God?

Published by Fractured Faith Blog

We are Stephen and Fionnuala and this is our story. We live in Northern Ireland, have been married for 17 years and have three kids - Adam, Hannah and Rebecca. We hope that our story will inspire and encourage others. We have walked a rocky road yet here we are today, together and stronger than ever. We are far from perfect and our faith has been battered and bruised. But an untested faith is a pointless faith. Just as a fractured faith is better than none at all. We hope you enjoy the blog.

51 thoughts on “The Bible Is Full Of Idiots”

  2. I think God probably looked down from heaven and smiled at this post. All people are foolish in God’s eyes. and it is amazing how God can change things foolish and use them for the Glory of God. How WONDERFUL is GOD!! Should be a question but no it is a firm statement! God bless you and this post. I believe God has a sense of humor. after all we are made in God’s image and as Jesus said you stiff necks! (so much of the bible is made with sarcasm) This post made me smile greatly. Have a blessed day friend! and God bless you and your heart and may the Lord strengthen you daily and enrich you greatly in Jesus name Amen!

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  3. Idiots galore, both then and now! With regard to the idiots on record in the Bible, I am ever so glad they are there! It takes much of the pressure off me when I realize that folks who in many cases were experiencing a close relationship with God Himself kept messing up so badly. I won’t hide my mistakes behind their’s, but I like the comfort that comes from knowing my screw-ups are not ground-breakingly new.

    In answer to your question, my current favorite idiot is Naaman (the account of his foolishness can be found in 2 Kings). The short version is this: He thought himself so important that Elisha’s instructions to rid him of his leprosy weren’t grand enough for someone of his stature. Idiot! Accept the cure in whatever form it takes! Close runner-up in the idiot race is Gehazi, Elisha’s servant. He tried to gain money for himself out of this situation and ended up instead getting Naaman’s leprosy!

    Though you didn’t ask, I’d like to mention one of my favorite heroes as well so I can end this response on a more positive note: Blind Bartimaeus (you can read all about him in Luke 18:35-43). Though physically blind, he recognized Jesus for who He was, the Son of God sent to save all sinners. Bartimaeus inspires me daily to look for Jesus in all I do, recognizing Him always as my Lord and Savior. A blind guy did it; me with my corrective lenses should be able to as well.

    Blessings to you and the fam,
    Chuck

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  4. Although the narrow road leads to happiness I must admit the wide road is filled with fun stuff.
    My favorite idiot is Rachel who I’m named after. I mean who would let their father pawn off the ugly sister on the man you want to marry?!!

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  7. I think we can all do better for none of us are perfect and, as you point out, we are all flawed. I have been struggling with Christianity for many years now. Hopefully I will soon see the light at the end of the tunnel. I am the Queen of all idiots!

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  8. Our pastor was talking about King Saul. I knew what an idiot he was, but it occurred to me that the man was fighting a self image problem. I mean here he is, been anointed king, and when Samuel goes to introduce him to the people, he’s hiding. They have to find him and drag him to the throne. Samuel tells him what’s expected of him, and rather than start about doing just that, he goes back to his field and plows it. He acts only when Israel (translation, his own hide) is threatened, and only then does he actually pick up the reins of power. Times goes by, and he messes up because everyone is waiting for Samuel to show up and take care of the sacrifice for them. It seems Samuel took the scenic route because when he doesn’t show when Saul thinks he should of, he takes it upon himself to preform the sacrifice. The Bible is clear that the reason Saul did this was because of the people.

    Enter stage right, a shepherd boy by the name of David. Now I don’t know where Saul’s self image problem came from, but we know David should have had one. When Samuel showed up looking for Saul’s replacement, David’s dad paraded every one of his sons before Samuel minus David. It was only after Samuel ordered Jessie to go get him, that David was brought in. Then there was the little matter of Goliath. David was too young to fight. He goes down taking supplies to his brothers, hears Goliath calling down God and the Armies of Israel, and is ticked. His brothers call him a troublemaker and rather pointedly suggest he go home to his sheep. Of course David didn’t and the rest is history.

    So, we have two men who were complete idiots. The difference between them. David realized he was one, over and over again. He showed his dependence upon God time and again. He knew what he was called to do.

    Saul on the other hand . . . Well, he died an idiot full of jealousy. Rather than being consumed with jealousy, he could have used his kingship as an academy to bring the your David along. But he didn’t, his self image kept him from doing that.

    So who’s my favorite Idiot. well, my answer is would be one day you’re the windshield, the next you’re the bug. some of what drive David and Saul are alive and well within me, thank you very much. There are days I’m fueled with a warriors passions of truth and justice, and others when I’m plagued with doubt.

    On both occasions, I know I’d better be looking for God.

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  9. Love this post and love these comments!! The Bible is full of idiots, but that’s the beauty of it! It’s for of every day people like me! Well, not ALL of them, but I can see so many around me as characters in scripture. Yet God loves us even in our flaws. And I love Him for it! Thank you!

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  10. I guess we all fellow are a bunch of idiots, and not only in God’s eye! The Holy Bible was written (as many other books like the Bhagavad Gita, the Koran, the Torah, and many more) with a “simple language” mostly metaphoric to enable the “idiots” of those times, to understand the main basic message.
    Humans do need Gods. Doesn’t matter what or which kind of deities… nowadays there is God Money, or God Trump, Putin or other lesser God… 🙂
    We need desperately to have something to “adore” since we’re blind and cannot see that we’re only idiots with puppet’s clothing.
    I like your sarcasm: means you have attributes and one of a kind.
    It doesn’t suck to write, I do like the time I spend in trying to be myself and not just a puppet.
    But, most of all, I write not to please but to have a good time.
    🙂 claudine

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  11. It makes me feel so much better to read about these idiots who are just like me. And it makes me much more confident that I/we needed Jesus to save us. These stories also make me laugh at the theory of evolution toward better and better species and the political goals of utopian progressives. Ain’t gonna happen!

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  13. I sometimes wonder if we buff up the Bible so there is a holy gleam, blinding our eyes to the ordinary people in it. Yes, I believe that it is God’s Word, but I wonder if we give the actual people a gloss that they do not deserve (and, I think, about which they would be very angry). The introduction of the NIV, NKJV etc has helped humanise the people.

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  18. I agree with the principle. However people in the bible had to learn from their own mistakes. The purpose of parables is to teach us so we do not have to learn from own our mistakes, yet sometimes we do need to make our own mistakes to learn, and even then sometimes we still do not learn! Over 2000 years after the bible was written, OT longer, how much have we actually evolved as humans? and what lessons have we actually learnt?

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  19. Onward and upward. Stories seem so much easier to relate to than dry statistics. That is one of the reasons the Bible endures. Also, as another commenter stated, it is about people like us the messy, faulty, sappy and human us. I’m new to your blog and am enjoying your perspectives. ❤

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  20. Thank you for liking my post. It’s not always easy to be informative, entertaining and inspirational. You do it well. Being a Christian in the world today is not easy, either. Here in Japan, less than 1% of the population is Christian. It gives new meaning to the word, “challenging.”

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  22. Another great post. I confess that while I try to read the Bible regularly, I’m very confused by it. There seem to be contradictions by the score. I’ve had some Christians explain, but I only become more befuddled. In the meanwhile, I’ll keep trying to figure it out. With time (and hopefully some help from the Big Guy) it will become clear(er). 🙂

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  23. I think you hit on the point of it all that is often unstated. “We are those idiots.” When we read something like, “and they forgot the ways of the Lord,” or “their was no king in Israel and everyone did what was right in their own eyes,” we think, “How Stupid?” But, our national, personal family and faith community histories read very similar if we summed up several years in a chapter or too.

    Only Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever. Good post.

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  24. Stephen

    Thanks for blogging in an “everyday relatable blogging style” ..for sharing real life happenings to the challenges of being a Christian to updates on your sweet family. I love and admire your blunt honesty through your blog and your genius witty thoughts!

    I’ve nominated you for a Blogging Recognition Award, the link can be found below:
    https://forhispurpose.blog/2018/09/17/blogger-recognition-award/

    Or you can click my flower icon or profile name to read the post at the top of my blog titled Blogging Recognition Award!

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