# Is there actually a notation in the Bible that forbids the use of the word 'fool'... **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 14, 2005, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-actually-a-notation-in-the-bible-that-forbids-the-use-of-the-word-fool/303782 "2005-05-14T01:32:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![I\_can\_t\_believe\_that\_s\_butter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@I\_can\_t\_believe\_that\_s\_butter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_can_t_believe_that_s_butter)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2005, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-actually-a-notation-in-the-bible-that-forbids-the-use-of-the-word-fool/303782/1 "2005-05-14T01:32:04Z")
…upon pain of having your life reduced by a given increment of time (I’ve heard “six minutes”) per occurrence? Yeah. I heard this whispered in the halls of middle school, and was reminded by this the other day by something; I forget what. Or, is there actually a chance that this is true? ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2005, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-actually-a-notation-in-the-bible-that-forbids-the-use-of-the-word-fool/303782/2 "2005-05-14T02:02:24Z")
um, no. Here’s a link to an on-line concordance. You can use it to look up any specific word or phrase you have a question about. If it isn’t found, it is not in the Bible. [http://www.eliyah.com/lexicon.html](http://www.eliyah.com/lexicon.html) ---
**Author:** ![brianjedi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@brianjedi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brianjedi)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2005, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-actually-a-notation-in-the-bible-that-forbids-the-use-of-the-word-fool/303782/3 "2005-05-14T02:10:37Z")
It’s probably a misreading of Matthew 5:22. > [@](#): > > But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2005, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-actually-a-notation-in-the-bible-that-forbids-the-use-of-the-word-fool/303782/4 "2005-05-14T02:20:53Z")
Right, it’s a part of the Sermon (of/on) the Mount Jesus teaching about how Xtians should not only not kill or assault physically, but should not go around being verbally hostile either. (“Raca” was some sort of Aramaic insult. I like to think it meant “asshat”) However notice there is no mention of specific time-subtraction. Just that if you go around gratuitiously insulting people you ARE sinning and getting yourself in trouble, unless you apologize. (BTW the SotM is full of extremely “absolute” condemnations of what looks like petty conduct. Apparently the Big J’s point is that he expects his followers to exceed expectations at all times, on all issues) ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2005, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-actually-a-notation-in-the-bible-that-forbids-the-use-of-the-word-fool/303782/5 "2005-05-14T02:23:04Z")
> [@JRDelirious](#): > > he expects his followers to exceed expectations Yes, I know that’s tautological. He’s God, he can get away with that. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2005, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-actually-a-notation-in-the-bible-that-forbids-the-use-of-the-word-fool/303782/6 "2005-05-14T02:25:56Z")
> [@JRDelirious](#): > > (“Raca” was some sort of Aramaic insult. I like to think it meant “asshat”) Maybe he meant “Baka,” which lends credibility to that whole “Jesus fled to Japan” theory. :eek: I seem to remember that Jesus himself called people “fools” a few times—I’ll try to find a cite. ---
**Author:** ![wolf\_meister](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolf_meister/32/15202_2.png) [@wolf\_meister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolf_meister)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2005, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-actually-a-notation-in-the-bible-that-forbids-the-use-of-the-word-fool/303782/7 "2005-05-14T02:48:49Z")
One of the more famous Biblical quotes states that: _The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God’" (Psalms 14:1)_ (Oh yeah, I _definitely_ had to look that up to get the exact quote and verse. I’m certainly no Biblical scholar.) Anyway, the Bible strictcly forbids the use of te word “fool” huh? I suppose that Jesus and Psalm authors get excused from that rule. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2005, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-actually-a-notation-in-the-bible-that-forbids-the-use-of-the-word-fool/303782/8 "2005-05-14T02:57:52Z")
Well, if the person referred to IS a fool, then it’s not an insult, it’s merely a statement of fact. And if you buy into Jesus = Divine(_), then if he said someone was beign a fool, thet person WAS a fool. We report, you decide. ((_) “Divine” as in God. Not as in a fat drag queen from Baltimore) ---
**Author:** ![dotchan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9d8465/32.png) [@dotchan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dotchan)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2005, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-actually-a-notation-in-the-bible-that-forbids-the-use-of-the-word-fool/303782/9 "2005-05-14T03:02:12Z")
> [@JRDelirious](#): > > Right, it’s a part of the Sermon (of/on) the Mount > Jesus teaching about how Xtians should not only not kill or assault physically, but should not go around being verbally hostile either. It’s a teaching of Jesus that seems to be neglected by a lot of Christians, unfortunately. ☹ (Still trying to find the balance between standing up for what I believe in and being obnoxious and disliked.) ---
**Author:** ![Peanuthead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peanuthead/32/360_2.png) [@Peanuthead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peanuthead)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2005, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-actually-a-notation-in-the-bible-that-forbids-the-use-of-the-word-fool/303782/10 "2005-05-14T05:05:13Z")
> [@Joe K](#): > > …upon pain of having your life reduced by a given increment of time (I’ve heard “six minutes”) per occurrence? Nah! **Mr. T** would’ve been dead long ago. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2005, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-actually-a-notation-in-the-bible-that-forbids-the-use-of-the-word-fool/303782/11 "2005-05-14T05:11:00Z")
[QUOTE=JApparently the Big J’s point is that he expects his followers to exceed expectations at all times, on all issues[/QUOTE] All that a good manager can expect from his people. If you don’t AT LEAST meet expectations you can expect a bad review. ---
**Author:** ![I\_can\_t\_believe\_that\_s\_butter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@I\_can\_t\_believe\_that\_s\_butter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_can_t_believe_that_s_butter)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2005, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-actually-a-notation-in-the-bible-that-forbids-the-use-of-the-word-fool/303782/12 "2005-05-14T05:57:30Z")
> [@Peanuthead](#): > > Nah! **Mr. T** would’ve been dead long ago. Heh, good point. 🙂 Thanks for the replies, all. I was ready to chalk it up to some made-up crap like you hear in about every middle school; I never would have guessed that misinterpretation was a possibility. ---
**Author:** ![bienville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2005, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-actually-a-notation-in-the-bible-that-forbids-the-use-of-the-word-fool/303782/13 "2005-05-14T12:09:49Z")
> [@JRDelirious](#): > > ((\*) “Divine” as in God. Not as in a fat drag queen from Baltimore) Are you making a _distinction_ between God and a fat drag queen from Baltimore? Do you mean to suggest that God is _not_ a fat drag queen from Baltimore? This flies in the face of hundreds of years of deep theological reflection. Wait. Did I say hundreds of years? I think I meant hundreds of seconds. 😕