The Fool as "Beloved of God" - Where'd I get this?

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 15 Feb 2004, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Shade	15 Feb 2004
So the other day I was doing a reading for someone and the Fool came up and I was explaining the card and said "The Fool is sometimes known as the 'Beloved of God'", referring to the way that the Fool is watched over and can take great risks and pull through. After the reading was over I could not for the life of me remember where I had heard the Fool called that.... has anyone ever heard it phrased that way? After thinking about it I am wondering if it was inspired by my grandmother always saying "God looks after drunks and babies". She was referring to the way toddlers would start to tip over right next to a sharp edge and then would somehow regain their balance just as everyone leaps up to catch them. But I think I read this somewhere.

Phoenyx*	15 Feb 2004
I've not heard or read anywhere where the Fool was phrased in that manner, but it could very well be that it was inspired by your grandmother's saying. :)

contrascarpe	15 Feb 2004
Shade - It is funny that you said that. I was just thinking today that in all the readings I have done in the past few weeks, the Fool has NEVER shown his face. I was also thinking that maybe the absence of cards in a reading can be almost as powerful as the presence. Maybe it is time to find my innocence again. Either way, I love the phrase from your grandmother. Somewhat appropriate as well - you know you will get an honest statement from a young person and a drunk - there is nothing masking their intents :) Dan

Le_Corsair	15 Feb 2004
It may have something to do with the Biblical book of Corinthians, where this is a quote: 1 Cor. iii. 18, 19. Let no man deceive himself. If any man thinketh that he is wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. and I also believe St. Francis of Assisi advocated becoming a "fool for God." Just a guess, though. Bob :THERM

Shade	15 Feb 2004
Quote: Originally posted by Le_Corsair It may have something to do with the Biblical book of Corinthians, where this is a quote: 1 Cor. iii. 18, 19. Let no man deceive himself. If any man thinketh that he is wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. and I also believe St. Francis of Assisi advocated becoming a "fool for God." Just a guess, though. Bob :THERM I knew I liked St. Francis and his great city so very close by. And I love what you said about honesty contrascarpe96... this is definitely true.

Majecot	16 Feb 2004
Shade You grandmother and my mother must have thought alike. My mom always said that God looked after fools and children, ( she always likened drunks to fools ;) )

firemaiden	18 Feb 2004
I can't say I've heard it applied to the fool, in particular, but it makes perfect sense. Otherwise the story wouldn't continue after he falls off that cliff...

galadrial	18 Feb 2004
Thanks Shade, I don't know of it's origin but that is a lovely phrase to associate with this card. I have been drawing it for several days, and sometimes the blank card as well. I feel as though I am being urged to "not lean on my own understanding", nor to get caught up in worrying about consequences for following the Spirit's promptings. I seem to recall that King David, who danced wildly while bringing the Ark into his city and was chastised for looking foolish, replied along the lines of preferring to be a fool for God than to look wise before men.

ros	18 Feb 2004
"God looks after drunks and babies" In the book "Tarot in the Spirit of Zen" OSHO for the fool the book explains " Remember Jesus' saying, "In my kingdom of God only those who are like small children will be welcomed." But remember, he says LIKE small children, he does not say "small children." So drunks & babies mabee means that they do no realize what they are doing untill they learn their lessons & are aware of their actions. They are fool innocence or unknowing as the Fool card. So I don't know where I was going with this I almost had a book here. Just some extra insight I guess from a Fool. LOL

mmajere	19 Feb 2004
I remember something like that. "The Fool" as beloved of God; the fool is ready for everything on his path but he is a bit dreaming and haven't look close to his path to know what could come from there, so the God may watch him while he is aware. This won't last long, in my opinion, cause the dog tries to warn in the RaiderWaite deck, so the God may only watch. But the words not said by the mind but the soul.

Major Tom	19 Feb 2004
Ah *sigh* The Fool as 'Beloved of God'. :) I might want to ask you this: Are you your own beloved? I see the Fool as divine. ;)

Moongold	19 Feb 2004
Hi Shade ~ I am speaking from the deep recesses of memory here. Everyone is loved by God, but some are "beloved" which was always a bit special, and I thought that category belonged to those exceptional people who are often not loved by other people in this life time. These people most often would not even imagine that God loves them. I'm thinking of the down and out people spiritually and materially. So a millionaire could be a down and out as much as tramp. The Fool can be anyone who may be exceptional in ways not understood or recognised by convention. Even though s/he may be repugnant to us for some reason, they are "beloved of God". This idea used to help me a lot. and then I forgot it :(. Of course, this way of thinking attributes positive discrimination to God :D. It sems the words came from your unconscious, and if so they are quite important. Moongold

Moongold	16 Mar 2004
For some reason this post stayed with me. Beloved of God is the English way of saying Amadeus or Theophilus Amadeus was one of the names of Mozart. I think he may actually have been called Gottlieb which is German for "beloved of God", I think. Mozart was the first of five children to survive, which is how he is reported to have received this name. When you listen to the music of Mozart you almost have to believe God speaks through the music - that Mozart was beloved of God - the music is so beautiful. Mozart was a child prodigy which also emphasizes the image of innocence and beauty. Theophilus is the Roman person to whom the Books of Luke and Acts were written. His exact identity is unknown but some believe him to be have been a relative of Caesar. Theophilus is often used as a name by people committed to the love of God through Christianity. Shade, there is something about joyful, creative innocence in all of this that reminds me of the Fool. Somewhere else on Aeclectic there is a thread on the meaning of Grace and the Fool was nominated by some as perfectly representing that state of being .....full of Grace. Moongold

Shade	17 Mar 2004
I remember that Grace thread, and although my vote went to the Star I casn see where you are going with that. I think Mozart is a perfect example of where I'm going with the Fool as "Beloved of God". Since I've psoted this thread I've been using this slan in some readings for people and the Fool has been popping up in situations where people are having a "charmed" existence and can take big risks and come out on top.

The The Fool as "Beloved of God" - Where'd I get this? thread was originally posted on 15 Feb 2004 in the Using Tarot Cards board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Using Tarot Cards, or read more archived threads.