Questioning Patriots, Values, and Choices

 

What's in your gut?

A feeling. It also contains my food processing system with a “microbiome.” But, mostly, a feeling.

Why are Southerners so patriotic?

Why are Easterners so racist?  Are they?  It's the only place I've ever been where people used the "N" word to excess.  But, then, that can be seen as a just an opinion, a generality, or just bullshit.

I think Southerners are, like Marines, wrapped up in “God, Corps, and Country.” We take care of our own, and then we take care of everyone else, unless “everyone else” happens to be this great country or our Constitution. We are the most giving to our charities. The most spiritual to our God. Mississippi is the least racist state I’ve ever lived in. We also try to take care of our own problems. We all try to get along, and those that don’t… never will. ALL lives matter here, and we are proud of that fact.

What values do you believe make life worthwhile?

I value happiness and strive to be happy always. This makes my life worthwhile. I have found that a good sense of moral ethics helps to keep drama from mucking up my life and happiness.  I fall down occasionally, but I keep on striving.

“Happiness in intelligent people is the rarest thing I know.”

-- Ernest Hemingway

If something really bad happens to someone, but they otherwise don't actually suffer anything or could even be feeling good for other reasons, do you think it still matters? Is the only thing that matters if they suffered or not?

The only one that can determine if they suffer and to what extent it matters, is them. I hit my thumb with a hammer and it hurts like hell, and I suffer, but I also laugh at my clumsiness, kiss my owie, and press on with the project trying not to hit it twice. I’m not sure if it matters that they suffer as much as it matters how they deal with their suffering. I tend not to be a whiner, but that’s just me. If at all possible, I try to find the humor or a lesson in what happens.

Have you ever had a career mentor? If so, what was the best piece of advice they've ever given you?

If time permits, triple-check your work and then have someone else check it to try and ensure no one will die. We always got “excellent” ratings during Operational Readiness Inspections.

How do you teach yourself to know your worth?

I know my worth.  Everyone is worth something, although many people choose to be bad and their worth diminishes. What I taught myself was to recognize that I was the most valuable person in my life. If I was dead, of what value would I be, other than fertilizer? Since my valuable life is also a tool, what I do with my life is what makes it “worth” living. A person needs to understand they are already worth something to themselves by simply being alive, then they need to go out into the world and use this “tool” of their life to make it a better place.  If you can do this, you will show the world your inherent worth and you will recognize the value of being.

“Life is too short to waste any amount of time on wondering what other people think about you. In the first place, if they had better things going on in their lives, they wouldn't have the time to sit around and talk about you. What's important to me is not others' opinions of me, but what's important to me is my opinion of myself.”

-- C. JoyBell C.

What does "for every action there is a reaction, and for every choice, there is a consequence" mean? Give an example.

For every action, there is a reaction. Take a step and you move. Pinch a woman’s butt, she will react. Get slapped, there is pain.

For every choice, there is a consequence. I choose to take a step, and I move. I choose to pinch a woman’s butt, and she will slap me or kiss me. The reaction is the consequence of the action. It can be good or bad, constructive or destructive.

Are freedom (the ability of humans to make their own choices) and equity (equality of outcome) mutually exclusive? If people are allowed to make different choices, won't they have different outcomes?

That stands to reason. Even making the same choice at a different time might not have the same outcome. Life is full of variables that prevent anything from being 100% certain. I always think back to when my son came home from high school and told me his math professor told the class that “point nine, times infinity, equals one.” I advised him to tell his math professor he was an idiot, and tell him, your dad wants to know what happened to the remaining “point one, times infinity” he has leftover.

You can make a choice to believe anything. The class made the choice to believe the professor, and they all, now, have a confusing outcome. My son had to make another choice when presented with the facts, and now his outcome has changed to reflect an outcome that is based on reality.

I had an opportunity to see the “proof” they have of this equation, and it looks like they did the same thing Einstein did to arrive at his Theory of Relativity. They added an “unknown” factor to the equation. Unfortunately, you can add what you want to this equation but you still have a butt-load of “point one” that disappeared into a black hole. Just saying.

In what way does the number of people at your funeral reflect on the quality of life that you lived?

Not at all. It might reflect on the number of people able to attend or knew you had passed, or it might reflect on how many people’s lives you touched. Several people might show up, but millions might mourn.

If you’re dirt poor your quality of life can suck, but how you live that life, who you touch while you live, says more about the mental quality of your life than the physical.

Strive to be happy always. Be kind to everyone you meet. Be tolerant and understanding. Do all of this, and more, and you will have lived a good and humble life regardless of the crowd that shows up at your funeral. Besides, by the time the funeral rolls around, you’re probably going to be into your new life, so… who cares?

No one is actually dead until the ripples they cause in the world die away.

-- Terry Pratchett

Has an individual or group ever put aside their differences and show respect for their enemy?

Several times: Silent Night: The Story of the World War I Christmas Truce of 1914, and Truce in the Forest: The Story of a World War II Christmas Eve Truce Between German & American Soldiers During the Battle of the Bulge.

The expression "kicking the can down the road" means putting off confronting a difficult issue or making an important decision. When in your life or in the life of someone close to you has this worked out, and when has it not?

If it is truly a “difficult issue” or “important decision” kicking the can down the road does little, if anything, to solve the issue at hand. Like a wound, it will probably become infected if ignored. Governments love to do this, causing the problems to hang around for several administrations and just get worse. The American border situation is a very good example of this kind of ignorance that has been around for years. I learned in the military it’s so much better to confront issues and decisions as they arise instead of putting them off.

Nails or chalk against a blackboard can make people shudder or give them goosebumps. What are some other things that can make people shudder?

Watching a doctor drilling into living bone does it for me, along with watching a vaccination, or seeing a photo of Nancy Pelosi on TV without adequate warning that what I’m about to see might be upsetting.

"One explanation for the sensitivity of the ear in this area is the open ear gain. Some frequencies are amplified due to the anatomy of the ear canal. But we also found that pitch information is very important for the perceived unpleasantness. And if these two things go together, this makes a very unpleasant sound perception."

-- Dr. Michael Oehler

How are perspective and wisdom related?

Perspective is nothing more than forming a point of view of something that is, hopefully, in context. Taken out of context, your point of view, your perspective, will be faulty. Good in, good out; bad in, bad out. Now, if all you take in is bad information it stands to reason your “wisdom” will be as faulty as your point of view.

Good information, taken in good context, will allow you to have a good point of view which will, ultimately, lead you to good choices, decisions, and wisdom.

What is your definition of a weak man?

Someone who has little or no self-control. A 98-pound man who controls his thoughts and emotions can control anything. Archimedes might offer, “Give him a lever long enough and a fulcrum on which to place it, and he can move the world.” In an argument, if you can control your emotions, you can also control the disagreement. So, physical weakness has no bearing on how strong you can really be.

Why did he want to know what my name is? I’m 17 and work at a pizza place. This guy is In once a week he's very muscular and like 30. He was in and said my nails look like they can scratch things and he liked them. Then he asked me for my name?

Tell him to come back when you’re 18… or 24… or, better yet, 30. Or, tell him he’s not your type. He’s 30, so he should be flirting with 30 somethings, not a kid behind the counter at the pizza place. Watch you back. Just saying.

“The last time I was single the men I was looking at were in their thirties and I still had that youthful image fixed in my head. It was depressing at first, choosing from a pool that's not regarded as desirable or vital in your society. [...] I managed to re-educate myself eventually. Now I'm only attracted to people my age. A young face looks like a blank page to me.”

-- Viv Albertine

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.

Feel free to contact Pastor Tony:  tolerantpastor@gmail.com

 

 

Questioning Life and Choices

"The important thing is not to stop questioning.  Curiosity has it's own reason for existing.  One cannot help but be in awe when he contemplates the mysteries of eternity, of life, of the marvelous structure of reality.  It is enough if one tries merely to comprehend a little of this mystery every day.  Never lose a holy curiosity."

-- Albert Einstein

Do you think it’s possible to plan your life, or is it really just a crapshoot?

A “crapshoot” is literally just throwing the dice; a true gamble. In life, however, we have choices to make, and depending on how good our choices are, life can be tempted to lean in a good direction as well. Good choices are usually followed by good circumstances, and bad choices, well, simply suck. Life is only a crapshoot if you sit back and just let life happen. You can hope groceries show up on your doorstep for free, or you can earn some money and go buy them. Life really doesn’t just happen, you make it happen.

What is one piece of advice you would give a teenager to make their life much easier?

Stay out of debt! I keep saying it, but does anyone really hear?

How do you determine the value of something and how much something is really worth?

Regardless of the price someone puts on something, the “value of something” is determined by what you’re willing to pay for it. What you’re willing to pay for it is the determination of “how much something is really worth” to you.

“You think because he doesn't love you that you are worthless. You think that because he doesn't want you anymore that he is right -- that his judgment and opinion of you are correct. If he throws you out, then you are garbage. You think he belongs to you because you want to belong to him. Don't. It's a bad word, 'belong.' Especially when you put it with somebody you love. Love shouldn't be like that. Did you ever see the way the clouds love a mountain? They circle all around it; sometimes you can't even see the mountain for the clouds. But you know what? You go up top and what do you see? His head. The clouds never cover the head. His head pokes through because the clouds let him; they don't wrap him up. They let him keep his head up high, free, with nothing to hide him or bind him. You can't own a human being. You can't lose what you don't own. Suppose you did own him. Could you really love somebody who was absolutely nobody without you? You really want somebody like that? Somebody who falls apart when you walk out the door? You don't, do you? And neither does he. You're turning over your whole life to him. Your whole life, girl. And if it means so little to you that you can just give it away, hand it to him, then why should it mean any more to him? He can't value you more than you value yourself.”

-- Toni Morrison

Are secrets boring? Don't they kill a conversation?

A secret can’t be boring if you don’t know there’s a secret. It is “secret” after all. If someone says they have a secret, remind them that, unless they plan on blabbing it, they would be well served just to drop the subject before it becomes boring and kills the conversation. People that say they have a secret are just too damned much drama for me. Maybe it’s because I spent almost 23 years in military intelligence. After that, what some people call a secret is more of a joke.

[Query Site] is a piece of garbage and there is nothing you can do about it. How does that make you feel?

Makes me feel like there might be more than one person out there with a need to vent about the liberal socialists who run this site. Your "feed" is being followed by two other people, and neither one of them has deigned to answer you, which is more concerning, in my view.  If this site is a "piece of garbage," before you fall in with the League of the Perpetually Offended, might I recommend you put you emotion into starting another site that is more inline with your critical view?  

How do I survive my need to win?

Learn to lose gracefully. Understand that losing is the best way we learn. If you never lose you will never discover your shortcomings, like the need to win. I need to be with a drop-dead gorgeous woman, but that ain’t gonna happen, and I will survive my need by embracing the knowledge of the shortcomings that prevent me from fulfilling my selfish need.

Sometimes, constantly trying and never giving up can be seen by many as a win. What makes a winner? Falling down and getting back up. Perseverance in the face of defeat makes a winner. Knowing you’ve lost, but finishing the race makes a winner. Maybe understanding what truly makes a winner helps. Once you do, you’ll realize you’ve been surviving as a winner even when you’ve lost. Don’t try to survive your need to win, work on surviving your need to compete. If you don’t have that you’ve lost already.

“There is nothing in this life that can destroy you but yourself. Bad things happen to everyone, but when they do, you can't just fall apart and die. You have to fight back. If you don't, you're the one who loses in the end. But if you do keep going and fight back, you win.”

-- Alexandra Monir

Why do my friends never invite me when they go out? I used to have many friends and I was never invited to anything so I always invited myself, and I was the one who always asked people if they wanted to go out, now they always go out without me.

First of all, you call these people your “friends” which they don’t act like, in my view. They aren’t your “friends” would be my humble guess. What they’re doing speaks volumes about who they are. I’d be going out finding the kind of people I want to be a part of, and, more importantly, want to be a part of my life, as well. You know, friends. I sure wouldn’t be wasting life on these other folks.

Are good values more important than good rules?

Yes, but, if they are truly “good” rules they should reflect “good” moral values. If they don’t do this, they really cannot be defined as “good” rules.

How does demeaning and belittling those who disagree with you advance ANY conversation?

It doesn’t, and those that demean and belittle have no intention of advancing ANY conversation. I’m labeled “deplorable” simply because I disagree with forwarding a socialist agenda in my own country. I’ve been labeled a racist by racists and a fascist by fascists, and I’m yelled at because I believe all lives matter. I am none of what they accuse me of being. But, the fact that I’m not what they call me does not forward their agenda, plain and simple. They must be right, or everyone will see them as wrong. There is no middle ground, no compromise, or they lose their goal of the destabilization of a nation. No, there can be no advancement of conversation if it means they lose ground to the “deplorable” who have no right to win, in their eyes.

“People will oppose your progress. They will remind you of your past failures, belittle you, etc. The only way to stand against such opposition and belittling is to know the reason for your existence.”

-- D.S. Mashego

Have you ever thought about compromising your principles for money?

Yes, and then I laughed and spanked myself for the selfish thought. Never, ever, compromise your principles and, especially, not for money. That is the worst reason to prostitute one’s moral values. Your principles and values define who you are. If you compromise them you truly define what kind of loser you choose to be. Thinking about these things is one way we can keep ourselves from falling prey to them, because when the money runs out, and you no longer have a sense of ethics, who have you become?

When was the last time you did something wrong?

A week ago at the Gulfport airport. I stared way too long at a mature woman getting on the plane to Houston with me. She was attractive, blonde, had great legs, wore a short skirt and 4-inch heels. Someone was screwing with me, though, because her twin was on the return flight. I’m not sure if I was ashamed more than I was aroused.

What became a lot easier once you started doing that thing on a regular basis?

Everything we think of as hard becomes “old hat” when we start doing it day-to-day. What took you all day will only take you half a day, in short order. What was once thought to be hard becomes easier with repetition.

“How strange! Life gets easier when we get better.”

-- Debasish Mridha

What does it mean for someone else to have power over you?

It means you made a bad choice by allowing it to happen. Everything is a choice, and the worst is when you allow someone else to control you, your life, your decisions and choices, and anything else they have no business dictating to you. They are doing what you are allowing them to do. If you enjoy this lifestyle, you’re probably a masochist or enjoy being submissive. If this lifestyle bothers you, make a better choice, and strive to be happy always.

What is your basic philosophy in life? Are you an idealist, realist? Or pragmatist?

I’m probably a “realistic pragmatist” in my philosophy. “It is what it is until it isn’t, and then it is what it is again.” Life is about making choices and, if you make a bad choice, you have the choice to back up and make a better one.

Is the ship sinking? Yes! Can we save it? No. Better to spend time saving the passengers. This is a realistic and practical decision when you consider time is of the essence when lives are at stake. This is the way I tend to approach life. It is the way I strive to be happy always.

Is being a criminal the right thing to do? Since unfairness is everywhere?

If you have a moral sense of ethics, hell no. If something is unfair, spend effort making it fair, not gaming the system. The choices you make define who you are. As a deist, the choices you make might determine how you live your next life. Having said all this, life is all about learning lessons, and the best way to learn is to fail. We have criminals incarcerated because they fail. The evidence languishes in our prisons.

A small informational note: Most people and courts in the South try hard to be fair, and we also own several weapons for personal and property protection. We are not “defunding” our police, we are packing the force with trained officers from the North. So, if you want to be a criminal, head-on. The “fairness” of your decision will be explained to you by a jury of your peers, once we get the other courts recognizing the “rule of law” again. Until then, ply your chosen trade up north or out west… and enjoy!

“You can make laws against weapons but they will be observed only by those who don't intend to use them anyway. The lawless can always smuggle or steal or even make a gun. By refusing to wear a gun you allow the criminal to operate with impunity.”

-- Louis L'Amour

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.

Feel free to contact Pastor Tony:  tolerantpastor@gmail.com

Questions of Behavior, Choice, and Reinforcement

“I wouldn't do this if I didn't care, but you mean everything to me, and if this is what you need, then this is what you'll get. But we're damned well going to work on changing this association between caring and spanking.”

-- Cherise Sinclair

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Note to my readers:  They, the site I answer questions on, keep giving me "weekly" stats, every couple of weeks.  Kinda doesn't meet the definition, but...  

The message was: "Congratulations, your answers had 6,089 views in the past week!"  Whoo-hoo!  I suppose, should be my correct response, if I really gave a fig, which I don't.  I do this for the people asking the questions and, of course, for those 6,089 who chose to read them.  I don't do it to boost readership; I have no ego.  I don't get paid for this; and I don't really need the money.  It is, for me, a "labor of love" if I have to call it anything.  I do it because I love to write, and think, and mentor.  I am doling out my "bathroom quasi-wisdom" because I am, after all, the Semi-Ancient Piehole Philosopher.

****************************** 

Do you ever ponder the importance or value of your life?

I used to do it all the time, then I retired. What I did was important and valuable, to the extent they wouldn’t let me retire because I was a member of an elite group who possessed core knowledge. Who woulda thunk? Then I retired again, after another 17-year career, just to be called out of retirement by my old boss for relatively big money. No, I stopped thinking about my importance and worth. I am my own worst critic, but everyone else seems to like what I do, except, of course, the League of the perpetually Offended, but nobody can’t help them.

What am I actually afraid of? Is it the right thing to be afraid of? Should I be thus afraid of it or rationally, should I be less or more afraid?

It would depend on what you’re actually afraid of. Answer the first question, first, and then you can answer the rest.

I just terminated my therapy sessions after 1 year and I feel satisfied with everything but I am extremely sad it all came to an end. What should I do or how should I feel?

Not knowing why you were in therapy, I would hope the outcome would be to strive to be happy always. I say this because you probably weren’t in a happy place if you were in therapy.

“Courage doesn’t happen when you have all the answers. It happens when you are ready to face the questions you have been avoiding your whole life.”

-- Shannon L. Alder

Why is it important to embrace the world you are in rather than clinging to the world that you come from?

Everything changes, even the world we come from. Hold onto the best of your culture so you can share it with the young, but learn to embrace the best of the new world you are in so we can move toward the future.

What would bother you more, something bad that has happened to someone or something that would be selfish?

Both would bother me equally if the person wronged didn’t see it coming. If they saw it coming and did nothing about it, I would feel less bothered by it. And, if they willingly let the drama unfold in their life, I would feel they got the drama they invited into their lives and would not expect them to complain about their choice since they got what they asked for. Being human, however, I fully expect them to complain till the cows come home. It’s what most people who make bad choices do.

How many enemies worthy of mention have you made throughout your life?

I don’t make enemies, it’s counterproductive. Many people have made me their enemy, though, like my ex-wife. I try to get along with everybody, but there are those few who simply won’t put forth the effort. It is so much easier to hate than put any effort into getting along with each other.

I never hated anyone as much as my ex-wife by the time she was through with me. I forgave her for everything, then I forgave myself for my part in our 20 years of hell together, and then I accepted the apology I knew I was never going to get from her. This forgiveness has made the most difference in my life, my path, and who I am.

Don’t make enemies. If people make you an enemy, well, that says more about them than you. If someone makes you their enemy, better to ask them why, then smile, shake their hand, and thank them for the information. You might have something to work on that you aren’t aware of, or they could be perpetually offended, in which case there is no changing their mind.

“Now there is a final reason I think that Jesus says, "Love your enemies." It is this: that love has within it a redemptive power. And there is a power there that eventually transforms individuals. Just keep being friendly to that person. Just keep loving them, and they can’t stand it too long. Oh, they react in many ways in the beginning. They react with guilt feelings, and sometimes they’ll hate you a little more at that transition period, but just keep loving them. And by the power of your love they will break down under the load. That’s love, you see. It is redemptive, and this is why Jesus says love. There’s something about love that builds up and is creative. There is something about hate that tears down and is destructive. So love your enemies. (from "Loving Your Enemies")”

-- Martin Luther King Jr.

How do I become the perfect and flawless role model for everyone to look up to?

If you aspire to be this the first truth you must embrace and share is, there is no such thing as “perfect” and “flawless.” If you want people to look up to you, your ego will always get in the way. First, learn humility. Be humble in all you do. Second, develop a moral set of ethical values. Third, stand by those values, no matter the consequences. Fourth, mentor those who seek your assistance. And, finally, you will be a light in the darkness. But, be very mindful of what you wish for. Be selfless in all you do, and strive to be happy always.

If good and bad need each other, how do you know when to stop fighting bad?

Good and bad need each other in the sense that there must be balance in the universe. There must be darkness in order to recognize the light. There must be sour to recognize sweet. There must be hatred to recognize love. There must be good to recognize evil, and so on, and so on.

The righteous can never stop fighting against bad because bad will always be with us. Bad gives balance to good. The principles of yin and the yang, the dark and the light, whose interaction influences destinies.

Are rules and regulations broken by the very people who create the rules?

Yes! Situationally, rules are meant to be broken. And, if they’re really serious about rules and regulations, they’ll rewrite them, taking into consideration the situation that caused the “rule-makers” to break their own rules.  If they don't allow for growth they are doomed to failure.

“Rules are mostly made to be broken and are too often for the lazy to hide behind”

-- Douglass Macarthur

What do I do if I regret something?

Make it right, or move on. What is done is in the past. The future is what you make of now.

What are the necessary conditions that need to be met for an action/behavior to be considered as being a free choice?

You are always free to choose. Every choice you make is because you are free to make it. If you feel you are being forced into a choice, just choose to not make the choice. You are also free to give up your right to make your own choice, which is in itself a free choice you make. Everything that happens in life is due to a choice you made, good or bad. Is it your fault you drowned? It is if you made the choice to go on the boat or in the water. Did someone force you onto the boat? When did you choose to be with that someone?

If we trace life back to birth, it was your choice to come out of the chute. How did you know what life was going to be like? If your parents beat you, it was your choice not to beat them back and make them stop. I’m sure there are probably situations out there that one can truly say are not grounded in a choice or decision they made, but I can’t think of one.

What is the minimum age to be worth being alive?

The minute you are conceived, you are worth being alive. How valuable your life is, is dependent on the choices you make. You can equate your life to money. Money is just a concept in your pocket until you take it out and use it to purchase something. Your life is also a concept of value, but until you utilize your life for something you won’t truly know the value of it. If you play music, teach, mentor, work a job, make friends, support a family, raise children, and on, and on, you are proving your inherent worth to yourself and to others.

I’ve had people talk to me about feeling worthless, yet I had to remind them that the information they were imparting to me was valuable and that gave their life worth to me. Everyone is valuable and a life worth living, even the unborn whose life is in the hands of a woman who holds the power of birth or death over them, simply because she has that right to choose.

“We don’t look at ourselves to see if we are inadequate, we don’t ask ourselves if we are enjoying life. What we do instead is we look at other people and what they do then decide if our life is worth living.”

-- Cave Man

Do you feel like you do a better job when you wait until the last minute to do it?

No, that would be lying to myself. I do a better job when I take the time to plan it out, especially if I can prepare for the unexpected.

When did you realize that your health is more important than material items?

When I realized that, without my health, I can afford to purchase material items, much less enjoy them.

What type of reinforcement gets the best results, positive or negative?

The answer is situational. It depends on what you’re after in the end. A spanking can be viewed as negative unless the “victim” likes being spanked, in which case the “best results” are immediate. Just saying.

“Being spanked is the ultimate obedience, the final pleasure. It is life on the highwire.”

-- Chloe Thurlow

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.

Feel free to contact Pastor Tony:  tolerantpastor@gmail.com

More Questions on Bullies, Courage, and Virtue

At what age did you finally find redemption?

I started working on redemption when I was about 50, but I don’t expect to find it until the end of this life or in one of the numerous lives yet to come.

In what situations might "bullying" debatably be a good thing?

It is never a “good” thing. In military intelligence, we learn all about the interrogation of the enemy. Interrogation can utilize “bullying” to accomplish the goal. It is excusable, but certainly not good. We’re giving unto Ceasar that which is Ceasar’s, but we have to be very certain we can excuse what and why we do it to God. We tread a fine ethical line to obtain information at the cost of our soul. I was always mindful that there is a special place in hell…

Are the virtues of wisdom and cowardice related? Is bravery coupled with foolishness?

Bravery is coupled with courage, and sometimes it is wise to retreat and live to fight another day. Cowardice is coupled with a fear that cannot be surmounted, and if you can’t get on top of the fear, there is no wisdom involved.

“The problem with people who have no vices is that generally you can be pretty sure they're going to have some pretty annoying virtues.”

-- Elizabeth Taylor

Why do people notice all the bad things you do over all the good things?

That all stopped when my dad passed away. He was always trying to make me better than I was and totally missed the point of everything that I was. I can’t remember one time he told me how proud he was of all I had accomplished in life. On the bright side, I wasn’t trying to impress him, so it worked out okay for me.

What is your best guess as to what the "default state of existence" is?

In my humble opinion, “It is what it is until it isn’t, and then it is what it is again.”

How many forms of ethics are there, and which form do you consider to be the most relevant?

Ethics based on moral righteousness. You simply can’t go wrong sticking to them. I have a hard time doing it because I’m a self-proclaimed hypocrite who believes it’s so much better if you do as I say and not as I do.

1. He is happy. The word blessed in this particular passage is referring to the idea of being happy or content.

2. He does not walk in the counsel of the wicked. In other words, he is careful who he gets advice from.

3. He does not stand in the path of sinners. He's careful where he hangs out. You probably won't find this guy at the strip club or the casino.

4. He does not sit in the seat of scoffers. What is a scoffer? One who expresses scorn, derision, or contempt. It doesn't sound like a person any of us would want to have sitting at our dinner table, but some of us, not only have them at our tables, we are them! This man does not linger with these types of people.

5. His delight is in the law of the Lord. Wow! Did you catch that? His delight! What do you delight in? Your spouse, your children, your job, your pets, your chocolate? It doesn't say this man delighted in any of those things. He delights in God's word.

6. He meditates day and night in God's law. Wow, again! To meditate means to think on, ruminate on, much like a cow chews its cud. It just keeps coming back around over and over, to think on, day and night. I don't know about you, but I'm doing good if God's word comes to my mind once a day.

7. He is like a tree, firmly planted by streams of water. From this single sentence we can see that this man is rooted and he is provided for. The stream of water, which I would say could be compared to the Holy Spirit, is always nearby, for him to swim in, rest by and drink from. I also love that the word firmly is included to describe how this tree is planted. This tree is not about to be toppled by the first storm that comes along.

8. He bears fruit in its season. This man is useful to God. He allows God to use Him as He will to produce fruit in his life. This fruit can be harvested when it is the right season. This fruit is a direct result of his investment and delight in God's law.

9. His fruit and leaves will not wither. It doesn't mean this man won't age. It means that as long as he is delighting in God's law, he will always be a productive part of God's kingdom. Sure, he will have bad days, but it will be temporary and the result will bring him closer to His creator.

10. He prospers. It is good to be wise when we start talking about prosperity. Prosperity doesn't always mean financial gain. This man may prosper as a friend, or as a worker, or in his marriage, or other aspects of his family life. Or it may be that his relationship with the Savior is the only thing that prospers.

-- Borrowed from stylingrannymama.com

“What’s the point of having beliefs and values if we don't stand up for the former and live by the latter?”

-- Colleen Patrick-Goudreau

Have you learned to change your personality (note: it is changing the personality, not just the emotion) in order to get to an end goal?

I’d like to say that, after 67 years of life, I will not change who I am. Unfortunately, there is the reality of supervision, management, and business. My mother always said my mouth would always get me in trouble and, for the most part, mom was spot on. The military taught me to mind my tongue, especially when supervising and managing. The business world taught me how to be political to reach the “end goal” we were after. I’ve learned to temper “you’re an idiot” with “have you considered this.” The change is not permanent as much as it is a strategic move to train, keep the peace, and fulfill the goal. The hypocrisy I balance is the old “don’t do as I do, do as I say” adage. The fact that they're an idiot is still forefront in my mind, however.

What helps to assess the consequences of our choices?

The fact that it’s a recurring choice. If this is a choice that must continuously be made, assessing the consequences will ensure a better choice is made the next time so the consequences are also better.

How much wisdom is circumstantial?

Wisdom is based on the experiences of the “wise” one. I think “good” wisdom would dictate that “what works for one may not work for another.” In this sense, wisdom can be seen as more circumstantial than fact, or, better said, it might be more situationally driven by the specific circumstances of the individual or group concerned.

“By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; Second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest.”

-- Confucious

What are the best ways to get good perspectives in life, and why?

Get a job and go to work. It will give you good perspectives of ethics, work, supervision, management, business ownership, money, debt, taxes, investing, happiness, frustration, loyalty, honesty, friendship, philosophy, etc., etc., etc.

How far would you be willing to go to make someone’s life hell over spite?

I was willing to do whatever it took for my ex-wife. But, then, I accepted the apology I knew she was never going to give. I forgave myself for my part in all of it and, most of all, I learned to forgive her for all she did, and didn’t, do. If you’re willing to make a person’s life a living hell, it says more about you than it ever will the person you try to destroy. Better you should forget it, move on down the road, and strive to be happy always.

Do people who have the greatest courage have the biggest fear?

They could, but courage by definition is the willingness to overcome your fear and do what needs to be done. You’re still going to be scared out of your mind, but you do it anyway. This is real courage. The brave don’t give danger a second thought, they just press forward. They, basically, have no fear. Personally, I rather follow the courageous into battle, than follow the brave.

“You cannot swim for new horizons until you have courage to lose sight of the shore.”

-- William Faulkner

What is the value of the priceless?

The definition answers this pretty well: Having a value beyond any price.

However, when it comes to “priceless,” it isn’t necessarily what price we arbitrarily assign to it, but what ridiculous price someone is willing to pay in order to own it.

Is helping without a return a bad thing?

No, helping someone is a selfless act that more people need to exercise. Helping others and expecting something in return, however, isn’t really helping them as you are selling your services for a return of the favor. 

What is something that too many people take for granted?

Peace and stability. People live their lives in denial of an imminent nuclear threat from several quarters. They think everything is stable as we constantly walk that thin line between stability and chaos. Being born in 1953, I have lived under the nuclear threat most of my life. For almost 23 years in the military intelligence field, I dealt with nuclear deterrence on a daily basis. We maintained the illusion of peace and stability. Now, we have let socialism invade our own political system, and that illusion is, once again walking that thin line. People are once again, taking their freedom, their life, their “peace and stability” for granted. And for those socialists destabilizing our nation? They are also in denial of their ultimate fate:

“The useful idiots, the leftists who are idealistically believing in the beauty of the Soviet socialist or Communist or whatever system, when they get disillusioned, they become the worst enemies. That’s why my KGB instructors specifically made the point: never bother with leftists. Forget about these political prostitutes. Aim higher. They serve a purpose only at the stage of destabilization of a nation. For example, your leftists in the United States: all these professors and all these beautiful civil rights defenders. They are instrumental in the process of the subversion only to destabilize a nation. When their job is completed, they are not needed anymore. They know too much. Some of them, when they get disillusioned, when they see that Marxist-Leninists come to power—obviously they get offended—they think that they will come to power. That will never happen, of course. They will be lined up against the wall and shot.”

-- Yuri Bezmenov (1939-1993), former Soviet journalist and KGB informant

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.

Feel free to contact Pastor Tony:  tolerantpastor@gmail.com

Questioning Ethics, Ethics, and More Ethics

“There has to be a cut-off somewhere between the freedom of expression and a graphically explicit free-for-all.”

-- E.A. Bucchianeri

If a person lacks ‘common sense”, is there anything that person can do to acquire it (at least occasionally)?

Common sense isn’t common anymore. That ship sailed long ago. Good sense can be acquired by exercising a sense of good, moral, ethics. Good sense is knowing not to skydive out of a perfectly good aircraft with the bimbo you met at the club last night and using a parachute her estranged husband has packed. Did he get enough sleep, or did the new baby keep him up because mommy was out with you? She rubs up against you so there’s definitely trouble in paradise, maybe enough for him to drink to forget. Are they drinking to forget? Is he hungover? Yea, let’s use the chute he packed, shall we? Good sense would say visit the airport bar and cheer everyone on as they takeoff. Make certain you sit with your back to the wall, though. Her husband’s done packing chutes for the day.

What can't you get if you are bad?

Parole. Oh, okay, maybe in New York. Okay, and San Francisco. Alright, but Seattle is it, no more.

Are there any life lessons you can tell me?

Get a job and stay out of debt. If you don’t want the responsibility of children, keep your pants zipped or take precautions. Don’t date people who smell bad. If you do, double up on the precautions. Don’t drink to excess. If you do, stay out of debt, keep your pants zipped, more precautions, especially if your nose still works. If your job seriously sucks, reread this paragraph and look for a better job. The best life lesson I can impart is to strive to be happy always. Oh, and keep reading this until the “cluebird” lands.

“Attitude is a choice. Happiness is a choice. Optimism is a choice. Kindness is a choice. Giving is a choice. Respect is a choice. Whatever choice you make makes you. Choose wisely.”

-- Roy T. Bennett

What is something that was taught wrong in books?

History, for the most part. The winners always write the history as they see it. The losers always seem to have a different take on things. Somewhere in the middle, we find the truth. But, it makes you wonder, why we blindly believe the winner?

What can't you get if you are not good?

Positive reinforcement.

Why is knowing who you are and what you stand for so important?

What you stand for defines who you are, and knowing who you really are is very important especially to yourself. It is also important that others know what they can expect of your personal code of moral ethics, that you will never compromise them tells everyone the kind of person they can count on.

“Heroes are not made. They are born out of circumstances and rise to the occasion when their spirit can no longer coexist with the hypocrisy of injustice to others.”

-- Shannon L. Alder

How do you clearly define your identity and true self? Also, are there any factors to consider?

We are all clearly defined by our moral code of personal moral ethics. If we compromise what we believe, what kind of person does this say we are? Your “true self” will be evidenced by how you hold to your ethics. Make them good.

What might someone make a stand for?

Anything that threatens a person’s moral ethics. Freedom would be a big one because without freedom you wouldn’t be able to have moral ethics. Your ethics will be what the state says they will be, moral or not. You would not be able to freely exercise your spiritual beliefs, your religion, or your freedom to think for yourself. More and more people in the United States are standing up for the “rule of law,” the Constitution, and patriotism, all in the face of a failing socialist coup.

If anybody thinks anything is wrong, do you accept their own decisions?

Yes. It isn’t a law that we have to agree on everything, this would be socialism, not freedom. If their sense of personal moral ethics determines something is wrong for them, I have to respect their feelings and press on without them. If they’re giving a speech about what they believe, and someone is trying to shout them down, I would have to stand up for their right under the law for free speech, regardless of how radical, treasonous, moronic, or hypocritical their speech is to the very idea of the freedoms they expect.

"A thug is someone who stands on his own. He lives by the decisions he makes and accepts the consequences. A thug is comfortable in his own skin. I wear mine like a glove"

-- Trick Daddy

Why are some people given more dignity than others?

There are those who don’t even give themselves the dignity they expect from others. There are others who feel if these people don’t want dignity they don’t deserve it. And there are those who simply feel that they are better than everybody else, which immediately puts them at the bottom of everyone else’s list for deserved respect. There should never be one segment of society that thinks they are som much more deserved than others. All lives matter! Even the lives of those who don’t think they deserve dignity, matter. Regardless of skin color, sexual, political, or spiritual orientation, they all matter. We have laws on the books in the United States that protect the dignity of people. The biggest problem we face is the people who would rather be perpetually offended than making use of the laws that protect them.

Author comment:  I spent six weeks in jail once. Whilst in there I asked all of my fellow inmates what sort of childhood’s did they have, they all answered the same, they were all abused/criminally treated by their fathers, as was I, they were groomed to become criminals, uncared for and about, society frowns upon them, society judges their respective books by their covers, they were the ones that divine intervention failed to save. All of their lives matter yes?

My reply:  Do they have a conscious choice to do better? Yes. Will they? It is a choice that is totally up to them, not their fathers, society, their history, it is totally up to them to stop placing blame for who and what they are and start making the right choices. Society frowns upon them because they frown upon society. You get what you give. Change the storyline of the book and you have to change the cover. But, their lives matter even if they show a sociopathic denial to ever change. This is why they have to answer to the “rule of law” for their crimes and are sentenced accordingly. Sometimes the story is what it is. What we choose is always at hand. 

What are your thoughts about Femtochemistru?

Spelling before science.  Femtochemistry is one of those branches of science beyond the comprehension of my feeble brain, but I do know how to spell it. I barely comprehend quantum physics. However, when we start studying reactions of the infinitesimal, we always learn something new, I simply don’t understand the process.

For Aristotle, is it right to do only what gives us pleasure?

He doesn’t say this. As a matter of fact, he equates this thought to what animals do. “Pleasure alone cannot constitute human happiness.” Check out this short explanation:

“What is it that makes human beings different from the rest of the animal kingdom? Aristotle answers: Reason. Only humans are capable of acting according to principles, and in so doing taking responsibility for their choices. We can blame Johnny for stealing the candy since he knows it is wrong, but we wouldn't blame an animal since it doesn't know any better.

It seems that our unique function is to reason: by reasoning things out we attain our ends, solve our problems, and hence live a life that is qualitatively different in kind from plants or animals. The good for a human is different from the good for an animal because we have different capacities or potentialities. We have a rational capacity and the exercising of this capacity is thus the perfecting of our natures as human beings. For this reason, pleasure alone cannot constitute human happiness, for pleasure is what animals seek and human beings have higher capacities than animals. The goal is not to annihilate our physical urges, however, but rather to channel them in ways that are appropriate to our natures as rational animals.”

-- pursuit-of-happiness.org

How is philosophy a life skill tool?

I can’t think of anything that isn’t based on philosophy, which is probably why we have titles from institutes of higher education celebrating a Ph.D., or “Doctorate of Philosophy,” for so many fields. If everything is based in some way on a philosophy, it makes perfect sense that philosophy would be a “life skill tool.”

What is a weakness you have that you'd rather not share on this site?

If I’d rather not share it on this sitea, what’s the point? It used to be spanking older women, and then I got older. I suppose, then, it’s spanking women my own age, or maybe younger.

Should you conform to what society expects of you or be yourself?

In the United States, we’re being asked to conform to what socialism expects of us. Be yourself. Always be yourself. The minute you show weakness and conform, your freedoms are gone and all is lost.

“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.”

-- Ralph Waldo Emerson

 

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.

Feel free to contact Pastor Tony:  tolerantpastor@gmail.com