For Those Who Love My Short Answers

 

“There are some questions that shouldn't be asked until a person is mature enough to appreciate the answers.”

-- Anne Bishop

Why does it take so much time to become financially successful?

The Internal Revenue Service.

How do you determine what your value is to others?

Be selflessly valuable. “How” valuable is up to you, not to them.

What are some things I could say to help motivate someone to go down a zipline?

Don’t be a pussy?

If I aim to fail a test but then I succeed, have I failed or succeeded?

You failed at your goal but succeeded with the test.

If love is the greatest of all, why is love not a religion?

In some cults it is. 

I'm failing college - What should I do?

Study harder, go to trade school, or just get a job.  

What helps you in times of your depression?

Bourbon. I don’t get depressed, though. I just like bourbon.

Would you go ice skating on your own?

Yes, on an indoor rink.

There is something seriously wrong. What am I supposed to do?

Determine what the “something” is.

What advice would you give to new recruits?

Breaking you is a “game” that you don’t let them win.

Pretend I asked, “is it okay to tell my uncle that I think he is a failure in life?” What would you say?

“If you want to be a heartless asshole, go for it.”

If money were no object, what would you do?

Take a world cruise while I set up my charitable foundation.  

How did you find the group of people with whom you climbed the leader of your life/profession and reached/is going towards success?

I joined the military.

What is the proof that lazy people are smart people?

They’re comfortable taking money from Social Welfare for doing nothing.

Do you believe in the saying "time heals"?

Not all wounds.

If given the opportunity to create yourself, what is the 1 thing you would add, and what would you take out?

I’d add a photographic memory, and I’d remove my impatience.

Why do I associate indecision with dishonesty? Anytime I sense indecision, I want to run.

There’s nothing dishonest about indecision unless you lie about it.

Why wouldn't we respect each other?

We tolerate, accept, understand, and are kind, but many feel respect is something that must be earned. 

What do teachers think of students who used to be and but are not good? Do they think ‘once bad always bad’ or that people can change?

Being “good” is a choice, so they need to make better choices.

Do gifted people need to study?

Yes, but if they don’t study, crack a book, what good is their gift?

Is it too late for a single man in his 40s to have a kid?

Aren’t the “swimmers” past their “use by” date?

Should grades reflect the absolute achievement level,  or achievement relative to others in the class? Why?

Absolute. The class could be full of brainiacs, or idiots, except you.

What can you say to someone who failed their exams?

Stop partying and start studying.

Will I graduate if I fail a class in my senior year?

Depends on your total Grade Point Average. Fail basket weaving?  

How do I give up on someone I wanted to spend the rest of my life with?

If she doesn’t want you, wanting her is counterproductive to happiness.

Should not men be aware of this today?

The question needs the associated graphic, which is missing.

If you found out you were immortal, what's the first thing you would do?

It doesn’t matter, because I have forever to do it.

If I’m a good person, why do I need ethics?

If you’re a “good” person, you already have ethics. 

Can you teach yourself Microsoft Excel?

I did, and I’m a “techno boob.”

Is civilization overrated in the 21st century?

Study Rome, at the time it fell. History repeats.

“Indeed, the only truly serious questions are ones that even a child can formulate. Only the most naive of questions are truly serious. They are the questions with no answers. A question with no answer is a barrier that cannot be breached. In other words, it is questions with no answers that set the limit of human possibilities, describe the boundaries of human existence.”

-- Milan Kundera

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