Questions of Duty, Women, God, and Goals

 

"It may get worse before it gets better, but it will get better."

-- Mike Rawlings

How do I understand this? “Duty is not only about doing things right, it is about doing the right thing.“

Think “ethical behavior” and it might make more sense. Is it your duty to do wrong the best you can, or to do right always and however it can be done?

How do you understand “Duties can come as a result of one's character”?

Duties come, whether a result of one’s character or not, they come. Whether you choose to accept your duties, however, reflects greatly on your character.

Everyone in my school is lifeless except me. Why?

Terrorist attack?

“But his dread was the nights when he could not sleep. Then it was awful indeed, when annihilation pressed in on him on every side. Then it was ghastly, to exist without having any life: lifeless, in the night, to exist.”

-- D.H. Lawrence

How can a man judge a woman as marriage material?

If you have to judge her, she isn’t.

What would you do if a woman rejected you?

Find a woman with better taste.

What are some things that look weird up close but are different from a distance?

Women come to mind. Being nearsighted, even with correction, what looks great from a distance… not so much close up, if they’re still a woman. Yeah, my bad.

"You can impress from a distance, but you can only impact up close"

-- Howard G. Hendricks

If you were given 10 seconds to write about your life, how would you write it?

I lived it the best I could, loved everyone I could, enjoyed all of it immensely, the good and the bad, and hope to live for more.

If God had a middle name, what would it be?

“I am”

Why are most people who believe in God cognitively slower?

Why are people that don’t believe in God perpetually offended?

“Science is not only compatible with spirituality; it is a profound source of spirituality. When we recognize our place in an immensity of light‐years and in the passage of ages, when we grasp the intricacy, beauty, and subtlety of life, then that soaring feeling, that sense of elation and humility combined, is surely spiritual. So are our emotions in the presence of great art or music or literature, or acts of exemplary selfless courage such as those of Mohandas Gandhi or Martin Luther King, Jr. The notion that science and spirituality are somehow mutually exclusive does a disservice to both.”

-- Carl Sagan

What was the last photo that made you happy?

My grandkids.

Why would a guy act like this towards me at work?

Uh… like what?  

How can I slow the physical action/intention of a man when dating without making him feel upset?

Make him feel upset, or he won’t take you seriously.

Diesel sucked air. "You keep fondling me like that, and I might have to marry you."

"I'm not fondling you. I'm looking for the keys!"

"Could you look a little more gently? You're scaring my boys." 

--Janet Evanovich

What advice will you give someone if they caught one of their parents' pants down with someone else?

As with a child, admonish the parent for their actions.

Will someone believe in me and give me a chance to become successful with health, wealth, love, respect, power, wisdom, knowledge, and understanding without trying to keep me down?

You ask a lot from people who don’t know you. Besides, whether we believe in you, or not, should be no reason for you not to attain a goal. Only you can grant yourself the chances you desire. Oh, and don’t ever let anyone keep you down. You have the God-given right to be what you want. Start by striving to be happy always and in all things, regardless of your circumstances. If you can’t do this, then how will you ever be truly happy when you attain your goal? Be “successful” in happiness. Success, like happiness, is a choice, everything else is just a goal. 

Author's comment: What difference does it make to know someone or not? Do you know any black people? You always have a negative to positive opinion on everything. Your opinion is yours. You are not always right and I am tired of people like you claiming to be better than the next. The graveyard is where we all stay with the same hole size.

My reply: I did not know you were black, not that it mattered to me, I know many people of color.  You must be right, though. I do apologize.

Have you ever made a mistake so dumb you can't believe or make sense of it?

The last question I answered reeks of this.

“The 50-50-90 rule: anytime you have a 50-50 chance of getting something right, there's a 90% probability you'll get it wrong.”

-- Andy Rooney

What is the main purpose of gilts?

To cover a surface in a thin layer of gold. 

Why is finding what is wrong and what is right becoming more and more harder today?

Everyone is clouding the “truth” with bullshit. If someone says something long enough and with much vigor, sooner or later people will think it’s the truth. It isn’t.

Half the people trying to rewrite history don’t even know history. If you want the truth, you’re going to have to go back in history and ferret it out for yourself. Find out who really supported equal rights, women’s rights, the Emancipation Proclamation, the KKK, et al, and you might be surprised by what you find.

Read, read, read, and when you’re done, read some more. Question everything and everyone, even those you think are right. If they sound like they’re “blowing smoke up your skirt” look for the fire. Trust no one but yourself.

Do you want to get pleasure by just having sex?

And… this is a problem? 

“To relinquish your typical everyday character for a brief while, in pursuit of uninhibited sexual pleasure can be an incredibly cathartic experience.......Why not try it some time?”

-- Miya Yamanouchi

As a male, what age of girls do you find the most attractive and why?

I find all women attractive to some extent. Being 68, I find older women just as attractive as younger women, although the older women can actually walk in high heels and make it look natural.

What do you call the opinion that doing hard tedious work is stupid rather than admirable?

Ignorant. The person who said it needs to surrender all they own created by someone who put in “hard tedious work” to produce it, even if now it is produced by machines. Hard, tedious, labor was the impetus for almost everything we now have.

Is it better to be unrealistic or realistic with your life goals and desires?

“Realistic” means that most goals will come to fruition. “Unrealistic” means, well, not so much. 

"Sometimes, our expectations of being all-knowing are somewhat unrealistic. At the end of the day, there are people out there who mean harm to us, are thinking about doing harm to us, and motivated to do it, and we don't know what that is."

-- Jack Keane

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 volunteered as a chaplain at the regional medical center.

Feel free to contact Pastor Tony:  tolerantpastor@gmail.com

Questioning Life, Opportunity, Love, and Ethics

 

“If you hurt me, I wouldn't cry. I would hurt you back.”

-- Holly Black

How’s life treating you today?

I woke up, which is another gift. Any day on this side of the dirt is a great day. I thank God for another day in paradise and another chance to excel in life.

Regardless of your thoughts, perceptions, associations, work, emotions, memories, Who are you?

I am everything you just mentioned that I can’t reference. So, I am left with saying, very simply, I am me.

Author's comment:  So Is everybody.

My reply:  Bingo!  We have a winner. 

In your opinion, is life mostly good times, mostly bad times, or mostly both?

Life is what it is and, usually, what we make of it. Good or bad, our choices and decisions drive our lives. We try to deny blame for where we find ourselves, but it is usually us that brought us there. Better we should not look upon life as good or bad. We should embrace life, regardless, and strive to be happy in it at all times and in all things. If we see life as crap, it is simply another opportunity for us to learn why we went wrong. What did we do to bring us to that point? Critique the problem, solve it, and move forward.

“Instead of worrying about what you cannot control, shift your energy to what you can create.”

-- Roy T. Bennett

Is it true that obstacles are opportunities in disguise?

It is true, but they are only "disguised" because we refuse to see them for what they are, opportunities to learn and excel.

What is the best way to attain happiness?

There is no magic here. No difficulty but that which you bring to the table. Choose to be happy. Life is about making good choices and decisions. If you make bad ones, correct them. If you are in a bad circumstance, leave it for a better one. Life is your choice, so choose a good one and strive to be truly happy always and in all things, regardless of your circumstances.

I want to hurt women. Should I?

Sexually, you can find women who prefer it rough. They will let you know. But, to just hurt women, or anyone, for that matter, is simply wrong. It only satisfies a selfish desire on your part. Sooner or later you’ll run into a Lorena Bobbitt who will make you pay for your transgressions. Better you should treat everyone with respect… until they tell you not to.

“Don't worry about hurting me, if that's what you're afraid of. I want to get hurt. At least I´ll feel something for a change.”

-- Katie Kacvinsky

How can I change up my sissy life?

Make the conscious choice to do so. It is your life, and life is all about making choices for yourself. Choose to do so.

Does a person have to earn respect, or do all people deserve it?

Everyone deserves respect, but if they abuse that respect it is your choice to walk away from them or to continue to have your respect abused. I show everyone respect. If they abuse it, then they have to earn it back.

What is one thing, you would definitely tell your future self?

Uh… Nothing I wouldn’t already know?

"Once you're born, the worst has already happened."

-- Rudy Rucker

What is one thing everyone should be happy about?

Life? Without the daily gift of life, what’s the point of happiness? I am exceedingly happy every day I wake up on this side of the dirt.

Does true love need money?

If it does, how true can it be? 

Which person do you think should be given more merit than they have?

Why? A false sense of “merit” won’t do them any good. Better they should earn the merit they receive, otherwise, it’s simply a “participation” award. Woo hoo… you showed up.

"Reputation is an idle and most false imposition; oft got without merit, and lost without deserving."

-- William Shakespeare

What is the main concern of ethics?

Good ethics? I’d have to say, good moral behavior.

Is it possible to make God consider letting us live to be 1,000 again?

Make God consider? Yeah, let’s go with that.

Author comment:  Do you think it was nice to live to be that old? I can see it being both a punishment or a sigh of regret and God wanting us to feel bad about the curse. I would hope that we would be able to live that long again and show God how much we love him.

My reply: It would be nice to have the extra time to learn and excel. Maybe, one day, we will be gifted with the knowledge to make it happen.

What are the virtues of selfishness?

Virtues are behavior showing high moral standards. I see no virtue in selfishness.

"While selfishness joins hands with no one of the virtues, benevolence is allied to them all."

-- Oliver Goldsmith

What is the best advice you can give someone about to retire?

Find a part-time job, or volunteer, anything to keep yourself busy and involved in life. 

Is it easier to make money from a job that pays a lot per hour or an easy job that you can work as many hours as you want?

Well, you kind of answered your own question. It’s all ways easier with an easy job, especially if you can work as much as you want.

What is your poetic philosophy?

I wrote this, years ago:

"You think my love is like chalk,

That I can write it on

And erase it at will.

Well, you’re wrong.

I use crayons."

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 volunteered as a chaplain at the regional medical center.

Feel free to contact Pastor Tony:  tolerantpastor@gmail.com

Questions of Virtues, Failures, Afterlife, and Karma

 

“Realize that everything connects to everything else.”

--Leonardo da Vinci

What's a skill you learned from your friend?

How to “satisfy” a woman.

What is the greatest confusion about taste?

That it is personal? What I like has no bearing on what others like or don’t like. We tend to think, “If I like it, they’ll like it,” and that so rarely works out to be true.

Is virtue considered the moral excellence of a person?

Virtue is how “excellent” they are at exercising their moral “ethics,” their personal moral code. How well they exercise their moral ethics will determine how excellent they are. It is, after all, what defines them in the eyes of others. 

“The problem with people who have no vices is that generally you can be pretty sure they're going to have some pretty annoying virtues.”

-- Elizabeth Taylor

How do you deal with a long-time friendship betrayal?

If they don’t already realize it, I explain it to them, in no uncertain terms. In this way, my treatment of them with little or no respect will come as no surprise. Betrayal is the worst, and very hard for a “friend” to try and rebuild. However, how hard they try can be good evidence of their understanding of the mistake.

Who is a person you will remember for your entire life?

Leo Buscaglia, a great philosopher on life, love, and happiness.

What's the meaning of love? Love is life.

Okay. Are you answering your question?

“Tell me about love when you've been with someone for years, cared for them when they're ill, put up with them when they're miserable or grumpy, taken the sharp side of their tongue, and still come back. Tell me about love when you've acted quite appallingly, and the other person has still accepted you.”

-- Mark Chadbourn

Can success sometimes be more frightening than failure?

Not if you understand success is simply feeling true happiness always and in all things, even failure. Failure is simply another opportunity to learn. What you do when you fail is the lesson. Do you learn from the failure or do you wallow in that pit of misery?

How come we learn how to deal with failure but none teaches you how to deal with success?

If we truly knew how to deal with failure, dealing with the attainment of our goals would be no big thing. Success is about being truly happy at all times and in all things, even in failure, since failure is simply another opportunity to learn. Whether you attain goals or not, strive to be happy always and in all things. This is true success in life.

Do losers never prosper?

Oh, my, yes! But, first, they need to learn to be truly happy in loss and failure. Regardless of monetary prosperity, true happiness, regardless of your circumstances, can make you wealthy in ways money cannot.

Everyone needs to look upon loss and failure as it is what it is until it isn’t. It is up to the individual to change their own circumstances. If the change is handed to them, they will probably return to their misery in short order. Here, the Chinese proverb has much meaning, "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime." 

“Be patient. Your skin took a while to deteriorate. Give it some time to reflect a calmer inner state. As one of my friends states on his Facebook profile: "The true Losers in Life, are not those who Try and Fail, but those who Fail to Try.”

-- Jess C. Scott

How do you relate religious beliefs with science, when it has to do with life after death?

All we have is anecdotal evidence from those who have passed over and returned. Is that proof? To those few that have returned, yes, but for the rest of us, life after death remains a matter of faith, and as the definition states, faith is the belief in something for which there is little or no proof, especially where science is concerned. 

How much pain do atheists feel when their body is being cremated, compared to living in hell?

None. Nobody feels pain when they're dead.  They’re dead. But, atheists expect nothing when they die, so hey will probably have that wish granted. I like to leave that door opened, just a crack, just in case. There is a special place in “hell” for people like me. Hell won’t be any cakewalk, but I also have unwavering faith in my God and wasn't a serial killer, either.  When you cross over, hell or heaven, you'll probably get all that feeling back, however.

Do dead people have respect for the living?

They’re dead, and if they haven’t moved on maybe there’s a reason, like to learn to have some “respect for the living.”

“To the living we owe respect, but to the dead we owe only the truth.”

-- Voltaire

Why is life not balanced?

It’s supposed to be. What are you doing wrong?

I feel like I’m behind in life. I have no girlfriend or haven’t moved out yet. What do I do?

My son didn’t start dating till he was almost out of college. Now, at 45, he has a great job and is still with the girl he met in college, who also, by the way, has a great job. So, how old are you? No, I’s say you’re not cutting yourself enough slack. Just a suggestion, though? Get a job and move the hell out! Everybody is hiring right now.

How important is "physical appeal" in mate selection?

True love is blind. Go with that, and appearance means very little.

“Physical appearance has nothing to do with the quality of a person.”

― Richelle E. Goodrich

Can you not like someone and still marry them?

My wife did, then, 25 years and two kids later, she divorced me. Who knew? Everyone but me, it would seem.

Is it selfish to do good deeds with the motive of making good Karma for ourselves?

As strange as it sounds, doing anything, strictly for your benefit, is selfish, not selfless. The only “motive” for doing good deeds should be because it’s the right thing to do, not because of any karma you think will come your way.

Have you ever done a good deed and gotten something back without anticipating it?

Almost always. I put in a mailbox at the curb for an elderly couple across the street, recently. The husband was on a “walker” and kept saying he could handle it. I finally insisted on doing it, because I saw the mail carrier get out of the truck and bend down to put mail in the leaning box. A couple of days after resseting it, I found a nice thank you note in my mailbox. Doing it for them didn’t take very long, and it made me feel good which was probably selfish had I expected it. Righting the box in a concrete base for them was simply the right thing to do. The husband passed not long after that, and the wife has decided to stay in their house. I look forward to helping her more in the future.

“Selflessness. It should be the basis of every relationship. If a person truly cares about you, they'll get more pleasure from the way they make you feel, rather than the way you make them feel.”

-- Colleen Hoover

 

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 volunteered as a chaplain at the regional medical center.

Feel free to contact Pastor Tony:  tolerantpastor@gmail.com

Questioning Learning, Balance, and Touching

 

“My point is, life is about balance. The good and the bad. The highs and the lows. The pina and the colada.”

-- Ellen DeGeneres

Is learning by doing better than studying?

Generally, neither is better than the other, and both should be done in conjunction with each other, if possible. You learn much by studying, but the hands-on application can drive home concepts you learn from books or verbal classroom instruction.

What life lessons can you learn in college?

Socialist indoctrination?

Why do people do and say things they regret when they are truly enraged?

When we’re angry, right and wrong are harder to understand since we have a death grip on the bone of our opinion of righteousness. There is a reason people tell you not to discuss anything when you’re angry. You can find yourself, albeit temporarily, an unwitting member of the League of the Perpetually Offended. Better to go calm down, take a breath, think about the issues, and then have a calm discussion with the intent of listening to the other side. You may get nowhere by doing this, but you will gain some insight and, in all probability, impress your opponent and, certainly, any witnesses. 

"Be careful what you say. You can say something hurtful in ten seconds, but ten years later, the wounds are still there."

-- Joel Osteen

How do you find a balance between caring for your health and non-attachment to your health?

Why would you look for a balance, unless you like gambling? One should always strive to care for their health, not lose their attachment to it. Why brush your teeth or bathe? Why wash your hair? Why not eat crap and gain several hundred pounds? Why not pile on the salt and eat fatty meat? Why not just eat a bullet? Well, most of us would really like to live longer, healthier, lives. It is hard enough to live healthier if we’re wrapped up in finding some excuse for balance between caring and turning to crap. And this coming from a guy that has a hard time staying on the side of healthy. I don’t want balance. I want healthy. I just can’t seem to get there. Just saying.

What are some tips for living with a major regret from the past that still haunts you today?

Let it go.

Is the human being by nature good or bad?

If you believe we are born without sin, then it is in our nature to be good. What evil happens to us after we arrive is why we are supposed to have nurturing parents. This doesn’t always pan out the way we’d like. Then, there is always a belief in an evil we bring with us from a previous life. Unfinished business we need to work on or be mentored through, if possible. And, there is always the demonic entity that simply hitches a ride with newborn innocence. But, I’d like to think that most children are born with a blank slate to be filled in with life.

“There was only one guy in the whole Bible Jesus ever personally promised a place with him in Paradise. Not Peter, not Paul, not any of those guys. He was a convicted thief, being executed. So don't knock the guys on death row. Maybe they know something you don't.”

-- Neil Gaiman

In retrospect, have you ever been grateful for a lie you've been told? If you want to let us know, which was the lie?

Not at all. I’d be grateful to get the truth, regardless of how painful. This is a lesson I learned before and during my divorce.

How common is it for hot water to run out in the USA?

Depends on the size of your hot water heater, and how many people are using it.

If you had to be visited by one of the Christmas spirits, which one would you see, and what would happen?

Christmas Present, because the present is all we really have. The past is memory, and the future is yet to be. I would be exceedingly happy, as I strive to be always!

"The Christmas spirit does not shine out in the Christian snob. For the Christmas spirit is the spirit of those who, like their Master, live their whole lives on the principle of making themselves poor - spending and being spent - to enrich their fellowmen, giving time, trouble, care, and concern to do good to others - and not just their own friends - in whatever way there seems need."

-- J.I. Packer

My girlfriend and I never built a relationship. What can I do?

First off, I’d have to assume she isn’t really your steady girlfriend because you’ve never built a relationship with her, which, to my way of thinking, really sucks. I’d be sitting down with her and asking her about all this. Women are pretty insightful, or so my girlfriend says. I have no reason to question her because we’ve been together for almost 19 years.

How can I stop being scared of dying?

It is what it is. Being scared isn’t going to change the inevitable. The good news, however, is that, unless you're an atheist, there might be an afterlife in store for you. Stop worrying about those things over which you have little or no control. What’s the point?

Aren't we better off without religion?

Yes! We should develop our personal faith and worship our God in our own way. Religion always seems to have a hidden agenda.

“Anyone who thinks sitting in church can make you a Christian must also think that sitting in a garage can make you a car.”

-- Garrison Keillor

How can I tell my boyfriend that I want to touch him in the dick?

Crude, but... okay.  Don’t tell him, just do it. He’ll either get the message, or you’ll be looking for a new boyfriend.

Who was the least likely to succeed but proved them all wrong?

Me. There is no reason I was able to retire early with two careers under my belt. I was the least likely for anything, maturity, careers, success, women, et al. And, yet, I matured in the military, excelled at my jobs, I consider myself happy and, therefore, successful, and I have had great relationships with women if we discount the horrible marriage.

"What else you got?"

I’ve always been more than enough, or so my mother says. I think she’s slammin' me, though.

"It's not what you've got, it's what you use that makes a difference."

-- Zig Ziglar

Would it be karma farming if you sort posts by new so you could have a higher chance to have more top comments?

What? Sounds a bit egotistical to me. “Karma farming” will fail if this is the plan. How about just selflessly answering questions, you know, the right thing to do. This way good karma might just seek you out for your selfless actions.

Have you been bullied for being knowledgeable about different topics?

Constantly, but, I’ve learned to ignore the lack of cogent thought and insulting vulgarities that spew from the pie holes of the League of the Perpetually Offended.

To what extent did a person go (unethically) for their revenge?

Do you mean, like, murder? Revenge, regardless of how it is carried out, crosses the line into “unethical” behavior. Murder, in my view, is the epitome of unethical behavior.

“If you spend your time hoping someone will suffer the consequences for what they did to your heart, then you're allowing them to hurt you a second time in your mind.”

-- Shannon L. Alder

What is the meaning of the phrase "the only stupid questions that exist are the ones you don't ask"?

It goes along with, “There are no stupid questions, only stupid answers.” Basically, if you don’t ask the question, it can’t be answered. If you don’t ask questions, therefore, you remain ignorant. So, I think the phrase is trying to be nice by indirectly calling the person, not asking a question, stupid.

If you were a social media platform, which one would you be?

TRUTH Social. It might be a breath of fresh air, you know, telling people the truth for a change. The only people I can see balking at the truth would be the League of the Perpetually Offended. We’ll see what the site offers up.

Can good luck be real?

Luck is real, but it has little to do with the intangible. Louis Pasteur quipped, 'Fortune favors the prepared mind.' Good fortune, good luck, is all about how prepared you are for the task at hand. If someone says you encountered some bad luck, they’re actually saying you weren’t well prepared or you didn’t think the issue through very well.

You can lose at gambling, bad luck, but why did you sit down at the table knowing you were ill-prepared to win? Was it really “bad luck” or simply a bad decision on your part.

I suppose I view “luck” as an excuse for something that happened, good or bad. Things happen, and we like to find a reason for it even if there is none. Do we choose to call it “luck” instead of destiny? Maybe. But, how real it is, has more to do with the belief, the faith, we put into it. Faith is a belief in something for which there is little or no proof. I find more proof in bad and good choices or being prepared or ill-prepared than I do in luck.

“Shallow men believe in luck or in circumstance. Strong men believe in cause and effect.”

-- Ralph Waldo Emerson

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 volunteered as a chaplain at the regional medical center.

Feel free to contact Pastor Tony:  tolerantpastor@gmail.com

Updated: Most Viewed Answers from the Semi-Ancient "Pie Hole" Philosopher

  

"It is what it is until it isn't,

and then it is what it is... again."

-- Tony Villari 

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Note to my readers:  (UPDATED as of 12/27/21)  As we approach the end of 2021, I promised to share the most-read answers to questions I've been requested to answer.  I've included the answers that had between 1000 and 46,100 views and listed them by the most views first.  I stopped at 1,000 or I'd be doing "cut and paste" for quite a while, and, as much as I love you all, no.  I don't see any rhyme or reason that my answers garner the viewership they did, but, perhaps you will see something I missed.  As of this updated post, 554,350 people have viewed my answers since August of 2019.  I hope you enjoy the read and, please, let me know what you think.

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46,100  

What are the most indecent moments you have ever experienced in front of a doctor?

She was an attractive blonde captain in the Air Force giving me my periodic physical. She had a firm handhold on my package when she told me to turn my head and cough. I was counting backward from 100, trying not to be aroused. What came out was a weak excuse for a cough. She asked me what the problem was, and I looked at her, smiled weakly, and said, “Really?” She smiled and told me to get dressed.

29,400

What is the most embarrassing incident while you were on a vacation to a different country?

Three military guys, on leave in Frankfurt, walk into a bar for some beers. The captain has his arm taken by one good-looking woman, I get hauled off in the opposite direction by another, and the very young army private is taken by a third. All we wanted were beers. The captain signaled me that the girl’s drinks were expensive to make up for our cheaper beers. $20 each and one beer later, we grabbed the private and made our retreat. He asked us what was wrong and I told him he could now safely say he got screwed in Frankfurt.

11,400

What was a showdown at work you will never forget?

The vice-president of the company told my crew to do something I disagreed with him on, and then threw me under the bus to the president when she didn’t like it. I stood there and let him do it, but I chewed his ass when we got back to his office. He never did that again. Come to find out, later, the president of the company had pretty much figured out who really screwed up, because it wasn’t like me to do anything that idiotic. She commended my loyalty to the VP, and to the company.

4,500

What is your comment on this statement, “What I believe must be true if I feel very strongly about it.”?

What I believe is a matter of faith, and faith is a belief in something for which there is little or no proof. Is it true? I don’t know, but I believe it to be so. Atheists would have me prove the existence of my God and, yet, how do I prove something for which there is no proof? My faith tells me, God exists. But, faith is something that seems to escape the comprehension of certain people. Because I have faith, I have no need for proof. If I have no need for proof, the onus is, then, on the atheist to prove God does not exist. So, as a person of faith, what I believe must be true, not because I feel strongly about it, but because I have undying faith in it. If I’m right, I have "life ever after" in my future. If I’m wrong? Well, let’s hope I’m not. But, either way, the atheist has nothing to look forward to. It is what they believe. So be it.

3,300

Between the professional and personal qualities of a teacher, which ones are perceived to be more important? Is there really such a thing as more important than the other?

I’d give real money just to have teachers teach reality, not their personal take on it. Teach real history, not the winner’s version of it. Teach why history, reading, writing, arithmetic, and happiness, are important to learn. Students would be well served to stop tearing down history and start learning the lessons of it before they doom themselves to a future based on the repetition of mistakes made in the past.

3,300

What is availability? Have you ever made yourself available to others?

Yes. I let them know my schedule and will make myself available for them, as I can. No one should assume your availability, that would be rude. It would also be selfish to not be available for those already on your schedule. Making yourself available means just that, you make yourself available. No, if you were to say “I’m always available for you” you’re putting yourself at their every beck and call. Even as a selfless person, this is not a really smart thing to do. One must always leave a bit of wiggle room for the unexpected.  

3,300

How can you relate your life to Rizal when he was a student in UST?

So, because he went to the University of Santo Tomas, this causes difficulty in relating to him? I would find it more difficult to relate my life to his because of his accomplishments. And, he accomplished what he did in the latter half of the 1800s. Talk about a rolling stone gathering no moss:

“He was an ophthalmologist, sculptor, painter, educator, farmer, historian, playwright, and journalist. Besides poetry and creative writing, he dabbled, with varying degrees of expertise, in architecture, cartography, economics, ethnology, anthropology, sociology, dramatics, martial arts, fencing, and pistol shooting. He was also a Freemason, joining Acacia Lodge No. 9 during his time in Spain and becoming a Master Mason in 1884.” — Wikipedia

Assuming, of course, you’re discussing José Protasio Rizal Mercado y Alonso Realonda. The tragedy was his dying by firing squad as an accused revolutionary, but, being a revolutionary seemed to be what he was all about, at least where education was concerned.

3,100

To what extent does it reflect your real self?

Well, I’m not sure what “it” is, but that notwithstanding, nothing reflects my real self, except me. We make a choice to show who we really are or to hide behind some mask, some facade that shows what we would rather show people. It is much better if we simply fix what we feel is wrong and show people who we really are. If we’re afraid of ourselves, what does that tell us? Either embrace who you are or change. The real you is who people want to deal with, so let’s hope it is a light in the darkness. 

2,400

How do people with IQs below 100 behave?

They probably behave like everyone else. The real determining factor would be what their SQ is. How intelligent you are, has no bearing on how smart you might be. I’ve met a lot of intelligent people who can’t walk and chew gum at the same time. I met a doctor who introduced himself as Doctor (X). I said I was pleased to meet him, I’m Master Sergeant Villari. He looked at me, for a second, and then began to laugh. He said his name was John, I told him mine was Tony.

Titles and IQ are no substitute for being human and, at times, we tend to forget this, What we are, we earned for ourselves, and it shouldn’t be used as a badge demanding respect, as that has to be earned, title or not, high IQ or not. In the military I earned respect, but the good doctor didn’t know me… yet. Whatever you are, never forget you’re just human, like the rest of us.

2,400 

What is something you should never pass up when shopping in a thrift store?

Original art that has great value. I picked up a “poster” in a plastic poster frame and paid $10 for it. I noticed it wasn’t a poster at all, just in a poster frame. It was an original “artist proof” print. I took it home and looked it up online to find it was worth $1,200. One ignorant person’s crap, or mistake, can actually be another person’s treasure. 

2,300

Why do I always fantasize that bad things happen to me?

By definition, if you “always fantasize that bad things happen” to you, you “indulge in daydreaming about something desired.” If this is correct, then perhaps you just need a good hard spanking every now and then. It is generally thought that what we want will come to fruition, will come to be. If this isn’t your wish, then, perhaps, you should pay more attention to happy things and work toward being happy always.

1,900

What's a rule your employer implemented that backfired terribly?

Casual dress. Professionalism dropped. Women were wearing, well, for all intents and purposes, pajama bottoms to work. And the definition of “clean and neat” had to be adjusted several times for everyone. The only people who seemed to be unphased by all the drama were the military vets who just kept coming to work looking appropriately ready for work.

1,900

Why do my friends hate me?

I don’t know why they don’t like you, I don’t know you. But, I think your definition needs some work. Friend: “A person whom one knows and with whom one has a bond of mutual affection, typically exclusive of sexual or family relations.”

So, right off the bat, these are not your friends! There is no “mutual affection” required for friendship. I recommend you dump them and find some real “friends.” 

1,800

When did you decide that you were enough and didn't need to change?

Just about the age of 50. My divorce had been final for a couple of years, and I finally came to grips with the fact that I had a hand in the failure by trying to keep it together, but the ultimate failure had been her plan for 25 years if just to get her hands on my military retirement. She just had to find an “out.” She finally found him. I was dating people we both knew, and they were very confused about why she did it. I decided I was enough and didn’t need to change anything, according to my dates, but marriage. I swore off of it and never looked back.

1,700

What was the most embarrassed you’ve been after having had unexpected company?

So, let me get this straight, Someone doesn’t have the courtesy to tell me they're coming over, and I'm supposed to be embarrassed by something they might have seen? “Excuse the mess. What’s up?” “I would have put on clothes but, one, I had no idea you coming over and, two, I didn’t even know your mom was in town. Stop staring, ma’am.” Embarrassment should be on the plate of the “unexpected” company, and they can avoid it by the courtesy of a warning call.

1,700 

Why do people relate to poor health, lack of education, too old, too young, bad luck, and so on as excuses for failure instead of accepting their mistake?

Ego prohibits most of us from being honest. Everything you listed has to do with the choices and decisions we make for our own lives.

To try and shift blame to others is so transparent as to be laughable. Our life is our life, and no one controls it but us. If we let someone else make decisions for us, this, too, is our decision, our choice, to let them run our lives. How stupid can we be?

Any failure is simply another opportunity for us to learn why we went wrong and to correct it, if possible, or mitigate it ever happening again. Our failure is something we should own and embrace. No one is perfect, and we all make mistakes.

1,700

What do you mean by the saying "No one is poor that he can't give, and no one is so rich that He can't receive?"

I mean nothing by it because I never said it. But we must put it in the original quote to better understand it.

“Nobody is so poor that he has nothing to give, and nobody is so rich that he has nothing to receive.” — Pope John Paul II

Even the poorest of us have something of ourselves to give to others. Even the richest among us are still able to receive what others might wish to give. An example? Christ was poor, but even the wealthy were able to listen if they chose to.  

1,600

At what point should we start putting regulations on artificial intelligence?

The “Three Laws of Robotics,” known as Asimov's Laws, should be in place already for Artificial Intelligence, as it has been around since Asimov's short story "Runaround" in 1942:

First Law: A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.

Second Law: A robot must obey the orders given to it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.

Third Law: A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.

1,600 

What material thing do you possess and has personal meaning to you? Why do you find that particular object personally relevant or meaningful?

A medallion of Mary of Nazareth. I bought it as a gift to myself for my second retirement working 17 years for a private firm after my 22 plus years with military intelligence. I figured after almost 30 years I deserved something special for myself. 

1,600

What can I do to stop my coworker from dumping work on me? It seems they pass their work on to me. I have told my supervisor in the past but nothing has happened.

You are being paid to do your work. Don’t accept their work. Tell your supervisor you’re doing your work and if the other worker can’t do theirs this is a problem the supervisor needs to address because you’re not doing it. There seems to be enough work that they can’t really afford to fire you, so use that fact to your benefit. It sounds like the supervisor doesn’t want anyone higher up to know he/she can’t handle the position. if you get fired, I’d let the owner know what’s going on.

1,600

What is your thought and/or ideas with the phrase Unpacking the Self?

Unpack all of the baggage you carry around and lay it out so you can determine what to take to Goodwill or trash altogether. What’s left is in need of some introspection before putting up on a shelf and showing your “self” off. 

1,500

Have there ever been any instances where a Recruit has enlisted in one branch of the military (e.g. Air Force) and has somehow been accidentally shipped to another branch's boot camp (e.g. Navy), and has served their entire contract in that branch?

Your answer deals with that “contract” you mentioned. The other branches won’t have his Air Force contract, so right away something will ring a bell. The military would really have to totally screw the pooch even send them to the wrong boot camp. I’ve never heard of it happening and I was in for 23 years.

1,500 

How am I of value to myself, to others, and to what I believe in?

You are alive. This gives value to yourself. What you do with your life, selflessly for others, is evidence of your value to them. What you do is evidence of who you are, and who you are is, essentially, what you believe in. In this context, taken in total, what you believe in has value.

1,500

What should I say while breaking up?

Bye? You should really give some good, cogent reasons for your decision. People like to know the why, who, what, and how of things. With this information, they will be able to determine why you’re doing it, if it concerns someone else, what they did wrong, and how they will view you moving on. It is always better to part on good terms, if possible.

1,500

Based on Williams, Kay, and Kohlberg’s stages of moral development point, in which stage are you?

Moral development? No. No, no, no… this is a constant battle. Do as I say, not as I do. Oh, my goodness. Developing morality requires moral restraint. There is a room reserved for me at the Purgatory Inn.

Hypocrisy notwithstanding, and having stated the obvious, I’m probably at Stage 6.    

1,400

How did philosophy help us address our situation?

Philosophy has given many much to think about. Unfortunately, few utilize anything they learn. Our circumstances look like the feed from a heart monitor, ups and downs. I keep waiting for the flatline and the inevitable shock back into reality.  

1,400

Who was/is the best problem solver the world has ever known?

Politically, I think this would be Ronald Reagan. He did much good throughout the world, culminating in the fall of the Berlin Wall and the Soviet Union.

“The capstone of the Reagan-Gorbachev relationship, however, occurred in June 1988 when Reagan visited the Soviet Union. The symbolism of the trip was powerful and undeniable. Reagan, the most outspoken anti-Communist elected to the American presidency, met Soviet citizens in Red Square and spoke to students at Gorbachev's alma mater. When a reporter reminded him of his 1983 description of the Soviet Union as an "evil empire," Reagan replied, "I was talking about another time, another era."By the time Reagan's presidency concluded, the Cold War was not formally over, but its end was in sight. Many people contributed to this achievement, including Secretary of State Shultz and Gorbachev's able foreign minister, Eduard Shevardnadze, but Reagan and Gorbachev deserve the principal credit. In his book, Reagan and Gorbachev: How The Cold War Ended, career diplomat Jack F. Matlock, himself a key player in the U.S-Soviet negotiations, wrote that Reagan and Gorbachev were willing to depart from the position papers that had been written for them and make up their own minds on critical issues. "Both were willing to take political risks, and both were skilled in judging the degree of risk in their respective, very different societies," Matlock wrote. "They didn't always get things right, but on the most critical issues, they finally did."

-- Ronald Reagan: Foreign Affairs | Miller Center

1,400

How does it feel to have someone inside of you?

Are you asking about a baby… or someone’s appendage? Not that I have an answer, either way. Just curious, and looking for clarity.

1,400 

From my own experiences, I have no doubt that the future is already written, but can we still change the future, or every possible reality is already written that doesn't need to be changed?

The future is already written for those who make choices to ensure the future unfolds a particular way. In truth, the future has not happened and may not. The choices and decisions we make, or accept, at this moment will determine how the next moment unfolds. If your future constantly sucks, make better choices in the present to make the next moment better. It’s really that simple.

1,300

Social help! How do I politely tell people to get out of my house? I've had two homeless friends living with me for a month and one for two months. They are very "social" people so if I want to do something alone they come to sit next to me?

As a 67-year-old curmudgeon, I’m just spitballing here, but, if you really want them to “get out” of your house, you’re going to have to be firm, not polite. I’d start with saying, “GET OUT!” If that doesn’t work, then help them to understand by changing the locks and leaving their stuff outside. Then, I’d start asking myself the easy questions. These are my friends? What am I basing my friendship on? What are they basing their friendship with me on? And, here would be my favorite: Why do I have a place to live and they don’t? Hmmm… “Social” people, until everyone else’s money runs out.

1,300

What is the best example of integrity that you have ever seen in your life?

I was waiting to give an intelligence briefing to the Wing Commander, a Brigadier General, when a Captian came out of his office and told the administration clerk to get hold of the building custodian and tell him to get down here and fix the furnace in the basement.

It was Spokane, Washington in the middle of winter. It was freezing. The General came out of his office and told the Captian that, when the civilian custodian arrived, he was to speak to him in a friendly manner, without attitude, to ensure the civilian repaired the unit in short order. The Captain acknowledged the General and went to make the phone call.

The General invited me into his office for the briefing and asked me what I thought. I suggested the Captain had not been in as long as the General and I had. He had not been presented the opportunity to enjoy the fullness of winter on a northern-tier flight line and to appreciate the coffee and warmth afforded to him by our civilian counterparts. The General laughed and was happy to hear I agreed with his handling of the situation. The Captain was transferred to the flying squadron, on the flight line, several months later.

I thought the General showed integrity, respect, and leadership. To someone at the lower end of the ladder, his actions were a reminder to me that even custodians deserve respect for what they bring to the table. They dump the trash, clean up behind us and keep the fifty-year-old furnaces running, and if not them, then who? Everyone deserves respect and appreciation.   

1,200

What is the saddest case of homelessness that you've ever come across?

I assisted a breakfast feed in a parking lot once a week. There was a young family living in their car. He was a carpenter looking for work in a town with plenty of ongoing construction. The problem was a requirement to have a physical address, not a P.O. box. I hate it when people with children are lazy and use other people because they hate to work. The children grow up thinking this is right. I really hate it when someone wants to work and can’t because of stupid rules, especially when they have children suffering because of it. I think the plus is these children growing up knowing their parents really tried hard to do the right thing. This is a lesson the privileged don’t have to learn, but should.

1,200

Is there a place and a time you would love to have lived in the past, and why?

Knowing what I know now, nope. The past had poor personal hygiene, bad sewers (if any), no toilet paper, food quality was questionable, yadda, yadda, yadda. Ever been around someone who constantly smelled like an ass or armpit? Ever had the desire to live on jerky, hardtack, and water that might give you dysentery? You had an opportunity to die at any moment for any number of sad reasons besides accidents. Is it any wonder the life span was so short for the majority? Nope. I’m fine right here.

1,200

I lied to my parents about my grades and they grounded me for 3 months. I've been grounded for about a month and it ends on June 4th. Was this reasonable on my parent's part?

As a grandparent, yes, it was. You need to learn that the only one you hurt here is you. Failure is the best way we learn, but if you don’t learn what’s the point? Parents want what is best for their children and sometimes they can get frustrated, especially when the child lies or cheats. You lied to them and you cheated yourself. Honesty is much better, and asking for their help might be looked upon as growing up.

1,200

Is the soul prepared to give up things that it has made up in itself?

The soul has no possessions, so the only “things” it could give up would be non-material emotions, like guilt. Everything becomes known when we move on. Our sins, our secrets, our guilt, all become known as truth. We, for all intents and purposes, will find ourselves incapable of lying or concealing. It isn’t that we are being judged as much as it is that we are judging ourselves. We are laying bare our soul for all to see. So what about hauntings?

Some souls don’t move on. Either they don’t know they are supposed to, they’re being held here by evil, or they are evil and refuse to have their soul run up the flagpole for all to see. The latter condemn themselves to hell on earth and, because of their fear of confronting what they’ve done in life, are at the mercy of even stronger evil.

My point is, after a soul makes the choice to move on to what comes next, I don’t think it has a choice to “give up” things, it will just happen.

1,100

How do I learn and gain from science without falling prey to dogmatism?

Question everything. There is no such thing as a stupid question, just stupid answers. Having said that, I have seen some questionable questions, poorly asked or poorly understood. Where science is concerned, it is what it is… until it isn’t. Dogma? I don’t think so. Most of what we know is “incontrovertibly true” as of this moment. But, in the next moment…

1,100

What is the most pleasurable experience of your life?

Two years in Adana, Turkey. I loved the food and the people. The second most pleasurable might be the two years I spent in Manzanillo, Mexico. I ate tacos and drank beer and tequila the entire time. Again, I loved the food and the people. I left the states weighing 208 lbs and came back weighing 168 and cutting my blood pressure meds in half. What’s not to love?

1,100

What is the most "F-ck this, I'm out" moment of your relationship?

This would be when my ex-wife had me arrested by telling the police I threatened to kill her, which I never did. Being arrested, having an “ankle bracelet” monitor, then being on probation, all for something you never did, has a way of finally pounding home that having any kind of relationship, even for the good of the children, is going to be an impossibility. This was the “F-ck this I’m out” moment of my non-existent relationship with a woman I never really knew.

1,100

What are the healthy boundaries for a perfectionist?

Before you go looking for boundaries, understand there is no such thing as perfection. One has to be concerned, then, that setting boundaries in the search for something that does not exist would in any way be healthy, or not for that matter. Better for you to just keep being as good as you can be, stretching those boundaries, and being happy always in your chosen task.

1,100 

Is life boring without having children?

The question answers itself.  Why is life sober without bourbon, is a better question?  

Kids are energizer bunnies. They run and run and run until they either sleep or you turn on the cartoons. First God gave the man a woman. Realizing what a mistake that was, and how she gave man constant grief, He gave women children. Hah! 

God gave children to us so we had something to do when we weren’t working at anything else. Sometimes I wonder if God really loves us or if He's just screwing with us.

1,100

Do you agree with this statement: "He that would govern others first should be the master of himself"?

Oh my, yes! If you can’t master yourself, how do you expect to govern others? One must lead by ethical example. One must find in themselves the rock that others can lean on. Your obvious sense of ethics defines who you are. I have never asked someone to do what I haven’t done or am not willing to do. If you have a weakness, let it be your humility to let those around you know that you, like all of them, have a weakness. Be human, not superhuman. Many of the best leaders have been those who never sought to lead, they were chosen to, because of the person they were seen to be. Be the master of yourself before you deign to govern others.  

1,100

How do you decide between two people you're in love with?

It isn’t complicated. Your heart will tell you which path to follow. It isn’t so much that you’ve chosen them, as much as it is they have chosen you. When two hearts meet… it is magic. You will know, and there will be little question in your mind. 

1,000

With all the privilege I have, can I morally justify a life containing life and fun?

Did somebody work hard to earn that "privilege" you have? Don’t let people who refuse to work hard, for anything, take what you and yours have worked hard for away from you. I wouldn’t feel guilty about your privilege. The United States is a country where everyone has the same right to privilege, if we want to work for it. If some say they don’t have the same rights, this explains much of why they don’t.

Poor minorities manage to leave poverty behind, all the time. How? Because they want to, and they stop listening to those who say they can’t. Liberal educators teach ignorance in this country like it's something to be proud of. Do you really think if they had what you have they’d willingly give it up? Not a chance. Their only problem is that you have it and they don’t. You have nothing to morally justify, so go be happy always.

If you actually feel you have too much privilege, then give some of it to charity, or volunteer to help those looking to escape their circumstances, and then go out and be happy always.

1,000 

What can you say about this “People have a misconception that projects for scientific discoveries are “acts of burning taxes” but people don’t get it… if they continue thinking this way that’s the beginning of the end of their culture.”- Dr. Tyson?

Two things have constantly contributed to the betterment of mankind, projects for scientific discovery, and as odd as it may seem, war. War has contributed as much to science and medicine as any project paid for with taxes. People don’t want to understand this, because it is, to them, immoral. Yet, lives saved with surgery procedures learned on the battlefield cannot be argued.

 1,000

Why are values important to people?

Good moral values are what we use to base our “rules of law” on. Without rules of law, we would be in a constant state of anarchy and lawlessness. Good common values are very important to a thriving society.

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 volunteered as a chaplain at the regional medical center.

Feel free to contact Pastor Tony:  tolerantpastor@gmail.com