Still "Locked Away from Christ"

Note to the reader: The following was originally published as two-parts back on January 5, 2014. First, I wrote Locked Away from Christ and, after I thought about it, I became so aggravated that I immediately wrote Locked Away from Christ - Parte Seconda, in lieu of deleting part one and starting all over again. This subject came up again the other day as I smoked a cigar over bourbon at my favorite hangout. It still irks me, so I decided to rewrite both posts into a single article for my current audience. I hope you enjoy it or, at least, have an opinion of your own. As always, constructive comments and alternate opinions are cherished.

So you want to worship.  The spirit has entered your life for the briefest of moments, perhaps for the first time in many years, and you find yourself standing at the threshold of your local church.  Is it Sunday morning?  No?  Well, then good luck with that.  You will find the doors to worship are locked tight.

Alabama native, Joe McKeever, has been a pastor for 55 years, and is the author of "10 Signals That Say "You are Not Welcomed in This Church". I have reprinted his first signal, here:

1. The front door is locked.

One church where I was to preach has a lovely front facade which borders on the sidewalk. The front doors are impressive and stately. So, after parking to the side of the building, I did what I always do: walked to the front and entered as a visitor would.

Except I didn't go in.

The doors were locked. All of them.

After walking back around the side and entering from the parking lot, I approached an usher and asked about the locked door. "No one comes in from that entrance," he said. "The parking lot is to the side."

I said, "What about walk-ups? People from the neighborhood who come across the street."

He said, "No one does that."

He's right. They stay away because the church has told them they're not welcome.
One church I visited had plate glass doors where the interior of the lobby was clearly visible from the front steps. A table had been shoved against the doors to prevent anyone from entering that way. I did not ask why; I knew. The parking lot was in the rear. Regulars parked back there and entered through those doors.

That church, in a constant struggle for survival, is its own worst enemy. They might as well erect a sign in front of the church that reads, "First-timers unwelcome."

Do you see the problem?  And yet, God wants us to worship.  The church, which according to Matthew shouldn't even be frequented, seems to operate contrary to God's wish.  Church hierarchy, though, would have us buy into their particular philosophy, tithe till we weep, and then lock us out until the next time they dictate for worship and squeezing more blood from the poor.  

That moment of spirituality you think you're experiencing?  Don't let it go!  Take yourself for a moment of quiet meditation, anywhere, and have a one-on-one discussion with the Lord.  If you don't want to go it alone, then ask someone to sit with you and pray, or discuss what's happening with you; connect with somebody and share your moment.  Or, go online and see if there is a list of ministers in your area that can walk you through worshiping without a building.  It is a concept I fully embrace!

Organized religion would have us tithing our hard earned gains to keep structures of worship in good shape.  It also fills religious coffers and, well, talk about your non-transparency.  How about some good old fashion outdoor worship?  How about a walk by the lake where you can take in all of God's wonders?  If you read the Bible, take it along and read a few pages.  See if there is a religious or spiritual coffee group that meets, or start one yourself.  Consider doing volunteer work with others of like faith, or differing faiths to expand your horizons a bit.

Get out of the physical church and start to really worship!  Learn to praise God on God's terms and in God's cathedral.  Where is God's cathedral?  Open your front door, and walk in his creation.  It is everywhere if you only open your eyes to it.

Locked places of worship do really piss me off.  

When I was living in Olympia, Washington, I took a stroll one morning after feeding the homeless.  They told me about a local church being used as a homeless shelter at night.  Not to my surprise, when I arrived at the church it was locked up tight and had one of those real estate agent key safes on the handle so only those with the combination could retrieve the key for entry.  Why is this? 

Well, you see, the church is a vault full of valuable "things" that God, surely, must demand it to have on hand, for some logical reason.  It brings nothing to the worship and none of the opulence feeds the poor, although it does offer bragging rights about how rich a particular church is.  I think Peter started this heresy not long after Christ died on the cross.  It's a good thing he waited, too, as Christ wouldn't have stood for it.  He threw the money changers out of the temple.  He asked those who would follow his path to give up worldly things.  These "bragging rights" equate to selling religion, and it also equates to pridefulness.  I'm sorry.  I thought we were supposed to be humble before God.  My bad! 

I talk quite a bit about Islamic heretics that embarrass their religion by re-interpreting the Qur'an for their own agenda, yet I can't help but accuse the Christian hierarchy of their own heretical behavior, behavior that has been going on since before the founding of Islam, so let's not be too quick to toot the moral Christian horn until we start selling the Vatican's art collection to feed, cloth, house and educate the poor, homeless, and hungry.

I have challenged priests and ministers before, and I will continue to do so until I see a change in their behavior.  I want to see them downtown in full "uniform" so all of us can see them in action among the needy.  If the church wants to change the world view, let them start there so we can all view it.  I have a feeling that if more people could see the pious doing a bit more "one-on-one" in public, the public might just climb on the bandwagon to help out.  I would love to see young clergy in a park talking to young folks and relating Christian values to some real issues.  I, for one, would be interested enough to stop and listen.  I would even interact.  Maybe it would turn into a weekly event in the park.  A sermon in God's cathedral beats one in an opulent church any day, and its real!  It would be "in your face" discussion of beliefs and expectations, of values and desires.  Hell, the young clergy might learn more in that one day than he would in a lifetime.

Church argument against this tact is going to be that clergy is busy doing other work, like giving comfort to those in the hospital.  Well, I hate to be cold and heartless but, maybe clergy should have been on their toes and caught them earlier.  Waiting until you're dying to repent is like reaching for your seat belt as you hit the brick wall doing ninety.  The bricks are, however, the last things that go through your mind.   One might consider repenting when it's actually believable.  My understanding is, if they really want to repent, all they have to do is look to God and accept Christ into their heart and mind.  Isn't that the refrain touted by evangelists?  So, if this is true, then clergy has ample time to devote to those sinners with plenty of life left.  They have more than enough time to devote to changing the world for the betterment of mankind. 

The church always had the excuse of listening to everyone's dirty little secrets in confession.  I love the screen between the priest and the confessing parishioner; like he doesn't know who this person is.  If you are truly repentant, God already knows.  Telling a priest isn't proving anything to God, and the priest isn't going to get you into heaven, only you can do that.  Try talking directly to God for forgiveness.  Catholics just recently did away with the need for confession for this very reason; it's your sin to reveal to God, and God already knows.  Besides, clergy should be worrying about their own less than laudable behavior instead of listening to other people's drama.

And, now, on top of everything else, the church has taken away the entire concept of sanctuary.  No longer can one run to the church in hopes of holding the laws of the land at bay with the separation of church and state.  Now the church has locked the doors and left your fate to the mercy of others.  God's clergy has no place, much less time, for you.  It would seem they are much too busy counting their pieces of silver to be bothered keeping the votive candles lit in the devotional vestibule of "God's House."

One saving grace, if one were to look, would be opening the chuch evenings for the homeless to find shelter.  it seems the rest of us will have to wait for scheduled services to worship, even though being seen in a church to pray would be contrary to Matthew 6, as stated earlier.

I could go on, but I think you get the gist of my personal displeasure with locking the doors to places of worship.  I'd rather see a simple stone church, an altar of hand-hewn wood, and a simple cross on the wall; a shrine will do.  If someone steals the simple cross, God bless them, they must need it more than the church.  If they are caught in the theft, ask them if they are hungry as well, and feed them.  If they are tired, give them a blanket and shelter.  This is the freely given message of Christ.  There is no need of locks.

Of course, I could be wrong,  but only the clergy would probably think so.

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.

Andrew Cuomo's "Sanctity" of Human Life

“New York’s profoundly corrosive legislation is extreme... New York now permits non-physicians to perform abortions and de facto permits infanticide of the sort that notorious Philadelphia abortionist Kermit Gosnell was convicted only recently.”

--Catherine Glenn Foster, president & CEO, Americans United for Life

Such outward public happiness at the prospect of murdering innocence hasn't been evidenced since the Nazi wholesale slaughter, the genocide, of Jewish women and children.  Catholic New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is an unethical, hypocritical, sociopath who just expanded the legalized murder of innocence for no other reason than to solidify his political future.  Of course, this is just my humble opinion concerning this particular Catholic heretic, but hypocrisy and heresy are nothing new to the state of New York, the Catholic Church, or Christianity as a whole.  How sad for the people of New York.  Heresy is simply hypocrisy dressed in religious raiment.  I tend to turn a blind eye to hypocrisy and heresy because they evidence why I have a distaste for organized religion and the fact they have, sadly, become so commonplace in society thanks to politicians like Cuomo.  Excommunication by the Catholic Church is the least of his punishment.  He should be more concerned about his immortal soul.

Now that I have this off my chest... 

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.

Time, Once Again, At the Cusp

“Beyond the edge of the world, there’s a space where emptiness and substance neatly overlap, where past and future form a continuous, endless loop. And, hovering about, there are signs no one has ever read, chords no one has ever heard.”

-- Haruki Murakami, author

Had a thought-provoking moment the other night while staring into the abyss at the Cusp of Forever.  I considered what I was standing at the cusp of.  The concept of "forever" would presuppose a continuation of time into infinity but, if time doesn't exist, how can this be?

I've said it before, and it bears repeating: Time does not exist. It is a human concept which gives structure to this plane of our existence. By definition, time is "the measured or measurable period during which an action, process, or condition exists or continues; a nonspatial continuum that is measured in terms of events which succeed one another from past through present to future." For me, time is a mixture of "Schrödinger's Cat" (quantum theory) and the idea that if there's no one around to hear a tree fall, does it make a sound. In reality, you can't measure something that continues until it has continued, because any continuation is based on the supposition that it will, indeed, do so. Same for a continuum which is only valid if it continues. We can measure that which has occurred (the past) up until it becomes the now, but any future is based on our faith, a theory rooted in little or no proof that the next moment will, in fact, occur.

“Here we are, trapped in the amber of the moment. There is no why.”

-- Kurt Vonnegut, author

If there is no one around to experience what we define as the passage of time, does time actually exist?  I circle back to my original question as a way to answer myself: "Forever" would presuppose a continuation of time into infinity, but if time doesn't exist, how can this be? It is what it is until it isn't, is my answer.  Time doesn't continue for infinity until it does, and if it doesn't, does this mean time never existed?  And, if so, who would know?  Infinity is a series of infinite moments which stretch into a theoretical "future" which we think will occur but hasn't until it does.

I'm the first to criticize any scholar who states something is definite, something cannot or will not happen, something isn't possible.  The moment we give thought to something, it exists as a thought, whether it exists or not, in reality, is to be determined.  Therefore, time is a concept, a thought which we have given life and importance through our definition of it.  Like the 'perfect vacuum," it really doesn't exist and yet we have a need and use for the concept.

“A man who dares to waste one hour of time has not discovered the value of life.”

-- Charles Darwin (1809-1882), geologist, biologist, naturalist

The concepts to define "meaning in life" don't even include time, and why should they.  Life is about "now" and, therefore, any meaning of life should be considered in the now, not in the past of into some future for which the is no proof.  If we live life in the now, we relieve ourselves of any worry concerning any moment which may, or may not come.  Each moment exists until it doesn't, and then its just another moment.

It is most proper, in my humble opinion, to concede that our perception of the concept of time, as far as we know, will continue until the end of our perception of the concept of time.  If it continues past that, then it has ended only in the respect that we no longer perceive the concept.  It is until it isn't and then, maybe it still is, but we won't know.

Who really knows for sure?

“Time is a created thing. To say 'I don't have time' is like saying, 'I don't want to.”

-- Laozi (601 BC-???), philosopher, writer

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.

Seen in the Mirror Dimly

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.

So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

-- Paul the Apostle, "1 Corinthians 13:1-13"

Ever thought about the moment when an attractive person leaves you with a sense of desire? How about the moment when your desire moves into the realm of love? When a relationship doesn’t pan out, are you one of those people who can turn your love for someone off, like a switch, or do you still love them as deeply, only in a different way? And, if they don’t love you, does it really matter? I have asked all of these questions, and more, and I have also considered, with respect to myself, why my feelings and emotions changed.

I think I became selfless.  I found myself caring less about whether someone loved me and more concerned about how I loved others.  

"Hey!  I love you!  Nope, don't know you at all.  I just thought you should know you're loved.  Oh, and nice legs!  Just saying.  Is that your boyfriend or your husband?  Yeah?  He looks pissed.  Sucks being me, I guess, on a couple of levels.  Call me, or don't; your choice.  He really looks pissed.  Gotta run!"

I was doing research the other day and came across the famous lines of Paul the Apostle, which he wrote down in his letter to the Corinthians, which would become well known in 1 Corinthians.  In particular was 1 Corinthians 13:1-13, in which he offers a definition of love.  Though we use the scriptural verses in marriage ceremonies, ad nauseam, it isn't necessarily offered up as a definition of love between man and woman, I view it as a general definition of all-inclusive love which is being touted by Paul, a way of treating others.  The letter is put into context in an article entitled, "The Historical Background of First Corinthians":

Paul received news from Corinth by the household of Chloe (1 Cor. 1:11). Several factions had appeared in the fellowship of the church, and they were menacing its life and ministry. Subsequently, the Corinthians themselves wrote Paul a letter and requested his advice on a number of problems (1 Cor. 7:1). Paul responded to the news brought by the household of Chloe and to the questions sent by the church with the letter we know as First Corinthians.

The situation in Corinth did not clear up after the writing of First Corinthians; rather, it continued to deteriorate. The exact nature of the continuing difficulty is not apparent; at least it involved a denial of Paul’s authority and possibly some of the problems dealt with in First Corinthians.

Though it is intended as advice to the Corinthians "on a number of problems," our use of it as a more intimate definition is not inappropriate.  We tend to view personal relationships through "a mirror dimly" because of ego and greed because we don't fully understand, or accept, what Paul is trying to tell us.  We speak, think, and reason, as children.  We are supposed to give up these childish ways of looking through the mirror dimly and look each other in the eye, face to face, because there, but for the grace of God, go us. 

Having said this, and ruminated upon it, I feel there is nothing as sensual as an attractive woman, wearing a dress with an open back, walking away.  In my mind, she isn't clearly defined, but I like what I can see of her, through a mental fog.  Mine is the sight of a woman as seen through the fog on a mirror or window.  I would consider it a "waking dream" if she were to offer a slow look, back over her shoulder, and smile.  I would have to immediately reach out to wipe the fog off the glass in order to see her more clearly and ensure my eyes don't deceive; that there exists faith for some evidence of mutual interest.  The one glance over her shoulder affirms she is, after all, the face that launched a thousand ships.  She is the girl a man places on a pedestal and fights for.  She has knowledge of her photo occupying the pocket of the soldier in battle, as she awaits the soldier's return.  She is defined only as "sexually appealing," until she looks back with a smile that melts hearts.  At that moment, desire morphs into so much more.  

This quick look over the shoulder ignites the fire of imagination.  The slight smile piques the interest, and thoughts of a possible relationship soon turn toward love.  Perhaps unrequited, even if unspoken, love is an emotional experience for the fortunate, none the less.  One must always have faith, right?  Of course, I'm the first to remind myself that faith is a belief in something for which there is little or no proof.  Perhaps one shouldn't read too much into a simple glance over the shoulder?  Life is full of dreams, and there is nothing wrong with dreaming.  It is through our dreams and imagination that we move forward, learn, and grow.  

But, then, there's always that smile to consider.

“You can talk with someone for years, every day, and still, it won't mean as much as what you can have when you sit in front of someone, not saying a word, yet you feel that person with your heart, you feel like you have known the person for forever.... connections are made with the heart, not the tongue.”

-- C. JoyBell C., author, poet, philosopher

We can take Paul's general "definition" of love shown to our fellows and apply it to more personal, intimate, relationships.  In doing so, however, we also need to embrace selflessness. We have many problems embracing a definition of love which is selfless and all-inclusive.  I think we especially have issues embracing it when we realize the love we feel is unrequited.  Our ego wants our heartfelt feeling to be returned.  Why is this?  Is our ego so easily damaged?  How dare they not recognize our heart being worn on our sleeve?

I think Paul is correct when he talks about giving up these childish ways.  It would benefit all of us to grow up, mature, and understand each other.  Understanding comes from exercising all of our senses at one time; sight, hearing, smell and touch.  Our senses give us a clear understanding of what is before us, and why. 

“The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.”

-- George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950), playwright, critic, activist

We need to wipe the fog off the mirror, off the glass.  We need to have a clear and unobstructed view of life and those around us.  We need to put down our cell phones, tablets.  We need to take long breaks from social media and get back to talking face to face and experiencing life so we at least have something interesting to share on social media instead of the same old blah, blah, blah.  We have become so many "hashtags" in a world of impersonal communication.  I, for one, am not a hashtag.  I hope to never become one.  If you want to refer to me, call me Tony.  Call me, "Hey, you!" or "Dude."  

Whatever we choose to call each other, we should do each other the uncommon courtesy of talking face to face.  We'll find our understanding and tolerance will grow exponentially, and there will be so much less drama, expectation, and disappointment in our lives.

"What’s not so great is that all this technology is destroying our social skills. Not only have we given up on writing letters to each other, we barely even talk to each other. People have become so accustomed to texting that they’re actually startled when the phone rings. It’s like we suddenly all have Batphones. If it rings, there must be danger."

-- Ellen DeGeneres, comedian, actress, writer, producer

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.

2019: The Next Five Years

“God has given us many faiths but only one world in which to co-exist.  May your work help all of us to cherish our commonalities and feel enlarged by our differences.”

-- Jonathan Sacks, rabbi, philosopher, theologian, author

Someone once told me I shouldn't be so serious, and I'm not, usually.  I usually hear this critique when people run into my concrete barrier of baffling "bullshit" and dazzling "footwork" which is fortified with an unyielding faith in my beliefs that my bullshit and footwork are founded in some modicum of truth.  How is it, then, that I can simply walk away from a good fight?  It is a rare occasion when I don a "make my day" persona and dare all comers to enter the gates of my twisted kingdom.  Usually, my mind is a never-ending party of happiness, a party which tends to piss off folks who don't understand, or are offended by, how someone can be so damned happy all the time.  Well, I'd say this makes me sad because it truly sucks being them, in my humble opinion.  They could, after all, simply choose to be just as happy.

When I become serious is when I usually opt to walk away from whatever is causing it.  "It" is usually members of the League of the Perpetually Offended because no matter how right you are it will make no difference to their being offended by everything.  They are a sad, ever-growing, sociopathic segment of a society in which they would rather not belong.  They like to suck the life from the happiness of others while demanding we join them in their bottomless pit of misery and despair.  Sometimes I think the only way anyone can help them find happiness is to lead them to the edge of the abyss and convince them, and the lemmings following them, they'll find eternal happiness at the bottom.  Make it easy for them.  Push them close enough to the edge so all they need to is take the next step.  Now, dare them.  Happiness is the last thing they want.

For the past five years, I have endured the League, their ignorance, their attacks, the vitriol from those who will never find true happiness because they have no concept of tolerance and understanding unless it relates only to their own selfish agenda.  They arrange paper cups filled with the "tainted" fruit punch of their twisted philosophies and invite the ignorant masses to drink deeply and move closer to their sad reality.  For the past five years, I have tried, in my own way, to guide people away from this vitriolic rhetoric and onto their own kinder path, a path in which it is appropriate to question everything they don't understand.  Don't buy into bullshit just because it sounds good.  Don't simply drink the proffered fruit punch because you're thirsty.  Watch them make the punch, and then decide if you truly want it.  A bad decision can kill you.  A good decision can kill you too, but at least you see the consequence coming.

I have also spent the past five years questioning the usefulness of organized religion, and the validity of the judgmental and, therefore, non-inclusive tenets of, what many refer to as, Holy Scripture.  I have come to believe "Holy Scripture" is nothing but a sad shadow of what was intended to be passed down through eternity.  Its truth has been diluted and changed by multiple translations into languages which have no direct translation.  Poor interpretations and even worse explanations were tainted by man's own hidden agenda for greed and control.  Women, instead of being "joined" to man as "one flesh," is relegated to some lower status.  Women were not ordered, by God, to leave their parents to be joined to a husband, this was man's responsibility to search out a woman and "become one flesh." 

The Lord God fashioned into a woman the rib which He had taken from the man, and brought her to the man. The man said, “This is now bone of my bones, And flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman, Because she was taken out of Man.” For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh.

-- Genesis 2:22-24  

So, what does this "new year" have in store? I mean, other than questioning everything?  Well, continued annoyingly obvious happiness is always fun. These are a "given" for me 24/7/365.  I try not to plan tomorrow, therefore, making promises to myself for happiness is a moot point.    If you want to be healthy, be healthy.  If you want to quit smoking, quit smoking.  For me, life is this easy.  Faith is that easy.  What God wants of us is, really, easier than most religions care to admit.  I try to live in the "now" because now is the one moment over which we have control. The past is gone and tomorrow has not arrived. Today is all we need to concern ourselves with. It is what we do with today that reflects the lessons we learned from the past and determines what will become of tomorrow. Focus your attention here and take each new day as it comes. The next five years? It is what it is, each moment of every day.

In the humble words of me:

Reality is what it is, and what it ain't... it ain't.

Sometimes, what it is it ain't, and what it ain't, well... it is.

Other times it is nothing, and then it ain't nothing.

But, if it is nothing, it ain't, and if it ain't nothing, it is.

Acknowledging nothing gives nothing existence; 

Therefore, whether it is or it ain't, it must be,

Because even nothing that ain't, already is.

Happy New Year!

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.

Mutually Assured Destruction

“If there was an observer on Mars, they would probably be amazed that we have survived this long. There are two problems for our species' survival - nuclear war and environmental catastrophe - and we're hurtling towards them. Knowingly. This hypothetical Martian would probably conclude that human beings were an evolutionary error.”

-- Noam Chomsky, philosopher, scientist, historian

Note to my readers:  For those who read my "Cusp of Forever" posts, you are familiar with the disjointed nature of them due to the fact most of those subjects are a bit out in left field, you know, the forgotten recesses of thought.  I developed this post while visiting my abyss at the Cusp of Forever, and it might explain why this post seems a bit disjointed even though the subject is fairly straightforward.  I considered cleaning it up but, then, it is what it is.  I can only hope the point gets across, but no apologies if it falls short.

I have a bit of difficulty separating nuclear war from environmental catastrophe. Environmental catastrophe isn't necessarily a nuclear war, but nuclear war is, most definitely, an environmental catastrophe.  One is not, necessarily the other, but the other is most definitely the same.  They are, however, both capable of producing mutually assured destruction.  Mutually Assured Destruction is a philosophy of deterrence through the knowledge that there exists a scenario in which neither side of a battle wins. No one will attack because both sides will die.  More specifically, everyone will die, even those innocents not involved.  Insane?  Ya think?

The insanity of total destruction, for me, create questions which just keep on coming.  We are human, after all, and insanity is something we humans excel at, right?  Is there really ever such a thing as "temporary" insanity?  Well, you're either pregnant or you're not, but you can't be temporarily pregnant and then not?  This would be the legal argument, right?  Except, can't you can be pregnant again and again unless steps are taken to prevent it, like sterilization?  Okay, then do we prevent recurring temporary insanity by sterilizing the mind?  Doesn't the very concept of "recurring" temporary insanity equate to a person simply being insane?  How, then, do we know whether it will recur? It makes my head hurt when I hear the "voices" begin arguing amongst themselves.

"Family and work.  Family and work.  I can let them be at war, with guilt as their nuclear weapon and mutually assured destruction as their aim, or I can let them nourish each other."

-- Ellen Gilchrist, writer, novelist, poet

We can begin the insanity of mutually assured destruction with a philosophy of winners and losers.  I put forth that, in any conflict, or game, there must be losers, there must be a balance; yin and yang.  The winner is the side which loses less unless both sides lose or there is a draw.  This is fine in sports and games, but war is not any of these.  War is about life and death.  Even if both sides declare a draw, one side will still have been beaten worse than the other, even if they've beaten each other into a mutual submission.

But, what about personal relationships?

“The meeting of two personalities is like the contact of two chemical substances: if there is any reaction, both are transformed.”

-- Carl Gustav Jung (1875-1961), psychiatrist, psychoanalyst

One would hope that a good relationship is based on a philosophy that both sides are not playing games and plotting against one another in some selfish attempt to gain "territory" they consider more valuable than a relationship they based on lies.  In a good relationship, what should be considered more valuable than the relationship?  One would think a good relationship should be based on mutual beliefs, tolerance, understanding, an unselfish grasp of peaceful coexistence, friendship, and love.

Divorce, in most cases, is like war, and the innocent civilians, the children, family, and friends, are the ones who will eventually suffer the losses regardless of who wins.  I walked away from any legal battles, gave up everything, and everyone still lost.  I think that in a messy divorce, even for the "winner," everyone, including the winner, loses.

I was watching the national news recently; an article about a man who is going to be tried for murdering his fiancee.  He wasn't even married to her, though they have a child together.  Why didn't he simply do the right thing and walk away if things were so bad?  Was his outcome truly worth a senseless death?  I understand he was actually looking to hire someone to do the deed for him.  This is insanity, sociopathic, and it boggles my mind.  The ultimate loser in this?  The child who has a murdering father and a dead mother.  Again, everybody loses.

I went to the edge of the abyss pissed off and confused.  I needed to meditate and try to understand...nothing.  There is nothing to understand about a person who murders another, other than it is a seriously bad choice.  I think it is simply evidence of the universal law of balance, of good and evil, plus and minus, life and death, winner and loser.  

Sometimes good people die for no good reason, other than they made a poor choice or were party to a poor choice.  They placed themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time, zigged when they should have zagged, left too early from their home, drove while drunk, or pinned their hopes, dreams, and continued life, on the wrong asshole.  Evil has to be invited inside in order to have an effect against good unless good turns it's back on evil in which case the invitation is implied.  Every one of us has an alternate choice, a better choice, to close the door, or turn away.  Or, we can choose to gather our strength and confront the evil before us.  Call the police, our friends and family.  Gather the troops and defeat the terror in our midst.

"Mutually Assured Destruction was a doctrine that worked well for decades as a deterrent, but the world has fundamentally changed."

-- Valerie Plame Wilson, author, former CIA operative

Once we coined the term, Mutually Assured Destruction became a reality from which there is no return.  If one side has the capability for insanity there must be the reality of a deterrent against insanity.  Perhaps we would be better severed to exercise honesty in our phrasing and call it Mutually Assured Insanity.  There is supposed to be winners and losers.  It maintains balance in the universe.  If we simply "participate" we might as well just stand still and watch as life passes us by.  But, winning does not mean, or justify, the total destruction of an opponent.  How you win is more important than the win itself.  Honor, mercy, and humility should guide restraint and leave an avenue for communication and peace whether dealing with governments or people.  Mutually assured destruction is a mechanism of maintaining peaceful coexistence.  It is never intended to be utilized, and it is a sad reality of keeping balance.

I have come to learn the truth that there is a time and a place for everything.  If something exists, there is a time and a place for it.  The minute we think of something it exists, even if just as an idea.  If the idea is a philosophy, be prepared for someone to build upon it or tear it down.  Ideas can be dangerous.  Never bring a knife to an inevitable gun fight.  Always bring a better gun.  No one says you have to use it.  Just because you can do a thing doesn't mean you must do that thing. 

I have made many mistakes in my life.  I have learned to make better choices.  I still fail, but so much less than I used to.  I found a better place, in my mind, where I can go to sort things out.  It is, also, a useful place to beat my "voices" into submission if they can't, at least try, to get along.  After all, we will be bringing everyone with us into forever, so maybe we should all try to get along and temper our fears and our greed.  The alternative really sucks.

Better if we find a "happy" balance in relationships. 

"It is the harmony of the diverse parts, their symmetry, their happy balance; in a word it is all that introduces order, all that gives unity, that permits us to see clearly and to comprehend at once both the ensemble and the details."

-- Jules Henri Poincaré (1854-1912), mathemitician, engineer, physicist

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.