Clear Cut Answers to Questions?

 

"For every complex problem, there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong."

-- H.L. Mencken

If you wanted to attempt to convince me about something I thought was nonsense but you thought was true, how would you start?

I would site the references of why I thought it was true. Of course, many times we simply have to take something on faith. Faith, of course, is the belief in something for which there is little or no proof, like God. When it comes to faith, it is always incumbent on those of lesser faith to prove their hypothesis, like atheists. Atheists keep asking deists for proof of God’s existence, yet they constantly miss the point that deists, for the most part, don’t care if atheists believe in a higher being. For deists, It simply sucks being them and not having faith.

"Roll your window down" is a saying that most children today will probably never hear. What are a few others?

God bless America! All lives matter! Your vote counts! 

Some try to fill life with all possible experiences without being able to fill the void they have inside, while others select the experiences to do and feel satisfied. Quantity or quality?

Quality. Live life to the fullest, intelligently. It is important to ensure satisfaction, but so much more important to ensure constant happiness in life. Strive to be happy always!

“It might be true that it is “quality time” that counts, but after a certain point quantity has a bearing on quality.”

-- Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

How will you describe your father in less than 10 words?

I dare not speak ill of the dead. Less than 10 words - “I know he loved me.”

Is eating the most basic function or purpose of life?

I’d say breathing is the most basic function if we discount thinking, which is why we breathe, and eating is the most basic purpose.

My girlfriend was unexpectedly kissed by another guy and I'm not sure how to feel about it. What should I do?

You should have dressed the guy down, in front of everyone, immediately. This would also let her know where you stand on that kind of crap.

"Never take a good woman for granted because one day another guy will come along and appreciate what you didn't."

-- Unknown 

At what time did you find it difficult to be there for each other in your relationship?

That would be during my messy divorce. It’s hard to try to be there for her, for twenty years, while she’s trying to tear it all down as you try to build a life. Yep. I was the poster boy for, “Stupid is as stupid does." But, you learn to forgive both of you, and move on.  I finally leaned to forgive her and myself and accept the apology, from her, I knew I was never going to get. 

"If you put a small value upon yourself, rest assured that the world will not raise your price." An anonymous quote. How would you define an accurate reflection on your self worth?

As a military man, I cannot agree with the quote. We are constantly sent to fight for those who cannot fight for themselves. Does this mean they have no value? Every living being has some value, and sometimes more to others around them. First responders really care less about the value you place upon yourself. They will assist you regardless, and fight for your life.

Who thinks that it's okay to actually quit sometimes because there are battles you will never win and it's pointless to beat a dead horse if you know you're not going to win?

In a battle, it is sometimes better to have a "tactical retreat" so you can figure out why you’re losing, and then re-engage the enemy with the lessons you’ve learned and a better plan of attack. If you will truly never win, then it is pointless to continue. I run into this constantly in arguments with the League of the Perpetually Offended. The sun coming up in the morning is a reason for their disagreement, and then they’re offended that they’re wrong, so... they’re not. I just don’t bother with them anymore. They make my head hurt. Too much drama.

"To be nobody but yourself in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else - means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight; and never stop fighting."

-- e. e. cummings 

How do you embark on a journey of self-discovery? Why?

You need to answer the question, “Why are you?” The answer may take a lifetime, or three. Until you discover why you are, you will never truly know why anyone else is. When you discover the “why” of things, you will truly learn the who, what, when, where, and how. Until then, it’s all guesswork.

There are winners and losers in life and if a person is a loser it's not their fault,  it's the fault of circumstances and there's nothing they can do about it.  Sadly, they just have to accept that they are a waste of space?

So, what I'm hearing is don’t take responsibility for the choices and decisions you make in life.  Don't even try to rise above your circumstances? If mom and dad were worthless this gives you the excuse to also be worthless?

No. You are brought into this world and thrust into a situation. It might be good, or it might not be. The lesson is to be selfless if you are in a good situation and learn to rise above your circumstances if your situation just sucks. If you choose to be a “waste of space” you will doom yourself to relive this life, your personal hell on earth, until you make the better choice to learn to rise above it. Life is all about choices and consequences. Make good choices.

What do you do when sometimes there isn’t a clear-cut right choice? Then what?

You have another choice. You can walk away from it and not make the choice, or you can think seriously about it and make the choice. If your choice is right, good for you. If it’s wrong, you learn from the mistake and correct your choice, if possible, or be prepared for the next choice. You learn from your mistake. Failure is the best way to learn, and life is all about choices and decisions. We can’t escape them if we want to move forward. Make the best moral and ethical choices you can.

"I don't have clear-cut positions. I get baffled by things. I have viewpoints. Sometimes they change."

-- Annie Lennox

What does 'I feel that luck is preparation meeting opportunity' mean?

I don't agree with the statement.  Good preparation is the opportunity for success. If you’re well prepared, luck doesn’t enter into the equation. Luck has to do with having the right person evaluating your preparation.  They are your "win or lose" deciders and, usually, you have no input as to which moron will evaluate you, so good luck with that.

What is something urgent you prioritized but not important?

If it was urgent enough to put a high priority on it, it must have been important. It is counterproductive to not prioritize something important that isn’t urgent. (Did that make sense?)

How do you explain the phrase "everything good always goes away and betrayal is inevitable in any relationship"?

It is hard to explain this as any more than a possibility, not a certainty. Everything good doesn't always go away, and if it does go away it isn’t always viewed as a negative. I have left many of my good and loved friends, and they still are loved… and missed. I have been betrayed in relationships, but it is not always inevitable. These are choices people make in their lives, to see the positive or the negative.  Whoever came up with this quote has issues that need to be addressed. Better if they pay more attention to being happy always, than expecting the worst. When you expect, you are probably the reason it happens. Better to expect the best.

Note to my readers:  Okay, so let me share what I'm up against on the site I frequent to answer these questions.  The original question, as shown above, was changed to read, "What should I do to help a good-hearted girl who always blames others for everything that goes wrong with her life?"  I hate it when they change the original question to one that my answer doesn’t really fit. I referenced the original quote that is no longer part of the new question. I can sound stupid enough without their help.

“With change being an inevitable element in our lives, we have only two options. Either embrace it and live life to the fullest or be stuck in the comfort zone of a compromised life.”

-- Mohith Agadi

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.