The Beginning Is Near!

"People like us, who believe in physics, know that the distinction between past, present, and future is only a stubbornly persistent illusion."

-- Albert Einstein (1879-1955), theoretical physicist

I was afraid this was going to be too similar to another post I wrote just recently but, no, not too similar.  The titles are not the same, at any rate.  "Here" is now "Near" so I'm okay, I suppose.  And, besides, I couldn't really plagiarize myself, right?  I might be a tad redundant, though.  I am known for being that.

The beginning is near?  Actually, it may have already happened, is happening right now, or it may, very well, be near.  Einstein and I agree on time being "a stubbornly persistent illusion."  I didn't use theoretical physics to arrive at our conclusion; I'm not that intelligent.  I am, however, with all humility and my mother's constant reminder, pretty darn smart.  The conclusion, for me, simply made perfect sense.  Time doesn't really exist but, rather, is a human construct which gives a sense of structure to our reality.  If we think something, it then begins to exist.

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

-- Laozi  (6th cen. BC), philosopher, witer

Somewhere in "time," we realized there was a past, a now, and a future.  Somewhere in "time," we also assumed the universal laws required time to move in a forward, linear, direction from past to present, and then to the future.  Why?  Well, because we've never been able to go backward, so we must not be able to.  We've never been able to go faster than the speed of light, either, and yet we are finding it might be, theoretically, possible.  

But, this really isn't where I want to go with this post, basically because I realize being "smart" isn't, necessarily, the same as being "intelligent."  Humility will ultimately remind me, usually when my brain works faster than my accumulated knowledge, that I am sounding like a pig staring at a wristwatch and describing its supposed function to my fellow Suidae.  Not a good thing.  And there is also the very good likelihood that a member of the League of the Perpetually Offended will call me down on something I misstate, regardless of what they know I meant to say.  It is what they do, after all.

“Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin.”

-- Mother Theresa (1910-1997), "Saint Teresa of Calcutta"

What I really intended was to remind everyone of the "now," and the very real importance of living in it.  The hardest thing for most folks is losing their linear sense of time.  We insist on either living in the past or worrying over the future.  We have no control over our past.  We have little control over our fate, our future.  As they say, we should not worry over those things which we have little or no control.  We do have control of our present, our now.  What we do in the now is a reflection of what we have been through in our past.  The now is based on lessons we 've learned which will be the impetus for the choices we make.  Those choices will be the basis for our circumstances tomorrow and, perhaps, those circumstances will be new lessons we will layout for ourselves.  

But, what if time isn't linear?  We might find a way to travel backward in it and change stuff, right?  Okay, let's get a grip on some possible realities of this.  If we could go back in time to change things, we already have, and this is why we are where we are now.  If we could have prevented an assassination, we would have, but we didn't, or couldn't, at least... not in this dimension.  There is another thought which says if you change the past it will then branch off into another reality, an "alternate universe," because, when you return to your point of origin, arrive back at the "now," nothing has changed in the original reality you traveled from.  Theoretically, we cannot create a paradox.  The only way to enjoy the change of the "new" timeline, is to stay at that timeline.  Will you meet yourself, if you stay?  Chances are the change you create might just prevent your birth in the new timeline, but I'd be careful - if you share your father's name, do not fall in love with a woman who shares your mother's.  You may find it a bit weird.  

You might enjoy reading this short article: Paradox Lost. 

Physicists believe that the universe started as a very simple, extremely compact ball of energy. Although the laws of physics themselves don’t provide for an arrow of time, the ongoing expansion of the universe does. As the universe expands, it becomes ever more complex and disorderly. The growing disorder—physicists call it an increase in entropy—is driven by the expansion of the universe, which may be the origin of what we think of as the ceaseless forward march of time.

-- Tim Folger, Discover Magazine, "Newsflash: Time May Not Exist

If there is no one around to hear a tree fall in the woods, does it make a sound?  If there is no one around to witness, well, anything, does time actually pass in the manner we define it, or has it always been something more complex and so much less linear?

I can't help but wonder; if Gravity can affect time what are the chances other forces can have an effect, as well?  What are the chances the human mind can bend time to its will and take us through time, forward or backward, to past lives or life not yet lived?  In this way, might we be our own past or future conscience?  Or, perhaps we lost our heart to someone many lifetimes ago, losing our balance for eternity or until we change a choice we made, not realizing the lost love is probably here, somewhere in this "now," with us and feeling the same loss or confusion.  Ah, sweet romance!  My head hurts.

From ancient Greece, the philosophers Plato and Socrates might leave us with this final thought: The only thing any of us knows for sure is that we know nothing, for sure.

Look, and see the beginning is near.  Turn around, and see the past as near as the beginning.  Pay attention, and realize "now."  Where we think to be is often where we are, but not in the way we really want.  Perhaps we will find our way, sooner or later, but not right now.  Maybe our way exists in the eternal moment we can only find between the ticks of a clock... when time stands still.

“How did it get so late so soon?” 

-- Theodor "Dr. Seuss" Geisel (1904-1991), illustrator. philosopher. author

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.

Before the "Big Bang"

So instead of three ingredients, we can now say that the universe has just two: energy and space. So where did all this energy and space come from? The answer was found after decades of work by scientists: space and energy were spontaneously invented in an event we now call the Big Bang.”

-- Stephen Hawking

A trait most scientists say they have in common is they require the "scientific method" be applied, to virtually everything theoretical, in order to declare proof of a hypothesis and make a statement of fact.  In other words, the results of an experiment have to be repeatable.  "The strength of a scientific theory is related to the diversity of phenomena it can explain and its simplicity. As additional scientific evidence is gathered, a scientific theory may be modified and ultimately rejected if it cannot be made to fit the new findings; in such circumstances, a more accurate theory is then required." This is why "scientific" theories concerning the "Big Bang" will remain theories, we simply don't know... and probably never will.  A "scientific theory" is our best guess based on the available evidence provided by experimentation.  And, yet, immanent "theoretical" physicists still make definitive statements like "space and energy were spontaneously created."  Says who?  Wouldn't it be better to leave the door open for change?  Perhaps, "To the best of our knowledge, at this point in time, the evidence seems to lean toward space and energy being spontaneously created."  

Consider the following quote by the late theoretical physicist, Steven Hawking:  

“The role played by time at the beginning of the universe is, I believe, the final key to removing the need for a Grand Designer, and revealing how the universe created itself. … Time itself must come to a stop. You can’t get to a time before the big bang, because there was no time before the big bang. We have finally found something that does not have a cause because there was no time for a cause to exist in. For me this means there is no possibility of a creator because there is no time for a creator to have existed. Since time itself began at the moment of the Big Bang, it was an event that could not have been caused or created by anyone or anything. … So when people ask me if a god created the universe, I tell them the question itself makes no sense. Time didn’t exist before the Big Bang, so there is no time for God to make the universe in. It’s like asking for directions to the edge of the Earth. The Earth is a sphere. It does not have an edge, so looking for it is a futile exercise.”

Steven Hawking was a preeminent "theoretical" physicist.  Theoretical physicists use "mathematical models and abstractions of physical objects and systems to rationalize, explain and predict natural phenomena."  I take this to mean, they theorize about what we don't know.  

What is a theory?  A theory, whether scientific or common,  is speculation about something.  "Speculation" is nothing more than conjecture, and conjecture is, by definition, an opinion or conclusion formed on the basis of incomplete information.  Yes, scientific theory gives us our best shot at reality due to testing, but it is still our "best shot" until it is no longer a theory.  So, why is it we hear theoretical physicists making definitive statements concerning unproven hypotheses they base on incomplete information?  It sounds like faith and hope, to me.  Perhaps they are more intelligent than they are smart. 

The existence of God, a supreme power, is a common "theory" I ascribe to.  I have faith, a belief, that God exists.  Faith is, after all, a belief in something for which there is little or no proof, and I am fine with that.  I am also fine with atheists who can't disprove what I have faith in.  Atheists have faith that I am wrong.  Yet, I don't really care that they seemingly waste an inordinate amount of time complaining about my faith in a "theoretical" power while I spend virtually no time giving one rat's ass about the fact they can't disprove my theory any more than I can prove it.  They need to open their minds to the definition of "theory," whether common or scientific and then look to their own beliefs.

"So to the extent that it is even meaningful to speak of a cause of our universe, it need not have any. There is no law of logic or mathematics that requires such a cause. Or, if you wish, the universe simply is, timeless and eternal. Time exists only inside the universe, as one of the four coordinates that label the myriad of events that collectively constitute this universe."

-- Victor T. Toth, software developer, author, part-time theoretical physicist

Prior to the "Big Bang," did anything exist?  Did time exist?  Well, perhaps not as it relates to this dimension.  Well, are we discussing just this dimension, this universe, or are we assuming the theoretical "multiverse" came into being due to the same "Big Bang" event?  Conversely, who is to say our, so-called, "Big Bang" wasn't due to some apocalyptic event, perhaps the destruction of another universe which occurred in another dimension and exerted enough energy to open a rift in time/space to create another universe, or another dimension?  Perhaps we are simply the result of balance in the multiverse.  If one door closes another must open.  For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.

“God creates another local Big Bang and another universe only when a big enough mass of Super-Loosh has been accumulated.”

-- Jozef Simkovic, journalist, broadcasting and software engineer, karate champion

Can something be created from absolutely nothing?  It is a theory I can't ascribe to, even when it comes to my definition of an omnipotent power in the universe, in the multiverse.  What or who created the omnipotent power?  What or who created the power we define as God?  But, if something can't be created from nothing, even God, then where did it all come from and when did it all happen?  

Must there be a "theory of everything," or is it enough just to be?  Our questions began with a thought, millions of years ago, and we will not find the answers here.  Would we recognize the answer if we stumbled across it?  There may, in fact, be no answer to find other than everything just is.  But the need we have to discover, to know, is what keeps us moving forward.  It is our faith that the answer is out there, somewhere, that gives our lives meaning.

The "Big Bang" is just a theory, and the "Big Bang Theory" is just a comedy on TV.  One is entertaining, and one is food for thought which more than a few might find entertaining.  

Okay, I'm done.  Well almost.  I leave you with a final quote.  Basically, for me, it speaks to what theists and atheists fall back on when they have no answers for the "Big Bang":

“Appeals to imagined forces and phenomena have been the basis for all the cosmological models proposed to avoid the big bang implications about God. The disproof of these models and the ongoing appeal by nontheists to more and more bizarre unknowns and unknowables seem to reflect the growing strength of the case for theism.”

-- Hugh Ross, Christian apologist, astrophysicist

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. 

Defeating Evil?

“Crocodiles are easy. They try to kill and eat you. People are harder. Sometimes they pretend to be your friend first.” 

-- Steve Irwin (1962-2006), zookeeper, conservationist, environmentalist

I grew up in a household which loved animals.  Mom always told me, "Be kind to animals."  But, what about those animals whose driving force is to kill?  You can only tame a tiger until it doesn't want to be tame anymore.  The handler usually discovers this bit of logic when they turn their back to the tiger.  Game over.  Tiger mauls the handler; handler loses their head, or an arm, or leg.  So we cage these man- killers or put them on preserves, but we put barriers or space between them and us.  What of the human "animal" which walks among us?  If they are part of "civilized" society, there are prisons to hold them.  If they have rabid killers, serial killers, with no conscience, who have chosen not to be a part of civilized society, they are cancer which must be excised and disposed of in a rapid and decisive manner, permanently, right?

My definition of "human-animal" is obvious to most people.  But, I define it as anyone who kills for no reason and anyone who kills for a reason which is simply is an excuse to kill.  A good example of both might be genocide.  Another example would be an individual, group, or government that defines a certain segment of society as "undesirable" and sets about to purge them from the world.  The Nazis tried this, as did Joseph Stalin and ISIS, the Khmer Rouge, and the government's "genocide against the Tutsi" in Rwanda (which led to the establishment of the International Criminal Court), and there have been numerous other examples of heinous crimes against humanity.

Because Hamas, desperate to win world sympathy by any means, has always been happy to use Palestinian innocents as human shields — the more casualties, the better... And in at least one school where weapons were stored, the report found, Hamas unlocked the gate “to allow children access to the schoolyard”... The Palestinian Authority has hinted at having Israel investigated by the International Criminal Court for war crimes. But the real crimes here were committed by Hamas — and its UN accomplices.

-- New York Post: UN report outlines how Hamas used kids as human shields 

We seem not to notice human-animals until we become aware of their true behavior.  We allow governments guilty of human rights offenses to sit on panels which judge other governments of human rights offenses.  We expect the United Nations to be the first line of defense against insanity when, in reality, the U.N. turns a blind eye to most crimes against humanity, and journalists seem to accept any U.N. decision as fait accompli.  But, then, it would seem even well-known "journalists" pay more attention to the squeakiest wheel instead of those victims trying to defend themselves against evil.

The other day someone told me we will never defeat ISIS (aka, ISIL), the terrorist heretics of peaceful Islam because their horrific acts of terror are driven by their misguided religious belief, and I agreed with their statement.  Ex-Fox News contributor and retired Army Lieutenant Colonel Ralph Peters, once said of defeating ISIS, "And the reality is: That the way you deal with Islamic State - these blood-thirsty, blood-drunken terrorists - is to kill them, keep on killing them until you kill the last one, then you kill his pet goat! That's how you deal with them."  The sentiment is simplistic because it deals with a religious "jihad" where they willingly continue to heap bodies of their own followers atop the pyre of what they consider righteousness until they either win or are destroyed.  They do this because they have been brainwashed by insane imams, their religious leaders, to believe everything they do is viewed as acceptance and submission to what their imam interprets as the "will of Allah."  

Peters' sentiment is as bloodthirsty as the evil it seeks to destroy but, then, self-defense done right usually is, because any opportunity for terrorist "payback" needs to be removed from the equation.  His attitude is reminiscent of the character Col. Miles Quaritch, from the 2009 movie "Avatar":  "The hostiles believe that this mountain territory is protected by their... deity. And when we destroy it, we will blast a crater in their racial memory so deep, that they won't come within 1,000 klicks of this place ever again."  Unfortunately, in this story, humans are terrorist transgressors, not the aliens.

And I looked and arose and said to the nobles and to the officials and to the rest of the people, “Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes.”

-- Nehemiah 4:14

Christian's learn from Jesus' "Sermon on the Mount" about a love for your enemies which seems to deal more with selfless restraint when it comes to trivial matters.  I'm not so sure the sermon addresses the threat of death and destruction upon your person or those innocents around you. An excerpt of the sermon from Matthew 5:39 reads, "But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also."  And I agree with this, to a point.  Slap me once, shame on you.  Slap me twice, shame on me.  Try to slap me a third time and you will apologize for the first two and thank me for my restraint, and if your goal is to kill me you can explain your selfishness to God Almighty - in person.  But, that's just me.  Sooner or later you have to recognize real evil for what it is and defend yourself.

A controversial author and essayist, Salman Rushdie, wrote the following:

“The fundamentalist seeks to bring down a great deal more than buildings. Such people are against, to offer just a brief list, freedom of speech, a multi-party political system, universal adult suffrage, accountable government, Jews, homosexuals, women's rights, pluralism, secularism, short skirts, dancing, beardlessness, evolution theory, sex. There are tyrants, not Muslims.

The fundamentalist believes that we believe in nothing. In his world-view, he has his absolute certainties, while we are sunk in sybaritic indulgences. To prove him wrong, we must first know that he is wrong. We must agree on what matters: kissing in public places, bacon sandwiches, disagreement, cutting-edge fashion, literature, generosity, water, a more equitable distribution of the world's resources, movies, music, freedom of thought, beauty, love. These will be our weapons. Not by making war but by the unafraid way we choose to live shall we defeat them.

How to defeat terrorism? Don't be terrorized. Don't let fear rule your life. Even if you are scared.” 

And yet, meanwhile, more innocents will die as we sit back and do nothing, playing nice, patiently waiting to see if the terrorists do... what?  Decide not to destroy everyone and everything around them?  I applaud Salman Rushdie's innocence and naivete.  The terrorist will applaud him as well, just before they put him in a cage and burn him alive as a message to so many other naive people who refuse to buy into their heresy.

Like other terrorists, those which act alone or in small groups, religious heretics are capable of waging actual war on innocence, and it would seem they always have.  They proclaim belief in a God which demands their unwavering obedience and will excuse almost any horror done to further their goal.  Of course, the holy "word" of their God is uttered from the lips of the diety's representative here on earth, in this case, an imam, but it could be any religion's leader.  It would seem likely, as history bears out, all bad leaders will eventually succumb to their own ego.  And this may be the problem with the evil leaders because, when you cut off one evil head another evil head will rise to take its place.

The virgins waiting for misguided Islamic terrorists in heaven are the empty promise of insane imams to cowardly to kill innocence themselves as if dirtying their hands will prevent their own entry into heaven.  Once you are involved in the murder of innocence and use your religious belief as an excuse, your God ceases to exist, whether you order terror or are the instrument of it.  Perhaps it might benefit the blindly "faithful" to research the true promise of "72 virgins" in heaven before committing heresy.  One might start by reading the information provided at this link: Houri.  In this reference, it states, "The narration, which claims that everyone would have seventy-two wives has a weak chain of narrators."  Personally, I find it hard to believe any respectable God would reward the cowardly slayers of innocent women and children and using these innocents as shields to protect themselves and their equipment. 

“The only thing more dangerous than an idea is a belief. And by dangerous I don't mean thought-provoking. I mean: might get people killed.”

-- Sarah Vowell, historian, author, journalist, actress

How do you defeat an evil when the evil philosophy is rooted in a spiritual belief which offers so much to those who have nothing.  When even the most horrible of sins are overlooked, if not rewarded?  First thing you do is stop underestimating evil.  Evil doesn't need a religion, it simply needs a tool.  An individual will do.  Anyone with a weak mind which can be twisted will suffice, and if they can enlist followers the evil gets a bonus.

Orison Swett Marden, a Harvard educated scholar and author, and publisher as the founder of "Success Magazine" in 1897, in comparing obstacles to wild animals, had this to say of wild animals:  "They are cowards but they will bluff you if they can. If they see you are afraid of them... they are liable to spring upon you; but if you look them squarely in the eye, they will slink out of sight."  Yes, indeed, and there the wild animal will remain until they see an opening; when no one is expecting their return.

It seems evil will exist as long as there are ignorant people willing to die for it.  When we think we have it defeated, it has only crawled back under a rock to lick its wounds and enlist more gullible fodder to throw onto some future field of battle.  Evil will always be with us, whether alone or in mass, religious or not.  The evil of terrorism feeds on societies lulled into a false sense of security.  We must always be cognizant of its continued existence and prepare ourselves to do battle when it returns.

“Fuel for religious violence comes from the creeds of the religious organizations that fundamentally depict that there is only one absolute and undeniable truth, and all others even mildly different truths are expendable.”

-- Abhijit Naskar, Neuroscientist

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.

Defining Change

“No man ever steps in the same river twice,
for it's not the same river and he's not the same man.”

-- Heraclitus (c. 535 BC c. 475 BC)

I almost finished this post, in its first version, when I pressed the wrong keys and deleted it in its entirety.  Everything was lost except for an Albert Einstein quote which was still saved to the clipboard.  When I started this early iteration, I also used a quote from the ancient Greek philosopher Socrates and, in the process, found an article stating he was a real ass when it came to discussion and argument (Lost Socrates Dialogues).  Well, who knew?  I think things happen for a reason, and I saw losing all my work as a sign that I had, perhaps, been on the wrong path more than I had wasted any time.  An effort is never a waste of time; it is always an opportunity to learn.  I felt the loss of this work might have a hidden purpose in making me rewrite my thoughts for that first version, and the Einstein quote might have been saved as a hint to the direction for this other iteration:

“The world as we have created it is a process of our thinking. It cannot be changed without changing our thinking.”

-- Albert Einstein (1879-1955), theoretical physicist

Far be it for me to disagree with Albert but, upon further consideration, I think he was only half right or, perhaps, this quote was taken out of context.  I agree that "the world as we have created it is a process of our thinking."  However, the world as we have created it is going to change, regardless of whether we change our thinking, or not.  Our creation requires constant maintenance to slow inevitable change, but change is inevitable.  It is the only constant in the universe.  How things change, ensuring things change in a manner we want them to, does have a bearing on how we change our thinking.

Another ancient Greek, Heraclitus of Ephesus, was a pre-Socratic philosopher who died about five years after the birth of Socrates.  Heraclitus push forth this idea that change is the only constant.  There must be balance and this achieved balance is sustained through change.

“All things are in flux; the flux is subject to a unifying measure or rational principle. This principle (logos, the hidden harmony behind all change) bound opposites together in a unified tension, which is like that of a lyre, where a stable harmonious sound emerges from the tension of the opposing forces that arise from the bow bound together by the string.”

-- Heraclitus 

Change happens at a speed generally dictated by outside stimulus acting as the impetus. Change in people happens at a speed dependent on outside stimulus and the person's acceptance of the need to change. We always seem to be in a rush to change the world and we forget all about the need to change ourselves.

“Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.”

-- Rumi (1207-1273), poet, Islamic scholar, theologian

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger. It also, usually, hurts like hell, which is why it makes you stronger providing you survive the pain and learn the lessons which arise from whatever happened. Theoretical physicist Steven Hawking wrote, "Intelligence is the ability to adapt to change." If this is true, why does it seem the most intelligent of us have a harder time adapting to change than those of us who are smart?  Intelligent people seem to make more concrete statements of "fact" whereas smart people understand, what is fact today might change tomorrow.

We need to be wiser in our thinking.  One way to accomplish this is to understand that nobody is perfect.  We all have the ability to be wrong and to fail and to think you are immune to these puts everyone at risk.  Always approach life with an active and open mind.  Nobody will fault you for being humble and treating others with the same equality and respect as you would have them treat you.

I define change as inevitable.  How we deal with change is all about balance, the give and take, adapt ing to the change in order to maintain this balance and sustain harmony in our life and the lives of those around us.  It is about making good choices in order to arrive at good consequences.  And, if you should fail, owning your failure with all due humility, learning from it, and moving forward.  This is working toward constructive and sustainable change, a change for the better.

“The only way that we can live, is if we grow. The only way that we can grow is if we change. The only way that we can change is if we learn. The only way we can learn is if we are exposed. And the only way that we can become exposed is if we throw ourselves out into the open.”

-- C. JoyBell C., author, poet, 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 an alternate viewpoint. 

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

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

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

The Beginning Is Here!

“It's the best possible time of being alive, when almost everything you thought you knew is wrong.”

― Tom Stoppard, platwright, screenwriter, Arcadia

I love the fact that I was born when I was.  Discovery and technology were beginning to move at such a rapid pace it would soon be hard to keep up. Hand-crank adding machines would soon give way to electric calculators which would give way to solar calculators which would give way to scientific calculators and computers, and each would become smaller than its predecessor.  Faster, smaller, easier, it became hard for me to keep up with and it, finally, would define me as a "techno boob" due to my inability to keep up with the learning curve.  I would find that being smart was not the same as being intelligent, and those few who were blessed to be both seemed to sacrifice a bit of the each for the ability.    

This is the new world where I would constantly discover that almost everything we thought we knew is probably wrong.  The ancient Greek philosopher, Heraclitus, stated:  "The only thing that is constant is change."  And, down through the centuries which followed, many "intelligent" people would ignore this statement of truth.  Definitive statements from intelligent people would give way to statements with a bit of "wiggle room" which allow the, almost certain, possibility for change to be taken into account.  I would love to be intelligent, but not at the expense of being smart.  

“The artist is always beginning. Any work of art which is not a beginning, an invention, a discovery is of little worth.”

-- Ezra Pound (1885-1972), poet

The impossible concepts of nuclear power, space travel, are now a reality.  The impossible concepts of time travel, faster than light speed, and even anti-gravity are all moving over to the possible column, and world governments are admitting to the existence of unidentified flying objects and the possibility of alien life in the universe.  The existence of God is denied by some folks, questioned by others, and a matter of faith for the rest of us.  Contrary to what socialist educational systems would demand, the majority of humankind has learned to question everything.  When the intelligentsia makes definitive statements you can put down good money on someone proving them wrong.  You'd think, after centuries of being made to look like know-nothings, they would learn to be more open-minded to possibilities.

Each and every morning is a new day for discovery and learning.  If you're waiting for the beginning, waiting for the start, the beginning isn't near - the beginning is here! 

“Be willing to be a beginner every single morning.”

-- Meister Eckhart (1260-1328), theologian, philosopher, mystic

I constantly remind folks that what is past is done and what brings is not written.  The only moment in which we can affect change is in the present, the now.  If you're doing something to affect tomorrow, you are doing it in the now.  We need to stop concerning our selves with the past as anything more than a lesson for today.  We need to stop worrying over a future which is not written.  Now is when we can affect real, substantial, and meaningful change.

The ancient Greek philosopher Plato said, "The beginning is the most important part of the work."  You have to start before anything can be accomplished, and if not now, then when?

“The beginning is always today.”

-- Mary Shelley (1797-1851), novelist

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. 

Hope

"But always after a storm, there is a sign of hope."

-- M. Bruner

Many people I minister feel their sense of hope is lost, and it might be that their sense of hope is, in fact, misplaced.  Hope, however, is never truly lost.  We can give up hope, lose our sense of hope, but the hope we feel, that we sense is lost, is as eternal as the ability we have to choose hope or not.  Storms are nature's way of renewal, of creating or destroying.  It is a way of keeping balance in the universe. When we lose the sense of hope in our lives, we make a conscious or subconscious decision to do so.  Remember, all we have actually lost is our sense of hope.  Our lives need to be brought back into balance.

When I think about it, the opposite seems to be true, as well.  If a sense of truth is eternal wouldn't the opposite, a sense of falsehood, also be eternal?  Perpetuating falsehoods, lying, is not good for the soul.  The truth will win out, in the end, so perpetuating falsehoods would seem to be eternal if for no other reason than to provide balance, a sense of truth, to the universe.  Balance is all about having opposites, yet not all opposites are equal, nor are they good for the soul.  

We have opposites in order to teach us good from evil, right from wrong, light from dark, and so on.  It would seem, then, that everything must be eternal and, yet, change is said to be the only constant in the universe.  Something is until it isn't, and then it is again.  So, where does that leave hope?  Well, perhaps the better question is, where does that leave change?  "Change" would seem to fall under the same universal rule of balance; if there is no change, there is stasis until there isn't.  So, what is the difference?  The ability to sense there is a difference and, then, to make a conscious choice to change or not, is a big difference.  This idea of free choice would seem to remove change from certain aspects of the universal equation.  We simply have to make the choice not to change, not to lose hope.  In this way "hope" remains static; it remains eternal.  And, yet, the act of making a choice is the impetus for change, is it not?

  Hope, like choice, or free will, is something nobody can take away from us.  Hope is always with us.  We might misplace it, but it is always there.  We misplace many emotions because, for the great majority of us, we really don't ever have a solid grasp of them until we are too old to care.  With age comes the "aha!" moment when we realize emotions fall under the "it is what it is" rule.  We understand that emotion is simply a choice to be emotional.  When we understand our emotions we understand ourselves, and we change.

We have the knowledge of good and evil.  Evil only conquers us if we allow it to.  It is a choice we make.  Make the right choice and good can be eternal in your life.  Make a bad choice and evil can be eternal in your life.  People think they lose hope when it has just been misplaced.  They worry over hope until they find it again, never realizing they never really lost it.  Other people misplace hope and it seems they don't care if they ever find it again.  In this sense, it might seem hope is truly lost.  Is it, though?  If hope is just a choice we make, then all one need do is have faith that hope, again, exists.  They simply have to make the choice to believe in hope, again.

Hope is eternal, but only if you so desire 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 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.

Close Enoughs and Almost the Sames

"How much life was made of 'close enoughs' and 'almost the sames', she wondered?"

-- David Wellington, author, "The Last Astronaut"

Well, was it close enough, or almost the same?  Will you respect me in the morning?  More importantly, will "close enough" buy me another date?  We do seem to accept life to be "close enough or almost the same" as what we really want, what we expect.  Is what we really want so far beyond our expectations that we are willing to settle for what we can get?  Some would say so, and others would say no.  If we "settle" are we selling ourselves short, giving up, admitting that this is all there is?  I think it depends on whether you buy into what everyone else thinks about your life.

Why do we have to be perfect?  Who in our life put that yoke around our neck?  As if we don't have enough in life to deal with, now we also have to live up to someone else's view of perfection?  I have enough faults which I freely own without pleasing someone else at the expense of my own happiness.  I am me, and that is good enough for me.  It doesn't have to be good enough for you; I'm sure you have more than enough of your own drama to deal with than to be concerned about me.  My self-esteem is fine.

“If only you knew how beautiful you are, unconditionally. Don't you know it's enough if all you do is breathe?”

-- Brittany Burgunder, author, eating disorder coach

Your life.  It is your life, after all. And, yet, we feel pressured to sacrifice happiness to grasp for some brass ring which might make our lives fuller.  We feel pressured to risk the happiness of "close enough" to go after something we might not attain and, if we do, might not make us any happier than we are at this moment.  It is your life.  If you don't want to risk your happiness, then don't.  I have come to understand my own "happiness" isn't predicated on external successes, material things, or anyone's opinion.  Happiness is a state of mind which already exists within each of us.  What we need to understand is that happiness is that simple.  We shouldn't be looking any farther than ourselves to feel the fulfillment of our own happiness.  Do you need to make damned sure your supposed "happiness" isn't simply an excuse for laziness or selling yourself short?  How do you know?

“Self-correction makes me check the ruler of my life against the yardstick of my inner voice. I acknowledge when I don’t measure up. Self-correction is an ongoing process. If done often enough, I can stop myself from straying off the path.”

-- Stella Payton, author

I have had two careers in my life.  I gave the military, and the Institutional Review Board, 23 and 17 years respectively.  I left retirement, after two years in Mexico, to come back and assist my old boss in rebuilding a golf and country club.  I've never been one to bounce around in the job market.  When I take a job I learn to love it, do my best at it, and settle in for the long haul.  I felt being reliable and ethical was important to me and to others.  I still do.  These are things I try not to settle for; I either am or I'm not, and if being reliable and ethical isn't good enough for those around me, then I will take my happiness elsewhere.  That is the point.  Rule number one is to always be happy, and rule number two is remembering, if you aren't happy, to refer back to rule number one:  Always be happy!

You are who you are, and that is enough.  I have many heated conversations with my friends; we agree to disagree.  I don't want everyone around me to agree with me.  What fun is that?  The need for meaningful conversation would exist only to enhance the insidious boredom, an inherent byproduct of sameness.  I know people who are total assholes, and that is fine.  They are who they are and I am free to tell them I accept them for the assholes they are.  If you have to strive for something greater than what you think you are, then strive to be the best you that you can be.  It is less confusing for the rest of us.

“The most important day is the day you decide you’re good enough for you. It’s the day you set yourself free.”

-- Brittany Josephina, writer, empowerment coach

Accept that you will never be good enough for you, and this is fine.  I am my own worst critic, and it keeps me humble.  If I had decided to do nothing until I was perfect, I would have done nothing with my life.  Life is all about failure.  Failure is how we truly learn life lessons.  If you haven't failed then you haven't risked enough to really know much about life.  If you fail at this moment in time, another moment will be along presently.  Failure is a reminder to learn.  Tomorrow is a brand new day to try and excel in life and to mentor those around you with the lessons you learn.

After sixty-five years I have wrapped my mind around what it takes to make me happy.  I have discovered that nothing is perfect, and change is the only constant.  What is perfect today might not be so perfect tomorrow, so why stress over it?  I have attained things I thought I needed in life, and I felt fulfilled, and I was only happy until I figured out that fulfilling some goal wasn't what made me happy.  Being me made me happy.  To be anything else is embracing a path which probably isn't really mine.  Being me is the only thing I am absolutely sure of, every moment of every day.  Is being me simply close enough or almost the same?  In who's eyes and to what imagined goal?

Gautama Buddha teaches, "No one saves us but ourselves. No one can and no one may. We ourselves must walk the path."  Life is all about the choices we make and the consequences which follow.  To say it again, everything which happens in our life is a consequence of a choice we make.  You know you better than anyone else.  You cannot blame others for your consequences, nor can you ask others to save you from them.  You can seek sage advice but, ultimately, you must want to save yourself.  The best advice a priest who has never been married can give to a couple having marital issues is to go see a marriage counselor and, even then, you will have to do the work to save your marriage.  We must work our tasks ourselves or we learn nothing from the suffrage.

Being honest with yourself, and others, and taking ownership of your life is a tough proposition.  Parents, by in large, don't teach this anymore because, well, they weren't taught it either.  Sucking it up and not being a whiny little baby is tough.  It is also a way of demonstrating to others the value of "strength of character."  Sometimes "close enough" and "almost the same" is all it takes to find a lot of happiness.  People have died trying to find perfection and not succeeding.  Find your own truth and then own it and exercise it in front of the world.  Be humble in your imperfection and love yourself all the more for it.

Being me is enough to make me happy.  If I find what makes me happy, by simply being me, isn't this all that matters?  Have I not reached self-actualization?  I think so, and that will be close enough to perfection for me... until it isn't.

“Maybe my best isn't as good as someone else's, but for a lot of people, my best is enough. Most importantly, for me it's enough.”

-- Lindsey Stirling, violinist, singer, songwriter

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.