A Few Questions of Conduct

 

“The soul grows into lovely habits as easily as into ugly ones, and the moment a life begins to blossom into beautiful words and deeds, that moment a new standard of conduct is established, and your eager neighbors look to you for a continuous manifestation of the good cheer, the sympathy, the ready wit, the comradeship, or the inspiration, you once showed yourself capable of. Bear figs for a season or two, and the world outside the orchard is very unwilling you should bear thistles.”

-- Kate Douglas Wiggin

Can all forms of conduct be explained by the social situations we encounter?

Not always. Sometimes conduct can be dictated by entities like business or the military.

What makes someone extremely shallow?

Not being deep, would be an obvious answer. Hitting on a woman just because she has breasts, would be another. I mean, who cares what she’s thinking, right? You read the newspaper "comics" section but have no clue who Shakespeare is. When someone asks you where Russia is on a map (yes, college students do this, big surprise), you point to Texas. I suppose you have to care about more than just breathing, partying, getting laid, and just having fun. You need to move into the deep end of the pool and start thinking, learning, and caring about more people than just you. “Uh…” is not an answer, nor is it a way to start a conversation. Hell, it shouldn’t even be. It is evidence of the shallow end of the gene pool. 

Are ‘pros’ positive or negative?

Sometimes yes, sometimes no: The “pros” are that we get there five years earlier with fuel and food left. The negative to this is that we have to kill five crewmembers.

“He flings pros into the air like skeet, and one by one he shatters them with cons.”

-- John McPhee

What is the implication that might occur if your hopes and dreams are not realized?

The possible implication is, you ultimately fail. Better to not bank on your hopes and dreams. Once you have a firm grasp on reality, you can work hard on your hopes and dreams. In this way, if your hopes and dreams are dashed against some storm wall, you always have reality to fall back on. Success is about being happy in your reality. If hopes and dreams come true, they are just the whipped topping for a life you are already happy in.

“Life is a tragedy when seen in close-up, but a comedy in long-shot,” said Chaplin. Do you agree? Or is it vice versa?

If you see your life as a tragedy, it doesn’t matter how close to it you are. It simply sucks. Whether close or far, however, you should always strive to be happy in your circumstance. But, life is about making choices, so, if life has served you lemons it might be time for you to order up some steak. Make better choices to change your circumstances. If you don’t do this, you are doomed to wallow in your own pit of despair.

Why do people post pictures of their happiness? Why do people think it's necessary to announce their happiness to the whole world rather than keeping it to a few honest people?

Let’s see… I have the choice of watching people announce and enjoy their happiness or listen to the League of the Perpetually Offended wallow in their self-pity. I’ll take the happiness, and hope they spread it far and wide.

"Feel free to get hugely, ridiculously happy about the tiniest little things!"

-- Unknown

Do you believe spirituality manifests in everyday life?

Spirituality is a choice, like happiness. If you choose it, it will manifest itself through you.

Isn’t the “sticks and stones” saying meant to teach people that “criticism and condemnation of their opinions should never hurt them”?

Yes. Criticism and condemnation are simply more opinions, and usually not very constructive. You can’t escape people with opinions. The best you can do is ignore those that you don’t find worth listening to lest you spend all of your time second-guessing yourself.

If you consider yourself to be a master of the art of the polite brush-off, will you share one such example for the benefit of others?

“I’m flattered, but I’m so married.” I’m not, of course, but what they don’t know can’t get me into trouble.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't know you had the authority to judge me... is Jesus hiring?"

-- Unknown

Do you worry about being negatively judged when you speak up or stand for what you believe is right?

No. If I believe I’m right, what others believe is their own business. Most of the time, they are evidence that ignorance is a terrible thing to waste. I am good with that.

What situation would pull you into darkness?

Interrogation of an enemy combatant. It’s pretty much about creativity. A plastic butter knife comes to mind, along with that special place in hell...

What should people be patient about and what shouldn’t people be patient about?

I am anal when it comes to being prompt. When I say I’m going to be there at a certain time, I arrive early. I have no patience when people make me late by not being ready to go. Folks make appointments for a reason, and I blame no one that skips you to move on if you aren’t on time, making you reschedule. By the same token, I hate making an appointment and having to sit in a waiting room for a half-hour. Same reasoning. They assume you have nothing better to do but wait on their inefficiency to catch up with their ego. But, I try not to judge.

“Patience is power.

Patience is not an absence of action;

rather it is "timing"

it waits on the right time to act,

for the right principles

and in the right way.”

-- Fulton J. Sheen

How much do you really care what people think of you? How much of that criticism, whether self-inflicted, directly or indirectly affect you?

I pay attention to what is said, then I critique the individual who said it. Usually, they come up short on reliability. If someone is going to judge me they should rate better than I do in their eyes. I find, most of the time, that people who judge say more about themselves than the people they’re judging. I have learned to ignore all but those closest to me, those that really know me. Ignore the idiots and strive to be happy always!

Is it possible to rip the threads of your mind by listening to or reading the stories and thoughts of those who set out purposefully to destroy other's credibility by slander?

Slander is evidence of a lack of creativity. I rather read stories of people purposefully being destroyed by more creative means. Slander teaches nothing.

What does it mean to be "too stupid to be afraid"?

I don’t skydive. I don’t jump out of a perfectly good aircraft with a parachute I have packed. I don’t trust me. I certainly wouldn’t jump with a chute someone else has packed. If I don’t trust me, then why would I trust them? Did they have a fight with their spouse? Did they drink too much the night before? Do they have an issue with you, or are they domestic terrorists? Oh, and I also wouldn’t even consider jumping attached to another person with questionable life-preservation skills. I have no problem admitting my fear.

“We are all born ignorant, but one must work hard to remain stupid.”

-- Benjamin Franklin

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.