Questioning Omnipotence, Children, Parents, Learning, and Goals

 

“1) There exist instances of intense suffering which an omnipotent, omniscient being could have prevented without thereby losing some greater good or permitting some evil equally bad or worse.

2) An omniscient, wholly good being would prevent the occurrence of any intense suffering it could, unless it could not do so without thereby losing some greater good or permitting some evil equally bad or worse.

3) (Therefore) There does not exist an omnipotent, omniscient, wholly good being.”

-- William L. Rowe

(Rowe has no concept of punctuation, God, or universal balance.)

When your husband/boyfriend gets angry over the smallest thing, why does he get mad so often over nothing at all?

They have very little happiness in their life. If they were happy, the little issues would simply roll off their shoulders.

How can an omnipotent being have free will if he is omnipotent?

The question makes no sense unless the “omnipotent” being is subservient to another omnipotent being. I’m not ruling out the possibility that omnipotent beings can explore “exotic” sexual role-playing. They might be omnipotently kinky.

Who's the least intelligent entitled person you've ever had the displeasure of knowing?

Oh, my goodness… there are so many.

How can talent be possibly established when there haven’t been two comparable beings?

You have “talent” but you have nothing to compare it against. Whether your talent is poor or excellent can not be determined except by people who witness your talent. Your talent may assault their senses, but if they have nothing to compare it to or they cannot do better, all they have to go off of is their senses that are being assaulted.

How can you ruin a bully's day?

I can attest that beating the crap out of them is one way.

Is it possible to make our bosses like us without sucking up to them?

My boss hired me when I retired from the Air Force. He asked me what I thought of honesty. I told him that, after 23 years in the Intelligence field, honesty was paramount. He was looking for someone that would tell him what he didn’t hear. He was tired of employees blowing smoke up his ass. I laughed and told him that would not be a problem for me. I have no filter. He liked my work, and I never had to suck up to him.

“Leaders solve problems that bosses have created.”

-- Dr. Lucas D. Shallua

What is the impact of letting children make their own decisions without any guidance from adults?

Have you read “Lord of the Flies”?

I commit many fallacies when I want to debate, and I have trouble wanting to express my position openly with others. Does that mean I have no intelligence? How do you overcome the need to pretend to be intelligent when you're not?

Be smart. Being smart means you get your mouth shut and your ears open, unless you have something intelligent to say. Intelligent people will see through bullshit just before smart people do, so pretending garners you nothing but ridicule. Wisdom comes to those who keep their own counsel.

What does an angry face in a dream mean?

Why are you pissing people off in your dreams?

What ordinary object best describes you?

A rock.

What are some ways to build a strong foundation of knowledge? Why is it important to have a strong foundation of knowledge?

Read, question, and discuss. Without a strong foundation of knowledge, the questionable knowledge you have is tantamount to a house of cards. In all you do, seek the truth, question the truth, and speak the truth, for the truth will keep you free. 

Can you give me some quotes about thinking and feeling?

Try this:

“Life is a comedy to those who think, a tragedy to those who feel.”

-- Jean Racine

What is the significance of recurring dreams?

Your mind might be trying to tell you something that you don’t seem capable of understanding… yet. Or, someone has hacked into your mind and is trying to give you a clue.

How do I get my parents to stop calling me "baby," and talking to me like a child? They're great parents but, because they know I'm a reserved young adult and I'm working on my social anxiety, it's extremely infantilizing and frustrating.

Tell them how you feel. Honesty is also a part of growing up.

I'm going through a very difficult time in my life. Do you have any positive things to say to make me positive today?

Smile!  It could be worse.  Really, it could be. 

Make a conscious choice to strive for happiness always and in all things, regardless of your circumstances.

Difficulties are simply challenges life throws at us. Catch them, deal with them, and move on down your path. Remember that failure and mistakes are the best way we learn things in life. Critique why we failed or made mistakes, learn from them, and try again, and again until we attain the proper result.

If we have drama in our life, we have the choice whether to accept the drama or not. Personally, I choose to keep any drama at arm’s length. I detest drama that I don’t have to deal with.

Keep your life as simple as you can, and tell those around you to do the same. When you hang around with people who own negativity and difficulty, all you are going to be involved in is negativity and difficulty. Get shed of them.

Are emotionally driven decisions always stupid decisions?

Decisions you make when you are emotionally vulnerable are not always the best.

If a person takes credit for the good things which happen to others but gives credit to others for the bad things which happen, how can a person know which others will be their doom?

Everything that happens to us is a product of some decision or choice we have made. It is our life, not someone else’s, so we cannot blame them for what happens to us. If you have marital problems, why did you say “Yes!”? If you have problems at work, why did you take the job? If you have an auto accident, it is either your fault or you should have left at a different time to miss the accident. We tend to blame others when our life happens, but it is our life. We make the choices and decisions in it.

Can an optimistic person get depressed?

Only if they’re optimistic about being depressed.

“How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.”

-- Anne Frank

What does it mean when someone gives you a pancake?

If it isn’t on a plate with butter, syrup, and a fork, they’re screwing with you.

What are your thoughts on mistakes and regrets?

They are two ways we learn. Failure is a third.

Doesn't a husband deserve a big reward if he regularly beats his feminist wife?

This makes so little sense. He married her, so he must have known she was a feminist or he is totally clueless. Either way, why should he beat her for a mistake he made?

How do you get a teacher to stop being so harsh on you?

Start learning.

Does believing that you have the knowledge and awareness of your own negative ego (which almost always is negative) and also believing that you have the ability to hinder and or improve your ego in and of itself ego?

The negative ego isn’t “almost” always negative, it is always negative. Anytime you become aware of something, especially when it deals with yourself, you can change it.

What does it mean when your teacher says “not good enough” and what can you do about it?

Do better.

“You're not good enough." Gosh, that voice; nails on a chalkboard. Wanna drown that voice in buckets of urine!”

-- Efrat Cybulkiewicz

How do you achieve a long-term goal or a particular skill?

Work and perseverance.

What is more important than wisdom?

There is good and bad wisdom. There must be, for there to be balance in the universe. Being right, however, is more important than simple wisdom. Righteousness is important in everything.

What does he mean when he says, "Please don't care for me that much"?

It’s a warning. He knows himself.

What’s the one thing you do for everyone?

Listen.

What are the consequences of being too busy to succeed in life? How can you avoid them?

The question answers itself. The consequence is not succeeding. Whatever is being done other than succeeding should probably be curtailed and more effort be put into attaining the better goal. 

When does a wife deserve to be disrespected by her husband?

When she disrespects her husband. You get what you give.

“Respect was invented to cover the empty place where love should be.”

-- Leo Tolstoy

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 view any more right or wrong than the other. Opinion, presented in this context, is a way of inciting others to think and, hopefully, to form their own opinions, 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 offered. After twenty-three years of military intelligence, I have come to believe that engaging each other in this manner, and in this arena, is a 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 United States Air Force Intelligence as a planner, analyst, briefer, instructor, and senior manager. Following his service career, he spent 17 years working with the premier and world-renowned Western Institutional Review Board, helping to protect the rights of human subjects involved in pharmaceutical research. He also served 8 years on the Board of Directors for the Angela J. Bowen Foundation.

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 a weapon for his war on intolerance... he chose the pen. He 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 personal, spiritual path toward peace and the final destination for us all. He resides in Pass Christian, Mississippi, where he volunteered as the lead chaplain at a regional medical center.

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