Questioning the Journey, Traits, Talent, and Sex (Again?)

  

“Some beautiful paths 

can't be discovered 

without getting lost.”

-- Erol Ozan

What should a person consider success? People spend their lives chasing a big goal but rarely speak about the journey. Are there only failures along the way? I need some insight.

First of all, “success” is finding true happiness always and in everything you do. We do spend an inordinate amount of our lives striving to attain goals without enjoying the journey it takes us to get there. Why? Because there are failures along the way, and many of us don’t understand the truth of failure. Failure, for all the negativity we have thrust upon it, is nothing more than an opportunity to learn. Critiquing why we fail gives us that new information that allows us to learn from our mistakes and to move forward. If we don’t fail, we don’t move forward.

Always consider finding the only real success in life - true happiness. Always chase your goals, but not at the expense of enjoying the journey you take to get there. Embrace that you will fail, many times, and be happy in the understanding that you will emerge from failure with new knowledge to assist you in attaining your goals.

How can the belief in something make it happen?

Only if you work hard toward what you believe in. Faith and belief are only one aspect in the process to make something a reality. You must have faith in order to have belief. Faith is the belief in something for which there is little or no proof, until, that is, you put into it the hard work necessary to make it a reality.

What is the biggest lie an adult has ever told you?

Santa Clause was real.

What is your archetype, and how do you know it?

I have not bothered to search for my “archetype” because I am aware that, like all of us, I am unique.

What does it mean to be human? Can you give your personal opinion or belief?

We can give many examples of what we think humans are, but other species exhibit the same trait or traits. I suppose my thought on this is exactly that - my thought on this.

I think about what it means to be human. I exercise critical thinking, accepting some facts and discarding others to arrive at an answer to a question some other human thought to ask.

We think in this particular way and we are driven to create machines that transport us to other planets, in order to answer other questions which will take us to those stars we have thought about since we were created.

We think. We question. We actively search for answers and discover more questions. This is what we do, who we are, and, very possibly, why we exist.

Author's comment: Great answer, Tony. I believe that we first started becoming human when we first raised our eyes to the stars and wondered…

“Before you call yourself a Christian, Buddhist, Muslim, Hindu, or any other theology, learn to be human first.”

-- Shannon L. Alder

Which is better, youth and naivety or age and wisdom? Why?

They both have their benefits. But, youth and naiveté say you can have sex of a lifetime, with all comers, till the cows come home. Age and wisdom say to temper that attitude with some good sense. Why? Soon or later the cows do come home. How many women do you need to get pregnant? How many STDs do you need to contact?

Why is it hard for some people to forgive you?

Since I rarely do anything wrong, when I do, they aren’t sure. 

What is your reflection on this quote "Every job is a self-portrait of the person who does it. Autographs your work with excellence"?

Far be it for me to disagree with the great Vince Lombardi, but, every job really reflects the ability of the person who does it. The person may be the biggest son of a bitch in the world, but he does his job with excellence. In such a case, the quality of the job is so not a “self-portrait” of the person doing it. 

Why does each individual person become more and more contradictory and different?

The nature of being free and an individual. Socialist and communist countries do not celebrate contradiction and difference, they would prefer to build gulags to bury folks like this.

What is one thing you would say to someone who judges you based on emotional or mental health problems?

“You do know I have emotional and mental health problems, right? Think about that, as you try to sleep tonight.” Or, you could take the other path, "I have bigger problems than to really care what you think." And, there is always the simple response, "Thanks, asshole."  Personally, I like the first response.  But, then, I'm retired from military intelligence.

“The self-righteous scream judgments against others to hide the noise of skeletons dancing in their own closets.”

-- John Mark Green

What are your opinions on perfectionist people?

They will never be because perfection does not exist. The most they can do is strive to be “exceptionalists.” 

What happens to evildoers?

Bad karma.

How do you know if you have no talent?

You have tried everything and you do nothing well. How many people have ever tried everything? I would say, none. So, you may never know if you have a hidden talent, or not. I think everyone has a talent. If you don’t know what it is, it is yet to be discovered.

What are some unique hidden talents people have?

Armpit farting.

If atheists only want evidence, why do premillennialists think God is going to let them have it for a millennium? Isn't this test we are in all about faith without direct evidence?

Faith is simply a belief is something with little or no proof. Atheists and deists both operate on faith. Both believe that they are right, though neither of them has any proof. For me, the biggest difference between the two sides is that the deists seem to not care about proof, even though the atheists seem to keep asking for it. Again, neither side has incontrovertible proof, yet, for deists, their faith seems to be enough.

Reader's comment: You are confusing evidence and proof. When a hypothesis would reasonably be expected to produce certain results and the results are found to be absent, that is evidence that the hypothesis is false. How much evidence is considered proof depends on what standard of proof you choose to apply.

My reply: I never mentioned “evidence,” but I did mention “incontrovertible” proof, however.

Note to my readers:  It took a few seconds after I posted this for the League of the Perpetually Offended to respond with a comment.  They did not respond to my reply.  Again, I wish they would stop trying to help me.  But, wait.  There's more...

Second reader's comment:  All religions had proof - they all had evidence! That’s why they began.

Thunder was loud and scary. It must be a deity: Thor getting angry.

Mountains grumbled and spat fire. Must be an angry deity - in Hawaii they called him Pele, in Tenerife they named him Guayota.

Floods and droughts killed people. Again, must be an angry deity: god.

Only when science appeared and said: actually, no, these are all natural phenomena that occur whether man is present or not.

Oh, said theists, in that case, we’ll believe on faith - that is belief without evidence.

So let me get this straight, primitive, illiterate uneducated people attributed natural phenomena they couldn’t explain to various deities.

Educated, literate, intelligent people find natural explanations, yet theists want to believe what the primitive illiterates thought, so give it a new term, faith!

Come off if, the gig’s up pal.

My reply:  First, it's "come off it" not "come off if", but I'll not dwell on it.  I find it interesting, through your mindless rant, that you have not presented one iota of proof of the non-existence of God.  I waited.  Oh, I agree with everything you've said, but you are typical of the League of the Perpetually Offended.  

You excel at rants like that makes you right.  Nope, you still sit with the deists because neither of you has presented proof.  By the way, thank you for agreeing with me on that point, although I really don't need your help.  Organized religion simply sucks, but you presented a rant, not proof that you are right.  Don't get mad, the deists can't present the proof, either, pal.

I totally agree with you. But, your proof for the non-existence of God is where in all of what you’ve written. I was certain you were going to present incontrovertible proof to our readers. Or, was it just for the opportunity to rant and present nothing cogent?

Second reader's reply:  That was my point. Atheism concerns rational [evidence-based] belief, not proof.

My reply:  Ah, again, faith, based on belief. There is only “rational” evidence, which really isn't evidence at all, and certainly not incontrovertible proof. 

“Without hope, we fail to exist.”

-- Lailah Gifty Akita

Do we make a choice to forgive?

Everything we do is a choice. Make good ones.

What makes some humans better at absorbing information than others?

The input jack has better wiring and gold connectors.

What are the most logical fields of knowledge?

It should come as no surprise that “logic” is found nowhere in the academic disciplines. Mr. Spock would probably say this explains a lot. I think it explains a lot about current academia and the management of the world.

I got rejected by my crush, and now I feel bad for making her upset. What should I do?

Learn.

Does sin demonstrate to God that you would rather have Satan's view of reality?

No. Sin demonstrates to God what was known all along - we’re only human.

“Adam was but human—this explains it all. He did not want the apple for the apple's sake, he wanted it only because it was forbidden. The mistake was in not forbidding the serpent; then he would have eaten the serpent.”

-- Mark Twain

Who has a stronger sex desire, men or women?

Who’s turn is it to wield the paddle? 

What are some ways to get the perfect lifestyle?

Be truly happy at all times and in all things. Since nothing is truly “perfect,” it can be truly excellent. 

Why would you argue with me that the one who receives, does more good than the ones who give?

That’s a very good question. Why would I?

What is the psychological reason why humans are much quicker to recall and discuss people's flaws, misdeeds, and mistakes more than the same person's good deeds?

Misplaced ego? Delusions of superiority? Judgmental? Help me out, here.

Why can’t everyone win?

There must be balance in the universe - Light and dark, good and evil, sweet and sour, winners and losers. Without one how would we ever know of the other? There are still primitive cultures that fall victim to lying and stealing because they don’t do either, they have no concept of either to fall back on when it occurs. Their culture is idyllic until it isn’t, and then there is balance. I am ashamed to use a current adage, but, it is what it is until it isn’t and, then, it is what it is again… only not.

“Reality is what it is, and what it isn’t, it isn’t.

Sometimes, what it is it isn’t, and what it isn’t, well... it is.

Other times it is nothing, and then it isn’t anything.

But, if it is nothing, it isn’t, and if it isn’t anything, it is.

Acknowledging nothing gives nothing existence;

Therefore, whether it is or it isn’t, it must be,

Because even nothing that isn’t, already is.”

-- Frank A. Villari

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