A Question of National Leadership

Note to my readers: I did not answer the following question concerning the SCOTUS ruling. The "comments" had been turned off. But the answer given was one in line with my own thinking. We have the "Rule of Law" for reason, and the fact that administrations continually ignore what "we the people" have put into law is unconscionable. Why make laws if our own leaders are not going to abide by them? If it's a bad law, then change it, don't ignore it. Ignoring laws is anarchy. The current administration, under Joe Biden, through inaction and politics, is increasingly responsible for deaths, rapes, growth of cartels, and human trafficing the like of which has never been seen in human history. Vice President Harris laughs this off. I see nothing funny in the deaths and rapes of children. When will it stop? In three years when your conscience goes to vote, if we still have the right to vote, that is. I recommend we do a better job of choosing.

How do you feel about the Supreme Court ruling today that thousands of illegals in the U.S. are ineligible to apply to become permanent?

"It’s been the law since 1965.

If you enter the US illegally it’s a federal crime with 6 months in federal prison for the first offense and 2 years for the second offense. If you commit a crime while here illegally you are banned from legally immigrating to the United States.

These have been the law of the land for more than half a century and just because "scofflaw" administrations choose to ignore federal law doesn’t make the law disappear."

Which is more important to satisfy your Sungsang or Hyungsang value?

Both are as important and should be in harmony.

How can you tell that a person is living a good life in our given present situation?

If they are able to be happy in the face of adversity, I would have to make the assumption their life is good. A good life is not defined by wealth or circumstance. A good life is when you strive to be happy always. A good life is defined by the family and good friends you are surrounded by. A good life is thanking God for the gift of another glorious day in paradise and another chance to excel in this life. If they are happy, regardless of our present situation, they are living a good life. Not to say that it couldn’t always be better, but they are fine. 

“Whether you choose to move on from your struggles and enjoy life or waddle in your misery, life will continue.”

-- Germany Kent

Can bad things continuously happen to a person everywhere they go?

Is this person continuously making bad choices and decisions? Not paying attention to the world around them would be a bad choice for most people. How do you make better choices and decisions? Think long and hard before you act. Where you sit, stand, eat, how and where you cross a street, the dark street you’re thinking of walking down late at night, drinking and driving, etc., etc., etc. Always think before you act.

How important does equality matter to you?

Enough for me to know that all lives matter. 

How do you deal with the pressure and obligation of manhood?

There is no pressure or obligation when you’re doing the right and ethical thing, manhood notwithstanding. A person’s good and moral sense of ethics are what defines them to everyone else. If someone wants to pressure you or obligate you, and your ethics don’t allow it, then so be it. Never feel like you have to sell your soul just because someone thinks they can pressure you. Allowing anything is a choice you make.  Always do what is right and morally ethical, and strive to be happy always.

“A man is at his youngest when he thinks he is a man, not yet realizing that his actions must show it.”

-- Mary Renault

In what situations am I too weak to accept your suggestions or make decisions?

Accepting suggestions and making decisions is a choice you make. If you are in a situation you have chosen to accept that situation for yourself. If you think a situation is making you weak, change the situation. If you’re too “weak” to make a simple choice for yourself, you might as well do nothing in life which, by the way, is also your choice.

What mistakes do only smart people make?

Hitting on 17, or on the boss's wife, and then believing her when she says he’s out of town.

 Is human imperfection a failure of evolution or a failure of design or something else entirely?

“Imperfection” is a consequence of nothing being perfect. Everything can be improved upon. We are what we are, due to those environmental things that have an effect on evolution. Even if there was nothing having an effect, we would still be imperfect. If anything, evolution is doing a pretty good job of keeping up with environmental changes. If you’re looking for perfection, even God is in question, so how perfect can we really be? And, never forget that failure is the best way to learn, and we are constantly learning.

Note to my readers:  I answered this question and the following advisory came up after I subitted it:

“You're submitting to evolvopedia.

We appreciate your submissions. Please use your best judgment to provide references where necessary and refrain from offering spiritual propositions.”

My reply:  You ask a question concerning “human imperfection” which, for many people on this planet, delves into one’s belief in a supreme being, their spirituality, and, more to the point, their religion. If you only want the answers that serve your agenda, you might let us know what the agenda is and put this advisory upfront before we waste our time on an answer to a question that can be interpreted as philosophical (e.g., spiritual propositions). Just saying.

It is imperfection - not perfection - that is the end result of the program written into that formidably complex engine that is the human brain, and of the influences exerted upon us by the environment and whoever takes care of us during the long years of our physical, psychological and intellectual development.

-- Rita Levi-Montalcini

Is loving you easy 'cause you're beautiful?

Yea, but I’m also humble, so don’t take my word for it.

Is it difficult to do good in the face of the unspeakable tragedy in your life? What are some examples of people who didn’t perpetuate the evil done to them, but instead turned it into fuel for doing good?

No.  As a matter of fact, this is the best time to exercise your capacity for doing good.  Jesus of Nazareth. Martin Luther King, Jr., Nelson Mandela, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, to name just a few better known. 

What's your philosophy in this life?

"Strive to be happy always, because the alternative simply sucks."

“Fear robs you of your freedom to make the right choice in life that can bridge the gap between where you are and where you want to be. On the other side of fear, lies freedom. If you want to grow, you need to be brave and take risks. If you're not uncomfortable, you're not growing.”

-- Roy T. Bennett

How can I know if I have good self-control?

How do you treat people you meet who are moronic and rude? Do you grab them by the throat and throttle them, or do you stop short and apologize for almost losing your self-control?

What is your favorite excuse to continue using the spiritually dead tree of knowledge and protect your way of life?

There’s no proof the “Tree of Knowledge” is dead. This sounds like a rumor the League of the Perpetually Offended is spreading. You never need an "excuse" to have faith. It is a choice. It is a belief in something for which there is little or no proof. Better to ignore rumors, have some faith, and strive to be happy always. It certainly beats spreading manure.

Should mother nature teach humanity and its stupid corrupt incompetent leadership a brutal lesson?

Standby. We’ll know the answer to this shortly.

A note from the site: "This question should be phrased with neutral and sincere language.  This question's wording makes it seem like a joke, or intended rhetorically to make a statement, rather than looking for helpful answers. It should be rewritten to be a neutral, non-leading question."

My reply:  Oops! Sorry. By the warning, I seemed to have answered this question in the offensive spirit in which it was being asked. My bad.

“Not the random, seemingly drunken hand of Mother Nature herself. That crazy old bitch gave us the California Redwoods - true, but right along with it she whipped up some naked mole rat.”

-- Augusten Burroughs

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