Questioning Values, Stories, Betrayal, Creeps, and Lying

“If you lose your integrity, you will also lose your identity, your sensitivity and your dignity. Integrity is honesty, modesty and security in all kinds of weather. It should be our priority!”

-- Israelmore Ayivor

 

Is it possible to be too smart for religion?

Guilty! 

What are the signs of being a non-religious person?

You don’t claim to be a member of an “organized” religion. I am a spiritual person. I follow the basic “tenets” of Christianity, but I claim no organized church and no organized religion, per se. All religion is stained with historical hidden agendas, and those not yet discovered. I prefer to worship my definition of God in my own humble way.

Is it important to follow your religion professionally?

Why? Was Christ a professional? Ten simple rules…

What are traditional values and modern values?

Traditional: Marriage. 

Modern: Living in sin.

Hey, I did the marriage routine. She used me for 25 years, took everything I owned, took my children, and left the broken shell that was me in the gutter. As I approach 70 years of age, I have been happily living in sin with the same woman for the past 20 years. We share everything. Some modern values are appealing.

Is it a kind of bribery to give a gift to a teacher? Does giving a gift make the teacher give you a better grade?

Yes, and if they had a good sense of ethics they would admonish you for it.

What's the point of going to church on Sundays?

Considering we were never assigned to build a church, there is no point, other than fellowship. Christ stated, “Upon this rock [Peter] I will build my congregation.” Blame Peter for building churches. I think we can also blame him for women not getting their due in scripture, as well. Rumor has it he was a misogynist. Of course, there’s also a rumor that Mary was the real Christ, but women were to be seen and not heard, so Jesus took the lead. How much truth is there to it? Well, how much truth is there to any of it? We take it on faith.

 How often do you talk/think to yourself?

All the fricken time. The voices change, but they’re there. Drives me nuts. Wait, let me rephrase that…

Is success a value in your life?

Success is the only value in life. Everything else is attainment. To be truly successful in life, you have to make the conscious choice to be truly happy in life, always, and in all things, regardless of your circumstances. If you strive for this in life, true happiness (success) will be as sustainable as your choice. 

What are the benefits of leaders having integrity?

I’m not sure. Have we ever had one? 

How do you know your future from now?

I just moved into it, and again, and again. If I am in the “now” then the next moment is my future. I’m pretty sure I know my future for the next few moments, barring any life-changing incidents. The near future is pretty easy, it is the unknown that makes any further out tough to predict.

“Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin.”

-- Saint Theresa of Calcutta

Can people tell when you block them on here?

I sincerely hope so. Maybe they’ll get a clue.

What do you do if you're accused of betrayal in a friendship?

If you’re not guilty, your supposed “friend” should have come to you before believing such tripe. If you are guilty, on the other hand, you should feel shame for violating the friendship. Crawling back to your “friend” with your hat in hand and an apology on your lips is the least you should do.

What are your daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly motivation goals?

To continually strive for true happiness always and in all things, regardless of my circumstances.

Should we do good deeds or bad deeds? Why?

It depends on whether you are good or bad, I suppose. Being a man of spiritual faith, I concern myself with moving forward into the next great adventure. To my way of thinking, being bad will simply delay that goal until I learn to do better. 

What do you call someone who always talks about money?

Greedy.

Throughout history, the environment in which the grandson would live was vastly the same as that of his grandfather. How has the modern acceleration of societal change affected wisdom in your opinion?

Well, we voted in an idiot as a puppet President. I’d say the USS Wisdom has set sail with no hands in the wheelhouse.

Can you be intelligent and atheist at the same time?

Wha… What?

What is the shortest argument for atheism?

There is no God. That’s it. The short argument for theism is, that there is a God. Neither group has any irrefutable proof, so any argument is based totally on the suppositions voiced by their faith, their belief in something for which there is little or no proof.

What is the motto of any organization?

You could look this up. Motto:  

"A short sentence or phrase chosen as encapsulating the beliefs or ideals guiding an individual, family, or institution."

-- Oxford Languages

Can I rewrite someone else's story (change some parts to make it better) and post it online?

If you want to publish bullshit, of course. Politicians do this all the time, and we end up with… bullshit. We are what we are. If we’re concerned about our story, we should pay more attention to it. Those who think they are perfect will have hounds knawing on the carcass trying to find the juicy parts. As it is, no one is perfect.

Can you be betrayed by someone you trust?

Happens all the time, hence the term “betrayed.” 

What things have you learned to ignore as you’ve grown older in the US?

The League of the Perpetually Offended. I’ve learned to ignore them because whatever facts you lay at their feet, they will be, well, perpetually offended. It is, unfortunately, what they do. They are a persistent rash on the ass of humanity, and they are also offended by that.

How can we motivate others to express themselves in honesty?

Catch them in lies. 

What is the oldest age (man and woman) you would have sex with?

That would depend on what she looks like at her advanced age. Some women continue to take care of themselves into their eighties. As I approach 70, and she wants me, who am I to deny her?

Where do you get your intelligence from?

My Creator. I was given everything I need to make it in this world and on to the next and the next, and so on, as it has been since the beginning. I consider myself truly blessed to have made it this far without “screwing the pooch,” so to speak.

How did humans develop the ability to plan for the future?

They kept missing the boat. They were always a day late and a dollar short. My bet is a calendar.

If you could have anything in the world right now, what would you choose and why did you choose that?

A billion-dollar lottery win. It would allow me to set up a few foundations from which I could selflessly give and track donations to help solve some important issues.

What sources of information do you use to measure your own intelligence?

Quantum theory, the Tao Te Ching, and The Art of War. As far as being “intelligent” is concerned, being always humble prevents me from claiming such. But, I am pretty smart.

Is it more common for liars to tell truths or for truths to tell lies?

Well, “truths” can’t tell lies, because they’re truths. If truths told lies, they’d be lies, not truths. So, since liars can sometimes tell truths, I’d say liars are more apt to tell truths.

“Perception is reality to the one in the experience.”

-- Danielle Bernock

What does it mean to have good principles?

Basically, it means to have good ethics - good moral and ethical principles. If you refuse to waiver from these, they can define who and why you are to all those around you. This refusal to waiver will define you as an honorable person.

What happens when you make a wish to a genie?

The same thing that happens when you give your Christmas wish to Santa.

What are some ways happy people motivate themselves?

If they are truly happy always and in all things, they become their own motivation. Having no motivation would be difficult. Happy people see an issue and will actually offer you the chance to jump on it before they do. If you accept, they ask if you want some help. Failure will make them crinkle their brow and smile. They understand that failure is life’s way of presenting them with an opportunity to learn.

 You are so pretty.  Can we get to know each other better?

That is so sweet! But, I'm afraid I'm taken.  Sorry!

Is it right to blindly accept 100% guilt for every single thing that happens to you?

Considering that it is your life, and everything that happens to it is due to some choice or decision you make, you save a lot of time by owning the guilt. If you leave home and someone runs you down with their car, why didn’t you leave a bit later? It was a choice you made to leave at that particular time.

The driver of the car has their own issue to deal with, and for the same reason. Why didn’t they leave earlier? Where was their mind? Not on driving, obviously. Everyone involved in the accident must blame themselves for being where they were. The driver must blame themselves for not paying attention.

And, if you were a few cars back, you can thank the grace of God for making you remember to check the mail on your way out of the driveway.  

What is bad about a creepy man?

What they don’t have on under that overcoat.

What does “entitled to respect” mean?

They’re suffering from delusions of self-importance. You get what you give until you show you are undeserving of it.

Do you want your life back?

I never truly lost it. I misplaced it for a time, but it was always with me. 

Who said, “When the student is ready, the master will appear”?

“The quote has been attributed to Buddha and the tradition of Tibetan Buddhism along with Tao Te Ching and Zen proverb.” As a student of Buddhist philosophy, and regardless of the attribution, it stands to reason that it would originate with the Buddhists, simply due to the “student/master” significance. But one finds similar references, not so clearly stated, in many Buddhist writings.

What does an older woman expect sexually from a younger man?

Paradise.

Love is friendship that has caught fire. It is quiet understanding, mutual confidence, sharing and forgiving. It is loyalty through good and bad times. It settles for less than perfection and makes allowances for human weaknesses.

-- Ann Landers

What do I do when an employee repeatedly refuses to fulfill the obligations of his/her duties?

It isn’t that they can’t do the job, they refuse to do the job. So, refuse to pay them. Refuse them a job. Fire them. Send them packing. Let them go. “Pink Slip” time. Show them the door, and lock it behind them. Wish them luck in any future non-endeavors. If this is a trick question, I’m missing the point. This is not rocket science, and they are not good for your business.

What is the reason behind corruption?

Greed.

What are the benefits of knowing how things work?

You don’t have to ask a bunch of questions. You can answer a bunch of questions. People think you’re smarter than you might actually be. You know when to say, “Get ready to follow me.” You know when to run, so they can actually follow you.

I wasn’t assigned to Intelligence for my looks. I actually had skills.

If you could ask 100 people a question about metaphysics, what would you ask them?

What might not exist in space and time?

If you get bullied often, is the problem actually you?

Yes. I was one of the smallest kids in high school and hadn’t discovered how to beat the crap out of them… yet. I remedied both problems. The first time out, I almost beat the bully to death with a tree branch. I learned to control my anger.

Can you accept correction?

Always. There is no such thing as being perfect, so I try to keep an open mind. I am, in all reality, my own worst critic, so other critiques would make good sense, as long as they are based on truth and constructive.

My boyfriend is disrespectful towards me and trash-talks his mother and says mean words to strangers sometimes. How can I change his behavior?

I would just change the boyfriend. It would be much easier.

Is it important to know why you want to go to college?

I would think so. If you’re going to college to learn, this is admirable and a good reason. But, going just to gain knowledge doesn’t evidence a goal to use the knowledge with. Knowledge in itself is important, but it can be more important if there is a goal beyond it. 

Is everyone lying about their height?

Why? If you’re tall, short, or average, everyone already sees that. Lying is kind of obvious.

How can we get people to stop being so mean?

How "mighty" do you feel?  You might kick them in the “pills” really hard... and then run. While they’re throwing up they might use the time to consider what assholes they’ve been. They might. They might, however, be thinking of their revenge. It might be a lot easier to just move to another city. It might not be so easy to get a true asshole to stop. 

“Mean girls go far in high school. Kind women go far in LIFE.”

-- Mandy Hale

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