I was reading some instructions I found on the Internet, which was on a site offering a free online course for how to use a computer program I am interested in buying.  One of the first instructions they posted was this:

“Learn the Terminology"

"In studying this course make sure you don't pass any word you do not fully understand. If there is a word you don't know or you are unsure of, make sure you fully clear it up."

"Have you ever read through a whole page and then at the end of it you are totally blank about what you just read? That is because you have encountered a word that you did not fully understand and you didn't clear it up. If you were interested in a subject and all of a sudden your interest on that subject dropped, you most likely passed a word you did not fully understand.”

This is so true; and it works well to explain why so many have nothing more than passing interest in Nostradamus.  They don’t understand what Nostradamus wrote.  Either one word is one they have never seen before and do not understand, or they try to read several words as a sentence and it makes no sense.  That too is like reading a word you do not know.  The overall effect is it makes you think you are stupid; and rather than prove yourself capable of learning, you close the book or sign off the website, acting as if you lost interest.  That Nostradamus stuff is boring.

I did a presentation at church, about what I have found from Nostradamus.  Afterwards, while walking to my car a woman came up to me and said, “Everything you said was too far over my head to understand; but I can tell you feel deeply about what you believe.” 

In other words, this well-meaning woman admitted she is so stupid she cannot understand it when I say, “Jesus Christ is the source of everything Nostradamus wrote about The Prophecies.” 

She is also saying, “While I can see you have a deep belief, I have no interest in learning to understand what I do not already understand.”  That my friend is simply denial.  It is okay to be in denial; but being in denial means you withdraw from making any judgment whatsoever, yea or nay, on Nostradamus.  You have surrendered your values due to being too stupid to make valid judgments.

There is an old proverb, “Ignorance is bliss.”  Try to explain this saying to yourself for a moment, before reading further here.  Go on.  Try to understand what this says.  Otherwise, you will just lose interest and sign off.  Neither of us wants that; and you really do need to read the rest of this posting.

This is defined by The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy as meaning, “Not knowing something is often more comfortable than knowing it.”  You would be surprised what people have posted in blogs, in attempts to explain the meaning.  Some connect it immediately to the 18^th Century English poet, Thomas Gray, who wrote, “Where ignorance is bliss, / ‘Tis folly to be wise’”

Let me toss in my two cents worth now.  The definition of the word “ignorance” is something that has to be understood, or else you lose interest.  Perhaps you are like me, such that if someone called you an “ignorant slut,” ala Dan Akroyd to Jane Curtin, you would instantly think you were being called an unintelligent person.  It is actually the opposite.  You are being called an intelligent person who “ignores” that which is within your intellectual grasp.

The word “ignorance” is defined as, “The condition of being uneducated, unaware, or uninformed.”  It is also similarly defined as meaning, “lack of knowledge or education.”  Nothing about the word says anything about an inability to be educated, aware, or informed.  However, when one recognizes the root word to be “ignore,” which is found to mean, “to refuse to pay attention to; disregard,” ignorance is a condition that arises from the refusal to pay attention and take something with regard (consideration or attention).

Now, when I earlier called the nice church lady stupid, I was actually giving her the benefit of the doubt.  The word “stupid” means there is something mentally wrong with a person, such that there is an inability to be educated, aware, and/or informed.  Things easily fly over stupid people’s heads because they cannot possible understand.  I am stupid to astrophysics, although I suppose I could catch some “layperson” summations.  However, my admitted stupidity is not because I cannot mentally learn astrophysics.  I am just not interested enough to take the time and make the effort to learn something that I see no reason to know.  Too much mind clutter.  Too much left-brain, when I cannot even remember my cell phone number (because I never dial it!).

This condition that causes “ignorance” is really why I call myself “stupid” about astrophysics.  It is called laziness.  Again, that does not mean laziness is bad, but that is another discussion, for another time; but for now let’s sum up lazy as synonymous with “sloth.”  In case you did not know, sloth is one of the Seven Deadly Sins.  To make a long story shorter, ignorance is sin.  Or, as they say in legal circles, ignorance is no excuse for your sins against the law.

All of this means, if you want to learn how to use a computer program properly, then get off your lazy butt and learn the lessons, which means looking up the meanings of the words you do not understand.  It also means, if you have enough energy to type in a search keyword for Nostradamus (one that led you here), you need to keep going and find out the true meaning of a subject you have never really understood.  To not understand is no longer excusable, especially since you are playing a role in the condition of ignorance that is leading this world to hell in a handbasket (a saying meaning, “a situation taking a turn for the worse or towards disaster without effort or in great haste).