Questions of Wealth, Goals, Morals, and Life

“Most people use the terms morality and ethics interchangeably. Technically, morality refers to the actual content of right and wrong, and ethics refers to the process of determining right and wrong. In other words, morality deals with moral knowledge and ethics with moral reasoning.”

-- Scott B. Rae

Have negative people not wanted your own answer, explanation, and/or help?

The League of the Perpetually Offended. They ask a question to bait some poor sap into giving an opinion just so they can attack them for the opinion they’ll never agree with. This used to happen to me all the time, then, for the most part, I learned to stop taking the bait. They’re like a virus, though, once you communicate with them you just can’t seem to get rid of them. Live and learn.

What is common to all of the different philosophies of life in the countries of the world?

Understanding.

Should everyone on the planet be striving toward a common goal? If so, what would that be?

True happiness. Success is simply a choice away.

Can you name three of your most damaging weaknesses? What are you doing to correct them?

Patience. I am constantly working on it. My biggest hurdle is when driving and faced with idiots.

Lust. I have a “significant other” but I still fall into lust constantly. Not a good thing, and have no clue what to do about it except to not act on it at all.

Weight. I’m still a “stud-muffin” but I really have to get to working out and losing a bit of weight. It will affect my longevity in short order.

What is your dream that never goes away?

Her name escapes me.

“It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live.”

-- J.K. Rowling

Is it better to trust the heart than anything else?

Heavens, no! Leaving anything up to my heart will just get me into nothing but trouble. My heart can lust all it wants to, but acting on that lust is up to my brain, good sense, and an ability to consider the consequences.

What quote can you give to kids to recover their lost love towards their parents?

Without them, you wouldn’t exist, so, have some respect for their lack of forethought.

How can you tell if someone else knows something very important that others don't?

Evasiveness.

What would you do if you are wealthy?

Start a non-profit foundation to “give back” to the community, build a meditation center, take a world cruise to plan it all.

What should I value most in life?

Other than life itself, true happiness. Strive to be happy always and in all things. Anything else is of so little importance, except life. Another day on this side of the dirt is a reason for celebration and to excel in life.

"Try not to become a man of success, but a man of value. Look around at how people want to get more out of life than they put in. A man of value will give more than he receives. Be creative, but make sure that what you create is not a curse for mankind."

-- Albert Einstein

What are boys’ weak spots?

For the most part, they haven’t matured enough to exercise good sense.

What does "during a gold rush, sell shovels" mean?

If you want to attain anything in life, supply what people need.

Are cults predominantly an American issue?

No. I think the rest of the world has its fair share of lunacy.

Do you need help with something hard?

Are you kidding? Of course.

Where do you believe your sense of a moral code comes from?

Life, experience, and a good handle on what both have taught me concerning morality, ethics, and what is right.

Reader comment:  Exactly, but one thing that has absolutely no bearing on it, is intolerant hypocritical religion.

My reply:  I abhor organized religion due to the hypocrisy and intolerance most of them seem to tout, but mostly due to their agenda of control. I read scripture, but I prefer having my own personal relationship with the supreme power in the universe.

Reader's reply:  That's where we differ, because I think that the whole concept of a so called higher power, deity, or whatever else you want to call it is completely absurd. All so called deities, or whatever are just the delusions of ancient superstitious unsophisticated ignorant savages.

Note to my readers:  I did not reply back to this fellow, because I knew I was going to respond as the same judgemental ass he was showing himself to be.  Along with "organized" religion, I also abhor members of the League of the Perpetually Offended.  His membership became evident in his reply, and my response would have put him over the top, ending in cursing and non-sensical rambling.  I ignore the bait.

“Morality is primarily concerned with questions of right and wrong, the ability to distinguish between the two, and the justification of the distinction.”

-- Scott B. Rae

What is it like living in a no-sex marriage?

Boring. Take my word on this. Been there, done that.

How do your emotions decide your fate?

Everything we do has an effect on our fate. Since we are emotional creatures, it stands to reason that acting on our emotions, or not, would have an effect. 

My ex and I are happy. How can I keep him happy?

Stay his ex.

What is the personal choice of who you are?

Uh… who I am. I am who I am by personal choice. Everything I am is because I want it to be so. 

Why do people think that they're God?

Delusions of the importance they lack in reality.

"I see the God complex around me all the time in my fellow economists. I see it in our business leaders. I see it in the politicians we vote for - people who, in the face of an incredibly complicated world, are nevertheless absolutely convinced that they understand the way that the world works."

-- Tim Harford

Is it bad to be a direct person?

No, but many people may have a hard time dealing with it. Sucks being them.

How does geography affect our lifestyle?

Well, wearing a bikini in the arctic might not be the most intelligent decision.

Is it rude to say "you are too late"?

Not if it’s true. If the person thinks it's rude, they should have been on time.

Now I am making more money than I need to, I'm not really that happy and just feel rather alienated like there's not much point now and kinda miss the satisfaction of a payday. It's gone from about £1200 to £2500pm, why can't I enjoy it?

It isn’t about your wealth, it’s about what you do with your wealth to make the world a better place. You might find true happiness in selfless giving.

In the presence of higher moral intelligence, is one obliged to follow its advice?

Life is all about making choices, so you aren’t “obliged” to do anything you don’t want. However, you might be well-served to pay attention to the “higher moral intelligence” just in case they make good sense, then you can decide whether to follow the advice.

“Normally, making a moral judgment involves at least four specific considerations.6 First, you should consider the action itself. This is usually the focus of a moral judgment but hardly the only aspect of moral evaluation. Second, you should evaluate the motive of the person (called the “moral actor”) performing the action. In some cases, the motive is the only difference between two otherwise identical actions. For example, your motive in giving something to someone is often the only difference between a gift and a bribe. Of course, sometimes you might not be able to determine the motive, in which case it cannot be assessed. Third, you should evaluate the consequences of your actions and decisions. Bear in mind, however, that actions may be inherently right or wrong, regardless of the consequences.

Fourth, although a bit more difficult to do than the previous three considerations, you should attempt to evaluate the character of the moral actor. Character is the tendency of a person to act in predictable ways over time. Virtue theorists have led the way in insisting that any ethic that does not concern itself with character and virtue is incomplete and reduces ethics to merely a preoccupation with actions, specifically moral dilemmas that people do not often face.”

-- Scott B. Rae

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