Questioning God, Tools, Politics, Drama, and Karma

"Faith is a belief in something for which there is little or no proof.  Christians have faith in life after death, in the next great adventure, in an omnipotent power in the universe.  There is no proof to the contrary.  Atheists, well... they provide balance."

-- F.A. Villari

Everyone thinks I'm lazy and dumb and I think it's true. I feel like I didn't learn a thing in school because of my bad memory and I feel dumb about it. I also can't concentrate on my studies and always rely on others. What do I do?

I almost didn’t graduate high school. I wasn’t dumb. they just weren’t teaching me what I wanted to learn. My parents were tentative about blowing money on college, but I took journalism and psychology and made a 3.2 GPA without cracking a book. Oh, and I spent 23 years in military intelligence. Lazy and dumb, or just not interested? What do you think?

Does money always corrupt the rich?

Not always. Only the weak-minded.

Why do I cry after feeling empty? It's been happening for a few months now. I don't feel like I have a purpose in life. Is this normal?

It depends. How old are you? People go through stages of life. Some of these stages can produce what you describe. It may very well be a normal response due to the physiological and mental changes you are going through in life. If you’re a male, this will dissipate. If you’re a woman, you are probably going to be “cursed” periodically, and the men around you will suffer. Just saying.

Can you say that atheism is more immoral than religion?

Religion has had its own history of immorality and sin. Who dares to cast the first stone?

How can I as an atheist find my own morals? I want to know how I can be moral if everyone’s morals are different.

Always do what is right and good. Always act selflessly. Treat everyone with respect. Be honest and loyal. And, putting all this in a package, be ethical in all you do. You’ll probably only have one life, so live it righteously and well.

“The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as are injurious to others. It does me no injury for my neighbor to say there are twenty gods or no god. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg.”

-- Thomas Jefferson

Is education the most important thing in life?

“Why is it that education is for life?” Let’s hope the admin for this site isn’t guilty of rewriting questions since this, in bold, was the original question, put forth by someone who probably wanted it answered.

I’ll answer the original question, first: If you can forget what you learn, then your education isn’t for life. Fortunately, for most of us, what we learn tends to stick.

Now, for the rewrite: Of course, it is. Without education, you’d be a blob on a bench. We don’t stick our hands in fire because we learned it burns. We don’t constantly eat stuff that tastes bad… because it tastes bad. And, without learning, we might constantly fail at sex. Without the ability to learn, our quality of life is in jeopardy, if not life itself.

What is the cheapest, but still a good tool, for project management or task tracking?

The human brain.

Can you be dumb and still be worth something in this world?

Absolutely! Without “dumb” how would we know “smart”? “Dumb” is invaluable as a counterbalance, like dark and light, good and bad, sweet and sour. Never let anyone trivialize the role of those of lesser intelligence.  They represent the other end of a spectrum.

What are some positive changes that happened in Russia after Lenin came into power?

Crickets… nothing but crickets.

There's a quote that says "sorry for not hugging you tighter. I thought I would see you again." I understand it but there was a comment on it I didn't understand, that was, "I thought we would be the same as it was." What does that mean?

Someone changed, and they probably grew apart. One of them might have found someone more compatible. It sounds as if the apologizing person thought there was more between them than the person who left.

Not being honest about feelings has this effect. They should have hugged the person tighter. They should have been honest about their feelings for the other person. The majority of us fail at this simple honesty, and then we tend to shift the blame onto the other person. 

“I thought of all the others who had tried to tie her to the ground and failed. So I resisted showing her the songs and poems I had written, knowing that too much truth can ruin a thing. And if that meant she wasn't entirely mine, what of it? I would be the one she could always return to without fear of recrimination or question. So I did not try to win her and contented myself with playing a beautiful game. But there was always a part of me that hoped for more, and so there was a part of me that was always a fool.”

-- Patrick Rothfuss

How can a teenager make friends online?

This is a dangerous prospect. For all a teenager knows, I’m another teenager? No, I’m really almost 70 years of age. Predators are all over the internet.  

What is your opinion on political science? Do you find it boring or interesting? Why or why not? If you find it boring, how do you manage to learn it well and get good grades in exams (if applicable)?

It represents the science of politics which, if exercised, is interesting. Unfortunately, politics has little to do with the science it represents. Lies, corruption, backbiting, and selfish self-serving acts that benefit constituents in no way, are all part of this “political science” we tout. Back when I was in school, we learned the book, but not the sad reality.

The French had the right idea during their revolution - the guillotine. Maybe if we roll a guillotine onto the Capitol steps as a reminder to politicians of their duty to the people, it might straighten out politics in America. Taking heads is not so far removed from the present. The last execution using “Madame Guillotine” occurred in 1977. 

Author's comment:  So basically there is no such thing as political science, right?

My reply:  No, there is a science of politics, it’s just that few politicians practice it.

Author's reply: Oh ok. That makes sense. Would it make a difference if it did exist? I mean, if they practiced it?

What do woke people mean when they tell each other "you are valid"?

Not being “woke” I’ll take a shot in the dark at this. The comment presupposes “woke” philosophies are “valid” to begin with.

How do I make my thirties better than my twenties?

Make better choices and decisions. 

If you have had a teacher that has bullied you and doesn't know when to stop, how did you stop them? 

You have a cell phone, record the bullying and file a report against them. As a parent, I’d dress the teacher down in front of the faculty. Students have enough bullies to deal with as it is.

If we are to stop bullying in schools, we have to start with teachers and administrators. If we want to stop it, we have to stop it.

-- Chris Crutcher

Would you keep a promise to a person even though there was an occurrence of something bad happening between you and the individual to cause tension to the point you are no longer friends and/or cordial?

I made a promise. The friction is not of my making, so my promise is still valid. Keeping your promise in this context sends an embarrassing message to the one you made the promise to, and everyone who knows of it.

What are the problems, worries, or challenges that occupy your mind today and concern you the most?

Being the caregiver for my aging mother.

Does adolescent emotional maturity decrease with each successive generation?

Doesn’t this depend on the child, parenting, and education? I would think if it decreases for one child, it would decrease for successive generations if there is no positive change to upbringing.

What lessons about life did playing with other kids teach you during childhood that still resonates with adulthood today?

The truth hurts. 

Why am I afraid of the truth?

Once you know it, you have to confront it. Ignoring it doesn’t make it go away. The truth can be as insidious as the reason that covers it up. The good thing about the truth, however, is you don’t have to remember the lie.

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

-- Mark Twain

“The truth is rarely pure and never simple.”

-- Oscar Wilde 

Why do I feel scenarios in my mind of love that doesn't exist and I feel it really happening in reality but it doesn't?

I’m not certain “why” is that important. Lucky you!

Why do some people stick to you? Regardless of how not interested you are in them, regardless of the years passing by, you feel they have some destructive interest in you? Is that true or just a feeling?

Depends on how gullible you are. If they have a “destructive” interest, I would have severed the relationship long ago, and told them to stay away from me, and why.

Can you wish karma on yourself?

Do something selfless, or do something selfish, karma will find you.

How long during the day I can play video games?

Until you fall asleep or your hands cramp up. How long should you play video games, however, depends on your grasp of reality. When do fantasy and reality merge, and your grasp on reality slips? At the end of the day, it is still only a game. One has to remember that reality takes precedence.

At what age did people stop telling you that you look younger than you are?

I’m approaching 70, and people still think I’m younger. Personally, I don’t see it. 

“Youth is happy because it has the capacity to see beauty. Anyone who keeps the ability to see beauty never grows old.”

-- Franz Kafka

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