Questioning Smarts, Trust, Courage, Joy, and Regret

"We can't all be Einstein (because we don't all play the violin). At the very least, we need a sort of street-smart science: the ability to recognize evidence, gather it, assess it, and act on it."

-- Judith Stone

Do you really need to be smart in politics, math, and good at everything you do to become a likable human being?

No, you can be dumb as a brick. You just have to pay attention to being a good, selfless, person in order to be likable.

What is your simplest personal decision tree?

This or that. Yes or no, do or do not, right or wrong, and the like.

What principles of life characterize the way of happiness?

The good ones, like knowledge, tolerance, acceptance, understanding, patience, communication, and the like. It is important to note, however, that true happiness is a conscious choice one must make for their life. Only true happiness is sustainable because it relies only on your personal choice to always be so.

How true is this statement, “Hippies are bad people who pretend to be good, punks are good people who pretend to be bad”?

Not very. You can find good and bad in everything and everyone, even hippies and punks. 

How does being authentic pay off?

If you aren’t authentic, you really have to pay close attention to the role you are playing. People are not that stupid.

“If you do not tell the truth about yourself you cannot tell it about other people.”

-- Virginia Woolf

“If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember anything.”

-- Mark Twain

What has been your happiest moment so far in 2022?

I am always a happy person, so it’s hard to pin down a “happiest” moment. Every morning when I wake up is another “gift” from my God, and another chance to excel in this life. I suppose every morning would meet this criterion. Any day on this side of the dirt is a great day.

What can a grudge lead to?

Hate, revenge, and bad karma. 

How true is it that the most important requisites in salesmanship are enthusiasm?

Enthusiasm is paramount. Knowledge, bullshit, or both, are secondarily important.

Can you really want to "change for the better" and at the same time ‘accept yourself for who you are’? If so, how?

If who you are is capable of recognizing negative aspects in yourself, then you are accepting yourself for who you are and are willing to make changes for the better. Otherwise, you would be in denial of those negative aspects and be accepting a false version of yourself.

Would you consider yourself naturally trusting or a more guarded person?

Definitely, more guarded. I “guardedly” trust everyone, until they give me a reason to question that trust.

“I'm not upset that you lied to me, I'm upset that from now on I can't believe you.”

-- Friedrich Nietzsche

Does the media make the world seem like it's a very bad place, even though it's not?

Mass media never lets a catastrophe go to waste. It would seem, through this narrow lens, that the world is a bad place. If people would pay more attention to good, the media wouldn’t have to blanket the airwaves with negativity. It would seem a sad assumption, that people live for drama. How sad is that?

Does the surname Lentz stem from Lenz, meaning Springtime, or a shortening of Laurence?

Going with “springtime” makes more sense, Larry.

Can a person “really have it all “? Can you give an example of somebody who seemingly "has it all" but it’s really just a mask? Can you give an example of somebody who does not seem to have it all but actually does? What is the key to having it all?

If someone seemingly has it all but is really sad inside, they wear a mask. There are those who have the world by the balls, but they feel they are missing something. Then, there is the person who has very little, yet they give selflessly to help others, always smiling and with a kind words. The latter has the key. They have very little, but they recognize they have all they need. So much so, that they can afford to help others in need.

The “key” to having it all is to be truly happy always and in all things, regardless of your circumstances. It isn’t what you accumulate that makes you wealthy, it is what you selflessly do with what you have that is the source of personal wealth.

How do I keep sane and remain courageous in an evil environment?

Faith, hope, and knowing more about me than they do.

Why is Sir Isaac Brock considered a hero?

While reading remains a concept, the use of the computer as a research tool has been a reality for years:

“While many in Canada and Britain believed war could be averted, Brock began to ready the army and militia for what was to come. When the War of 1812 broke out, the populace was prepared, and quick victories at Fort Mackinac and Detroit defeated American invasion efforts.

Brock's actions, particularly his success at Detroit, earned him accolades including a knighthood in the Order of the Bath and the sobriquet "The Hero of Upper Canada"."

-- Wikipedia, “Isaac Brock"

How do you control motivation and the TGIF mentality?

I’m not so sure you have to. I retired from two careers I absolutely enjoyed, but I always looked forward to Friday because it signified the coming of a couple of days of rest we all need and many of us have earned. I worked just as hard on Friday as I did the rest of the week, I simply looked forward to celebrating the weekend with a few beers at the local tavern.

What gives God's people joy today?

The simple things in life, as they always have. Love, children, family, health, prosperity, charity, faith, and hope. Any day on this side of the dirt is a good day to be happy and to excel in the “gift” of life. 

What is wrong but seems right to others?

Abortion, without medical or legal cause.

How can someone gain your respect?

Everyone deserves respect until they don’t. But, those that don’t deserve respect, just might. You respect them until you shake their hand and realize something is amiss with them. Intuition kicks in, and you might “cautiously” respect them until you ferret out the issue. I can respect a person who tries so hard to be disrespected, especially if nobody notices it but me. It is a talent one should certainly not ignore, this ability to hide disrespect. Respect the talent, or their disrespect will take advantage. 

What are the scope and limits of science?

There is no scope or limit to science except in our desire to discover.

"With the aid of these active experimental sciences man becomes an inventor of phenomena, a real foreman of creation; and under this head, we cannot set limits to the power that he may gain over nature through future progress of the experimental sciences."

-- Claude Bernard

Does success in someone's life go hand in hand with recognition? If yes, how?

Success in life is nothing more than choosing true happiness for yourself, so, if recognition makes you exceedingly happy, then, yes, it does.

How do I stop my curiosity from finding out things I don’t want to know which I’ll later regret?

You don’t. You’ll find things out you’d rather not know. It’s a part of life. You get over it. This is a part of maturity. File things away. Regret nothing. It is what it is, regardless of what you feel, so, get over it.

Did you ever have a vocation where you felt self-actualized?

Air Force Intelligence.

Is there any value in seeing the world as you want to see it rather than seeing it as it truly is?

The world will never be as I want to see it, thanks to the League of the Perpetually Offended. What I am left with is seeing the world as it truly is. The fact that it sucks does not prevent me from striving for true happiness always and in all things. Happiness makes the bitterness taste a little sweeter. With our country on the verge of a revolution against socialism in the education system, it is good to remember happiness, and that change is the universal constant. There is no substitute for moral values or freedom.

How tenacious is a mistake when you're emotionally unstable to make a decision?

It’s not as tenacious as it is insidious. Anything can happen, and that is not a good thing.

“Memories keep us stay alive as they gently cuddle us along the squirming roads of our lives and even warn us sometimes of insidious pitfalls.”

-- Erik Pevernagie

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, finally, a senior manager. He spent 17 years, following his service career, working with the premier, world-renowned, Western 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 the lead chaplain at a regional medical center.

Feel free to contact Pastor Tony:  tolerantpastor@gmail.com