Questioning Right

Why is it so easy to do bad than to do good?

It takes just as much effort, but our mind makes us believe it doesn’t. The difference between bad and good is what we ultimately pay for what we do. Oh, and we aren’t “doing” bad, we're “being” bad. We really have to learn to own our actions.

When does it become useless to keep trying?

When you lose the will to succeed.

What is the meaning of "learning is not attained by chance, it must be sought for with ardor and diligence"?

It means you must work at learning, it doesn’t just happen.

For the most part, this is true, but there are always those “I did not know that” moments of learning that require nothing but our will to constantly have active and open minds. This learning does happen by chance and it does require us to open our minds and be ready for it when it happens. 

“Spoon feeding, in the long run, teaches us nothing but the shape of the spoon.”

-- E.M. Forster

What is the summary of this quote, “Light itself is invisible but makes everything visible”?

Must be an “old” quote. We know what particles light is made up of and, if I understand it right, they are not invisible. Light itself is invisible to the naked eye.

What is the summary of this quote, “Light itself is invisible but makes everything visible”?

Must be an “old” quote. We know what particles light is made up of and, if I understand it right, they are not invisible. Light itself is invisible to the naked eye.

Do you think in-person meetings are necessary?

That would depend on who is in the meeting. It is much easier to transmit emotion face-to-face, than over the phone. The real benefit of telecommunications is, the boss can’t wrap their hands around your throat to get the point across.

“If we had to speak our mind face to face,

Would we be as courageous to ridicule and lambaste?
Would we with sharpened tongues be so quick to disgrace?
If we had to speak our minds face to face.”

-- Charmaine J Forde

As I am trying to adopt a stoic philosophy, what is the stoic way of reacting to losing a game?

It is what it is. You know going in there is a chance for loss, but it is just a game, so be in control of your emotions. Take the loss in stride and congratulate the winner. Better luck next time.

What is an essay on “I came, I saw, and I conquered”?

You can look up “The Importance of Winning” for a start. Personally, I’d take the time to read “The Art of War” by Sun Tzu.

 
What does it mean to make your mark?

To make your mark (in the world) is to be remembered, by many, for something you’ve done or created.

“Excellence is the best ink with which to make your mark in the world.”

-- Matshona Dhliwayo

What are some examples of instances when you failed to know your enemy' before it was too late?

My marriage. She used me as an escape from her family, took everything I loved and owned, and showed no remorse in doing it. I was snookered. I loved her, fought against the destruction of our marriage, and never wanted to see it coming. Can you say, stupid?

“An opinion based on personal experience” my question on this phrase: If it’s an opinion based on personal EXPERIENCE, doesn’t that qualify it as/to be at least an “observation”?

So, you observed it and, not necessarily personally experienced it? I think there is a distinction here. “I observed a man fall from the building and it looked like he survived.” “When I fell from the building it hurt like hell, I survived, obviously, and because of my personal experience I don’t recommend falling from a building.”  Observation and experience are significantly different, taken separately.  You can observe and experience, or you can just observe.

“What do you do” when you have tried everything you can think of?

Ask other people for more ideas.

“I'm a food addict. I've tried everything- Weight Watchers, The South Beach, raw food, Atkins, low-fat diets. Nothing works for me." I looked at him and said, "Have you tried suffering?" He laughed out loud as if I was joking. I wasn't joking.”

-- Frederick Woolverton 

Is wealth a synonym for freedom?

No. You can very easily become a prisoner of your wealth. Freedom is all about happiness, and wealth, more times than not, can’t buy true happiness.

People "need" to eat. Some "want" to eat the food they like/want. Is it possible for a "want" not to emanate from a "need?" Explain your answers by relating your own experiences.

I want to eat Oreo cookies. I don’t need to eat them because they aren’t good for me. They’re fattening. But, I do like them. If I were lost in the woods for a month, I’d get hungry and need to eat. I need to eat in order to survive. I might have to eat things I don’t want to, like grubs or raw meat, ants and such. In this instance, what you need to do can also be what you want to do, because it’s necessary for survival, even though you might not like doing it. 

Is success without honor an unseasoned dish?

It is seasoned poorly with a lack of honor, morals, ethics. No honor allows you to walk on those who worked hard to get you success, lie, cheat, and steal. The only good that comes from success with no honor, is the karma that will come to haunt.

"Moral authority comes from following universal and timeless principles like honesty, integrity, and treating people with respect."

-- Stephen Covey

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.