More Questions Concerning Ethics

“The animals themselves are incapable of demanding their own liberation, or of protesting against their condition with votes, demonstrations, or bombs. Human beings have the power to continue to oppress other species forever, or until we make this planet unsuitable for living beings. Will our tyranny continue, proving that we really are the selfish tyrants that the most cynical of poets and philosophers have always said we are? Or will we rise to the challenge and prove our capacity for genuine altruism by ending our ruthless exploitation of the species in our power, not because we are forced to do so by rebels or terrorists, but because we recognize that our position is morally indefensible? The way in which we answer this question depends on the way in which each one of us, individually, answers it.”

-- Peter Singer, Professor of Bioethics, moral philosopher

Why are we here in this world? I've grown up seeing people and of a sudden they're dead. I've watched people rise so high and then fall. What's life really about?

Learning. Did they get back up again? Did they learn the lesson they were given, or didn’t they recognize it as a lesson? Life is all about choices and decisions, and these are all about learning. What we learn helps us along our path from this life into the next. Failure just happens to be one of the best ways we learn. Recognize the lesson for what it is. Don’t get pissed off or discouraged, or you miss the point.

Comment: “What we learn helps us along our path from this life into the next.” There is a next?

My Reply: One must have faith; a belief in afterlives for which there is little or no proof. A majority in this reality have such beliefs. I’d like to think that where there is smoke, there is fire.

What would you do if you knew someone was going to hold a very large party with a live band during a pandemic?

Plan to watch a movie at home. People have proved themselves to be morons. Many will ignore the mask mandates, and many will crowd on top of each other. I’m not sure what the science will say about it, and with me not being sure, why would I take the chance where death is concerned, for myself and those I love?

What is the greatest illusion about time?

That it actually exists.

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

-- Saint Theresa of Calcutta (1910-1997)

"If you always do what you always did, you'll always get what you always got". How does this resonate with you?

That would be predicated on nothing changing in the world around me. Everything changes, however, so I might not get what I always got if I continue to do what I always did. I might, then, be changing as well.

Why do so many people seek to change their careers in the new year?

If not now, when? The New Year represents a new beginning in many respects.

Is it always permissible to change your mind or only if your most important personal values ​​remain the same? What do you think about it?

It is always permissible to change your mind, but “permissible” does not require you to do so, it simply means you can. But, a quote comes to mind: “Just because you can do a thing does not mean you must do that thing.” This especially holds true if it conflicts with your personal moral values.

"Your beliefs become your thoughts. Your thoughts become your words. Your words become your actions. Your actions become your habits. Your habits become your values. Your values become your destiny." 

-- Mahatma Gandhi (1869 - 1948), Indian Political and Spiritual Leader 

Do you plan to spend New Year’s 2021 at home?

At 67, I find it hard to stay awake. Yes, home sounds like a plan. 

What is your interpretation of the following quote, "Through the reflection of the past we can see our future." If we choose to acknowledge the past, learn from it, and then apply what we learned"?

If you don’t learn from the past you are doomed to repeat it. If we acknowledge the truth of the past, not what we are taught by those with an agenda, we can see where the past is most likely taking us. If we learn from our past and apply what we learn in the present, in the now, we can have an effect on what might be.

What is the one thing you would do if you could not fail?

Explore the universe, and search for God. 

Are some people more important than others?

Their knowledge is more important, and from that knowledge, they gain a modicum of status and respect. It doesn’t make them better, just more important. I don’t consider myself very important in what I know, as everyone should know it, but I do consider a bowel movement an important part of my day. It isn’t better, just more important.

“We all matter - maybe less than a lot but always more than none.”

-- John Green, author 

Do you have a “no-no” list?

Having served in military intelligence for more than 22 years, this usually falls in the “what is legal” category, otherwise, anything is game. “Anything” encompasses much and "much" can be quite fun.

Do you sense that something big is about to take place worldwide?

The truth will come out, globally, about aliens and unidentified flying objects. 

What are four things that a person could do now that would positively change their life?

Develop a personal, morally ethical code. Embrace yourself as that good person you really are. Be selfless when it comes to others. Strive to be happy always.

“Sometimes in life, a sudden situation, a moment in time, alters your whole life, forever changes the road ahead.”

-- Ahmad Ardalan, author, cancer survivor

What is the connection between self-knowledge and freedom?

To know yourself is to be truly free. You understand and embrace that life is all about the choices and decisions you make. What happens to you, good or bad, is based on what you choose. A bad job was your choice to take. A bad boss came along with that bad job, that was your choice. A bad marriage was your choice to marry the wrong person. Losing money was based on a bad decision you made. And, happiness is a conscious choice you must make, to be happy always.

By knowing yourself you are better prepared for what might come. In this way, you can free yourself from doubt and any emotion but that of being happy at all times. Mistakes and failures are not things to be looked down upon as long as we accept them as the life lessons they are, learn from them, and not make the same mistakes again. Freedom of choice is something no one can take from you. You always have the choice to give in, or fight, that choice is yours, and provides a true feeling of freedom.

How much did luck play a part in you being happy?

None. Being happy was a conscious choice I made to strive to be always. A choice, a decision, is not luck. The consequences of that choice or decision might have a basis in it, however.

What are the most valuable facts we should know in life?

Nothing is serious unless it involves death, continued life, or health. Smiling will get you farther than frowning. Honey will draw more flies than vinegar. True friends are hard to come by, so cherish them. Socialism really doesn’t ever work. Money cannot buy true happiness. Always stand as a patriot with a morally ethical code. And, be a beacon of light for others to emulate as you continuously strive to be happy always.

“There is light at the end of the tunnel. We just need to keep our lanterns lit and have a clear vision of where the road leads ahead, or at least trust the road ahead wherever it may lead.”

-- Mireille Saba Redford, poet, journalist, 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 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.