Questioning Who We Are

 “Who has inflicted this upon us? Who has made us Jews different from all other people? Who has allowed us to suffer so terribly up till now? It is God that has made us as we are, but it will be God, too, who will raise us up again. If we bear all this suffering and if there are still Jews left, when it is over, then Jews, instead of being doomed, will be held up as an example. Who knows, it might even be our religion from which the world and all peoples learn good, and for that reason and that reason alone do we have to suffer now. We can never become just Netherlanders, or just English, or representatives of any country for that matter; we will always remain Jews, but we want to, too.”

-- Anne Frank

How do you encourage people to do good deeds?

Get them around other “good deed doers” and let them experience the joys of selfless service. If that doesn’t do it for them, nothing will. They need to understand there is no “payback” for doing good deeds, otherwise, it wouldn’t really qualify as a good deed. If they’re wondering what they get out of it… maybe that feeling of doing something nice for someone.

How do you deal with cocky and rude people that you can’t stand being better and more successful than you in every way (looks, academics, sport, wealth, status, job, etc.)?

Don’t hang around them. They have already shown what they are to, well, everyone. Rise above them and be you. There is nothing better we can do than be ourselves, and that’s a great thing. Follow your own path and just smile at those who think they’re better, and have pity on them. They do what they do because they are not happy.

“Life is not always a matter of holding good cards, but sometimes, playing a poor hand well.” Which is more difficult, acquiring a good hand or navigating a poor one?

My buddy and I used to play pinochle back in the military. It was amazing the lousy hands we could get, and our combined ego would not allow us to not take the bid. Taking the bid with two lousy hands was all about how good you and your partner were at strategy. We always seemed to pull the win out, however. You have to know your opponents, know the game being played, oh… and have great signals. Poor hands can be more fun than having what you think is a game-changer.

“Whoever coined the phrase 'a man's got to play the hand that was dealt him' was most certainly one piss-poor bluffer.”

-- Jeannette Walls

Do you make a lot of assumptions about what a question is asking, before considering the fact that it may be asking something from the opposite angle?

Not really. A question is asking for an opinion. If it’s a poorly worded question it will, probably, get an answer that is not what the question was after. What makes more sense, for people to continue to try to answer a poorly worded question, or for the author to rewrite the question so what it is asking is clearer or more specific?

I’ve also read very clear questions that require a very clear, short, concise answer, and people answer it with two paragraphs of textbook babble. “My boyfriend left me. What should I do?” The simple, obvious, answer - “Shit happens, and life ain’t that difficult, so suck it up and go find a new, and better, boyfriend.”

Is self-deprecation a form of arrogance?

I think arrogance is more of an up-front, in your face, thinking you’re all that. The last thing an arrogant person would do is stoop to being humble. Humility is for those they, usually mistakenly, feel are beneath them.

Without casting blame and purely as an observation, can we agree that something has definitely changed in the US in the last 5 or 10 years? What has changed in your opinion?

From 1972 to 1994 I served in the military to protect our form of government from socialism and communism. Now, it has infected our Congress and our Senate, and put our Constitution and, therefore, our country at risk.

“There are only two kinds of people who can drain your energy: those you love, and those you fear. In both instances, it is you who let them in. They did not force their way into your aura, or pry their way into your reality experience.”

-- Anthon St. Maarten

Anyone who speaks English and has internet access could be a millionaire. Do you agree or disagree?

Disagree. You really don’t need the internet or a particular language. What you need is the undying desire and to accomplish this goal. I know this because my parents accomplished it, and they have virtually no internet experience, but they did work very hard. Being a millionaire isn’t as difficult as being a billionaire, and even that requires more of you than language and the internet.

What is an object that symbolizes powerlessness?

Jewish child wearing the compulsory yellow badge. In September 1943, they were deported to Auschwitz.

-- Antwerp, Belgium, 1943.

Hitler tried to give them away to the world.  Nobody wanted them, so he murdered them en masse, while the world stood by and did nothing until it was almost too late.  The Jews were helpless to stop Hitler, and the world didn't care. 

What does this quote mean: “it's our light, not our darkness that most frightens us”? Why would we be scared of our light?

To be evil requires no conscience. To be good, however, requires a sense of conscience that we must live up to. Living up to that high bar tends to frighten many.

“Money, fame, class, and titles are just symbols, or opportunities, for making a difference. Real power means enhancing the greater good, and your feelings of power will direct you to the exact way you are best equipped to do this.”

-- Dacher Keltner

How does the quote, "Don't do unto others what you don't want them to do unto you," affect you? (Give 4 Examples)

“Everything whatsoever you desire that people should do for you, do likewise for them, for this is the Law and The Prophets.” — Matthew 7:12

Treat people the way you would want them to treat you. I wouldn’t want them to treat me any differently unless they’ve found a way to treat me better. We should all treat each other with respect and kindness, and we should do so selflessly. Respect, honesty, charity, and kindness.

Is God essentially calling on all who are seeking righteousness and the humble spirit when he says “Behold, I am making everything new again”?

Essentially? Yes. To those who believe, all things are possible, so let not your hearts be troubled.

What does it mean when someone says "Life is what you make of it"?

It means exactly what it says, your life is what you make of it. If you let others make choices and decisions for you, you have no room to complain about your circumstances. You must raise yourself out of your circumstance, or you will forever be stuck where you are. If someone does it for you, you will have little or no appreciation for what you haven’t earned.

"Advice? I don't offer advice. Not my business. Your life is what you make it." 

-- Betty Friedan

How do words have the power to provoke, calm, and inspire?

By the inflection in your voice when you speak the words. Your intent comes through the inflection, so you need to learn how to make what you speak reflect your true emotions.

How will you know if your worker or staff is a smart worker or not?

Do they ask the right questions? Do they do the task with little or no supervision? Is the task completed on time and done right? Did they complain during the task?

What is the meaning of loyalty in every aspect?

Honor amongst thieves. In an ethically moral world, there is no such thing as “loyalty in every respect.” One person's idea of loyalty might be illegal, and therefore incompatible with morality. Give unto Caesar that which is Caesar’s, and give unto God that which is God’s. This is why the commandment reads not to murder instead of not to kill. Your leaders may require you to assist in the defense of your homeland. It is also why we have rules regarding the humane treatment of prisoners of war. You can’t just shoot them, as that would be murder.

“Loyalty to an unjust cause is a perversion of honor.”

-- Brian Herbert & Kevin J. Anderson

 

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.