Questioning Right, Wrong, Good, and Bad

 

“Whenever you're feeling lonely or sad, try going to the loft on a beautiful day and looking outside.”

-- Anne Frank

Is there really something good every day?

Did you wake up this morning? I consider any day spent on this side of the dirt, a very good day, indeed.

Seasoning life is hard and we all agree. Why can't we accept the hard questions of life?

We don’t all agree on anything. The “hard questions of life” keep most of us on our toes. It’s how life-changing discoveries are made, like nuclear power, space flight, philosophy, medicine, and quantum physics. Then, there is also love… and women.  Very confusing.

How do great thinkers balance optimism and pessimism?

If I knew that, I’d probably be a great thinker.

“Somehow, we'll find it. The balance between whom we wish to be and who we need to be. But for now, we simply have to be satisfied with who we are.”

-- Brandon Sanderson

If everyone has the potential to follow their dream, then why doesn't everyone achieve their goals?

Potential, not necessarily a desire. Their mind has the potential, but their spirit is balking at the prospect of all the work.

What’s the best thing I can do for society today?

Be selfless. Whatever you choose to do, do it selflessly.

Does the human person’s worth depend on his/her achievements?

First, we need to agree on the definition of “achievement.” Is the person happy always? Is the person selfless in giving? Does the person hold themselves to a personal code of ethics? Do they survive in the face of adversity, and do they smile as they work through it? These are a few “achievements” in my definition. A person who achieves any of these in life has increased their worth manyfold. But, just to live gives life value, even if only for that person. In life, all things are possible, and to be truly happy along your journey is to be truly successful in life.

“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 could be the best indication of success apart from wealth?

Happiness!

What does a good life entail according to you?

Happiness! Hey, the same answer to a different question. I’m on a roll! 

Are you in a hurry to succeed?

One must never rush success. When you rush through things, mistakes are made. Better to have a plan and be methodical, especially when safety is a factor.

“One of the great disadvantages of hurry is that it takes such a long time.”

-- G.K. Chesterton

Are you in a hurry to succeed?

One must never rush success. When you rush through things, mistakes are made. Better to have a plan and be methodical, especially when safety is a factor.

What’s the most important characteristic to master for success?

Listen, and don’t open your pie hole unless it is to ask an intelligent question, or make an intelligent comment. Once you master the art of listening, you are ready to work. Once you get to work, you can now master the rest of the art of communication. One has to embrace the simple fact that, until they actually succeed at their goal, they know nothing about the goal. They are a simple student.

When did you realize that it was time to retire? Did you follow your gut?

I always expected to retire before 60 years of age. When the company I worked for sold for the second time, I saw the writing on the wall. I was not young, and they were ready to wield a sharpened meat ax to the personnel roster. I was ready to go, so I retired to Mexico for two years until my old boss called me back for a special project.

“I believe that the biggest mistake that most people make when it comes to their retirement is they do not plan for it. They take the same route as Alice in the story from “Alice in Wonderland,” in which the cat tells Alice that surely she will get somewhere as long as she walks long enough. It may not be exactly where you wanted to get to, but you certainly get somewhere.”

-- Mark Singer

Who said, "The entrepreneur in us sees opportunities everywhere we look, but many people see only problems everywhere they look"? What did they mean?

I don't think it was written by one person.  They mean many people weren’t brought up to see the possibility in everything around them. If I’m looking for work, I’ll take anything until I get the job I want. Most people would balk at being a dishwasher, a busboy, a window washer, or a janitor. These “possibilities” are essential to the world's turning. I show these people respect because I’ve walked in their shoes. There are, if your head is screwed on straight enough to see, opportunities everywhere you look.

Why are you often wrong? Why do you wrongly think that you are right when you are wrong?

First, I’m not so often wrong. When I am, I have the humility to embrace and admit my mistake. If someone thinks I’m wrong, they either have to show me why, or we will have to wait and see.

What are the differences between doing a smart thing and doing the right thing?

Usually, the “smart” thing is also the “right” thing. But, sometimes the smart thing might get you killed, which is not a “right” thing. There is nothing right about dying, being injured, hurting others, etc., but sometimes the smart thing might lead down that road.

The My Lai Massacre, during the Vietnam conflict, is an example of doing the smart thing, following orders, but not doing the right thing:  www.history.com/topics/vietnam-war/my-lai-massacre-1

“If you think the world is full of darkness, let us see your light. If you think the world is full of wickedness, let us see your goodness. If you think people are acting wrongly, let us see your right action. If you think people don't know, let us see what you know. If you think the world is full of uncaring people let us see how you care about people. If you think life is not being fair to you, let us see how you can be fair to life. If you think people are proud, let us see your humility. We can easily find fault and we can easily see what is wrong but a positive attitude backed by a right action in a true direction is all we need to survive in peace and harmony in the arena of life”

-- Ernest Agyemang Yeboah

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