Zeal is an emotion, usually of a positive kind so long as there are reasons that act as a bridle.

A zealot goes back in time to Judaea and a fanatical sect opposing Rome’s dominion, their enemy. A zealot amongst zealots is friend, but so too bigot amongst bigots is friend. Zealot is a different word than bigot, by that fact alone they are not equal.

They each have the common thread of opposing something, however. Both have two poles: The thing and the thing opposed, like left/right, north/south. Two poles are a simple understanding. What about east? East is between north and south and can be a third pole.

A zealot can be very much like a bigot, especially if the zealot’s enemy is a bigot. That a most interesting confrontation, when a third pole is a reference. That reference is a hero or truce-maker. Heroes in that situation can be agnostics, meaning they do not understand either the zealot’s or bigot’s actions. In that case the hero must understand why the zealot and the bigot opposes.

Be not known as a zealot and be not known as bigot, otherwise you will be known as simple. Also, and this is most important, be not known as enemy.

If you have to be known as anything, be known as hero. In that role be a penguin with destiny. A penguin out in the cold knows where it is going and goes there. It does not hope to come to its egg on land from the sea, it either does or does not come back. Determining probability of return in that case is impossible. The penguin did start out with intention, though.

Intention is material, hope is spiritual, two distinct worlds, places, concepts.

Remember what Pogo said: “We have met the enemy and he is us.”