Jan Brewer and the Gay Issue

“Our society is undergoing many dramatic changes. However, I sincerely believe that Senate Bill 1062 has the potential to create more problems than it purports to solve.  It could divide Arizona in ways we cannot even imagine and no one would ever want.  Religious liberty is a core American and Arizona value, so is non-discrimination.”  -- Arizona Governor Jan Brewer

So the veto went for the bill that would have allowed one group to discriminate against another group on the basis of their beliefs.  And yet, the supporters of Senate Bill 1062 are crying foul for the very same reason.  They feel that being forced to earn a living by providing services to people of gay persuasion violates their religious liberty to live and work by their religious beliefs.   As Arizona Senator Steve Yarbrough stated: 

 “This bill is not about allowing discrimination.  This bill is about preventing discrimination against people who are clearly living out their faith.”

Gee, I can see the sign above the drinking fountains showing the gays which one they can use.  It won’t be long before the bus driver directs them to the back of the bus where “their kind” rides.  Goodness knows, no self-respecting hetero wants to share a restaurant with them.  Hell, better we just pin a rainbow patch on their sleeve, herd them onto trains and build some special showers, right?

Is the gay culture really the problem here, or is ignorance and fear rearing their ugly head once again?  Or, is it the heretical Christian’s that believes this is the love, forgiveness, and sweet understanding that Jesus would visit upon the gay community?  Perhaps wishing, as all good Christians do, better they should die and decrease the surplus population.

There is a growing abhorrence of heretics and hypocrites in this country.  It usually comes to light when history begins to repeat itself, as it always seems to do.  For the past several years it has been evident in discussions concerning our politics and spiritual beliefs.  Maybe we are reaching that point where history needs to come full circle.  Maybe we need another dose of book burning, lynching, and men wearing white hoods and robes that hide in the shadows like the cowards they are, using God as their justification for protecting the rights of the few.  Do we?  Or can we find tolerance in the seething sewer of this hatred?

But, then, does Senate Bill 1062 really make any business sense?  In the Germany prior to Hitler, shopkeepers would welcome the Jewish clients and their money.  Did they like the Jews?  Who knows what they felt before the Nazi Party made Jews a scapegoat for all the ills of the world.  Since the Jews were probably the only ones with money, I’m sure they welcomed them with opened arms regardless of their personal feelings; it would just be good business.  Gail Collins of the New York Times wrote in her column, after the veto: 

“Maybe we have reached a critical historical juncture. Struggles for human rights always begin with brave men and women who stand up, isolated, against the forces of oppression. But, in the United States, victory really arrives on the glorious day when the people with money decide discrimination is bad for business.”

This will all boil down to who you want to support - gays that just want the same rights as all of us, or Christian storm troopers that would see us go down that oft traveled road of spiritual hypocrisy in the name of Christ.  For me the choice is a simple one:  Find another restaurant.  The model is a simple one, as well.  If you separate the healthy demand from the unhealthy supply, the supply will have to change to survive and grow.  Gays are not going away, those that choose not to service this group of movers and shakers will find themselves with a finite clientele, or out of business.

All the gay community wants is the freedom to love whom they choose.  The fact that they find love in this day and age should be applauded.  I wish to remind the Christians, and others of my Congregation, of a verse I quoted in a recent post concerning my own faith: 

“As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions.  One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables.  Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him.  Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another?  It is before his own master that he stands or falls.  And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand.  One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike.  Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind.”  -- Romans 14:1-23

Sermon for Sunday - February 23, 2014: Homeless in Olympia (Part Whatever)

I keep posting on the homeless.  But, are they really homeless, or are some just down on their luck.  I've come to realize, albeit late for an egotistical shit that thinks he's quicker than this, that some of these people are just down on their luck and need a meal.  This is not a problem, we all have issues.  It is interesting when a man comes to get a cup of coffee, tries to pay, and is confronted with what we're doing.  More times than not, they reach down deep and bring out some cash for a donation.  What breaks my heart is the kids;  I ask myself, why should it?

There was a belief among military families that a military brat that was moved all over the world with the parent, had a better chance of making something of themselves than a child that didn't have the opportunity.  I think this might just hold true for the needy kids as well.  I have seen kids that have had to come get a plate of food, and the parent has reminded them to say thank you.  If you remember previous posts, I have always been humbled by the courtesy shown to us by our clientele.  This courtesy is taught to their pets, and their children.  It is a courtesy forgotten by the "haves" but not by the "have nots."  Once again, today, I had the opportunity to hand out fruit gummies to the kids.  To a child, they were reminded by the parent to say thank you, which they did without argument or hesitation.  Parenting rears it's head in the strangest of places.  We could all learn from this. I had one of our clients thank me today for teaching the young person helping with drinks the value of volunteerism.  I corrected him immediately and redirected his appreciation to Dee, who trains us all.

We had a Christian youth group helping today, and that was a rare treat.  We hope to see more of them.  There was also a Mennonite from south of Olympia that was interested in what we were doing.  He has been looking for an outlet to share his hope.  I could only smile as Dee welcomed whatever he could bring to the table.  We welcome all faiths to the cause.  This isn't about us, and it never should be.  This is about the needy and what we do to make a few minutes of their lives a bit better.  If we could have an interfaith effort, Jews, Muslims, Christians, Atheists, and others give of themselves for just a couple of hours a week, oh what a difference it would make in a life.

Mary didn't show today.  For those not following, Mary was a terrific guitar player and singer that I had offered a folding chair to, if she would come play each Saturday.  I found out from one of our older friends that Mary is in hospital. We all hope Mary recovers and is back with us soon.  Our prayers and love go out to her.  God bless you, Mary.

As for those of you still wondering if our efforts are worthwhile,  I leave you with this:

And, this should be enough.  (I had a photo of one of the children that show up, weekly, to the street feed.  I have opted not to show her darling face for obvious reasons.  The mere fact that I have to concern myself with this sickens me, but that is the world we live in.).  Children are our only hope for a future being torn apart by political one upsmanship and partisan politics.  I see the faces of these children each and every Saturday and have to wonder what our leaders are thinking.

This Sunday, look at you own child and consider what they have to be thankful for.  Does it make you proud?  Does this?  I wonder.

Maybe we should take a moment, this Sunday, and reflect on the children.  For all intents and purposes,  they are us.  If you had to spend a morning with your child in a food line, how would that make you feel?

What’s Right, or Moral Decency?

"If a man has an apartment stacked to the ceiling with newspapers, we call him crazy. If a woman has a trailer house full of cats, we call her nuts. But when people pathologically hoard so much cash that they impoverish the entire nation, we put them on the cover of Fortune magazine and pretend that they are role models." 

-- B. Lester, rapper 

I see the quote (above) from the rapper, B. Lester, as no so much what he intended to say as it is what was unintended.  A friend of mine commented on this quote after it was posted on social media.  I don't feel there is any discussion here.  What Lester says is, unfortunately, true.  But, what about labels?

Societies throughout the world are guilty of labeling people.  Is it proper that we label people in any fashion?  Absolutely not, as it is no more proper to label the people in the quote than it is to say people that pathologically hoard their own money don't have the right to do it.  Pathos is a quality that evokes pity or sadness.  Personally, I don't think the rich care, nor do I think to enjoy the fruits of your labor should be looked upon as pathological.   Labels like this come from someone who is jealous of success, or unwilling to give such effort for success.  The person who applies labels evokes pity and sadness.  These people seem perpetually offended and there is really nothing to do for them but give them all of the other person's wealth and let them become what they are offended by, except they didn't exercise their God-given freedom to earn it said wealth.  And, this is what the conversation was all about - the difference between doing what is decent or moral and doing what is your right under the Constitution.  Earning your way in a society, or stealing what others have worked hard for.

"Anarchy means "without leaders", not "without order". With anarchy comes an age or ordnung, of true order, which is to say voluntary order... this age of ordung will begin when the mad and incoherent cycle of verwirrung that these bulletins reveal has run its course... This is not anarchy, Eve. This is chaos.”

-- Alan Moore, graphic novel writer, "V for Vendetta"

My friend was quick to point out, and rightly so, that I made this "political" during our discussion.  But, wasn't this political the moment the quote was posted on social media?  "When people hoard so much cash that they impoverish the entire nation," crosses a line into the political arena.  It leads us from American idealism into socialist philosophy.  Looking back at the transcript of our conversation, it clearly continued to make this transition until my friend's socialist leanings approached making an argument for anarchy and, by extension, communism followed by chaos.

My view of Lester's quote concerns what is morally decent as opposed to what is right.  Well, the decent and moral thing for the filthy rich to do is to assist those less fortunate.  I think we can all agree on this.  The right thing to do is to let the filthy rich decide what they can do with the money they have earned through the companies the struggled to build.  We have no more right to tell them what to do with their money than we do to tell a mother with multiple children she has to give up one or two so those without can have one, or telling our next door neighbor to give his BMW to us because we drive a Ford P.O.S. and we'd rather have his car than a Ford.  At this, my friend would probably say she doesn't see the comparison.  I would answer, of course, she doesn't, because it isn't her wealth being redistributed.

It is easy for those that don't have, or haven't earned, to criticize and levy additional taxes on those that have worked hard to get where they are.  That isn't to say that most of us are dirt poor, we just aren't filthy rich.  I would offer that most young people pissing and moaning about Wall Street today will be gritting teeth when they grow up, get a job, and their own whiny little bastard children start screaming foul and preaching redistribution of wealth.  I'd be interested to see how today's whiners justify their own vast stock portfolio to their own socialist crotch fruit.  This is life.  Is this a healthy, moral attitude for a parent?  No, it isn't.  Is it right?  You bet it is!  And here is where my conversation took a turn.  I said, it is right because the Constitution guarantees it:

All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

 -- U.S. Constitution, Amendment XIV, Section 1

Basically, what you honestly earn, you have the right to honestly keep.  This is a morally correct judgment.  The fact that a wealthy person chooses not to share their wealth is a right guaranteed by the Constitution of the country in which we live.  If you don't like it, you have the God-given right to move to Canada.  It is not sharing your wealth a sign of moral corruption?  Probably, and I'm certain the Almighty will take issue with them later on down their path.  

It becomes easier to make this political when our own leadership would ignore Constitutional rights and endeavor to forcibly redistribute wealth to those that haven't earned it.  It violates the very principles of freedom our country was founded on.  Forcing redistribution of wealth teaches those that have not, what?  Lesson number one is to not to earn or work for anything you don't want to be taken away from you at a moment's notice and without your permission.  Basically, don't bother ever working again or ever trying to better your lot.  It is so much easier to remain one of the "have nots" so you can bitch and complain about the "haves" while you bleed the country dry of funds you are not helping to replenish. 

“The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money.”

-- Margaret Thatcher, UK Prime Minister (1979-1990)

When socialism collapses from its own inability to sustain itself, the cycle begins again.  This would be considered good common sense except there is nothing common about good sense anymore.  We don't teach it in school, and parents are pretty much worthless at parenting anymore, so kids can't expect anything more than "garbage in, garbage out" from them.

If socialism teaches intelligent people anything, it teaches that socialism feeds on itself until the carcass is gone.  When there are no fish in the basket, the basket remains empty - because everyone has forgotten how to fish!  Fidel Castro recently admitted that socialism in Cuba was a "grand experiment" but, "the Cuban model doesn't even work for us anymore."  His brother, Raul, is loosening the government's iron grip on their economy.  Communist China did this as well, several years back, by allowing more private income and savings among the people.  Are they grudgingly admitting that a little capitalism is necessary?

All of this is about growth or collapse, and here is where we trip into anarchy or chaos.  The idea is that, and I try to say this with a deep "barrio" accent, we don't need no stinking Constitution!  My friend and I ended our conversation with her last sentence which, for me, said it all:

"A person who is guided by conscience and a moral compass does not need a constitution to tell them right from wrong."

In a perfect world, she would find no argument from me, but ours is anything but a perfect world.  Ours is a world peopled by the League of the Perpetually Offended.  A world without guiding principles is a world doomed to chaos.  Mankind's history is colored with tales of "leaders" operating "for the good of the people" under their own definitions of morality and righteousness.  Historical evidence might cite Cambodia, Burma, China, Germany, Russia, and let's not forget every little piss ant country in Africa that wants a taste of genocide and ethnic cleansing.  Now we have Venezuela to contend with.  The one thing they all have in common is a belief that they are right and that they, hopefully, have a population ignorant enough to follow them off the cliff.  Here are a few thoughts to get the blood of revolution flowing:

"Success is the sole earthly judge of right and wrong."

"As a Christian I have no duty to allow myself to be cheated, but I have a duty to be a fighter for truth and justice."

"We are socialists, we are enemies of today's capitalistic economic system for the exploitation of the economically weak, with its unfair salaries, with its unseemly evaluation of a human being according to wealth and property instead of responsibility and performance, and we are all determined to destroy this system under all conditions." 

"Today I must humbly thank Providence, whose grace has enabled me, who was once an unknown soldier in the War, to bring to a successful issue the struggle for restoration of our honor and rights as a nation."

"I can thank God at this moment that He has so wonderfully blessed us in our hard struggle for what is our right, and beg Him that we and all other nations may find the right way, so that not only the German people but all Europe may once more be granted the blessing of peace."

Adolf Hitler spouted all of these "morally correct" quotes prior to 1940. How can any question of decent or right not be discussed without some discussion of politics? Ask any elderly Jew with a "stock number" tattooed on their wrist. But then, even the Nazi party had voluminous rules and regulations, as did all those other countries, except for the little African ones that kind of made stuff up as they went along. For better or worse, these new regimes had laws for the same reasons the old ones did - social order and control. Were those laws and "constitutions" enough to give them the right? Absolutely. Did it make them morally decent? Obviously not.

"Our government...teaches the whole people by its example. If the government becomes the lawbreaker, it breeds contempt for law; it invites every man to become a law unto himself; it invites anarchy."

-- Louis D. Brandeis, Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court

"It is the beginning of wisdom when you recognize that the best you can do is choose which rules you want to live by, and it's persistent and aggravated imbecility to pretend you can live without any."

-- Wallace Stegner, author, environmentalist, historian

So, I suppose it leaves the question for all of us:  Is it decent, or is it right?  There is another question which also holds for everything in our lives.  It is the question which screams to asked: "Why?"  As with this conversation of decency or righteousness, right or wrong, or when we think of labeling other people, like the perpetually offended.  Why?

In the case of my friend and our conversation, was either of us right?  Perhaps, both?  As with everyone that has an opinion, we both believe we are right.  If we didn't, it wouldn't have been much of a conversation.  Differing opinions, expressed peacefully, is what makes the world interesting. Its what make society free.  What is certain is that, in our hearts, and right or wrong, we believe each other to be morally decent people.  I'm certain most communists and socialists are also morally decent people, they just don't enjoy the same freedoms as other forms of government.

"We have met the enemy, and he is us."

-- Walt Kelly (1913-1973), cartoonist, "Pogo"

Editor's Note

(Re: disclaimer cum "get out of jail free" card)

Before you go getting your panties in a bunch, it is essential to understand that this is just an opinion site and, as such, can be subjected to scrutiny by anyone with a differing opinion. It doesn't make either opinion any more right or wrong than the other. An opinion, presented in this context, is a way of inciting others to think and, hopefully, to form opinions of their own, if they haven't already done so. This is also why, occasionally, I will present an "opinion" just to stir an emotional pot. Where it may sound like I agree with the statements made, I'm more interested in getting others to consider an alternate viewpoint. 

It is my fervent hope that we keep open and active minds when reading opinions and while engaging in peaceful and constructive discussion, in an arena of mutual respect, concerning those opinions put forth. After over twenty years with military intelligence, I have come to believe engaging each other in this manner and in this arena is the way we will learn tolerance and respect for differing beliefs, cultures, and viewpoints.

We all fall from grace, some more often than others; it is part of being human. God's test for us is what we learn from the experience, and what we do afterward.

Pastor Tony spent 22 years with United States Air Force Intelligence as a planner, analyst, briefer, instructor, and senior manager. He spent 17 years, following his service career, working with the premier, world renowned, Institutional Review Board helping to protect the rights of human subjects involved in pharmaceutical research. Ordained 1n 2013 as an "interfaith" minister, he founded the Congregation for Religious Tolerance in response to intolerance shown by Christians toward peaceful Islam. As the weapon for his war on intolerance he chose the pen, and wages his "battle" in the guise of the Congregation's official online blog, The Path, of which he is both author and editor. "The Path" offers a vehicle for commentary and guidance concerning one's own personal, spiritual, path toward peace and the final destination for us all. He currently resides in Pass Christian, Mississippi, where he volunteers as lead Chaplain and Chaplain Program Liaison, at the regional medical center.

Surprisingly Homeless: Mary in Olympia

Joyful Hands Ministries did their usual feed this Saturday morning, in the rain and the cold.  About one hundred showed up to get the usual breakfast burrito of casserole top with sausage gravy, and a cup of coffee, fruit drink, hot chocolate or mocha to drink. In line was a face I had seen once before; a short, full figured, young black woman.  As before, she had a guitar in a case slung over her shoulder.  After getting a bite and a drink she approached me to ask who we were affiliated with.  I noticed shy was soft spoken to the point of seeming shy.

I explained the story behind Mama Dee, the ministry, and why she provided the breakfast.  She nodded understanding and I asked about her guitar, if she played.  She answered yes, and I asked if she played well enough to get through a song.  She nodded again and I explained we had just been commenting that there had been a lack of music this morning.  I asked if she would play a tune.  She took the guitar from her shoulder and I assisted her in getting it out so the case didn't get wet on the ground.  She took a knee and began to strum a folk rhythm.  At first, I thought she was a bit off key, and then she began to sing.

I felt my mouth drop open.  Conversation around us came to a stop.  A young boy that had been assisting with serving drinks started sway side to side in a private dance.  I began to smile as I noticed all the other amazed faces around us.  When she finished she looked up to me and all I could say was, "Where the heck did that come from?"

Her name is Mary.  I believe she said hailed from Philadelphia.  She is recent to living on the streets in Olympia.  If the interest she generated with that one song is any indication, she won't be on the streets for too long.  The webmaster for Joyful Hands Ministries was already getting her approval to record several of her songs for the website, and other people were coaching her on the ins and outs, or was it dos and don'ts, of the street music scene.

I hoped to see her tonight at the evening meal put on by Crazy Faith Ministries just down the block from the city bus barn.  I was not disappointed as evidenced by the photo up top.  I have invited her to continue coming to the Saturday breakfast and I will hunt up a folding chair for her to sit as she serenades us.  She seemed pleasantly agreeable to the task.

God brings strangers in to our midst for reasons unbeknownst to us.  Ours is not to question why.  Her music may be a message for someone.  It might be a message for us all.  It might just be music to bring a bit of brightness to the hearts of these people.  As with many folk artists of the past, trials and tribulations only add to the message behind their art.  It could be, this is her school of hard knocks; the life to give meaning to her music.  I only hope she finds a path, an outlet, allowing her to share her talent.

God blessed you, Mary.  Now bless us with your music.

Sermon for Sunday - February 16, 2014: A Bit More on Patience

How to be Patient 

Have patience be your goal for the entire day. Take a day and make a serious effort to take your time and think about everything you do. Live in the moment and be mindful of yourself and your surroundings. Think of your day as a movie where you can hit “pause” at any time. Take regular pauses and at the end of the day think over all the decisions you made and seek to understand exactly what took place. Eventually, learn to do this on a daily basis.

Slow down. Sometimes we must rush, but we think we need to rush more than we actually do. If you are hitting pause a few times each day, you will likely notice when you are rushing for no reason. When this happens, just stop for a minute and take a few deep breaths. Turn you mind to peaceful things and center yourself, then return to your task with a slower, more deliberate pace.

Delay gratification. By putting off reward and rest, we are training our patience “muscles.” The longer we put off gratification, the more we will be able to enjoy it when the right time comes. We should live each day for the evening and each week for the end. If we work hard and accomplish all the day’s tasks, the evening can be our own. Sometimes this is difficult, but we must be steadfast and deliberate. This takes practice, but the more you do it, the easier it becomes.

Think before you speak. This quite literally means that you pause and consider what you’re going to say before you say it. If we blurt out the first thought that comes to mind without considering the consequences, we will often find ourselves saying stupid or offensive things. Practice this for one whole day and think about instances where it was good or right for you to consider your words before speaking. Often we will realize that the extra time allowed us to formulate better, more articulate responses.

-- ULC Monastery: Sermons - The Seven Virtues 

Let's take these from the top.  I almost have the first goal down.  I try not to stress over much.  If something starts to needle me, I give it one good "Arrrgggg!" and simply take a break or go do something else to distract me from the issue for a few until I can look at it with fresh senses and understand it.

I got a speeding ticket yesterday morning as I was going to work.  I wasn't in a hurry; I just had a lead foot.  I seem to press the accelerator on that portion of my drive.  The bottom of the hill is a major intersection that I know I'll have to wait at regardless, so it makes little sense to rush.  Just to prove the point, I found myself doing the same speed today, right passed where the cop was yesterday.  I did a rapid deceleration and chewed myself a new one.  The thing was that I found my insurance card that I didn't have yesterday.

This next one is the most difficult for me.  I work hard for my gratification.  I see no purpose to delaying said gratification for any reason, least of all to teach myself patience.  But, I am making the attempt as it also helps me to maintain my weight.  Yes, bourbon, peanut butter and honey, pizza, sushi, bourbon, ice cream, bourbon, all gratify me and all pack on the pounds, but doesn't that just figure?  Most things I find gratifying are usually fattening except for, well, women.  Not fattening.  Although, even though I love all women, I find few of them truly gratifying.  I guess their kind of like ice cream.

This last one, really?  Mom always told me my mouth would be the death of me.  She hasn't been far from wrong.  I find it exceedingly hard not to say what's on my mind, and care little about who I am saying it to.  One plus in this has been the plethora of military commanders, and one particular civilian senior vice-president of operations, that relied on me to be the one person not blowing smoke up their collective butts when they asked my opinion.  Good or bad I told them the way it was.  This was a far cry from learning how to run from the bullies I would goad on in high school until they came after me to deliver a deserved, or not, butt whippin.  I am getting better at picking my battles.  I try to temper honesty with a proper time and place, and I re-write memos until they are a bit less pointed (read: antagonistic) while still getting my message across.

Take a moment this Sunday and consider how patient you are.  Think about ways in which you can work on where you come up short on patience.  Right now, for me, I still seem to lose my mind when I'm behind some idiot that is so patient he has lapsed into a coma while merging onto a 60 mph highway doing 15 mph while an 18-wheeler hauling a load of logs is growing significantly larger in my driver's side mirror.  I have learned to take a deep breath, relax, floor the accelerator, cut across two lanes of traffic, test the patience of several other drivers, and exhale.  

Life is good!

"Patience is not sitting and waiting, it is foreseeing.  It is looking at the thorn and seeing the rose, looking at the night and seeing the day."

 -- Rumi (1207-1273), Persian poet, Islamic jurist, and theologian 

What Makes a Woman?

“Say to yourself, I am perfect, the way I am. Say to yourself, I am beautiful, the way I am. Say to yourself, those who do not accept me the way I am, do not deserve me in their life.”

-- Abhijit Naskar, neuroscientist

The "eyes" have it, and the motion passes:  Praise for beautiful women!  Well, that's just my opinion, because I love beautiful eyes on a woman.  She might feel she has numerous faults, but if she has beautiful eyes I can easily overlook the rest.

Ah, Venus!  Isn't this ancient statue of a timeless beauty what comes to mind for every man when he considers a woman?  Maybe he thinks of the Mona Lisa or any of the multitudes of movie stars from the last century.  Are any of these really what a man considers when he thinks of women?  I'd think a man would have to be pretty shallow if all that comes to mind is the physical attributes.  For any red-blooded male worth his salt, this is probably the last thing we would consider when a woman is mentioned.  What men consider attractive about women depends on the man doing the considering and, no, we all don't view women the same way, as much as I think butch feminists from the League of the Perpetually Offended might like all women to believe.  But, aren't feminists expecting men to act a certain way, and isn't their expectation a bit chauvinist?

"Now beauty should be cultivated by every woman. If you do not possess a clear complexion, regular features, bright beaming eyes, and beautiful hair, why cultivate the graces of the mind, and they will lend a brightness all their own to eyes and skin; will soften regular features, and throw a hundred nameless charms over forehead, cheeks, and lips."

-- "Daisy Eyebright," A Manual of Etiquette - with Hints on Politeness and Good Breeding

There are those women who hate men so much as to have some folks asking why they cling to heterosexuality like a tightened vise.  I think an admission of their true nature might set them free from any hidden guilt which binds them.  But then, I don't hate women, so I have no frame of reference; no understanding of their complaint about the opposite sex.

I guess I embody everything that makes a certain kind of woman hate men.  Basically, I love women!  I love everything about women.  Let's not get bogged down with what women physically look like; how big their breasts are and, as a consequence, how obvious her cleavage.  And, how about those pouty lips, shapely butt, and killer legs; the quintessential "Victoria's Secret" woman?  Really?

Let me tell you about my "model" fantasy.  I had a big crush on a particular Victoria's Secret model.  She had classic "Mediterranean Riviera" looks.  She was absolutely gorgeous, and then I saw a video where she opened her mouth and spoke.  I was crushed.  Talk about bursting a bubble!  Out of this gorgeous example of feminine pulchritude emanates this tiny voice from Betty Boop (boop, boop, be doo).  Thank God, she wasn't chewing gum!

"If love is blind, then maybe a blind person that loves has a greater understanding of it."

-- Criss Jami, poet, essayist, philosopher

So, what was wrong with this?  Absolutely nothing!  She was still a beautiful woman.  The voice just set me back a bit as it wasn't what I was expecting.  It wasn't in my fantasy.  I was thinking the glass had water in it and discovered I had a mouthful of vodka.  Nothing wrong with vodka.  I like vodka.  But a mouthful is hard to swallow.  I reminded myself that none of us is perfect, and I certainly am not.  My fantasy has changed to include the unknown, when possible. 

I always considered a beautiful woman was about the preparation, the packaging, and the delivery.  For the most part, this is right.  Her packaging was great, as was her preparation, but the delivery just fell a bit short when she opened her pie hole.  I would feel the same if some 300-pound football lineman had her voice.  It was nothing she could help, God bless her.  I chuckled at the incongruity of it which might have broken the ice, gotten me a date, and we may have made the perfect couple, as fantasies go.    

Okay, before I incur the wrath of every feminist on the planet, let me follow up my last comments by admonishing pigs who think they're men.  Fantasy is one thing, but as far as reality, I'm a pragmatist.  I expect as much from a man as I do of any woman, and I don't think that's wrong.  Men should act like mature, respectful men just as women should act like well-bred, strong, respectful women. 

Allow me to use an example of a nondescript, plus-sized, woman.  Okay, so I won't color the terminology - fat is fat, so deal with it.  Take this fat woman and do a makeover on her.  Put her in an attractive outfit, hairdo, makeup, heels, and some designer nylons.  Hey, she can be seriously attractive!  I know because I've seen it.  I think we've all seen it, on television and in the movies.  Now, teach her to walk, hold her purse, cross her legs (or not, as sitting with your knees together is still considered proper for a woman of breeding), and not to chew gum like a cow chewing cud.  Now you have a beautiful woman!  Not just an attractive one, a beautiful one.  One who meets my definition of absolutely gorgeous.  Now, if we're after perfection, then along with dressing, sitting, and walking, also teach her to think deeply, speak proper English, to carry on intelligent conversations with intelligent company.  Now, you have it all.

There was a time when quality women were trained to be quality, and quality men were also taught proper manners and dress.  What holds true for women still holds true for the gorilla down the block.  Women should view men with the same critical eye they, themselves, would expect to be viewed.  They should expect no less of men than men do of them.  We men should dress properly and learn manners.  Men should dress like we know the women we are with are worth the trouble.  We should assist her in making other women jealous by holding the door for her and attending to her chair as she sits.  We should also learn which fork is for salad and the butter knife is for butter, not steak.  This is all about mutual respect,  for each other, and for yourself!

As far as "plus-sized" men dressing well, clothing stores cater to both men and women who have a bit of girth.  A point to remember, however, is to make sure the clothes fit you.  Rolled up pant cuffs, baggy shirts, and blazers, really don't send any other message than, none of it fits.  And women, a tent is still a tent, so go for something with a waist.  Just saying.

"The fallacy in Hollywood is that if you're making a 'feminist' story, the woman kicks ass and wins.  That's not feminist; that's macho.  A movie about a weak, vulnerable woman can be feminist if it shows a real person we can empathize with."  -- Natalie Portman

As I said at the beginning of this, "I love women."  I don't care how big their breasts are or if they even have breasts.  I care if they care about themselves.  If they care enough to make the effort to make me care.  I get up every morning to shower and shave.  I brush what little hair I have, put on antiperspirant and spritz a subtle cologne.  I might choose a silk tie and a set of cufflinks that compliment my dress shirt choice, and then I slip into a pair of Bostonian shoes.  I could put on khaki slacks with an oxford shirt and a polyester tie, and then slip into a decent pair of loafers with a crepe sole, but I don't.  

What I wear isn't always required attire for any work I do.  I dress well because I pride myself in the way I look.  I do it because, not being the most attractive of men, it has always served me well when it came to women who, for the most part, look for the same qualities men should.  

A stud can breed, but that does not necessarily evidence his intelligence, breeding, or the fact he'll be a good husband or parent.  Dressing well doesn't evidence this either, but given a choice between a man in a shirt and tie and a man in a "wife-beater" undershirt, I think your chances are better with the tie.  A voluptuous model can breed, but that, also, does not define a good parent, nor does her thong bikini evidence any quality other than she enjoys the feeling of a "snuggie."  A little kinky, but what the hey?

“Why do beautiful women love ugly men?”

-- Jill Lepore, professor, historian, writer

Look at the marriages that really work and have longevity among Hollywood actors.  Yeah, I know, they're actors, not really people.  But, does it occur to anyone else that beautiful and intelligent actresses are marrying older, balding, doctors?  How many entertainers, married to entertainers, really enjoy any longevity in a marriage?  The old idea of being part of the "beautiful people" just doesn't seem to work out anymore.  Maybe this where we get the saying, "opposites attract."

Now, let's say a woman or a man has achieved the perfect presentation, packaging, and delivery.  Are they, now, the fantasy you've dreamt of?  Well, maybe it's time to take a deeper look.  For all of the effort that went into presenting this well-appointed package capable of delivering an evening, or a lifetime, of companionship, it is all for naught if there is nothing on the inside, nothing of substance, to back it all up.  Our societal view of beauty means absolutely nothing if we don't realize that the true beauty of a person emanates from within.

“There are a thousand beautiful women out there, but only a handful of them possess the grace required by such beauty to stop it from looking ugly.” 

-- Pawan Mishra, author, producer, director

I love all women, I just wish some of them wouldn't try so damned hard to be so damned ugly on the inside.  Some of the most beautiful women I've known were more beautiful on the inside.  Who they were was what attracted me.  I have found that women and men who celebrate their outward appearance, assume they have it all.  There are some people, like myself, who have to put in some effort to achieve even a modicum of perfection.  So, is there an easy way to assume someone really is all that?  I think so. I'm always impressed with those who are humble about who and what they are.

God made us what we are, gave to each of us a challenge to utilize the tools we were given as efficiently as we can.  Some of us choose to live our life drinking booze and living off the public dole in some sleazy trailer park as they wait for their teeth to finish falling out.  Some come up with a multitude of excuses as to why God cursed them to be lazy, ignorant, poor and homely.  There are others who use the tools, God provided to everyone, to rise above their circumstances and become more than just the sum of their parts.  Don't ever let anybody make you feel less than the person you choose to be.  You are what you want to be.  If a loser in the ghetto is all you see for yourself, then it is all you will ever be.  Dream it, live it, be it, and don't let anybody ever tell you, you can't!  Personally, I find trailer parks depressing.  It is a matter of choice, and for every choice there are consequences.  Bad choice, bad consequence.  Make good choices!

Of course, as always, this is just my opinion.  I'm sure there are women out there chomping at the bit to burn a cross in my front lawn.  Get over it, it's just an opinion.  I could be wrong, doubtful, but I could be.

What makes a woman?  I really have no idea.  I know what I like, but for everyone, it can be something else.  God created her as a being of beauty.  A woman is the mother of all things.  Without a woman, there is only a man, and how pitiful is that?  A woman is a softness to the hard, a light in the dark, and she represents life from death.  She adorns her pedestal with other than muscle and sweat.  What did God create for Adam?  A woman.  That has to say something, right?  God could have chosen a companion for a man that smelled like a cats crusty butt.  I'm pretty certain that when Eve caught her first whiff of Adam, she immediately thought of a cat.

"I love to see a young girl go out and grab the world by the lapels. Life’s a bitch. You’ve got to go out and kick ass."

-- Maya Angelou (1928-2014), poet, activist

Where Is My Faith?

As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions. One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him. Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand. One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind.

-- Romans 14:1-23

I hate it when people toss the Bible up in my face, especially when they rail about what they've been told the Bible says, instead of actually understanding it.  My lack of total acceptance of the "good book" damns me for all eternity but, oh well.  Why is it that I can have a deeper faith than those who constantly rant at me, using the Bible as a foundation for the "truth" they've been spoon-fed by clergy?  They have read it, probably cover to cover, and yet they don't seem to grasp the content.  It is like they can see and read the words, but the meaning of what they read is lost on them.  As my uncle would say, "They're like a pig looking at a wristwatch."  

Most church-going faithful seem to follow clergy like sheep and, in many cases, like lemmings off some suicidal cliff.  I'm not sure where their faith lies, and I'm not sure they really know either.  They say they do, but let's put a gun to their head just to be sure.  Would they die for their precious Bible?  By how they present themselves, they seem to put the Bible before their faith in Christ, and by extension, before their God.  I'd say they'd either die because of misplaced faith or wet themselves and go to pieces just prior to denying Christ.  

It isn't that evil people in this world makes you surrender to their will, it's the criminal mindset that they won't be held accountable for their actions.  I can see turning the other cheek to keep the peace and sidestep a beating.  I think I'd easily give up the Bible to this end.  I can always get another one.  If they were holding a gun to my head, I would certainly make an inner promise to punish them at some point in the future.  I didn't surrender my mind, so no harm, no foul; I just don't like people who threaten me to think they can do it ever again, to anyone.  

“Don't give up on your faith just to please someone who has no faith at all;That is like giving up a treasure to please someone who has none.”

-- Gillian Duce, author, writer

Now, consider the idea that crosses, scripture, icons, and talismans possess no more power than our faith imbues them with. I consider these objects nothing more than focal points for the energy of faith.  Evil doesn't fear the object more than it fears the faith behind the object, or in other words, guns don't kill people, people kill people.  Material objects can always be taken from us, but it our choice to surrender our minds.  Our faith, our beliefs, and our free will is something we must surrender as it can never be taken.

As for me, therefore, you can burn my Bible if you'd like.  It is a book; a physical thing.  It has no bearing on my love and faith, my belief in Christ and God.  I consider the Bible a textbook with ideas and philosophies to consider.  Some of it I agree with and some, not so much.  Once I get the gist of the text, I understand the message which I probably knew, anyway.  If I need some clergy to clarify the good sense of doing right, God's message to me, how good was God at considering the audience's ignorance?  

I think that, once you wrap your mind around the simple message "hidden" in the Bible, it all breaks down into true and false, or multiple-guess.  Yes, take my Bible and burn it.  It has no bearing on my faith, but does use of the Bible as a crutch to bolster one's belief, have a bearing on that person's lack of faith?  Perhaps the strength of their faith is more appropriate to question than their belief in a crutch to bolster it.

“Make your own Bible. Select and collect all the words and sentences that in all your readings have been to you like the blast of a trumpet.”

-- Ralph Waldo Emerson

As a textbook, scripture offers a basis for discussion and discovery and, as I've stated, in this way it holds great value for me.  However, we must not ignore the fact that it is a collection of works, some of it passed down through ages, written and put together by men.  These men wrote down their best translation and interpretation of what was passed down to them.  Can you trust the interpretation?  Well, ask yourself how educated the men were, then ask how many sects of Christianity there are.  If God is omnipotent, why was the message so poorly understood?  Now, consider the ten very simple to understand commandments of this same God, the only true WORD of God, written on tablets of stone.  Now, ask yourself, where are the tablets?  They are a matter of faith.

Mistranslations, interpretations, lost books, damaged pages, and so many questions are all buried under the weight of faith. Fallible men put this book together; men with agendas and the "best" of intentions, like the Crusades, the Inquisition, and various witch trials. Can you trust the multiple interpretations? They are many, so maybe not so much. And as for using scripture as a weapon to stab at people with, well, perhaps one needs to read the instruction booklet first.

"The Torah cannot prevent us from considering to be true that which our reason urges us to believe." 

-- Levi ben Gerson (1288-1344), philosopher, mathemetician, astronomer

When all is said and done, we will have to stand and be judged, graded if you will, on how well we lived our lives.  Many will cling to scripture like a Pit Bull to a meaty bone.  When asked where their faith is, they will hold out their Bible and, in doing so, will have admitted failure.  The Bible is but a tool; you can utilize it or not, but don't let it be your faith in God.  Faith exists elsewhere, not in the pages of a book, not in a talisman or other icon or idol.  Faith exists within each of us, and each of us needs to discover that faith, understand it, and then exercise it.

In the exercise of one's faith I am reminded by Matthew 6:5-8, "And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him."  Faith, it would seem, is to be a personal relationship between each of us and our God.  Interpersonal definitions, interpretations, translations, and judgments don't come into play.  Your faith is your faith.  Embrace it humbly, and don't try to impress others by what you do.

"But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap. "He will sit as a smelter and purifier of silver, and He will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, so they may present to the LORD offerings in righteousness."

-- Malachi 3:2-3

Like my latest hero, Pope Francis, I too am an admitted sinner.  I am easily led into temptation.  The Bible tells us that to be overtaken by some temptation is common to man.  I think God understands our weaknesses and our shortcomings.  But, if not, then how perfect is God?  How far does faith allow you to go in belief?  God stops Abraham from killing his only son, Isaac, although God commanded it.  This kind of sacrifice is unacceptable to God, so why would God command it?  Many would say it was to prove Abraham's faith, a faith which, I would argue, God should be aware of already.  This was a lesson to Abraham; God's way of saying, "What?  Are you nuts?  This is your only child, you moron!  Why, in My own name, would you think I would ever ask you to do such a thing?"  Was it proof of faith, obedience, or man's ignorance of God's true desire for mankind?

"No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it."

-- 1 Corinthians 10:13

Where is my faith?  My faith is deep, yet clear.  It is a belief in something for which I have little or no proof.  I keep it at the forefront of my mind.  It is a belief that there is something, a treasure, a kingdom, something larger than ourselves, and life after death.  The path to be followed is traveled through this life, and possibly through the next, and the next, if lessons are not learned.  Mistakes will be made, temptations will overtake us, and we must learn from these.  

My faith is in the existence of heaven, not in some treasure map one can purchase from some con man.  It isn't the tomes of scripture lining my bookshelves, nor is it in a sermon preached by "holier than thou" clergy in some building.  Salvation cannot be purchased, nor can someone else secure it for you.  There is no fast route along this path, and righteousness can be counterproductive to what is right or moral, and in learning life's lessons.  Many hope clergy can save us, but what does clergy know about sin unless they have partaken of it?  How can clergy counsel those in need if they have never been in need?  Walk a mile in the sinner's shoes, or those of the poor or homeless.  It is not the destination that is important, it is truly the journey we take to get there.

Where is your faith? Do you wear it on your sleeve or is it a more personal relationship? Do you show up to give praise along with everyone else, to be seen and lauded with kudos, or do you speak to God privately since He already knows your heart?  A final something to consider:

“For a spiritual journey, you don’t have to meditate or visit a temple or listen to a guru! Just live a misty morning while the sun is rising!”

-- Mehmet Murat ildan, author, playwright

Editor's Note

(Re: disclaimer cum "get out of jail free" card)

Before you go getting your panties in a bunch, it is essential to understand that this is just an opinion site and, as such, can be subjected to scrutiny by anyone with a differing opinion. It doesn't make either opinion any more right or wrong than the other. An opinion, presented in this context, is a way of inciting others to think and, hopefully, to form opinions of their own, if they haven't already done so. This is also why, occasionally, I will present an "opinion" just to stir an emotional pot. Where it may sound like I agree with the statements made, I'm more interested in getting others to consider an alternate viewpoint. 

It is my fervent hope that we keep open and active minds when reading opinions and while engaging in peaceful and constructive discussion, in an arena of mutual respect, concerning those opinions put forth. After over twenty years with military intelligence, I have come to believe engaging each other in this manner and in this arena is the way we will learn tolerance and respect for differing beliefs, cultures, and viewpoints.

We all fall from grace, some more often than others; it is part of being human. God's test for us is what we learn from the experience, and what we do afterward.

Pastor Tony spent 22 years with United States Air Force Intelligence as a planner, analyst, briefer, instructor, and senior manager. He spent 17 years, following his service career, working with the premier, world renowned, Institutional Review Board helping to protect the rights of human subjects involved in pharmaceutical research. Ordained 1n 2013 as an "interfaith" minister, he founded the Congregation for Religious Tolerance in response to intolerance shown by Christians toward peaceful Islam. As the weapon for his war on intolerance he chose the pen, and wages his "battle" in the guise of the Congregation's official online blog, The Path, of which he is both author and editor. "The Path" offers a vehicle for commentary and guidance concerning one's own personal, spiritual, path toward peace and the final destination for us all. He currently resides in Pass Christian, Mississippi, where he volunteers as lead Chaplain and Chaplain Program Liaison, at the regional medical center.

The Question of Disclaimers

“A disclaimer is generally any statement intended to specify or delimit the scope of rights and obligations that may be exercised and enforced by parties in a legally recognized relationship.  In contrast to other terms for legally operative language, the term disclaimer usually implies situations that involve some level of uncertainty, waiver, or risk.”  -- Wikipedia.com

Wikipedia goes on to address what I consider a concern with any online chat area where comment may be misconstrued as advice:

“[A disclaimer] may specify warnings or expectations to the general public (or some other class of persons) in order to fulfill a duty of care owed to prevent unreasonable risk of harm or injury.”

For anybody creating, contributing, or partaking in any form of conversation where comment can be misconstrued as educated, licensed advice, I think it is prudent to understand that the conversation taking place is only conversation and opinion.  Nothing offered should in any way be considered medical advice counseling.

We would all like to think that those around us are mature adults able to use God given “common sense.”  When was the last time you saw anyone exercising good sense that was in any way common?  It just doesn’t exist anymore.  The best we can hope for is painfully rare “uncommon” sense, and that opens the door for too much misunderstanding, which is the ultimate cause of litigation.  Lawyers live to sue on behalf of the mentally incompetent.  Remember the hot coffee in the crotch?  The traffic police too stupid to turn off the radar gun before putting it between their legs while they wrote notes?  All considered by me to be poster children for population control.  The good die young and the stupid cling to life like a cancer, but that’s just an opinion.

 

Sometimes even the most intelligent of individuals, especially in stressful situations, need to be reminded of reality.  There was a German Shepard with attitude that lived down the street form us when my son was young.  The dog was confined behind a white picket fence.  My son was not stupid, but I still warned him that if he stuck his hand through that fence the fault of his hand being mangled would be his, not the dog’s.  A person needs to take responsibility for their own actions.  They need to be held accountable.  In the case of online conversation groups the reality is that, in all probability, no one is a trained medical doctor, psychiatrist, psychologist, or counselor.  People online at the site should be reminded that anything offered is just opinion.  They also need to be reminded that everyone can see what they’re writing.  There should be no expectation of confidentiality. It is the internet!

Truth be known, I don’t think what I’m discussing makes it passed the first court hearing before it is thrown out.  But, who has the money to go even that far in their own defense?  I think a disclaimer shows the courts that you recognize there might be an issue, and were forward thinking enough to remind everyone in order to fulfill an expected “duty of care owed to prevent unreasonable risk of harm or injury.”

I found two examples, which I melded into one, that I think clarify what I'm trying to say:

"No assumption of responsibility is made, or given, and the party requesting such advice agrees not to hold the pastor liable in any form or fashion, for such actions taken of their own accord.  The method and process by which this advice and direction are given in no way would constitute an agreement or liability on the part of the provider and is acknowledged to be different in many ways than a one-on-one clinical or psychological counseling process.  Any actions or lack of actions taken by the recipient of such advice is done so solely by choice and responsibility of the recipient and is neither the responsibility nor liability of the pastor."

My disclaimer is that, I am not an attorney.  This is just opinion based on uncommon sense and should not be construed as rule of law.  As far as Wikipedia is concerned, I'm not sure how well they police what is placed on their site.  Besides, you can't believe everything you read on the internet.  "Bonjour!"  Do your own due diligence, and good luck! 

Sermon for Sunday - February 9, 2014: Patience

"For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us..."  -- Romans 15:4

Everything that was written in the past was written to teach us.  Whether you accept the Bible as truth, or not, even as parables what is written there is worthy of thought for what it might teach each of us about love, forgiveness, understanding, selflessness, and faith.  Even for the atheist, these lessons have provided a framework from which modern society has been created.  You can take God out of the equation, but you still have the truth behind the lesson.  This is inescapable and must drive the devout atheist nuts.  Then again, there are people that create some phony rationale to excuse their not abiding by common law.  Wouldn't refusal to abide by laws define anarchy?

I don't press acceptance of the Bible.  There continues to be conflicting information that is being discovered, even by the faithful.  It does not demean the Bible, rather it helps us understand the teachings and the meaning, not to mention the people of the day.  A greater understanding can lead to a deeper faith, even if that understanding is contradictory.

Most people that know me will admit I am a man of little patience when it comes to the trivial.  As a teacher, supervisor, and manager, however, my patience was tested and rarely found wanting in large part due to what went on before.  When you have worn their shoes it is easier to be a bit more understanding and patient, unless you're an ass.

I have stated, many times before, that I am a sinner.  To ignore one's own sin is to lie to one's self; to treat one's self with a total lack of respect.  I like what I see in the mirror and, although I am constantly dodging the lightning bolts thrown in my direction by the Almighty, I do get the message.  

Paul writes of Christ's patience, shown to him, in his letter to Timothy:

"Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the worst.  But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life."  -- 1 Timothy 1:15-16

Even though we may be sinners, Christ will ever be patient with us.  We must recognize our error, get back up when we stumble, and try again.  Hopefully, sooner or later, we will learn from our past mistakes.  This is why I constantly remind everyone, our personal path is not about the destination, it is about the journey.  For me, I hope to learn the "immense patience" of Christ one day.

Take this Sunday and contemplate your patience.  How do you measure up?  How will you try to do better?  Do you even care?

God bless us all this fine day, and give strength to all of the athletes competing at Sochi in the XXII Olympic Winter Games.