Questioning Pride, Choices, Time, and Humility

 

“Time is a created thing. To say 'I don't have time,' is like saying, 'I don't want to.”

-- Lao Tzu

When is pride good and when does it become an obstacle to spiritual development?

It becomes not good when your “pride” makes you feel you are above other people. No one is perfect, so even the prideful can fall from the height they climb to. If you selfishly set yourself above others, how is this not an obstacle to spiritual development?

Is wishing or fantasizing a form of complaining?

Indeed.

Why do I always need an emotional crisis to change my behavior or to realize what's wrong in my life?

You don’t. You can simply see that something you do is wrong and stop doing it. An “emotional crisis” occurs when you don’t recognize that what you’re doing might be wrong and it climbs up your back and starts beating your conscience. Strive to be truly happy always and in all things, regardless of your circumstances. Always choose good over bad and keep any “crisis” in life to a minimum. If the crisis does not concern you, walk away.

Are you tired of being addicted?

To sex? Not on a bet.

If time is an illusion, does that make life itself pointless?

Time is not an illusion. Time is a human construct developed to give a sense of structure to life. If anything, it gives life more of a point.

“Time is basically an illusion created by the mind to aid in our sense of temporal presence in the vast ocean of space. Without the neurons to create a virtual perception of the past and the future based on all our experiences, there is no actual existence of the past and the future. All that there is, is the present.”

-- Abhijit Naskar

What are the things that you consider in making choices?

Do I need it? Can I afford it? Is it good for me spiritually? Basically, I run through the pluses and the minuses, the good and the bad, the benefits and the detriments, the pros and the cons. If it is bad, I don’t even consider anything else.

.I’ve been a stupid troll. What should I do?

This isn’t rocket science. You know that you’ve been a stupid troll, so, right off hand, if you obviously know what a stupid troll is, my advice is to stop being a stupid troll.

Is Wayne Dyer’s statement “Go for it now. The future is promised to no one.” correct?

Indeed. The past is gone and the future is not guaranteed. All we have is the present. If you don’t chase your dreams now, when do you? Always try to live in the “now” because it’s all we really have.

What are some common wisdom mistakes people make?

Assuming they are wise. 

What makes [this site] not a waste of my time?

If you have another place to find answers, go for it. If you think answering questions is a waste of your time, simply stop. Whatever you do in life is a choice you make. Make good choices.

“Wisdom is not a product of schooling but of the lifelong attempt to acquire it.”

-- Albert Einstein

How do you expect others to feel about you?

I am what I am, so I really don’t care. What they think of me is their issue, not mine, and it usually says more about them than it does about me. When you have expectations, prepare to be disappointed.

Would you rather be rich and friendless or a person with average money and friends?

What good is money if you have no friends to enjoy it with? I enjoy my life as it is. I have a retirement, social security, and friends. I can ask for nothing more. 

Is life a dream or reality?

Reality. If you cut yourself, you bleed, and there will be a scar. If you dream and cut yourself, you will wake up with no blood and no scar. Dreams differ from one time to the next, but “reality” is what it is, always. 

How can I be friends with a person I don't know?

If you haven’t met them, how can you be “friends” with them? It takes two to tango.

Is it normal for one to be scared to cross busy roads or is it a kind of phobia? And how can one deal with it?

Yes!  It’s a phobia called “self-preservation” and it helps keep us alive and in one piece. I choose not to deal with it. Everything you do in life is a gamble, so be careful and listen to that inner voice always.

“Don't be afraid of your fears. They're not there to scare you. They're there to let you know that something is worth it.”

-- C. JoyBell C.

Do people who struggle with managing their time tend to procrastinate more than those who don't have this problem? If so, why does this happen?

Because they hate struggling. It is easier for them to procrastinate than struggle with managing their time. 

What does it mean when God tells you to do something?

God has more on his plate than to waste precious time speaking to me. I know what I have to do when it presents itself. I have been gifted, as we all have, with all the resources I need to do what I know God would want me to do. This is God's second covenant with man, written across our hearts and minds.  I always strive for good, I always strive for true happiness always, and in all things, I always try to learn the lessons life sets for me, and I try to do all of this selflessly. More than this skirts the envelope with evil.

How do you think being single affects your dating life?

If I were married, I’d be cheating, so being single makes dating morally right.

How can theists best approach atheists when discussing their beliefs?

Both sides exercise faith in their belief. Faith is a belief in something for which there is little or no proof. When both sides have no proof, what they have is an opinion. To argue an opinion with no proof is a fool's errand. You can discuss, but that is all either side is capable of doing without sounding like idiots.

Reader comment: Atheism isn’t a belief, it’s a lack of belief in any god(s).

a- meaning ‘without’

theist- meaning ‘belief in god(s)’

Atheists are without belief in any god(s), meaning they lack that belief.

Furthermore, atheists may have ‘faith’ according to the first definition of the word being ‘complete trust or confidence in someone or something’.

However, that someone or something which atheists have complete trust or confidence in, isn’t any god.

My comment: Typical of the atheist. I'm not sure what he read into what I said, but it initiated this "offended" comment. I will not be writing a reply, as it will accomplish nothing since, and I find this humorous, he admits, right out of the gate, Atheism "isn't a belief."  What is atheism if it isn't a belief in no gods? So, they don't believe in what they tout? As a military man, this really works for me.

Is it possible to 'overcome' fear or merely learn to control and manage it?

To “overcome” fear is to control and manage it. Recognize fear as a very useful tool for safety and self-preservation.

“Men are not afraid of things, but of how they view them.”

-- Epictetus

What do you think happened to people who used to camp and then suddenly just stopped because of something they saw?

Safety and self-preservation.

Why is it important to be humble when praying?

It always helps to be taken seriously when praying. After all, prayer is your sign of faith and is for your own well-being. If you feel no “humility” before the omnipotent power in the universe, what if the point of prayer or faith?

If you suddenly became a millionaire, what would be your first thought?

Taxes.

What are your thoughts on spiritual begging?

Don’t. Begging is a sign of weakness and evil makes good use of it. Always “ask” and have your reasoning ready. Never ask for selfish things, other than assistance. Try to be always selfless in your spiritual thinking.

Do you ever feel like a philosopher? If so, why?

Always, because I philosophize. It is, in all humility, what philosophers do.

“Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe.”

-- 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