Senseless people do not know, fools do not understand Pslam 92:6

The Collins English Dictionary defines a fool as “a person who lacks sense or judgement.” With this definition in mind I decided to hunt for some examples of fools. Here are some of the findings:

Police in Oakland, California spent two hours attempting to subdue a gunman who had barricaded himself inside his home. After firing ten tear gas canisters, officers discovered that the man was standing beside them in the police line, shouting, “Please come out and give yourself up!”

AT&T fired President John Walter after nine months, saying he lacked intellectual leadership. He received a $26 million severance package. Perhaps it’s not Walter who’s lacking in intelligence.

An Illinois man, pretending to have a gun, kidnapped a motorist and forced him to drive to two different automated teller machines, wherein the kidnapper proceeded to withdraw money from his own bank accounts!

A man spoke frantically into the phone, “My wife is pregnant and her contractions are only two minutes apart!” “Is this her first child?” the doctor asked. “No!”, the man shouted, “This is her husband!”

Police in Los Angeles had good luck with a robbery suspect who just couldn’t control himself during a lineup. When detectives asked each man in the lineup to repeat the words “Give me all your money or I’ll shoot,” the man shouted, “That’s not what I said!”

A man walked into a Topeka, Kansas Kwik Stop, and asked for all the money in the cash drawer. Apparently, the take was too small, so he tied up the store clerk and worked the counter himself for three hours until police showed up and grabbed him.

In Modesto, California, Steven Richard King was arrested for trying to hold up a Bank of America branch without a weapon. King used a thumb and a finger to simulate a gun, but he came unstuck by failing to keep his hand in his pocket.

Finally, there’s the story of some folks who were new to boating and having a problem. Taking their brand-new 22 ft. Bayliner into Lake Isabella, an hour east of Bakersfield, California, they pulled away from the shore to discover that no matter how hard they tried they couldn’t get the boat to plane. Everything seemed sluggish, even when full power was applied. After about an hour of trying to make it go, they made their way over to a nearby marina in the hope that someone could tell them what was wrong. A thorough topside check revealed everything in perfect working condition. The engine ran fine, the outdrive went up and down, the prop was the correct size and pitch. So, one of the marina guys jumped in the water to check underneath. He came up choking on water, he was laughing so hard. Now remember this is true . . . Under the boat, still strapped securely in place, was the trailer!

Of course there are all sorts of other fools as well. The book of Proverbs has much to say about them. Consider the following:

“The mouth of a fool invites ruin” Proverbs 10:14.

“Whoever spreads slander is a fool” Proverbs 10:18.

“A fool finds pleasure in evil conduct” Proverbs 10:23.

“The fool will be servant to the wise” Proverbs 11:29.

“The way of a fool seems right to him” Proverbs 12:15.

“A fool shows his annoyance at once” Proverbs 12:16.

“A fool is hotheaded and reckless” Proverbs 14:16.

“A fool spurns his father’s discipline” Proverbs 15:5.

“A fool finds no pleasure in understanding” Proverbs 18:2.

“A fool delights in airing his own opinions” Proverbs 18:2.

“Every fool is quick to quarrel” Proverbs 20:3.

“A fool . . . will scorn the wisdom of your words” Proverbs 23:9.

“Honor is not fitting for a fool” Proverbs 26:1.

“Do not answer a fool according to his folly” Proverbs 26:4.

“As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his folly” Proverbs 26:11.

“He who trusts in himself is a fool” Proverbs 28:26.

“A fool gives full vent to his anger” Proverbs 29:11.

“If you have played the fool and exalted yourself . . . clap your hand over your mouth!” Proverbs 30:32.