Word World War: Ignorance is Bondage, NOT bliss

Ignorance is Bondage, NOT Bliss

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"Ignorance is bliss" is the worst quote EVER! This popular quote is an expression that means “not knowing is better than knowing and worrying” according to the McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

However, our Bible tells us in John 8:32 "the truth will set you free”. Therefore ignorance (or the idea of not having true facts) is less bliss and more bondage.

To help you understand this concept, I will prove this “worldly” saying wrong by discussing three points of interest using biblical scriptures.

1. how ignorance and “the Truth” relate to each other

2. why the definition of bliss contradicts the quote

3. what popular culture has to say about ignorance

I. how ignorance and “the Truth” relate to each other

Ignorance or to be ignorant means to be without education or knowledge or to be unaware. Truth means reality or actuality.

Truth and ignorance relate to each other because:

1) they are antonyms and

2) if a person is searching for truth this means they’re searching for actual facts.

If they find false facts, then they’re lacking knowledge and are ignorant/don’t know/or are unaware of the truth.

The word “truth” is used 224 times in the King James Version, 228 times in the New International Version, and 269 times in the New Living Translation.

“Truth” is a sovereign word and Jesus himself confirms this in John 14:6-7 NIV,

"Jesus said to him, I am the true and living way: no one comes to the Father but BY me ⁷ If you REALLY KNOW ME, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him”.

In this scripture, Jesus tells us the only way to live a good life is to seek after the truth, which in Christianity means to believe and accept that Jesus died on the cross for our sins.

Verse 7 tells us that getting intimate with the teachings of Jesus “If you really know me”, is the only for sure and true way we can come and meet God one day in Heaven.

The key word in this verse is “know”. Remember ignorance means you’re unaware and don’t know the truth. So this quote is inappropriate for Christians to use because we know Jesus and we know he is the Son of God.

II. why the definition of bliss contradicts this quote

Bliss is a noun and has four definitions:

supreme happiness; utter contentment|(theology) the joy of heaven|

heaven; paradise|(archaic) a cause of great joy or happiness

As a member of the debate team at MTSU, I know definitions are important so that it’s clear what we’re debating and what we’re not debating.

I’ve also learned that using the Bible as a source for definitions or as one of your reasons to prove your case is frowned upon because not everyone believes in Christianity. However, I think it’s important to point out that 2 of out of 4 of the definitions for bliss mentions heaven.

To see if these definitions are suitable, let’s replace bliss with its different definitions to see if it makes sense.

1. “Ignorance is ~~bliss~~ supreme happiness or utter contentment”.

2. “Ignorance is ~~bliss~~ the joy of heaven”.

3. “Ignorance is ~~bliss~~ heaven or paradise”.

4. “Ignorance is ~~bliss~~ a cause of great joy or happiness”.

How can we be extremely happy, content (confident) or have great joy about something we have no knowledge about? How can our ignorance be the joy of heaven? A person ignorant of God’s word wouldn’t make it to heaven in the first place, let alone be a joy in it.

2 Timothy 2:15 KJV says "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of TRUTH". Are you an AWANA?

The Tyndale Life Application Study Bible, New International Version tells us this verse means "Because God will examine what kind of workers we have been for him, we should build our lives on his Word and build his Word into our lives—it alone tells us how to live for him and serve him. Believers who ignore the Bible will certainly be ashamed at the judgment. Consistent and diligent study of God's Word is vital otherwise we will be lulled into neglecting God and our true purpose for living”.

A person who ignores the Bible is ignorant of the truth and will be ashamed; therefore “Ignorance is bliss” is invalid and inappropriate for Christians to say because an ashamed person is an unhappy person. People of the world work to impress man. People of the Word work to get approved by God!

III. what popular culture has to say about ignorance

From a “worldy” point of view, the word “truth” when examined within our society is sovereign (important or powerful) as well because we place great emphasizes on having:

1. “loyal and ride-or-die” people on our teams and within our circle of friends

2. people that will “keep it real” or “keep it 100” with us at all times

3. exposing people who are “not about that life”

No one wants to be lied to, betrayed or deceived. We surround ourselves with people that will tell us the truth and treat us the way we want to be treated. We expect news reports, people of high power and Christians to speak truthful words. Even in school, we’re warned about plagiarism, which is writing an essay and not truthfully reporting where you found your information.

In our personal lives, if we do just so happen to withhold the truth from someone, we justify it by saying “what they don’t know won’t hurt/kill them”, “it’s only a little lie” or “IGNORANCE IS BLISS”. But sometimes what you don't can and will kill if you allow it to.

Ignorance is bondage and death, NOT bliss

But 1 Chronicles 6:49 tells us we can’t just tell little white lies or only follow part of God’s commandments we think apply or don’t apply to us.

“But Aaron and his descendants were the ones who presented offerings on the altar of burnt offering and on the altar of incense in connection with all that was done in the Most Holy Place, making atonement for Israel, in accordance WITH ALL that Moses THE SERVANT of GOD HAD COMMANDED”.

Summary Aside from you already knowing it’s unacceptable to be ignorant, I hope that today I’ve encouraged you to get the wheels in your head turning to remove phrases like “Ignorance is bliss” from your vocabulary. Whether “worldly” or biblically stated, it’s simply impossible and grammatically incorrect to say you’re ignorant and blissful at the same time.

How can we be happy or joyous while burning in hell because we refused God’s word? You’re not in hell now, but could your current unhappiness or the feeling that your life is in hell be an end result of you not reading your Bible to receive your promises? Don’t be ignorant of God's already written Word. Throughout the whole Bible, it’s confirmed that God wins in the end.

We fear things we don’t know, but God has not given us the spirit of fear. Therefore, it’s important we break our minds away from bondage (quotes or beliefs similar to this, worldly behaviors, and anything we spend more time with and doing than we do praying to God, reading his word and ministering to others).

These distractions affect how we think, how we act, and even how we don’t act. Just as the quote “If you can believe, you can achieve” encourages us to think positive about success in order to accomplish it, we must do the same towards removing things from our thinking that discourage us so we can place ourselves in positions that allow us to reach our ultimate spiritual high!