I'm Thinking...

"This isn't immoral. Merely illegal, and fun."

-- Haley Sorlie

How do you belong and find your path?

If you find it hard to belong and, at the same time, find your path, perhaps you need to find a better group with which to belong. I felt like I didn’t belong for years and, as it turned out, this was part of my path. I learned to appreciate the “me” time and, in doing so, also learned to cherish good friends. Friends don’t always have to agree, but they do have a responsibility to accept each other for who they are.

Life is all about making choices and decisions. You can belong, find your path, or do both. It is your choice.  For the person who can truly do both, the people they are with support the journey they are on, though their support isn’t really necessary to the journey.

Each of us has a path, whether we acknowledge it or not. No one can walk our personal path but each of us. It is our path. You can walk with us for a while, as long as our paths are joined, until one path takes a fork. We will see each other again, if not on the path then at the destination. Why? Because whether we realize it, or not, we always belong. 

How do I live under a rock and be oblivious to what goes on?

Martin Niemöller, a German Lutheran pastor, was arrested by the Nazis in 1937 and confined in Sachsenhausen and Dachau before his release by the Allies in 1945. Later, in a “confession” speech, he stated the following:

"First they came for the Communists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Communist

Then they came for the Socialists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Socialist

Then they came for the trade unionists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a trade unionist

Then they came for the Jews
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Jew 

Then they came for me
And there was no one left
To speak out for me"

My answer to your question is to throw it back at you: How can you possibly think of living under a rock, oblivious to what goes on around you? Martin Niemöller stands as an example of what happens to those who think they can.

What time is it where you live when you get up in the morning? What are the more important things you do?

I wake up between 3:30 and 5:00 in the morning. The most important thing is already done - I woke up. While I make coffee I do the second most important thing, I give thanks to God for the gift of another glorious day in paradise and yet another chance to excel in this life. Then, I drink my coffee and plan my day. Nothing is more important than waking up, thanking God, and being productive. This is the best way I can think of to be happy always.

“Some days are better than others, but every day can be the best day of your life by giving thanks.”

-- Richie Norton , author, speaker, businessman

What is the thing that is almost right for others but not for you?

A difficult question to answer. Author M.T. Panchal wrote, “Everything seems immoral until the person commits it.” What we feel is not right for us might be because we haven’t experienced it.

I once thought there is almost nothing I wouldn’t try, barring things like jumping out of perfectly good aircraft and free-climbing. There is still much out there I haven’t even considered. For right now, let’s leave it at any voluntary activity where I put my life is at risk with no hope of survival.

What is the most self-deprecating thing you have done?

I have to laugh at this question. I do so many self-deprecating things, it is hard to pin one down as the “most.” Everyone has their moments, and if they say they don’t they’re lying and have been very careful not to admit to it or let anybody see them do it. These events are nothing more but humorous anecdotes we use to pass time with friends. I have a butt-load of them, and I love to laugh.

Why is it pointless to pursue greatness after age 20?

Who fed you that line of crap? Most authors don’t even get started until well after 20, nor do politicians. Stop listening to people who tell you things you don’t want to hear and just live your life. I find it a lot easier to be happy always this way.

“Always dream and shoot higher than you know you can do. Don’t bother just to be better than your contemporaries or predecessors. Try to be better than yourself.”

-- William Faulkner (1897-1962), author, Nobel Prize laureate

What makes you, you, and what would you say about yourself to an interested employer to recommend yourself?

I spent 23 years in military intelligence, and 17 years with an Institutional Review Board. I have “staying power,” loyalty, and ethics. The one thing you can be certain of is that I will always tell you the way it is and I’ll never blow smoke up your ass by telling you what I think you want to hear.

How can I get fulfillment in my job? I always work the hardest I can, do extra work even if not asked, get complimented by my boss, and yet feel like I didn't do enough and my work has no impact.

If your boss appreciates your work, go to your boss and explain this. Most employers don’t like to lose good workers. It might be that they have no idea you’re not being challenged. There may be another position where you will feel more fulfilled and your work will have some impact. If not, there are many other places to work in the world.

Is it true that the ultimate object of a person's desire is always pleasure? 

It would certainly be sad if it were not. Donatien Alphonse François, Marquis de Sade would be the first to find a tidbit of pleasure in a little pain. To have a desire for something you don’t feel as pleasurable would be a waste of one’s effort and might be the reason for a psychiatric evaluation. Then again, if arson or murder is the object of your desire, this might also be a reason for evaluation.

“...when pain is over, the remembrance of it often becomes a pleasure.”

-- Jane Austen (1775-1817), author, "Persuasion"

What are non-materials which are helpful in production and make life comfortable?

Silence! I have never been able to produce well with noise around me. I need silence to concentrate and focus, especially in the intelligence analysis environment. My son, on the other hand, could listen to rock and roll while doing homework and do very well.

How important is timing in your life?

Only in the sense that I hate to be late. If I tell someone I will be there at a certain time, I will be there. It’s a matter of being reliable. If I know you are reliable and will be on time, I will plan my day around you, if not, and you don’t call to tell me you’re late, I may not be there when you arrive. Keep your word.

In which case is hypocrisy a good thing?

It depends on your point of view. I will tell you that hypocrisy is wrong but, then, I am one of those people another commented about, earlier - I’m a "self-proclaimed" hypocrite.

Do as I say, not as I do. There are things in this world I know for a fact are not quite “kosher” and, yet, I find pleasure in my indulgence. I will pay for this down the road, I fear, as I will certainly do a short stint in hell. And there’s the rub: I will pay the price. 

Is hypocrisy a good thing? No. Austin is right that it is a necessary part of the world we live in, and that is a sad reflection on our world. That we accept it doesn’t make hypocrisy right, we simply overlook the wrongness of it. The biggest hypocrites can be those who bemoan hypocrisy the loudest, the “holier than thou” among us. I find these folks, most often, in the League of the Perpetually Offended or arguing the “social benefits” of unnecessary late-term abortion. Just saying.

“We are all hypocrites. We cannot see ourselves or judge ourselves the way we see and judge others.”

-- José Emilio Pacheco (1939-2014), author,essayist, poet

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 the 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.