The Parable of the Farmer’s New Wall

One day while teaching, Josh was asked, ”Teacher, we gave guns to Iranians, and they used our guns against us; we gave guns to Afghans and they used our guns against us; we gave guns to Iraqis and they’re using our guns against us: how wise is it to start arming Syrians?”

Josh spoke thus:

A farmer was building a wall.

“Why are you building a wall?” the farmer’s neighbor asked the farmer.

“I’m building the wall to keep out the wolves,” the farmer said.

“Wolves?  What wolves?” the farmer’s neighbor asked, “We don’t have wolves around here.”

“We do now,” the farmer said, “I just helped the government reintroduce them.”

“You helped the government reintroduce wolves?” the neighbor asked, “Why in the world did you do that?”

“To control the bison, antelope and deer,” the farmer said.

“Bison, antelope and deer?  There aren’t any bison, antelope and deer around here,” the neighbor said.

“There are now,” the farmer said, “I just helped the government reintroduce them.”

“You helped the government reintroduce bison, antelope and deer?” the neighbor asked, “Why would you do that?”

“To control the prairie grass,” the farmer said.

“Prairie grass?” the neighbor said, “We’re corn farmers, we don’t have prairie grass.”

“We do now,” the farmer said, “I just helped the government reintroduce it.”

“You helped the government reintroduce prairie grass?” the neighbor said, “Why on earth would you do that?”

“To bring the native bugs back,” the farmer said.

“To bring the native bugs back?” the neighbor said, “Why on earth would we want the native bugs back?”

“To eat the new bugs that are eating the new corn,” the farmer said.

“To eat the new bugs that are eating the new corn?” the neighbor asked, “Why do we need old bugs to eat the new bugs that are eating the new corn?”

“The old bug sprays don’t kill the new bugs,” the farmer said.

“Why can’t we just get new bug sprays to kill the new bugs?” the neighbor asked.

“Because the new bug sprays that kill the new bugs also kill us,” the farmer said, “It’s too dangerous.”

“And wolves aren’t dangerous?” the neighbor asked.

“I can use a gun to kill a wolf,” the farmer said, “Or I can use my crops to kill me.”

The neighbor replied, “Want some help with that wall?”