Questions of Compromise, Love, Decisions, and Life

 

“Who has inflicted this upon us? Who has made us Jews different from all other people? Who has allowed us to suffer so terribly up till now? It is God that has made us as we are, but it will be God, too, who will raise us up again. If we bear all this suffering and if there are still Jews left, when it is over, then Jews, instead of being doomed, will be held up as an example. Who knows, it might even be our religion from which the world and all peoples learn good, and for that reason and that reason alone do we have to suffer now. We can never become just Netherlanders, or just English, or representatives of any country for that matter; we will always remain Jews, but we want to, too.”

-- Anne Frank

 

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Note to my readers:  My answers, once again, garnered great viewership.  Almost 10,000 people read my answers this past week and, again, I find myself humbled.  I have managed to shake loose all but one tenacious member of the League of the Perpetually Offended, and that one I have managed, with great restraint, to ignore.  I thank all my readers on this site for their continued patronage and interest as we press forward into the year 2022.  

I would also like to apologize for the inordinate number of questions concerning sex that have cropped up. I feel the need to answer them, primarily because most of them are really silly. Please bear with me as I work through them, and, please, try to enjoy.

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Is compromise less expensive than conflict?

Expensive in what context? World War II just about broke the bank money-wise, but the world has been relatively safe from domination by insane genocidal egomaniacs up until recently, so many would say the money was well-spent, and God knows the Jews appreciated it. It’s hard to see what the compromise would have been for the Nazis or the Japanese. It is hard to find a compromise with people set on world domination. Those looking for compromise would probably be the first to die.

What is the world waiting for to make life easy for everyone?

So, what is everyone, the world, waiting for to make life easier for everyone? Most of everyone is greedy. Until we get a handle on that greed, nothing will move forward but at a snail's pace.

Guys, if you had to choose between a wife who is gorgeous, great in bed but can’t cook, or a plain-looking wife who hates sex but is a great chef, what would you choose?

I’m Sicilian. I’ll cook so far above her abilities she’d better be good in bed.

If you were not a human being, what would you have been?

Some, especially on this site, might relegate me to “dung beetle” status.

Why is the word "smart" so overused?

The fact that it’s overused really isn’t very smart. It becomes just another word that means very little. People also confuse it with being intelligent, which is so wrong. Smart people are so much more humble.

"The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance; it is the illusion of knowledge."

-- Daniel J. Boorstin

What are some simplest questions I can ask someone to find out how simple they are by their answer?

“Why are you?”

Because. My parents. God. I think, therefore, I am. The dog found me.

There is no correct answer for it, but the answer you do get will emanate from either the shallow or deep end of the pool.

Why do you make decisions quickly?

Military mindset. Run the options against the criteria, pick the best one and go with it. Assume it might fail and be ready to mitigate the fallout. It is the best you can do when under a time constraint.

What do you do if a girl wants to fight me even if I did nothing to her?

Don’t fight her. It might cost you a few hits, but keep telling her you did nothing. Not defending yourself is one way to get a message across.

The other option, of course, is to hit her, before the fight actually starts, by putting everything you have behind one fight-ending punch, kick the shit out of her while she’s down, and then, once again, explain that you did nothing to her. She’ll either understand or shoot you.

Personally, I’d just stay away from her until she grows up. She sounds like an immature bully, to me.

Is common sense mostly erroneous?

There is good sense. There is no such thing, anymore, as common sense. Just finding good sense is sometimes futile.

Is love forever or is it only until?

Until what? Death? Divorce? Infidelity?

One can only hope for “forever” love. 50% of all marriages end in divorce, as do 60% of second marriages. So much for forever.

“Love was feeling the person everywhere, under your skin, in every strand of your hair, in your heart, in your bones, in the tone of your voice when you said their name. Love wasn’t always about being with the person, it was feeling that your world was better just because they lived. Even if you weren’t ever going to be together, he was the air you breathed, invisible but everywhere.”

-- Jacqueline Simon Gunn

What do you do for a living, someone might need your service?

Everybody needs what I do. I’m retired.

What is the closest money can come to buying happiness?

If you aren’t truly happy before you spend the money, money will be a short-term fix. The “happiness” it buys won’t be true and it certainly won’t be sustainable.

Is love true or false?

That depends.

What’s something you own that makes life better?

“Shadow” the cat, but I don’t really own him. He lives with us and is very demanding. Sometimes I think we belong to him. I get my revenge, though, like this morning when I took him to the vet for his annual. They gave him two shots and a thermometer “where the sun don’t shine.” Made me chuckle.

He gave that look, though. The one that says, “Yeah? Well, who has two women taking his temperature?” He had a good point. 

Can science prove that I exist?

Looking in a mirror is so much easier.

“Everything must be made as simple as possible. But not simpler.”

-- Albert Einstein

Is it possible that a person can be not so good-looking despite having good-looking parents?

Yes, but I can’t remember why. Dominant recessive genes? Or, is that an oxymoron?

We know what happiness is when we feel it, but what exactly is happiness and where does happiness come from?

I thought I knew where it came from when I was much younger, but that turned out to be puberty. Happiness is controlled in the brain by the limbic cortex and the precuneus. Ha! I actually cracked a book in Psychology. I hope I’m right…

If you had infinite wishes, what would be your first wish?

To live in good health at the age I am until I declare my last wish, which will lay out the manner and moment of my death.

When conclusions are made about life, is that freeing or restrictive?

That would really depend on the conclusion. 

We had been spending a lot of time together and we slept with each other. We did not communicate about what we wanted. It got to a point where realized she wanted more than I did, so I told her how I felt about us. No contact since, what should I do?

Stop being so damned honest? As a matter of fact, just don’t speak. Let her take you.

“To share your weakness is to make yourself vulnerable; to make yourself vulnerable is to show your strength.”

-- Criss Jami

Will capitalism be replaced with socialism or communism? If yes, when?

The South will rise again, to save our country from itself, and freedom will die with the last Constitutional patriot standing. It won’t be soon.

If someone asks you, what you are thinking right now, what is your answer?

Uh…

Why would God allow me to have sex after I quit porn for so long but I still struggle with sexual immorality?

A test to see if you’ll revert, or just enjoy the “occasional” moment.

Should you make eye contact with everyone you pass on the street?

Why not? You might actually try saying, “Good morning!” It’s kind of a nice thing to do. But, then, I usually carry. 

How do I turn a girl down gently? I'm a girl and she keeps hitting on me, but I like another girl.

So, tell her you do appreciate the thought, but you actually like another girl. 

"You might get attracted to another person but you won't simply fall in love if someone else is still holding a big part of your heart."

-- Unknown

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