Questioning Hitler, Greed, Judging, Norms, and Value

 

"Providence has ordained that I should be the greatest liberator of humanity. I am freeing man from the restraints of an intelligence that has taken charge, from the dirty and degrading self-mortification of a false vision called conscience and morality, and from the demands of a freedom and independence which only a very few can bear."

-- Adolf Hitler

Why are good people as annoying as Hitler?

Nobody comes close to being as annoying as that short genocidal shit.

I'm fifteen, and I have noticed that my problem-solving skills are terrible. Will (or could they) get better when I get older?

I almost didn’t graduate high school. Nothing interested me enough to study, and I was “high active” at the time. I managed to squeak by and entered college where I took a full load for a psychology major. I never cracked a book and got a B+ (3.2 GPA). I was drafted, joined the Air Force, and was offered military intelligence, the top 10% of the Air Force.

My “problem-solving” skills were terrible because I had no reason to develop them until USAF Intelligence came along. I spent 23 years in the intelligence field, I grew up and never looked back. Find what interests you and go for it. You will be fine when you find that your life is your path, and only you can walk it. Blaze your own path.

Do you regret having children? Would you have waited or never had them at all?

I regretted the wife, but I never regretted the children she gave me.

Are people naturally bad or good?

Out of the womb, they are free of sin. But, once they take their first breath, learning begins. One only hopes they get a righteous education. Everything they go through leaves a mark.

What is the bravest thing anyone could ever do that would also change their life forever in a positive way?

Selflessly risk their life for the life of another, preferably a stranger. There is no greater gift.

“There is no greater love than this: that a person would lay down his life for the sake of his friends.”

-- John 15:13

What is considered rude when talking about oneself?

Touting your own “greatness” compared to others, especially when those "others" can hear you. Totally bad form.

How do we measure goodness or badness?

Everyone has a different measure, depending on how good or bad they have been based on their own experience. For me, I get to the car after grocery shopping, find I have an onion I didn’t pay for, and I go back in to pay for it. Totally astounds the checkers in the market.

Will humanity genuinely ever learn to care for each other?

When we conquer greed, humanity will learn true selflessness. It will come in the fullness of time.

Who is a perfect human being?

There is no such thing. There is “excellence” but no perfection. Perfection does not exist, not even in nature. Some say God is perfect, yet the creation of man puts that statement in question. 

What is the meaning of the phrase "all human beings are mortal"?

All human beings, that we are aware of, live and die. If we find a human being that never dies, we will have found an “immortal” being.

“On a long enough timeline, the survival rate for everyone drops to zero.”

-- Chuck Palahniuk

Can something be both good and bad or right and wrong simultaneously?

Absolutely. You can be very good at sex and yet not be with your wife. The fact you are good is right, the fact you are being bad is wrong. In this case, you’re very good at what you do but are acting very badly, so you are good and bad, as well as right and wrong, all simultaneously.

Are there certain standards of perfection that we should all aspire to?

Yes, but since nothing is perfect our “standards” are more about extreme excellence than perfection.

Is there a difference between being "honest" and being "brutally honest"? When is it more appropriate to use one over the other?

When the lie goes beyond the pale, and trying to save some modicum of the liar’s face by offering some honest commentary has failed, only brutal honesty, spoken loudly and directly, has any chance of bringing the liar back to earth. You simply have to, figuratively, cut their legs off before they become beyond all help.

How can someone as beautiful as you be single?

I’m not really sure, but I do have a girlfriend. 

How do you think people come to judgments about others?

In a court of law, it is all about evidence, or the lack of it. Other than legal judgment, we are warned not to judge the servant of another master, lest we be judged by others, as well. Having said all this, I judge a great set of legs based on past experience, which would be my evidence.

“It's not given to people to judge what's right or wrong. People have eternally been mistaken and will be mistaken, and in nothing more than in what they consider right and wrong.”

-- Leo Tolstoy

Why do some people specifically prefer offensive humor? Why is humor without a sting or bite so much less interesting to them?

We love to make fun of ourselves, and that requires a bit of a bite or a sting. The comedian that can pull that off for everyone is rare. Robin Williams, Don Rickles, and the like.

When making a decision, how do you evaluate the pros and cons?

I make a list with pros on one side and cons on the other. If it equals out, I go back and give weight to each line item and add each list up to see the value. Then, I go ask other people, those I respect, what they think. When I have all the information, I make a choice, and I live with it.

How do social norms impact our ability to think critically about the world around us?

Social “norms” usually put a societal crimp in our ability to think, much less think critically. Just look at politics. 

What's the best way to make decisions?

Take the time to weigh the good against the bad before making any choice or decision. 

What misconception did you realize with time?

Organized religion was good. Turns out my view of spirituality was good. Organized religion keeps missing the “righteous” mark. Too many hidden agendas, that aren’t that well hidden.

“It is not reason which turns the young man from God; it is the flesh. Skepticism but provides him with the excuses for the new life he is leading.”

-- Aurelius Augustine

At what age do people like themselves the most?

Puberty. The hormones are raging. You can get “wood” just waking up. As you get older, you learn to call it “morning wood.”

Is it better for people to say they want to be responsible or actually become responsible in their life?

Action is always better than words. Say anything, but you will be weighed by your actions. There is a great distance between wanting it and being it. It is always better to be what you want than just beating your lips together and accomplishing nothing but silly noise.

What is a recent realization you've had about yourself?

I’m getting old, and I’ve been in denial.

Do you agree that a girl's entire value comes from how good-looking they are?

Oh, hell no. That’s just sex appeal. Their true value comes from their personality, and who they really are, inside. You can’t make a great relationship based on sex appeal. I mean, it would be fun trying, but you’d probably fail in the attempt.

Do you know of any quotes by Albert Einstein about war?

Try this:

“I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones.” 

-- Albert Einstein

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. 

I fervently 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