Questions About Sexism, Morality, and Common Sense

 

“You painted a naked woman because you enjoyed looking at her, put a mirror in her hand and you called the painting “Vanity,” thus morally condemning the woman whose nakedness you had depicted for your own pleasure.”

-- John Berger

Is telling people to 'man up' inadvertently sexist towards both men and women? Why and why not?

Only to the League of the Perpetually Offended. “Buck up” is still a male deer, so what is a more “politically correct” term?  "Suck it up, Buttercup," perhaps? I’m all about “woman up” or “LGBTQ+ up” if it will make the offended folks feel better about it. Or, we could just “man up” and get over it. Just saying.

Do you think our world is doing away with the idea of absolute truth? Do you feel this is a good or bad thing?

“Absolute truth,” is yes or no, this or that. Absolute truth requires no “qualifiers” for answering a question that requires no qualifiers. “Have you stopped beating your wife? Answer yes or no.” The question presupposes you started beating your wife, at some point. The question is at fault because it cannot be answered honestly with yes or no.

It is hard to do away with absolute truth, but the U.S. Congress keeps trying to sidestep this fact. They keep accusing folks, saying they have proof that they don't, the hammer is falling, and, yet… nothing. Truth wins out, but they keep on trying.

What is the morality behind a white lie?

Is there “morality” behind it?

A man dies in agony on an oil rig. For hours he hangs on, and then they lose him as death closes in. They tell the family he died quietly.

We can try to excuse it by saying it’s better than telling the family the cold, hard, truth, but a lie by any other name is still a lie. And, yet, it violates no law given by God. The “Ten Commandments” do not list, “thou shalt not lie” any more than it dictates, “thou shalt not kill.” So, is there a morality to a white lie, or any lie, for that matter?

It should be part of everyone’s personal code of moral ethics, but let’s give some latitude here and allow a “bend” to save the family additional grief they don’t really need at this time. Who is it really going to hurt?

“I am relieved. May I now have the truth?”

-- Georgette Heyer

How come when I say "sorry" to people’s bad day people say "not your fault," but people say stuff like "sorry for your loss," etc., which don’t imply fault? Am I using the phrase wrong?

No, and this falls on the people you're saying it to.  They are not taking time to understand how you mean it.  “Sorry” should probably not be shortened. “I’m sorry to hear you had a bad day,” is not accepting any fault but simply empathizing with them having a crappy day. It is the same as saying, “I’m sorry to hear of your loss. He was a good man.” Neither of these implies fault.  They do prevents the receiver from taking time to misconstrue what you mean.

Do you think that times really are a-changin'?

We just got a socialist in the White House and a Congress trying to destroy our Constitution. Yeah, times are definitely a-changin'. 

Can a person have an illusion that they're happy when they're not really happy?

It’s called “denial.”

“The acceptance of oneself is the essence of the whole moral problem and the epitome of a whole outlook on life. That I feed the hungry, that I forgive an insult, that I love my enemy in the name of Christ -- all these are undoubtedly great virtues. What I do unto the least of my brethren, that I do unto Christ. But what if I should discover that the least among them all, the poorest of all the beggars, the most impudent of all the offenders, the very enemy himself -- that these are within me, and that I myself stand in need of the alms of my own kindness -- that I myself am the enemy who must be loved -- what then? As a rule, the Christian's attitude is then reversed; there is no longer any question of love or long-suffering; we say to the brother within us "Raca," and condemn and rage against ourselves. We hide it from the world; we refuse to admit ever having met this least among the lowly in ourselves.”

-- C.G. Jung

If there is such a thing as bad, should it come from weakness?

Is there such a thing as “good”? Yes, so there must be bad since the universe is all about balance.

It takes one more muscle to smile than to frown, and being good is a choice that takes a bit of concentration. If you aren’t willing to do the work then, yes, you are showing a weakness of character. “Good” is what we’re all here to learn. If we don’t want to learn, if we choose bad as the easy way out, we are lazy and will reap what we sow.

Smiling is just one more muscle, so how hard can it really be to just do that which is good? It is about making the right choices always, treating others as you would have them treat you, holding dear your personal code of moral ethics, and, most importantly, striving to be happy always.

How would you define a person's presence in an online environment?

A mystery. Unless you know the person, you don’t know them. The photo of the pretty girl the Hampton’s might really be a fat slob in the Bronx. What they tout as their thoughts might be all bullshit. Their caring demeanor might be disguising the ax murderer. Trying to define someone you don’t know by what they write is like a blind man, who has never seen or heard about elephants, trying to describe what the elephant is simply by feeling one.

What piece of technology do you find absurd or unnecessary?

Any phone that is so big that you have to remove it from your pocket when you sit down. I have a “flip” phone and it does more than I want it to do. People text me and expect me to text them back. People send me photos I can’t see because they're so small. I have a phone so you can call me and a computer so you can send me photos I can utilize. I have a phone for one reason - to talk to you. I won’t be ignoring you at a restaurant, or texting while you’re seated next to me. I won’t be answering your text while I drive. I will be physically involved with you because my phone is for people to call me on, not an excuse to not be paying attention.

“We are stuck with technology when what we really want is just stuff that works.”

-- Douglas Adams

What can one expect if they live their life when they put themselves first?

They will be better prepared to help others. Put your oxygen mask on first, before assisting the person next to you. In this way, at least one of you will live and the other person has a better chance of survival. You can’t be of any real help to others if you can’t be of any real help for yourself.

What is your personal opinion on the statement “there are two types of speakers, the nervous and the liars” by Mark Twain?

I love Mark Twain, but this assumes too much. If you’re not nervous, you’re a liar? I would think you’d be more nervous if you’re a liar. There are two types of speakers, whether liars or not, the prepared and the unprepared. If you believe them, or not, is a measure of either how gullible you are or how much work you feel like doing validating everything they say. Recent voting in the U.S. would be evidence of the former.

What is your favorite old adage or expression, and what does it mean to you personally?

“Do not judge lest you be judged.” — Matthew 7:1

Not one of us is free of sin and, therefore, capable of truly judging another. I have been judged my whole life because I was the smallest kid in class, and, yet, as an adult in the military, I had officers calling me for my take on regulations concerning nuclear deterrence. It wasn’t about being intelligent, as much as it was about being smart and having good sense. I wasn’t allowed to retire at my 20-year point because I was “core knowledge.”

Sometimes the least of us are so much more capable than what we think they are.

"I believe in that old adage that 'as goes California, so goes the country.'"

-- Kamala Harris

Note to my readers:  I couldn't help but sharing this quote, above.  California is in the crapper, and so goes the country.  The only thing Harris has said that you can take to the bank. 

What is something you find humorous that most people don't?

When people do stupid things. I hate to admit it, but I’d chuckle if a person hurt themselves doing something stupid. Come to think of it, I’d be sorry if someone died, but that final look on their face that declared “What the hell did I do?” would probably put me under. It is horrible of me, and most people would punch me, but that’s just me. I always look for humor in even the worst of circumstances. I was told by the ex-wife of an acquaintance that he’d had an accident with a joiner and lost several fingers. My second thought, after cringing at hearing the news, was naming him “Stumpy.” There is a special place in hell…

Could you please describe what ‘practical sense’ is?

“Practical sense” is what we used to call “common sense” before it became not so common. Now, thanks to teacher unions and student who just don’t get it, we call it “practical” sense. The problem here lies with the fact that the socialist “practical” sense, that our children are being indoctrinated with, isn’t so practical to more than half of the countries parents. Teacher unions don’t understand this, which is concerning to most “practical” parents who remember “common” sense.”

Is truth just a perspective of a situation?

Truth is TRUTH, it is what it is. The only way it becomes a “perspective” is if you don’t understand the truth. Most congressmen, senators, and other politicians, seem to have a problem with this understanding. This unfortunate truth comes from us voting in people who are very intelligent but can't walk and chew gum at the same time. They don’t understand simple truth, so they reword it, redefine it, restate it, and anything else they can think of to prevent plain truth from exiting their ignorant pie hole. They have a different “perspective” on the truth than most of us who can walk and chew gum.  It is a little bent.

"Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see is perspective, not the truth."

-- Marcus Aurelius

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.