My Sunday Thought for 080617: That Which We Don't Know or Haven't Read

“All natures, all formed things, all creatures exist in and with one another and will again be resolved into their own roots, for the nature of matter is dissolved into the roots of its nature alone. He, who has ears, let him hear.”

(Note to the reader:  This post is an update of my August 6, 2013 post.)

Eastern philosophy is evident in most sayings of Jesus not accepted for inclusion into the New Testament. And, why would this exclusion seem out of place for this period in Christian history? Controlling the minds of the people was the rule of the day, right?  Well, it would seem the philosophy that was true then still holds true today: When the government controls the money, education, and religion, it also controls the people. Socialism and communism would fall into this category, and it would seem evident that capitalism and democracy are not immune to the desire for total control. The United States is heading down this road as we, the people, are manipulated into becoming more dependent on government, and the courts deem it prudent to remove references to God from our lives under the guise of atheist complaints. When the church is in charge of the state, however, everything else falls before it at a much more rapid pace.

“Peace, be with you. Receive my peace unto yourselves. Beware that no one lead you astray saying, “Lo here,” or, “Lo there!” For the son of man is within you. Follow after Him! Those who seek Him will find Him. Go then and preach the gospel of the Kingdom. Do not lay down any rules beyond what I appointed you, and do not give a law like the lawgiver lest you be constrained by it.”

So what is it the church and state don’t want us to hear? Let’s look at the last quote again. “Beware that no one lead you astray,” would indicate to me Jesus was very aware of the gullibility of man to fall for any fast talking con job, especially from religious clerics. 

“There is no sin [of the world], but you make sin when you do the things that are like the nature of adultery, which is called sin.  That is why the Good came into your midst, to the essence of every nature, in order to restore it to its root.  That is why you become sick and die, for you are deprived of the one who can heal you.  He, who has a mind to understand, let him understand.”

“Matter gave birth to a passion that has no equal, which proceeded from something contrary to nature.  Then there arises a disturbance in its whole body.  That is why I said to you, “Be of good courage, and if you are discouraged be encouraged in the presence of the different forms of nature.”  He, who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

“For the son of man is within you,” not in a church and you don’t have to pay money for clues.  “Follow after Him!  Those that seek him shall find him,” and your heart will guide on your path as you seek God’s love within you. 

If we take this last as truth, the spirit of Jesus Christ is within us, not in a church and we don't have to tithe for information, clues, which we already know.  We are all on our own path, seeking that which we already have within us - God's love.

And the final quote, and my favorite, “Do not lay down any rules beyond what I appointed you, and do not give a law like the lawgiver lest you be constrained by it.”  Gee, any church law, edict, rule, etc., would seem to go against this statement.  Is it any wonder church and state would like to keep us ignorant of the simple gospel handed to us by Christ?  The simple truth was left out of the Bible while chapters of conflicting confusion were handed to us as we are told by the church, “It’s all a matter of faith."  Yes, but our faith, not that of the clergy.  Only we can save ourselves.

It’s not supposed to be a matter of faith, is it?  It’s supposed to be a matter of love!

God has given us the tools.  Jesus was sent to reinforce the simplicity of it.  He gave everything he could give and, once again, it was up to each of us to find our way.  Would you give your hard earned money to a stock broker to invest for you?  Why would you hand over your soul to a priest? 

When he was finished teaching, as Buddha also declared long before him, he was done! Jesus stated this to Mary Magdalene in her vision:

“From this time on will I attain to the rest of the time, of the season, of the aeon, in silence.”

If we are not given everything which is written, how then can we find the love of God within us?  If we rely on clergy to mead out information, without seeking the truth for ourselves, how can we ever be certain the truth we have is the one great truth?  When all's said and done, if we haven't performed our own due diligence, we deserve what we get for the personal effort we put into it.

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 another viewpoint.

It is my fervent hope that we keep open and active minds when reading opinions and while engaging in peaceful, constructive, discussion in an arena of mutual respect concerning the 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 23 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 an Institutional Review Board helping to protect the rights of human subjects 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, to wage 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 Chaplain Program Liaison, at a regional medical center.

My Sunday Thought for 073017: Paragons of Virtue?

I am an atheist. I'm not an atheist because it is cool. I'm not an atheist because of religious extremism or oppression in some depraved corners of the world. I'm not an atheist because I don't think evil can exist in a world with a god. I'm not an atheist because I think science can disprove god. I'm an atheist because of one simple fact: The burden of proof lies on religion. If you propose the existence of something, you must follow the scientific method in defense of its existence. Otherwise, I have no reason to listen to you.

-- Anonymous

"The burden of proof lies on religion. If you propose the existence of something, you must follow the scientific method in defense of its existence. Otherwise, I have no reason to listen to you."  Oh you paragons of virtue!  Perhaps it's time for all of us to contemplate the perfection of the humble banana, and then eat it.  The burden of proving the existence of God lies on religion, and I agree with this statement made by an anonymous atheist.  I think the major problem with mainstream organized religious orthodoxy is they really give a damn what people who aren't them think, and seriously prefer you think like they do so you can find whatever path they think you need to be on, otherwise, "they have no reason to listen to you."  Atheists and theists have no reason to listen to each other, and why should they?  Hypocrisy runs deep in both camps.  There are few, if any, "paragons of virtue" to be found among the self-proclaimed righteous, and it has been correctly stated that we all fall short of the mark.  

All anyone asks of religion is to prove what you say is true.  It really isn't the responsibility of the audience to prove if a proffered belief is, or is not, true.  But, in reality, proof doesn't matter where truth is concerned.  Why do you have to prove that which is, unless your life is at stake?    It remains what it is, whether believed or not, and giving a damn what others think won't make it any more true or false, nor will it make someone who doesn't want to believe see that which is in front of their eyes.  For the truly spiritual, being believed is of no importance except to those not believing; their lack of belief is their loss, or not, as the case may be.  The religious, on the other hand, get no congregation, accolades, money, or church, for souls not brought into the fold.

The following are the intro and conclusion of two separate articles for your consideration.  I have included the link for both in case you'd like to read them in their entirety:

Religious people might not be the paragon of virtue and morality that some think they are, according to a recent study. The study suggests they are just as likely to behave badly as secular people. Whether they like it or not, they essentially stand on equal footing with the non-religious with regard to performing deeds which benefit others in their community. The findings are perhaps no surprise for secularists who have long avowed that religion is not necessary for one to behave in a morally upright way. But if religious people are just as ill-behaved as secular people, what is the purpose of religion, if any, and what is our role as ministers? 

Do these findings obviate the purpose of religion as an age-old tool for encouraging altruism and preserving social welfare, and, if so, do we really need religion? Many of the faithful will argue that religion has taught humans to care for the sick, needy, and vulnerable since time immemorial, and has enshrined a code of conduct which prevents civilization from descending into chaos. Many secular humanists, however, will argue the opposite: some of the world’s most violent wars, its most heinous crimes against humanity, and its most oppressive institutions of social control, are the result of harmful, superstitious religious thinking. Why on earth, then, should we view religion as some sort of panacea, and why should it surprise us that religious people behave just as poorly as secular people?

-- TheMonastery.Org, "Religious People Aren't More Righteous"

A new study conducted by researchers in Belgium sought to find out how open-minded atheists and agnostics were compared their religious counterparts – and the results were surprising. There exists a common stereotype that people who are highly religious are unlikely to embrace other points of view or different belief systems. However, according to the researchers’ findings, those who hold strict religious beliefs are actually more tolerant than those who aren’t religious at all.

In addition to measuring tolerance, this study also touches on a larger issue: which religion is the right one? It’s a question that humankind has been struggling with since time immemorial. Is there one all-powerful God? Or perhaps many different gods? Is it possible that religion is simply a human construct and there is no right answer?

--  TheMonastery.Org, "Are Atheists Less Tolerant Than Religious People?"

Wikipedia states, "Religion is any cultural system of designated behaviors and practices, world views, texts, sanctified places, ethics, or organizations, that relate humanity to the supernatural or transcendental."  Religion, religion, religion! Is the business of God all that the naysayers have to consume their thoughts?  That is what religion is, after all, a business.  What everyone seems to overlook, including the religious, are the truly spiritual; those who recognize organized religion as a failed spiritual system and see it for what it has always been.

The truly spiritual simply smile at any thought of proving God.  As much as the atheist might believe "the burden of proof lies on religion," is as much, if not more, than the truly spiritual don't give a rat's patoot what they believe.  Believe what you want and go in peace.  Atheists have a path to follow, as do the religious and the spiritual.  It might behoove every one of us to be about it then, and start acting like the "paragons of virtue" everyone seems to mistakenly think they are.

As I stated at the beginning of this post, I agree with the premise of the burden of proving the existence of God lies with religion. But why should they bother to prove it? The more science discovers about life and the universe, the more science proves the existence of a greater power. You can call it a particle, a force, a power greater than us, or you can call it God. The only ones who give a damn about this argument seem to be the atheists and religious zealots.  As for the spiritual, we have faith in our inner truth and we don't have to claim Judaism, Islam, or Christianity, or some other religious order just so we can see that truth which has been set right in front of us.

How about we all just give it a rest and allow everyone to have their own peaceful beliefs.  Matthew Arnold once wrote, "Protestantism has the method of Jesus with His secret too much left out of mind: Catholicism has His secret with His method too much left out of mind; neither has His unerring balance, His intuition, His sweet reasonableness. But both have hold of a great truth, and get from it a great power."  Perhaps we should all give thought to the virtue of just acting with the unerring balance, intuition and sweet reasonableness of Christ when we live our day to day lives and when we communicate with each other.  All of us believe we have hold of a "great truth" and some of us believe it gives us a "great power" which they try to wield with unfortunate success.  Yet, those that wield it, like a sword or a shield, forget this power was gifted to all mankind and is, therefore, within all of us... once we understand.  But, we must never forget that with this power comes a much greater responsibility - for taking care of humanity, and each other.

It's just a thought, My Sunday Thought, for this coming Sunday, July 30.

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 another viewpoint.

It is my fervent hope that we keep open and active minds when reading opinions and while engaging in peaceful, constructive, discussion in an arena of mutual respect concerning the 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 23 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 an Institutional Review Board helping to protect the rights of human subjects 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, to wage 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 Chaplain Program Liaison, at a regional medical center.

My Sunday Thought for 072317: The Infinite Spiritual Being of Me

“You are an infinite spiritual being 

having a temporary human experience.”

-- Wayne W. Dyer (1940-2015), philosopher, counselor, lecturer, author

If you were an "infinite spiritual being" to be viewed by mankind, how would you like to be seen?  I think I'd like to be seen as a toddler puffing on a pipe, doling out sage advice and wisdom from the back of an old fishing boat.  Avert your gaze for just a moment and you'll look back to see an elderly black man, or a young Asian woman. When you rub your eyes in confusion, the toddler is as before... with a knowing smile.  I'd like to have a little infinitesimal fun as a spiritual being, since I have faith my spirituality will last far beyond this life, and the next. 

Critics of Wayne Dyer accuse him of multiple counts of plagiarism.  True?  Well, it seems a court dismissed one case and, if the story I read holds true, he never acknowledged wrongdoing, or apologized, to any of his accusers.  Is plagiarism ethical?  I don't think so.  Do writers practice it?  I think more than any writers care to admit, whether they do it intentionally, or not.  I try to quote my sources, and use my own thoughts about what another writer might have written.  I have to admit one cannot always remember where one hears or reads a thought which might come to mind, but isn't this when, where, and how, we develop our own inner viewpoints?  I will still give deference to Wayne, regardless of accusations, if for no other reason than his untimely passing back to the greater spiritual realm to which we will all return at end of this human experience.

Occasionally we come upon others who mirror our own views on a given subject.  I can think of no greater subject in which to find a kindred spirit than one's spiritual beliefs.  I think all other subjects set atop the foundation of faith we give our spiritual beliefs or, at least, atop our faith in some morally righteous belief system, even for the devout atheist.  Without faith in something, we are left with naught but life.  And if life isn't based on morally righteous societal rules, laws, and behavior, is life really enough?  Society without moral conscience is living based on misery not life, and without life how can there be anything greater, like truth, or God?  But, then, maybe we have to give consideration to a definition of life, a definition which takes us beyond this mortal coil, and a definition which may just include a smattering of misery.  Without darkness there cannot be light, without evil there cannot be good; the two opposing forces of yin and yang which control the universe, which control everything.

"Lying involves more than just deceptive intent; I think the liar must also say something that they genuinely believe is false. If they slip up, then they failed in their attempts to lie. They intended to lie, but ended up speaking honestly by mistake. This seems possible. The question now becomes: how far does this objectivity extend? Is it possible to think you're lying when in fact you're not, just because what you think is false actually happens to be true? Or are actual truth values strictly irrelevant, so that there's nothing problematic about true lies?"

-- Richard Chappell

Truth is what it is, and a lie is something else.  These two concepts, truths and lies, make our human experience interesting, to say the least.  Most of us find comfort in the semblance of balance; others find comfort in a personal definition which allows for a seeming control of both.  I think our sense of balance and control are surrendered when we allow our definitions of the two to be guided by others, those whose agendas are not obvious, and are not ours.  Some organized religions can become the smoke and mirrors used to control us through our faith.  We can become blinded by bullshit which prevents us from seeing the forest for the trees; that truth which is right in front of our eyes.  When our faith is based on an obfuscated truth, isn't it, then, a lie?  What if clergy is simply repeating what they've been told is the truth, but what no one knows is, in fact, a lie handed down for eons?  

"My beliefs are that the truth is a truth until you organize it, and then it becomes a lie. I don't think that Jesus was teaching Christianity, Jesus was teaching kindness, love, concern, and peace. What I tell people is don't be Christian, be Christ-like. Don't be Buddhist, be Buddha-like."

-- Wayne W. Dyer

I was baptized a Catholic, went through the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and took First Communion with all the pomp and ceremony involved. I went to Catholic school for grades 5 through 6 and had my first lesson about black and white - the "sisters" of the faith. I was given a reprieve and escaped back into the secular educational process until the military draft for the Vietnam unpleasantness.

I joined the Air Force with "NO REL PREF" stamped into my dog tags.  When I retired out, 22 years later, I had replaced the stamp with Buddhism, then with Taoism, and had dabbled in the occult, Scientology, and even listened to an evangelist or two.  I took off my dog tags and put them in a drawer along with my views on "organized" religion.  Mom was right all along when she told me it is enough to have a personal spiritual relationship with God.  I would only add that, first, you have to decide for yourself the "who, what, when, where, and why" of God.  If you embark on this task you are taking care of the how; the "how" of God is evidenced by your ability and desire to search for truth of God.  The "how" is God's ultimate gift.

"Religion is orthodoxy, rules and historical scriptures maintained by people over long periods of time. Generally people are raised to obey the customs and practices of that religion without question. These are customs and expectations from outside the person and do not fit my definition of spiritual."

-- Wayne W. Dyer

I wouldn't be too concerned about your personal search for truth.  For most of us, it has already taken the better part of many lifetimes and will, in all likelihood, take a few more.  We are, after all, infinite spiritual beings for which time should have no meaning.  Once you come to the realization of your place in infinity you will understand that time is simply a construct of the human mind.  We let it control our every waking moment, yet it has no meaning except as a marker in the physical realm and another barrier to happiness.  Tomorrow is simply another day in paradise, and another chance to excel at being.  There is no substitute for this happiness.

As for me, I find myself eating a banana in a highchair one moment, pondering the universe and doling out a child's sage advice on life in the next, and flashing the Cheshire smile of a spiritual octogenarian in the next.  We usually forget our previous incarnations by the age of three or four, and begin remembering again, in a fashion, as we approach the end of our current existence.  In between when we forget and rediscover, we begin our learning process anew, unencumbered by knowledge gleaned in our previous lives.  We empty our minds, wipe our memories, and prepare to boot the newest version of self, the "Spiritual Being 2.0," or so.  We enter each new incarnation with an open, active, and empty mind, ready to be filled with knowledge, adventures, and chances to excel.

"No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it."

-- Albert Einstein

Sometimes you bump into a mind full of confusion.  I bump into them constantly - those people who have not yet realized the path they are already on, have come to a fork in their journey and cannot , or will not, take the next step.  There are also those who have filled their minds with useless crap, have closed their minds, gone into an "inactive" mode, or all of the above and so much more.  They are still spiritual beings worthy of notice, but they have become lost; a "bug" in the current version, if you will, a virus in the program, or a ghost in their machinery of which they are unaware.  The subroutines of their mind continue searching for some elusive bit of code which will initiate a reboot of their system, some forgotten bit of knowledge, some truth - their "aha moment" when all becomes clear once again - if not in this life, then in the next, or the next.

Next time you're exercising your simian genetic ancestry by munching on a banana, take a moment to consider the perfection it represents; yes, the banana and the ape.  According to Gene Cuisine, we share a bit over 96% of our DNA with the chimpanzee, 90% with cats, 80% with cows, 75% with mice, 60% with fruit flies, and a whopping 50% with the delicious banana.

Now consider the myth that we only use 10% of our brain.  We actually use 100% of our brain.  I'd be willing to bet that all creatures use 100% of their brain.  We use it, but are we utilizing the full capacity of it?  Are we filling it with useful information, worthless crap, or are we filling it at all?  And then we have to consider not only the capacity, but how efficiently we use it; are we using our minds to their full potential?

"Education is what remains after one has forgotten what one has learned in school."

-- Albert Einstein

You'll notice I have not mentioned "intelligence" in any of this.  Intelligence is only one aspect of who we are, and many of us are beginning to doubt the spiritual importance of intelligence compared to good sense, understanding, empathy, and the like.  Most times it seems to be the least of us who roar the loudest without making a sound, shine the brightest with little energy, or make us feel with only a glance.  It takes a true king who wash the feet of a beggar, and a carpenter's son to bring salvation for all mankind.

Are we infinite spiritual beings?  Well, if you have to ask... you simply don't know that you are.  The problem with not knowing is what?  Nothing.  Time doesn't exist, so you have forever to understand the spiritual being that is you.  How marvelous is that?

 Pretty damned skippy, if you ask me.  But then, why would you ask me, and why would you care about my opinion?  After all, I'm not really anybody and this is just another long thought, My Sunday Thought, for this coming Sunday, July 23.

"Scepticism. like wisdom, springs out in full panoply only from the brain of a god, and is of little profit to see an idea in its growth, unless we track its seed back to the power which sowed it."

-- James Anthony Froude (1818-1894), historian, novelist, editor

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 another viewpoint.

It is my fervent hope that we keep open and active minds when reading opinions and then engaging in peaceful, constructive, discussion in an arena of mutual respect concerning the 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 23 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 an Institutional Review Board helping to protect the rights of human subjects 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, to wage 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 Chaplain Program Liaison, at a regional medical center.

My Sunday Thought for 071617: Falling Short

"Most people talk about the glass being half empty or full but this has a deeper meaning. To me it means to not just see ourselves as having the glass half empty or full but to consider and accept the trials, achievements, and accomplishments in life. Every stage of life is different but it is up to us to change for better or worse. Leave the rest to God.  Also, I should say failures too, since we have all fallen short - for all have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God.  I think this is what people don't realize or accept.  The fact is that no one is perfect. It is what I struggle with when dealing with myself and others."

-- Shasha

Shasha was a young woman I met while working for an Institutional Review Board.  She always struck me as the quiet person who had an equally quiet cordiality about her.  Her personality, if not shy, was so quiet toward me that I allowed myself to blend her into the background noise of several hundred squeaky wheels in need of grease.  This was my mistake, and definitely my loss.  It has been about six years since I left the I.R.B., three years since I started this blog, and I wish I could remember when I met Shasha, but the date is nowhere to be found in the mess that is the file room of my memory.  I'm not even for certain that this isn't the first time she has commented on a My Sunday Comment; I seem to remember one other time, perhaps on Facebook, I could be wrong, however, as I am one of those who, quite often, falls short on so many things.  

The thought I do have of not knowing her better being my loss, comes from reading the comment I have included as the opener, above.  She also has a quiet depth of thought which comes across just as clearly as if she'd been behind a podium addressing an audience, quietly making conversation, or ministering to others in need.  I fear I have missed many interesting conversations by not having known her better.  If she continues to comment on what I write, perhaps it will not be too late.

The opinion she voices has much merit, in my humble view, "to not just see ourselves as having the glass half empty or full but to consider and accept the trials, achievements, and accomplishments in life."  Even those of us with an overflowing glass can stumble and fall.  Does this diminish the fullness of life?  Not at all!  Only if we fail to embrace the moment for the learning experience which it is, crying over the spilt milk without fully grasping the reality of a full carton still in the fridge.  We simply have to clean up the mess and open our eyes so we do not repeat the mistake more than twice.  I learned in the military that one mistake is a learning experience; to repeat the mistake solidifies the error, and the solution, in one's problem solving matrix; the third time is when we question whether we aren't better suited for simpler tasks; repeating for the forth time is when those above us become concerned as to whether a fifth repetition should be risked.  But, what most people in positions of authority tend to forget and "what people don't realize or accept," is clear for at least two of us, "all have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God."

We constantly find ourselves preaching the laudable benefits of humility while, only minutes later, we tip our glass and once again fall short as we stand in judgment of another.  The volume of our glass is lessened by the spillage, which is painfully obvious to all around us by the transparency of our glass.  To think egotistically deny that others don't see through us simply depletes the fullness of our glass even more.  Taking a risk, with all humility, evidences a sense of character which others might be well to emulate.  

Don't be concerned about falling short as it is all about the journey, and the journey is all about experiences.  I stand here, freely admitting I fall short... constantly!  By falling short I find myself in a constant state of learning and experience.  Not all of us are rocket scientists or nuclear physicists, and not all scientists and physicists understand.  What is it they don't understand, you might ask?  It screams itself as much an exclamation as a question. 

Why!

But then, this is just another bit of confusion, another My Sunday Thought, for this Sunday, July 16.

“The only thing I know for sure is that I know nothing at all,  for sure.”

-- Socrates (470-399 BC), ancient Greek philosopher

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 another viewpoint.

It is my fervent hope that we keep open and active minds when reading opinions and then engaging in peaceful, constructive, discussion in an arena of mutual respect concerning the 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 23 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 an Institutional Review Board helping to protect the rights of human subjects 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, to wage 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 Chaplain Program Liaison, at a regional medical center.

Haunting Memories

Photo courtesy of Angel Torres

I am my own ghost, 

haunting the memories I love the most.

-- Anonymous

The reflection I see looks back at me, with the memories of a lifetime; physical scars are simply proof of life and less obvious, the older we get, than the aches and pains of age, yet all are products of questionable decisions in life.  Previously restful sleep is now interrupted with recurring nightmares of running faster than death at your heels and those, much slower, comrades well remembered.  Of all this, I would not trade a moment, save to spare my loved ones from the ghost, and a career spent lost and alone at the abyss; a poor choice to be sure, yet one which few cannot shy away from.  

The lucky of us claw our way back from the edge only to find we haunt the memories of our past, wondering if it was all worth the sacrifice of comrades, friends, and family, and we find, with some perverse satisfaction, these memories we haunt are the ones we love the most.  We might also haunt memories which go before; the youth of loves lost, lies told, and truths which remained unspoken to those we care about.  

We can reconnect with friends of our youth only to realize we also haunt the alternate universe of those realities that might have been, had we spoken up, made different choices, and said I love you or I care.  We can see in some of their lives the results of poor health, the lines, wrinkles, and pains of being beaten down by life.  We constantly read the obituaries in our high school alumni periodicals, and cancel our membership to avoid the realization of our own mortality, the ticking down of our own antique clock, regardless of how many times we lie to ourselves about how young we feel; the lie that makes you heft a sack of concrete onto your shoulder and hump it over to the back of a truck, then repeat it a few times just so you can suffer from shoulder and back pain for the coming week.  This is the haunting memory of being a dumbass.

I splash water on my face and look up to lock eyes with a familiar stranger.  I see him each morning, and each morning the recognition fades a bit.  I chalk it up to the same "old-timer's" which causes me to look for the reading glasses I find in my hand or the coffee I just set down but have to go to the coffee pot before I remember I just set it down.  My mother says these are the little things which are of little importance in our lives, so we deem them too trivial to waste time with memory.  But, it's my coffee, damn it!  There are trivial things that important.

I find myself approaching 65 and knowing I have much to make up for, if not in this life then in the next.  I have splashed in the pond with reckless abandon and little concern for the ripple effect on those around me.  People I hurt or let go, things I left unsaid, things I did and didn't do, those decisions which I know, in my heart, may have changed people's lives, their futures, and their happiness.  I know that we affect life by being in it as much as we do by being out of it.  Our presence can be needed as much as it can be missed, and the people around us are needed as much as we can miss them when they're gone.

I constantly impress upon my readers the need to live in the present, the now, between the ticks of the clock.  Everything we do has effect on time and space.  If we opt to do nothing, we have opted to do something which also causes effect.  Every kind word, every door we hold open, everyone we assist, has as much good effect as our harsh words, rudeness, and indifference, have bad effect.  

Living in memory and worrying about an uncertain future is simply wasting a potential we are better served to make use of in the present.  Perhaps the consequences tomorrow of some decision you made yesterday might have been mitigated by paying attention to the present instead of worrying about something other than now and those things over which you really have little or no control.  

We bring much with us on our journey through life; most of us bring luggage and a snack.  The delicious Big Mac is our living in the now; our memories, the baggage we weigh ourselves down with for the trip.  Good memories are the shower kit of life, the necessities.  Bad memories are like the arctic clothing we packed expecting to trek through Alaska, only to find we took a wrong turn and ended up in Death Valley.  We had it or thought we needed it, only to find it would have been better to buy what we need when we arrive, in other words, to live in the present.

If one has to be haunted by memories, I suppose it's better to be haunted by those memories we love the most.  Survival is when we are left with nothing and, therefore, have nothing to lose, or everything to gain. This is probably why I truly loved survival camping, and why it takes so little, nowadays, to make me happy in life.  Taoism teaches that an empty mind is ready to be filled, and the hole in the hub, the empty space, is what makes the wheel useful.  Living in the now is what keeps the mind centered and balanced.  

By the way, is it just me or has anyone else noticed women tend to bring a significantly larger shower kit on their journey than most men?  Then again, being from Mars, who do I care about impressing enough to bring that much crap?  Just saying.

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 another viewpoint.

It is my fervent hope that we keep open and active minds when reading opinions and then engaging in peaceful, constructive, discussion in an arena of mutual respect concerning the 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 23 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 an Institutional Review Board helping to protect the rights of human subjects 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, to wage 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 Chaplain Program Liaison, at a regional medical center.

My Sunday Thought for 070917: Windows of the Glass House

"Well, opinions are like assholes.  Everybody has one."

-- Harry Callahan, "The Dead Pool" (1988)

"Well, opinions are like assholes.  Everybody has one."  I can't remember when, in my childhood, I first heard my father say this, but I know it was way before 'Dirty Harry' Callahan said it in the 1988 movie, The Dead Pool.  

I researched roots of the quote back to, Past and present of Wyandot County, Ohio; A record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement (1913), Edited by Abraham J. Baughman, Chicago, IL: Clarke Pub. Co., 1913, and the excerpt reads thus:  "We’ve got one at home,” whereupon Adam remarked to some by-standers, “That’s the way it is, now em nare, washing machines are like noses — everybody’s got one.”  Well, if this is the original quote it is fairly tame in comparison to the more recent south-end-of-a-donkey-headed-north version.  People have put their own spin on this throughout the years, and I can only guess my dad probably picked up the more recent version while in the Air Force during the early 1950s.  It just sounds like how a sergeant would admonish some low ranking troop's personal opinion.

My dad's version usually comes to mind when I read opinions from those members of the League of the Perpetually Offended or, since I've been writing, people who either don't read what I write, miss the point of what I write, are too emotional about what I write, would be offended regardless of what I write, or just want to use me as their excuse to bloviate about... well, whatever, especially if I wrote it.  Regardless, though, it seems these folks usually miss the point of my post, which is not surprising when one considers the perpetually offended seem blind to any other point of view that isn't theirs.  What I'm writing usually has nothing to do with what their mind intends to read, presupposing, of course, they plan to read it at all before jumping to inane conclusions.  Whether they read the viewpoint prior to trashing it, is not necessarily a bad thing in my opinion, as it offers a large, unobstructed, picture window into their soul... and offers an indicator of whether you can trust turning your back to them.

“The face is a picture of the mind with the eyes as its interpreter.”

-- Marcus Tullius Cicero (106-43 BC), Roman politician, lawyer

The Bard, William Shakespeare, once said, "The eyes are the window to the soul."  For most of us, our eyes do betray our soul, despite our constant attempts to draw the curtain.  I have often accepted that the eyes are windows to the mind, the transparent windows of the glass house from which far too many of us choose targets at which we will launch our rocks of judgment or perpetual offense upon these unwitting victims, once we work up the nerve to open the front door so the repetitive mindless babbling practiced upon ourselves can be heard, above the applause of the cricket, by anyone paying attention to our rant of selfish bullshit.

For those people we cannot see, those anonymous people who write down their thoughts for others to contemplate, we have to rely only on their opinions as windows into who they are.  What people seem incapable of grasping is that these opinions, like everyone else's, are just opinions, everyone has one, and most everyone thinks any opinion but their own... simply stinks.  Well, such seem to be the traits of opinions and assholes.

When I write a post I am voicing an opinion, an idea, or simply a topic for consideration. I include a short disclaimer at the end of each in an attempt to head off the perpetually offended readers by explaining my intent and asking for open, active minds, and for any and all constructive comments. Along with usually missing the entire point of my post, it would seem the disclaimer is also beyond the grasp or consideration of the perpetually offended or angry. I have been very fortunate that so many of my 31,000 worldwide readers keep returning, and that I have received so few negative and non-constructive comments from them. I have managed to only anger a few, and we all know the club to which they belong.

I would evidence the angry rhetoric of which I speak, by offering up an example by way of a recent comment, from the monastery's minister site, to my post Revisiting: Attitude Adjustment. I would, but not at the very real risk of demeaning any woman with effect than the spiteful rant she chose to launch against my humble post. Even excusing her few spelling and grammatical errors, obviously due to the emotion of the moment, I was still left feeling violated.

All I ever ask of my readers is to leave any constructive comments which may come to mind.  Constructive comments?  I'm not certain this reader read the parameters for "constructive" comments, much less cared.  I had to smile at her last sentence, however, accusing me of writing a “rant” which she seemed more adept at writing than me.  Yes, she seemed perfectly capable of spewing her own "rant" if the occasion arises, and I can only imagine the occasion must arise often.  However, I accepted her "critique" for what it was and went back to reread, for an umpteenth time, the offending post which she referred to as "the most judgmental, egotistical and sexist posts" she thinks she's ever read.  She thinks?  I tried to understand her offense at anything I had written, as most of what she accused me of was, in actuality, me trying to voice the opposite of what she seems to have misinterpreted.  I would have much preferred she knows what she’s ever read, prior to ripping me a new one over something she, by her own admission, might be unsure of.

I did not dismiss her out of hand, however.  Not trusting my own biased opinion (I am the author of the offending post, after all), I asked several trusted readers, retired military and wounded vets, to reread the post and consider the comments made by this individual.  They, too, were perplexed.  As is my norm, I thanked this critic for her "constructive" comments, opting to leave her fate, and the fate of my post, to the responses of other readers.  I have found that the many of my readers handle questionable comments better than I.

I did, as an act of contrition, edit several sentences in the post in order to do… what? I'm still unsure. It didn't change much, other than to soften my praise of those brave military personnel who have risked and given their all, putting boot to ass for God and country. I probably should have left well enough alone.

Out of the 500 total hits from around the world, on this particular post, hers was the only comment… ever. As of this date, her comment has received one constructive response and I have received nothing more from her, or anyone else, concerning the post in question.

Those who thrive on being perpetually offended also introduced political correctness, one of the most insidious forms of tyranny ever invented. Political correctness has morphed from mild and inoffensive verbal corrections (“handicapped” are now “mobility impaired”) into a monstrosity of thought control and tyranny.

-- Patrice Lewis, freelance writer, author

What we should all try to avoid is becoming a member of the League of the Perpetually Offended.  The perpetually offended exist in the thinnest of glass shells where the sky is always falling, nothing will ever be good enough, and they are easily seen by others as always crying, "Wolf!"  Society dares not chuck a weighty response in their direction for fear of shattering the brittle exterior of their protective castle, favoring to simply ignore them as an annoying rash better forgotten than scratched lest they become an infected appendage in need of amputation from the body of civilized society.  It is fortunate for the perpetually offended that we still value the whole as more important than the parts.

We all exist in a glass house of opinion.  When we open the front door to give voice to those opinions we risk others interpreting our opinions as rocks instead of the roses we may have intended.  Many of us prefer to keep the door closed hoping no one looks through our windows to see us in all our naked glory.  Hope against hope, most people will see right through us regardless of our attempts to hide or remain silent.  We are all, unfortunately, that transparent.  Better we should, even like my antagonist above, have the fortitude to give voice to our opinion and the strength of character to take what criticism or misinterpretation comes in the wake of it.

Our glass house is only at risk if it is breakable, and one way of mitigating breakage is to make the walls of our house flexible by trying to be open minded and acceptant of criticism no matter how unwarranted, misinterpreted, or off target, we might consider the critique to be.

“I am one of the sort that lives by throwing stones at other people's glass houses, but I never mean to put up one for them to stone.”

-- Harriet Beecher Stowe (1811-1896), abolitionist, author

The eyes may be the window to the soul, but of what use are windows in a glass house?  I would suppose one would need to let in a bit of fresh thought, from time to time, even if it isn't ours and even if we don't agree, and even if it offends us.  It is all part of being human, so we should learn to grow with it.  Maybe it's simply time for many of us to get out the Windex to clean our windows and learn to grow up and deal with the unfortunate shit which is our life, or at least buy a pair of dark sunglasses and learn to shut the front door.  As the reader states at the end of her comments, "Just something to think about." 

This post would be My Sunday Thought for the coming weekend and, as usual, it too is "just something to think about."

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 another viewpoint.

It is my fervent hope that we keep open and active minds when reading opinions and then engaging in peaceful, constructive, discussion in an arena of mutual respect concerning the 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 23 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 an Institutional Review Board helping to protect the rights of human subjects 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, to wage 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 Chaplain Program Liaison, at a regional medical center.