Did you watch the VP debate?  What impacted you more than anything?  One prominent news anchor stated that in his 50 years of watching every presidential and VP debate, he’s never seen a candidate so disrespectful. “It was unprecedented.”

One heartbeat away from the Presidency, who would you rather have leading and representing the U.S., a vitriolic, ridiculing, immature-acting speak-first, think-later person, or his opposite—a very thoughtful, respectful, conciliatory, serious-minded one?

At first glance, the answer appears obvious (to civil-minded folks), but when political bias enters the picture, all bets are off. As we all know, the above scenario just took place before our very eyes.  And yet, many party faithful say the attitude doesn’t matter, only the verbal content.  But is this really true?  Does attitude reflect beyond what we actually say?  Can BT help us to better understand this dilemma?

Looking deeper (a BTI paradigm), both VP candidates claim to be Roman Catholics, yet their communication styles are radically different, and so is their theology and orthopraxy.  Wasn’t it Jesus who laid down the Golden Rule: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you?”  Was this admonition not for debates as well?  How about the Apostle Paul’s (likely #15 FCIL) admonitions from God to us, such as, to regard other people more important than self, treat all with deference, kindness, and respect (even enemies), exercise humility, to make our speech pure, trustworthy, to reflect and pray before we speak, etc.?

And what about how to communicate from the wisest mortal person in history: King Solomon of Israel (likely #13 FCIR), who penned some 30 chapters of the scriptural book, Proverbs?  He repeatedly made two opposing classifications of people and conversationalists. Consider just some of the many insights (and warnings) he passed along from God Almighty:

Proverbs, chapter 29: ⁸ Scorners set a city aflame, But wise men turn away anger.
⁹ When a wise man has a controversy with a foolish man, The foolish man either rages or laughs, and there is no rest.

¹¹ A fool always loses his temper,  But a wise man holds it back.

²⁰ Do you see a man who is hasty in his words?  There is more hope for a fool than for him.

Ch. 10: ¹⁹ When there are many words, transgression is unavoidable, But he who restrains his lips is wise.

²³ A prudent man conceals knowledge, But the heart of fools proclaims folly.

Ch. 12: ¹⁶ A fool’s anger is known at once, But a prudent man conceals dishonor.

Ch. 13: ³ The one who guards his mouth preserves his life; The one who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.

Ch. 14: ⁹ Fools mock at sin, But among the upright there is good will.

¹⁵ The naive believes everything, But the sensible man considers his steps.
¹⁶ A wise man is cautious and turns away from evil, But a fool is arrogant and careless.

Ch. 15: ¹ A gentle answer turns away wrath,
But a harsh word stirs up anger.
² The tongue of the wise makes knowledge acceptable,
But the mouth of fools spouts folly.

¹⁸ A hot-tempered man stirs up strife,
But the slow to anger calms a dispute.

²⁸ The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer,
But the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things.

Ch. 17: ⁴ An evildoer listens to wicked lips;
A liar pays attention to a destructive tongue.

Ch. 18: ² A fool does not delight in understanding,
But only in revealing his own mind.

¹² Before destruction the heart of man is haughty,
But humility goes before honor.
¹³ He who gives an answer before he hears,
It is folly and shame to him.

Ch. 23: ⁹ Do not speak in the hearing of a fool,
For he will despise the wisdom of your words.

Ch. 26: ⁴ Do not answer a fool according to his folly,
Or you will also be like him.

Ch. 4: ⁷ “The beginning of wisdom is: Acquire wisdom;
And with all your acquiring, get understanding.
⁸ “Prize her, and she will exalt you;
She will honor you if you embrace her.
⁹ “She will place on your head a garland of grace;
She will present you with a crown of beauty.”

These are only some of the many insights into Biblical wisdom and foolishness and those who possess them.  First of all, ‘fool’ is a term that Christ warned against using.  He didn’t say it could never be used, but it should be a rare occurrence, and only in the proper Biblical context.  Do you know how God defines a fool in the Bible?  It always begins by describing a person who has the “absence of wisdom.”  As the question was posed at the beginning of this article, “Does attitude reflect beyond outward conversation?” Absolutely.   It not only influences what we literally say, but reflects deeply our inner thoughts and motives as well, producing our outward expressions (which we all shockingly witnessed at the VP debate).

Words, countenance, voice inflection, facial expressions, interrupting, etc., all communicate what is truly within a person’s mind and heart.  And, it is never more reflected than when someone is experiencing neural anxiety, such as in a national TV debate.  Though VP Joe Biden is well known for his unbridled conversation, never has he been seen as he was last Thursday eve in the Blue Grass state.  Particularly in the first half of the debate, when Jumpin’ Joe was most challenged with the jitters, he behaved like some of us rowdies when we were third graders.  Basically, the only thing Joe didn’t do was stick his tongue out at Mr. Paul Ryan.

How could this be?  How could the VP of the world’s most respected country act so immaturely, and in front of millions of viewers globally?  What possessed Mr. Biden?  No, it wasn’t the altitude that Al Gore blamed on Mr. Obama’s Denver demise.  Speaking candidly, it was Biden’s fragile #13 FCIR brain chemistry and physiology.  It doesn’t take a neural surgeon to quickly decipher that the VP is generally quite animated, off-the-cuff, and a good candidate for Hollywood or the comedic stage when out of politics. Though he and President Obama share the same ubiquitous  #13 BT, their neural genetics and brain functioning are quite different (as well as nurturing backgrounds).  As Insiders know, BTI regularly goes to great length discussing not only the same inborn cognitive and motor traits possessing each BT but also myriad reasons (nature and nurture) for their dissimilarities.  Many of these are outlined in JN’s latest book, “Brain Types and Parenting.”

Even to the novice onlooker, Barack Obama’s neural chemistry and physiology appears much healthier than JB’s.  Yet those who have administered brain imaging and genetic analysis easily recognize that even a simple genetic test of the major neurotransmitters (dopamine, serotonin, GABA, etc.) would reveal JB’s abundance of polymorphisms and alleles—resulting in sub-optimal cognitive and emotional performance.  Couple this nature with his nurture background, plus chosen ethical ways, and it is apparent why VP Biden performed as he did, and has over his career.  Despite JB’s cognitive condition, there is much room for his improvement (as for all of us in our various areas of deficiency), not only by ruminating daily on the Proverbs written above but through wise food choices, select nutritional supplements, even possible medication—after SPECT imaging.

For many, Mr. Biden’s loose lips and hebephrenic expressions kept them from taking what he said seriously.  As the old expression goes, “When love is felt, the message is heard.”

What a classic debate night once again, contrasting the vast distinctions between the mega Right-brained #13s and the Left-brained #15s.  Representing the #13s, Q1 Biden, in typical fashion (especially under mental duress), employed his innate #13 wiring by “conceiving” new notions for nearly every subject on his mind. (Remember the specialty of each brain quadrant?  Q1: conceive or give birth; Q2: compare or link [similarities]; Q3: critique or contrast [dissimilarities]; Q4: classify or categorize [Q1, Q2 & Q3].)  Though he used the term “facts” 26 times to impress his audience with substance, VP Biden rarely stated facts in their proper context.  Even the White House had to come to his rescue the very next day, attempting to clarify many of his misspeaks—such as he and the BO Administration “weren’t told” of multiple security requests by the American Ambassador and his Libyan contingency, before their tragic and unnecessary deaths; this was his failed attempt to throw the State Department (which BO’s Administration controls!) under the bus.  Yet the day before the debate, State Department officials under oath, contradicted both Biden and BO words to the contrary—even stating the Administration rejected multiple requests for additional security.

Though Q1 Biden attempted to discount the issue, in the days ahead, it will likely become a bigger cover-up than the infamous Watergate affair—once again, lying to the American people (except this time 4 people are dead). As we all know by now, the Libyan U.S. Embassy fiasco was a much-rehearsed and planned terrorist attack, not an impromptu riot over a obscure Youtube video. Records show the White House knew of this the very day of the attack, yet President Obama was still linking the video to the Benghazi debacle as much as 2 weeks later, on TV’s Letterman, The View, even before the United Nations!

Unfortunately, Mr. Biden conceived and stretched many more matters (e.g., he said he voted against Iraq and Iran military intervention when in fact he voted, publicly, his approval), but you get the point.  (Yet the very next day following the debate, ‘conceiving’ and abstract Joe on the campaign stump in Wisconsin, stated ‘Planned Parenthood’ doesn’t perform abortions, that PP, “under law cannot perform any abortions.” Yet PP, by their own records, shows they are the biggest abortion providers in America, performing 330,000 in 2010, while providing prenatal care to only 30,000 women and referring just 840 women to adoption agencies!   So much for planned parenting and Mr. Biden’s off-kilter imaginations.

And finally, back to the debate. Poor Mr. Ryan; none of us would have relished his situation had we been in similar circumstance.  Moderator Martha Raddatz, another FCIR, a known liberal who once had BO attend her wedding and who visited VP Biden at his residence in March of 2012, attacked Mr. Ryan 9 times, only once Mr. Biden.  She also allowed Mr. Biden to interrupt PR 82 times, while she interrupted PR 12 more times than JB!  Meanwhile, P. Ryan calmly attempted to debate the two #13s, noticeably pausing for careful thought before nearly every response.  How civil, novel, and prudent?  Yet remember, BTInsiders, that #15 FCILs can be rude and insensitive too (especially when disavowing the Golden Rule), as #15 Newt Gingrich displayed on several occasions throughout his primary campaign (known as the “Gingrich Temper,” as one author observed, “Anger, umbrage and bitterness are so much a part of Gingrich’s public persona that he likes to attack the very concept of happiness.”) Well, that’s a bit of an exaggeration, but we get the point. Let’s not forget, however, that any BT can display anger, irreverence, and immaturity.  These traits are not limited to #13s and #15s, yet certain BTs are far more prone to this sort of aberrant behavior.

As JN predicted, Mr. Ryan won the debate demeanor of thoughtful, logical deduction as he attempted to ‘critique’ and ‘contrast’ each point.  When he wasn’t certain in an area for rebuttal, he guarded his lips, choosing to be silent rather than misspeak. To the dismay of many viewing GOPers, they wished PR had challenged JB’s erroneous or out-of-context points, but Congressman Ryan did not, thanks to his inborn Inanimate and Left-brained ways (but more importantly, his ethical standards).  For those viewers and voters who really sought factual reality that night, they would have to wait till later to do their own research.  Unfortunately, most debaters throw as much mud against the wall as possible, hoping something sticks, worrying later how accurate it is—knowing most viewers will never check the facts.

Both political parties have deceit and corruption within, some worse than others—depending upon the situation and individual.  (BTI will continue to ferret out overt deception with both Republicans and Democrats.)  Yet the more deception there is, the worse for our country and our individual freedoms.  It’s a far bigger issue and disaster waiting to happen than most of us acknowledge.   Only through God’s mercy and our collective repentance for individual ills can we survive as a country, a free country with respect and reverence for ALL.   And finally, let’s not forget what King Solomon said in Proverbs 14:9; “Fools mock at sin or guilt.” Do we?

Note: The views expressed may not reflect the views of BTI in its entirety.
Written by: Staff

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