Questioning Negativity, Truth, Emotions, and Morals

 

“Always do what is right. It will gratify half of mankind and astound the other.”

-- Mark Twain

Do you blame negative people for their negative behaviors and traits?

Life is about making choices. They have made choices, consciously or not, to accept that which made them negative or allowed them to accept a particular trait. We love to blame others for who we are or what we’re going through. Were they the impetus? Yes! Definitely! But if you allow them to control who you are, by the choice you make because of what they’ve done to you, they'll continue to destroy your life till the end.

When do you take a stand and, in doing so, take your life back? Maybe it’s time to positively declare, “You don’t control me, anymore!”

Does experience make a person wiser?

If you choose to learn from it, yes.

What makes someone happy in life?

Life! Any day on this side of the dirt is a marvelous day! It represents the gift from God of another opportunity to excel.

How do you not feel emotionally drained from all of your responsibility in life?

I prefer to strive for happiness always. Oh, it would be so much easier to allow me to become emotionally drained, but what would that serve? What would it benefit me, other than ulcers and stress? No. I made the conscious choice to happily take on the responsibilities I have had in life, for the past 50 years. I have made the conscious choice to strive for true happiness always, for the past 20 years, since my divorce. The alternative simply sucks.

What is a personal experience where it reflects that ethics are not the same as our feelings?

I found myself in bed, having the sex of a lifetime, with a married woman, simply because I felt I wanted it, although it was completely against my moral code of ethics. I felt ashamed of my weakness… much later.

“Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all.”

-- Aristotle

What is the truest happiness in?

Life! Embrace it. You will find no happiness in death unless you are reborn into life.

My son started doing an impression of a shark catching prey, despite us being vegans. How should I deal with his unacceptable behavior?

It isn’t unacceptable to the shark. Your son is simply imitating the reality of nature’s survival of the fittest. What is he supposed to replace the impression of reality with, a shark catching a carrot? If you’re “vegan” I’d reinforce that this is fine for the wild, but not so fine for your philosophy in life.

Should you take hard actions or wait for things to flow naturally?

When someone grabs my shapely butt, or what?

How do you know if someone likes you but is hiding it?

If they’re really good at hiding it, you don’t. If they’re not, it’s going to be pretty obvious.

What are six truths everyone should know and never forget?

There’s no such thing as a free lunch.
If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
You can’t judge a book by its cover.
There is no substitute for hard work.
It is better to be right than to be wrong.
Listening is a better teacher than speaking.

“The truth is rarely pure and never simple.”

-- Oscar Wilde

If religion can make you a moral person, then how come there are so many, many Christians that are immoral and bad people?

Religion can make you a moral person, there is no guarantee it will. An atheist with a personal set of moral and ethical values faces the same dilemma. Being a moral and ethical person is a personal choice you must make and stand up for. It has little to do with outside influence unless you choose to allow the influence to sway your personal choice.

What is the greatest achievement in your goal?

Being exceedingly and truly happy when I achieve the goal, otherwise, what’s the point?

What are we human beings trying to achieve? Why does it seem like we are repeating history again and again with different characters in a different setting?

Happiness! We just keep falling on our sword by making the same bad decisions because we refuse to learn from what caused us to fail so many times before. History repeats when we learn nothing from it. “Cancel Culture” will prove this out, once again, if we don’t stop it. 

What do you think every celebrity has in common?

To a great degree? “Liberal” arts.

My partner doesn’t want sex anymore. What do I do?

Let them know you still have needs and will be satisfying those needs elsewhere if they can’t. Your partner has the choice to, either way, get with the program. If the partner agrees with you satisfying your sexual needs elsewhere, the partnership will, in all probability, sooner or later, dissolve.

“Sex without love is as hollow and ridiculous as love without sex.”

-- Hunter S. Thompson

Why does someone care for a short period but when you are in need of someone or in pain they up and leave like you meant nothing?

Tough love, by providing an opportunity to learn. Or they’re being hypocritical. If they truly care, they’re providing you an opportunity to learn from what you’re going through. Whichever, if the person is paying close attention, the truth in their actions will soon become obvious. Sometimes, doing nothing can force an intelligent person to consider what is really going on.

When does a child become a person?

When there is brain activity. 

Do you think humanity has a positive or negative future?

The earth will abide unless something in space slams into it and removes the atmosphere. Our planet is resilient. The earth has a symbiotic relationship will all lifeforms that inhabit the planet. Mankind had this same relationship until it mutated into a virus. But, the eath will abide until the virus of mankind runs its course. Whether mankind can come back into balance with nature, remains to be seen. Mankind will either run its course and burn out or mutate into a symbiotic lifeform, like it was, only different. They will, at that moment, possess the knowledge of a new history.

What makes you fall for someone?

When they come on to me. Yes, I know.

Everyone needs to have social contact, especially sexual contact. Is it better than any job or any amount of money?

Yes, but who in their right mind would have sexual contact with a man that has no job and no money? That would be seen more as evidence of true love.

“Let me tell you a story. There was a student who asked his teacher, what is love? The teacher said go into the field and bring me the most beautiful flower. The student returned with no flower at hand and said, “I found the most beautiful flower in the field but I didn't pick it up for I might find a better one, but when I returned to the place, it was gone.” 

We always look for the best in life. When we finally see it, we take it for granted and after some time start expecting a better one, not knowing that it's the best for us.”

-- Abhijit Naskar

How do I resolve a major argument with my partner?

Find a “middle ground” where both of you can save face. Good luck!

How did you overcome being misunderstood as a person?

I learned it wasn’t important to be understood by others, as long as you understood yourself. If you care about being understood, you care about how others judge you. I don’t. If you want to keep up, keep up.

What is a peaceful easy feeling?

True happiness.

What objects do you think best reflect your personality? Why?

Double-edged swords. They cut both ways or not at all.

Should lies have short legs or long noses? What would be better in everyday life? How would you react to it in public?

We shouldn’t be equating lies with body shaming. Short legs or long noses, lies are not morally correct. As such, I suppose it’s best the lies don’t run very far, and since Pinnochio has already put a “long nose” on lying, I’d have to go with the nose. As far as a reaction, I try to separate myself from lies as much as possible. Too much drama.

“Truth is emotional, it is based on vested interests. A lie that defends my interests is the absolute truth, but truth that goes against my survival is a pure lie. We know the objective truth, but we smear it, tarnish it and assassinate it if it speaks against our wellbeing.”

-- Bangambiki Habyarimana

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