More of the Long and the Short

 

If you cannot do great things, do small things in a great way.

-- Napoleon Hill

Wow! Hubba hubba! 

The long answers:

What makes a man underestimate the capability of an enemy they side with, in business?

Ignorance. Keep your friends close, but keep your enemies closer. Side with them, if you have to, but never, ever, take your eyes off them. Your enemy is always looking for weakness.

Is it rude to poop on the sidewalk?

Who in God’s name has the urge to take a crap on the sidewalk? Are you a dog? Yes, it’s rude, and probably against several laws.

Is it rude to say “you don't understand”?

It’s not so rude to say you don’t understand, as it is to take a "poop on the sidewalk."

“Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less.”

-- Marie Curie

Is COVID something we'll always need to guard against?

Unless it disappears completely, it will be another annual “flu” shot or you can opt for the new pill.

Why are babies not born with the in-built idea of God?

They’re born with the in-built idea of choice, instead. Light or dark? What’s your pleasure? 

Is it true that a man must find a woman physically beautiful to love her?

Nope. This is a mistake many people make, and probably the reason for so much divorce and misery.

“Along with the idea of romantic love, she was introduced to another--physical beauty. Probably the most destructive ideas in the history of human thought. Both originated in envy, thrived in insecurity, and ended in disillusion.”

-- Toni Morrison

How do I understand what I want from life?

Can you afford it? Do you want it, or do you need it? Will it make you truly and sustainably happy? Do you really like her name?

How would you live your life if you didn't have to work anymore? You won't be super-rich, but you would enjoy an upper-class lifestyle for the rest of your life without needing to work (ex. passive income/retirement fund).

I’d find something constructive to do, like work, so I won’t get bored out of my fricking mind.

Is it right or fair to go back retrospectively and judge people’s conduct of the past by today's standards, when at the time the behaviors were acceptable?

No, but this is what many are trying to do. The danger is in rewriting, or canceling, history. The people who do this don’t like to be judged but have no problem judging. The hypocrisy smells like bad education as much as it does socialism.

"Nothing is more unfair than to judge the men of the past by the ideas of the present."

-- Denys Arthur Winstanley

Why do many people take failure as the end?

They don’t understand that failure is simply an opportunity to learn from a mistake, a bad choice, or a bad decision. Why did you fail? Figure it out, try again until you succeed, and then press forward to the next opportunity.

Will you never give me up and never let me down?

That doesn't sound like something I would ever do. But, as always, it would, in all probability, depend on you.

Have negative people blamed you when you try to be nice and positive?

Yes, but learning to ignore them is easy when you’re right in what you do. Never let anyone stop you from being nice and positive. Never let anyone stop you from striving to be happy always and in all things. If you really think about it, the alternative simply sucks.

“Save your skin from the corrosive acids from the mouths of toxic people. Someone who just helped you to speak evil about another person can later help another person to speak evil about you.”

-- Israelmore Ayivor

The short answers:

What bad habits can wipe out your wealth quickly?

Uncontrolled spending and debt. 

What do you think it means when a person responds to something by saying "whatever"?

No cogent response? You’ve won, so it really doesn’t matter.

What stops a positive change in our lives?

Negative change.

Did John Wayne serve in the armed services?

No, though, he made up for it by making movies about our brave troops. 

What are some good ways to save money on groceries?

Eat less. Most of us could use a good diet regimen.

Are you afraid of uncertainty?

I’m not certain.

I need some answers. What are some answers?

Yes. Maybe. No, and take your hand off my ass.

How do you not derail a conversation?

Silence is golden. Keep your mouth shut.

How do you develop your own negatives?

Do they still make camera film?

How do you find inner peace when your world is falling apart?

Our world is always falling apart. Fix it or ignore it.

At what age you should become successful?

At whatever age you learn the meaning of true happiness.

Is love really the key to success?

Only if it makes you both truly happy.

How do I stop hoping he'll call me?

Call him.

What is the secret advantage of being an outsider?

It’s more comfortable.

Why do Scientologists not believe in psychology?

Who really cares?

Can wrong advice alter your life?

Ya think?

Why does being broke not stop someone or maybe anybody from having sex?

Poor decision-making.

How do you help summer depression?

Why would you want to help it? I’d kill it. 

What's one unexpected effect of self-isolation?

What the hell was I thinking?

The number of people older than you never increases, and is constantly decreasing. How does that make you feel?

Old. Thank you.

How do you practice non-attachment to your money?

Selfless donations.

“It is under the greatest adversity that there exists the greatest potential for doing good, both for oneself and others.”

-- Dalai Lama XIV

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