Questions of Change and Such

"While we are busy hoping someone will change their ways we ultimately change ours! Women marry men hoping they will change while men marry women hoping they won't! Change is ever constant, without it we become stale and stagnant."

-- Unknown

What if "we want change, we want change, we want…" is becoming the new dogma? What if the protesters after years and years still chant only that they want change?

The “League of the Perpetually Offended,” the perpetually dissatisfied, will never change. They will continue their chant until their feeding frenzy devours their own young, until there is only one of them left, and that one will hang themselves because they are so offended at what they, themselves, have done.

Are some people helping the adage, "the worst is yet to come"?

Have you seen the election results?

Why do you think people say there's no God?

Even scientists who are atheists are coming to a realization that something else is at work in the universe. There are too many results that are not backed by scientific methods. Too many occurrences where the odds have been thrown out the window. If not God, then there is something else at work. So, let’s stop defining God in the religious context. God may simply be the all-powerful force creating this universe and all the other universes in a multitude of dimensions. God might simply be the programmer of this particular reality. My point being, there is a God, we just disagree on what context to view God.

Questions about the existence of a "God" always seem to bring out the League of the Perpetually Offended who, through ignorance or just the sake of argument, feel the need to read more into my statement than was there or not read it at all.  The following is an example:

Viewer Comment: There are still lots of questions in science to which the answer is 'we don't know' and there are no observations at all that suggest any sort of higher power/deity/creative force at work at all.

My Response: Au contraire mon frère!   I direct you to Yes, Intelligent Design Is Detectable by Science.  

He is very correct when he states "we don't know" before he begins support of my discussion by talking about what we don't know.  What we're pretty sure we think we know is that something created the universe.  It might have been energy, an intelligence beyond our understanding, or something else.  We just don't know.  I choose to call this power "God" and you can choose to call it whatever you want.  What we refer to it as does not necessarily detract from the fact that "it" is and probably responsible for creating the universe but, again, we just don't know.  Because we don't know, I prefer to keep an open mind.

"I do not have enough faith to believe there is no God."

-- David Hume (1711-1776) philosopher, historian, essayist

What's the meaning of “sit down”?

Just saying “sit” would be much more appropriate. “Sit up” is simply a way to show good posture, not slouching, while sitting.

Did anyone else grow up hearing things like "leave everything better than how you found it"? What sayings and teachings have helped you in your journey?

“Don’t speak. Listen.”

“The calm voice controls the conversation.”

“Violence begets violence.”

“The first to strike has already lost.”

“If you must strike out at someone, do so with enough force to immediately end the confrontation.”

“Always strive for understanding, tolerance, love, and to be happy always.”

If she doesn’t love me anymore, why would she lie to me about being with someone else?

If she’s said she doesn’t love you anymore, why would you care? She seems to have dumped you and is now lying to you. Run, as fat as you can, away from her.

“I know that's what people say-- you'll get over it. I'd say it, too. But I know it's not true. Oh, youll be happy again, never fear. But you won't forget. Every time you fall in love it will be because something in the man reminds you of him.”

-- Betty Smith (1896-1972), author 

How do I get over my ex fast?

Understand you made a mistake and embrace the fact. Learn why you made the mistake, and strive to not repeat the mistake again. You will always have the memory of the mistake you made, but embracing this memory, as the mistake it was, will help you to “get over” the relationship.  After you've done all of this, don't dwell on it.  Move forward on your path and meet new and better people.  Make good and better choices and decisions in your life.

Is there something you keep starting and stopping and can't seem to finish?  What is it?

Relationships. My divorce, over 20 years ago, destroyed me. I quickly recovered, but my relationships have since suffered from the hurt she did to me. I have finally settled for a long-term relationship with my current “significant other” knowing that marriage will never be back in the picture for me. We have been together for around 15 years now, and things are going well… so far.

What is it called when you want to love, but you are afraid of love?

Intelligence.

“When we put our running shoes on and fight tooth and nail to hide from someone, it’s because that’s the person who really matters. That’s the one person you fear will see what’s inside you and cringe. You’d rather live with the not-knowing than to give it a chance.”

--  Rebel Farris, author

What is a good way to enhance life?

Learn to be happy always! True happiness has always been the best way to enhance one’s life, and sharing that happiness is the best way to enhance the lives of others.

What can you have in your pocket when there is nothing there?

Lint. There is always “pocket lint” in a pocket, even when it’s supposedly empty.

Is it healthy to love someone who doesn't love you back?

I tried to keep a marriage together for 20 years before I finally realized everyone else was correct that it died from the onset. She was using me as an escape from her parent’s house in the beginning, and then she was just using me for my retirement in the end. It wasn’ healthy for either of us. She became a user and I allowed it to continue in order to try and make her love me, which was never going to happen. In the end, I hated her for what she did to me, but I had to embrace my own guilt in letting it continue. I was finally able to forgive both of us, and accept the apology from her that I knew she was never going to give me. I will never risk marriage again, and this has changed me, and my relationships, for life. I now just concentrate on being happy always. I find it so much healthier.

“Because, if you could love someone, and keep loving them, without being loved back . . . then that love had to be real. It hurt too much to be anything else.”

-- Sarah Cross, 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 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 a chaplain at the regional medical center.