The Easiest Answers

"Too many kings can ruin an army."     

-- Homer (c. 900 BCE - c. 701 BCE, author, poet

Why am I not running the world?

Well, for one thing, and not to put a fine point on it… you’re asking this question. Well, duh!

What does life mean in the Declaration of Independence?

Let the document speak for itself: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.”

This is the meaning of life in a free society.

What is your comment on the statement, "Good people do good things."?

I suppose one could see this as a dichotomy. Bad people can do good things, but that doesn’t make them good people. If good people do bad things, on the other hand, they are no longer good people. If they do bad things they’re bad people. Truly good people focus on doing good always.

“Almost every sinful action ever committed can be traced back to a selfish motive. It is a trait we hate in other people but justify in ourselves. ”

-- Stephen Kendrick, author, film writer/producer

Is light more important than time?

Philosophically, yes, it is. Time doesn’t really exist. Light, awareness, occurs in the moment and in the moment, the now, is where we should all be paying attention. The past is lessons learned, the future may never come, but the moment is where we exist. It is important for all of us to be the light for those around us and not concern ourselves with future drama over which we really have no control until it occurs. The choices and decisions we make at this moment will resonate into the next… if it comes. Make good choices now and always.

I live in a life of “what ifs”. How do I learn to live in the present?

Time doesn’t really exist. Light, awareness, occurs in the moment and in the moment, the now, is where we should all be paying attention. The past is lessons learned, the future may never come, but the moment is where we exist. It is important for all of us to be the light for those around us and not concern ourselves with future drama over which we really have no control until it occurs. This doesn’t mean that “what if” isn’t important.

“What if” helps us plan for good outcomes in for the choices and decisions we make. The choices and decisions we make at this moment will resonate into the next… if it comes. Make good choices now and always, and your “what if” will be mitigated by good planning in the now. Again, the only time “what if” should enter into our lexicon is for occasional planning purposes, not as a constant concern. When we make a plan we always hope for the best outcome, but we always plan for “what if” just to be thorough.

Would you consider failure to be a seed for learning?

I consistently put forth this idea. Everyone gives failure a bad rap, yet failure is one of the best ways to learn if we treat failure as a learning experience instead of shunning it. I spent over 20 years in the military pushing the idea of learning from failure. We would meet in the conference room and pick apart an operation that experienced issues so we could all learn from what happened and mitigate the possibility of it happening again. I would hate to be a member of an organization that never experienced failure because perfection seriously implodes when it finally happens. Those who never experience failure have no idea how to deal with it, mitigate the effects, and move forward toward a successful outcome.

“There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure.”

-- Paulo Coelho, lyricist, novelist

Why are so many smart and diligent people in school but they fail in real life?

We usually confuse being smart for being intelligent. Intelligence is no substitute for being smart. You can learn a lot from books, but practical application is something we teach little about. Practical application is usually learned in the “school of hard knocks” and requires an acceptance that failure is also a learning tool. Students fail in real life because schools don’t teach real life; they don't teach failure as a tool. Hell, most schools don’t even teach reality. They reach their socialist version of it and, if this is true, doesn’t it explain a lot about why they fail in real life? Socialism doesn’t work.

If money wasn’t everything, why do we cherish it proudly?

Some of us do “cherish it proudly” but, all things being equal, it is no more important than happiness. People that have won the lottery would say it is so much less important than happiness, considering some of the grief the money brought them. Money isn’t everything, but we are challenged to remember the other things in life that are also important, like family and friends, and happiness. 

 Why is the world not balanced?

For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. Everything is balanced. If you see something that’s not, it will be shortly. And, by shortly, that might mean in geologic terms. Everything has an effect on everything else, even if you don’t see it, so if something is wonky here there will be another thing wonky somewhere else to bring things back into balance. What you might see as not balanced might simply be balance shifting, or it might be a new balance. It is what it is until it isn’t, and then it is what it is again. Change is the only universal constant, it’s what keeps things in balance.

"It is wonderful to contemplate how the planetary forces balance each other so perfectly that universal equilibrium is maintained despite the disturbances of the 1,500 million which inhabit the Earth alone, not to speak of other spheres."

-- Max Heindel (1865-1919), occultist, astrologer, mystic

What are you doing now? Why?

This is going to sound a bit obvious, but… I’m answering your query. Why? I suppose to prove to myself I still have the ability to control being a smart-ass when I answer the obvious. Failed, again.

Is it possible that an individual’s career in and of itself does not make someone a hero but rather their conduct in that same profession does?

Whether someone is deemed to be heroic, explains much of this. True heroes never see themselves as such, they’re simply doing what is right or necessary. Heroism is selfless.  Whether one is seen as heroic is the purview of those who see the act and assign the title, not the heroic individual themselves.

Which is the best resource to get advice for everyday life?

Find someone who is smart and has lived a long life. Experience is invaluable, maturity is the sage philosopher, and being smart has so much over on being intelligent.

Can we control our destiny fully to follow the path we want or is something steering us back on the proposed path?

Life is all about the choices and decisions we make for it. We control which fork in the road we take while traveling our path. No one can make that decision for us. If you allow others to live your life then it really isn’t your life. Why would you relinquish control over your life to someone else, unless it's a necessary choice, like a job or joining the military? When you hand over total control of your life, your path stagnates; you stop moving forward. If you find yourself being steered toward another path, it is your choice to see where it goes or to return to your previous journey. It is really all about you. 

"Follow your path, and let the people talk." 

-- Dante Alighieri (c. 1265-1321), writer 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 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.