Come Another Morning...

 

“Another morning comes. It always does. Time always moves at the same rate, only feelings have different speeds. Every day can mark a whole lifetime or a single heartbeat, depending on who you spend it with.”

-- Fredrik Backman

Come another morning, the body feels every moment of the questionable decision-making that was my youth. I stretch, waiting for my body to cramp up. Nothing. I manage to find my way to the shower. Feeling more awake, I take a razor in hand and consider the aged landscape staring back at me from the mirror. I yawn. I put the razor down. I decide to brush my balding pate instead. Better. I look relatively civilized.  

I smile and retrieve the razor. I manage to shave without cutting my throat.  When done, I step onto the scale that tells me I’m still fighting the mid-drift that surrounds me.  I convinced myself the fat "tire" would be turning to muscle due to the treadmill and weight machines at the gym three times a week. Unfortunately, I gave up the gym membership at the onset of COVID-19.  I slip into a white tee shirt, blue jeans, and tennis shoes.  The mirror tells me I’m acceptable, if only to myself.

The fact that people still find me interesting is probably due to my magnetic personality that registers on nobody's magnetometer.  Maybe, I'm just humble... and a nice guy. Maybe, I don't go looking for trouble. Maybe, I'm aware of my capabilities.  If you're looking for trouble, I'm too old to run... I'd much rather shoot you and be done with it.

Lately, I've lost almost 20 pounds utilizing a new "fad diet" that seems to work.  It's taken me two months... because I get jammed up every ten pounds. Then, I manage to move past the barrier.  Bourbon might have something to do with it...  the barrier, that is, not moving past it.

Come another morning, 3:30 a.m., and I find myself, as usual, at the computer, writing another post, hoping it will be interesting to my readers. If it isn't, I'll be writing it, anyway.  It is what I do.  I've been rightly accused of having no filter.  I speak my mind and write what I think. It is a curse, a mantle I wear like an unforgiving title of royalty. More "Bathroom Quasi-Wisdom From the Always Humble Semi-Ancient Pie Hole Philosopher" that my slowly growing readership might enjoy.

Most of my posts, through COVID, were drawn from people wanting my answers to "burning" questions, and the bulk of which was only smoldering, if at that. I answered as many as I could each morning, then I published the results. During July of 2023, I had over 21,000 views of my answers.  I am still humbled by the worldwide viewership.

I thought I was done writing this offering when I reached for my coffee, took a sip, and the brown liquid slipped through the hole in my lip and dribbled down the front of the white tee shirt.  I cursed, then I laughed. 

Come another morning.  One morning much the same as the last.  It is a good thing I have an undying sense of humor.  This morning might indicate how the rest of my day will go.  I strive to be truly happy, always and in all things, regardless of my circumstances.  Shit happens, so I embrace it, work through it, and hope I come out on the other side better for the effort. If you don't choose to embrace the "shit" of life, then you have ignored something that life thought you needed to learn.  And, if you don't think you've learned anything, then you aren't a very good student.

“When you arise in the morning, think of what a privilege it is to be alive, to think, to enjoy, to love ...”

-- Marcus Aurelius

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

If I Had a World of My Own...

 

“If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense. Nothing would be what it is, because everything would be what it isn't. And contrary wise, what is, it wouldn't be. And what it wouldn't be, it would. You see?”

-- Lewis Carroll

If I had a world of my own, everything would be what it is, until it isn't. Do you see? 

"Reality is what it is, and what it isn’t, it isn’t. Sometimes, what it is it isn’t, and what it isn’t, well... it is. Other times, it’s nothing, and then it isn’t anything. But, if it’s nothing, it shouldn't be, and if it isn’t anything, it already is, because acknowledging nothing makes nothing real. Therefore, whether it is or it isn’t, it must be, because even nothing that isn’t, already is."

I wrote this piece, some time back, after trying to explain to my father the adage, "It is what it is."  He was a smart man, for 85, but he simply couldn't wrap his mind around my explanation. This is, probably, in a weird sense, why I find "time" so fascinating. The "time" you have, in this existence, doesn't guarantee understanding... of anything.  Why? Well, because time doesn't really exist.   

Time is a human construct developed to give our lives structure.  Without time, life would certainly continue, but only at the pace of the individual. "Be here first thing in the morning" would be up to the individual to interpret, or the employer to explain.  Properly oriented sundials became clocks that became watches that we could easily take with us.  Reality is what it is, and time is a tool that helps us to understand it, and to explain it. "A particular bullet travels a set distance in a hundredth of a second, give or take."  Why "give or take"? Because time is subject to variables.

“I'm not strange, weird, off, nor crazy, my reality is just different from yours.”

-- Lewis Carroll

To have "a world of my own" depends on where I want to end up. It is incumbent on you to move forward, put your life in some context, and develop goals that you wish to reach.  Your goals will probably change as you mature and factor reality into the equation of life.  As in life, however, your goals are not as important as the journey to bring them to fruition. You should strive for true happiness in all things, regardless of your situation or circumstances.  If you can be truly happy while attaining your goals, you will be truly happy after you arrive.

I struggled through high school.  I found my "future" when I excelled in college psychology, but, the draft for the Vietnam conflict drove me to the military "Intelligence" field.  I found my calling in Intelligence, and I spent 23 years working in the new field I excelled in.  Life is what it is until it isn't, and then it is what it is, again. When I retired from the military I was hired by, what would become, a premier, world-renowned, Institutional Review Board. My goal, toward a career in psychology, was played out, over a 40-year span, in ways I hadn't imagined.

Alice: “Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?”

The Cheshire Cat: “That depends a good deal on where you want to get to.”

Alice: “I don’t much care where.”

The Cheshire Cat: “Then it doesn’t much matter which way you go.”

Alice: “…so long as I get somewhere.”

The Cheshire Cat: “Oh, you’re sure to do that, if only you walk long enough.”

-- Lewis Carroll

If I had a world of my own, everything would be what it is, until it isn't. Do you see?  Live your life and expect changes.  Some changes are good, some bad, but all are lessons we need to learn in order to move forward, so revel in them. You can fight change or you can go with the flow, steering around obstacles, and see where the flow takes you.  Am I sad that I'm not a psychologist?  I'm not?  If I'm not, it would seem I've been practicing psychology, without a license, for over 40 years.  I am content, and proud, for the most part, of the life I've experienced... so far.

I have accomplished nothing I had planned on, and accomplished so much more instead. It didn't matter which way I went, as long as I got somewhere.  As I approach 70 years of age, I consider if I've walked long enough.  I work on my blog every morning, and people take time to read it, so, maybe I have a little more road to travel. We'll see.

Everything is what it is, and tomorrow is another day. 

“If you don't know where you are going any road can take you there”

-- Lewis Carroll

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

Behold!

 

"Behold, the man has become like one of Us, knowing good and evil; and now, he might stretch out his hand, and take also from the tree of life, and eat, and live forever."

-- Genesis 3:22

****************************** 

Note to the reader:  This might seem like a continuation of an earlier post, Consider, If You Will..., which was inspired by my friend Bill Folsom.  In a way, it is.  In another way, it seeks to create more questions than answers and, as usual, seeks to make the reader think and consider possibilities that are hidden somewhere out in "left field," so to speak.  To this end, please enjoy the following humble offering, with my sincere thanks for giving your time to do so.

 ******************************

Genesis 1:26 states, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness," which not only bodes the question of whom God was talking to, but, why God would be so concerned when man became all he could be or all that God must have intended, as stated in Genesis 1:27, "in His own image."  Yet, there certainly seems to be concern of overreach, of an experiment gone too far, or not well thought out. 

"...the man has become like one of Us," is the first hint we have that God is not alone.  Is this declaration of God, set out in Genesis 3:22, a confirmation of a successful experiment or the affirmation of its failure?  Was it intended that we become gods, or did the omnipotent "gods" make a mistake?  God commanded that Adam and Eve not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, as though telling a child not to do something isn't temptation enough.  Nowhere is it written they shouldn't "take also from the tree of life, and live forever," and yet it would seem God feared this transgression, as well.  

There is much discussion of what was meant by God's statement, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness," but, it seems to be well clarified in Genesis 5:3, "And Adam lived one hundred and thirty years, and begot a son in his own likeness, after his image..."  The statements, at this point, stand on their own merit as evidence that God intended us to be in His own image and likeness, just as any parent intends for their child. Just don't eat the fruit.

So, let's get this story straight, as it verily reeks of heresy (or hearsay, for those Gentiles who fear excommunication).  

We have a bunch of scientists (re: gods) who are attempting to enhance the aboriginal gene pool and, oops, made a mistake, probably not the first, while creating what they hope will be the perfect "righteous" life form.  It could be, one of the scientists (let's call him Satan) willfully violated a prime protocol, and the "experiment" failed.  Being against murdering life, the other scientists open the entrance to the laboratory (Eden) and banish Adam and Eve to fend for themselves.  The offending scientist, and those few who support his views, are also banished from the “Kingdom of Heaven,” never to work at "Eden Laboratories" ever again.   

I offered that this is "probably not the first" mistake the scientists have made, because Cain, Adam's son, kills his brother Abel and "went out from the presence of the Lord and dwelt in the land of Nod on the east of Eden.  And Cain knew his wife, and she conceived and bore Enoch.  And he built a city, and called the name of the city after the name of his son - Enoch."  

It would seem Adam and Eve were not the first human life forms, but there were enough humans to populate a city that Cain felt was worth building.  One might argue, “If you build it, they will come.”  I think Cain built it because they were already there.  Could it be, the knowledge that Cain's genetic structure now possessed, was the impetus that allowed him to build the city?  Perhaps the first city that man ever conceived?  So, it might be, these people were either all failed attempts of "gods" enhancing existing genetic material they found readily available on the planet in the form of lesser life forms.  Just a thought. 

Regardless of our gullibility level, the question of “multiple gods” remains through scripture's evidence.  Clergy quickly interprets these stories in ways that make little sense to anyone with a brain to reason.  History has forgotten God's wife, so why not attempt to erase the knowledge of any other lesser gods?  It would be one way of ensuring any message or instruction passed down to us, from one on high, is from a single source, to maintain clarity and uniformity, in order to mitigate ambiguity that occurs when a message is passed through multiple sources.  If anyone wants an example, one simply has to look at current media and news reporting, which can be more opinion than news, slanted to meet a particular political agenda instead of simply stating the truth per the facts as known.  This tendency of man to bastardize the truth is why God wrote everything we need to know across our hearts and minds, instead of bloviating.  

But, before He did this, in order to ensure uniformity, God sends down an edict: 

“You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me..."

-- Exodus 20:3-5

When God handed down the Ten Commandments to Moses, God began the commandments, as stated in Exodus 20:2-3, with: "I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall have no other gods before Me.”  This Commandment is the foundation for the next nine and, in particular, the first four which are summarized in Deuteronomy 6:5 as: “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.” Agreeing with this summation, we read in Matthew 22:37-38: "Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment."  One can see the Creator's insistence that man will only seek answers and instructions from a single source, dictating loyalty and love to the same, and making this rule number one. 

Do we violate the "no other gods" edict, this first and most holy of commandments, by making for ourselves "a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above" when we worship before an image of a crucified Jesus Christ?  I would have to say yes, but what else is new?  We read scripture and excuse our violations of it constantly.  We excuse it by our lack of understanding of everything Jesus told us while he was here on earth.  Most of this misunderstanding comes to us from ministers who spread these misunderstandings, these misinterpretations like so much cyanide-laced Kool-Aid. God wrote everything we needed to know across our hearts and minds so there would be no misunderstanding.  Man wrote the Holy Scripture.   

Does this make my interpretation right?  No.  It simply evidences that I think for myself and choose to find God through my own interpretation of scripture, through what God wrote in my heart and my mind.  I feel that we have all been set, on our own path, on a path to find the great truth.  I also feel it is necessary to discover yourself, your own truth before you can discover anything greater than yourself.  We have, indeed, become like gods, knowing of good and evil; and now, we stretch out our hand to search for the tree of everlasting life.  It was written into our genetic makeup, whether by accident or design, and it is our destiny.  Personally, I think this one God is trying to show us the way, perhaps to correct a mistake or, just maybe, to show us how to become all we were intended to be.   

Maybe we should read what He wrote in our hearts and minds. 

"Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord.

For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:

And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.

For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more."

-- Hebrews 8:9-12

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

So, Attractive Is In? (Updated from 7/22/2014)

“Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it.”

-- Confucious

The title of this post was changed to what it is because the title of the original post became the subject of small-minded critique by members of my monastery who found the four-letter adjective, for the three-letter noun which references reproduction, to be objectionable. There is a saying here in the South, "Don't get into a braying contest with a jackass." For those not up on southern colloquialisms, it simply advises you shouldn't argue with someone whose I.Q. and maturity level is less than half their age. To this end, I have changed the four-letter word to "attractive." The only other time this adjective was used in the original post was in the second paragraph.

To be perfectly honest, the adjective was not what I thought might garner the unwanted attention of the "Monastery Nazis." I was afraid the lead-in photo I used, a provocative torso shot of a woman with ruby red lipstick with a skimpy red evening dress would be the subject of their rant. Imagine my surprise to find that Webster's Dictionary would be my undoing. 

Socialism, at its root, begs the attention of the immature, and in today's American socialist environment, I probably should have expected some small-minded Gestapo stormtrooper to burn my books and bind my hands. For the benefit of these particular folks, an "adjective" is a word, or words, that describe something or an attribute of something. For instance, "I am beautiful" includes nouns, verbs, and adjectives. But, I digress. 

I wanted to follow up on that post of June 12, 2014. For those that haven't read the original post, you will find it on my blog, The Path. Since this will also probably find its way to the Monastery website, for the benefit of my fellow ministers, I hesitate to offer up the direct link as the four-letter adjective is still a part of the title. So, instead of repeating the previous mistake, bear with me and please utilize the following link: Click On This

In the original post, I give men hell for letting the fact that they're fat or homely be the reason for not taking care of the way they groom, dress, act, and speak.  I included men in this discussion after I gave women hell for not making the most out of what God gave them to work with.  I am a firm believer that with the proper make-over you can, more times than not, make a silk purse from a sow's ear.  I try to make the point less eloquently in the following two paragraphs:

Men, if you think you're immune from this, think again.  Most of you slovenly miscreants couldn't find a quality woman because you rarely find the sober ability to part your ass cheeks long enough to pull your head out and take a breath of fresh air much less bathe, shave, put on some fine threads, and, yes, learn to walk, talk, and act so a woman of any worth would give you a first, much less a second, look.  Try getting a haircut and combing what's left.  Try wearing pants that don't droop half past your butt crack and, by the way, boxer shorts worn in plain sight are not a fashion statement to anyone, except the person wearing them and it certainly isn't a sign of good breeding.   Let me say that all of this is aimed at the teenagers that do it.  You guys over thirty that do it, well, really?  GROW THE HELL UP!  The fact that you think you can act like you're eighteen is just, well, sad.  Any woman that thinks he's "cute" needs a serious reality check.  God was kind enough to give a man two heads, how about using the one with a brain in it occasionally.  If you want to really be different, try acting like an adult, or at least like a person that gives one shit about who they are and where they are going in life, after you wake up from your drug or alcohol-induced coma tomorrow morning. 

The point here is very simple.  Attractive has always been in.  It doesn't matter what your shape is.  It matters who you are and how you present yourself.  If your goal in life is to be trailer trash, I respect that.  Go for it!  But, at least be the best trailer trash you can be and please don't bitch to the rest of us about how miserable your life is.  It is your life!

I believe this to be fairly accurate and true, to a point.  Whereas you can make a silk purse from a sow's ear, I also believe that there are times you just can't take the country out of the boy.  He can go to college, dress himself up in a wardrobe of expensive sportswear, buy himself that $60,000 SUV, and when everything is said and done they can still be a well-dressed, college-educated, hot car and boat-owning trailer trash.  The minute that country yokel opens his loud, obnoxious, mouth he is just another backward-ass country boy that thinks he's all he isn't.

I have had the unfortunate, and embarrassing, opportunity to witness a couple of these boys in action recently.  I would have felt bad for the attractive women they were with but, hey, these were guys of their own choosing.  These guys were not really overweight or unattractive.  They had the expected beer guts and what I could best describe as that good ol' boy, baby fat face.  So, I figure they didn't have to work very hard to have some possibilities, some potential.  And then, they had to go and speak.  They were loud, obnoxiously loud, with that good ol' boy, backward ass, country drawl.  The drawl was so thick to the point you just knew they had to be playing it up.  I find this kind of ignorance plays as well for whites as using ebonics and the "N-word" plays for blacks.  It doesn't.  It's simply obvious evidence that ignorance is ignorance.

One of the two guys strutted passed me acting like he was all that.  I would have snickered at his failure to pull it off if I weren't gasping for oxygen.  The bottle of cheap cologne he'd bathed in, not that long ago, was shortening the life span of several children in the grocery store, contaminating produce, and setting off an overly sensitive CO2 detector.  Luckily the supermarket is a no-smoking area because an open flame would have put us on the local news and cost untold thousands in window damage for a several-block radius.  To the ladies traveling in the SUV with these two guys, all I can say is, "Sucks being you."

In your journey to make the most of what God gave you to work with, don't get too wrapped up in the, well...wrapping.  You can buy very expensive wrapping paper, tissue, and a large bow but, if all you're wrapping is a piece of shit, it will still be a piece of shit wrapped nicely.  And, I don't care how expensive the cologne is if you get too close.  You might have to ask which is worse, the cologne or the piece of shit it's trying to mask... unsuccessfully.

Everyone concerns themselves with physical expectations.  What's outside is a paint job, and that paint job can be the best money can buy, but if the foundation is corrupt, or if the framing has dry rot and termites, then the paint just masks the true issues.  Most "quality" people can see through the paint, the facade.  They knock on the walls and look at the foundation.  It might be a larger property than they want, but if it's a sound investment it just might win them over.  There is nothing that beats a sound investment picked up by a solid investor.  This is a great, long-term, relationship.

So, guess what, chubby?  If you walk the walk and talk the talk; if you show a woman you have possibilities; if you can balance the backwoods yokel with some sophisticated "man about town," then maybe what you look like won't be as important as how interesting you are, if it comes into play at all.  Dare to be the most interesting man in the world.  Dare to be what you want to be.  Dare to be more than the sum of your parts, whatever the hell that means.

Again, understand me; I am not an advocate of becoming something you are not.  If, and only if, your goal is to work with what God gave you and stop making excuses for being less than what God intended you to be.  Accept that you have some physical shortcomings and want to rise above them.  If you want people to notice that there is a beautiful person trying to get out, then you also have to believe you are the mature, beautiful person you want everyone to see.  Otherwise, be who you are, there is nothing wrong with that.  I support the freedom for people to be what they want, no matter how much cheap cologne they wear or how much it burns my eyes.  I can only repeat what I said in the last paragraph of my previous post:

It doesn't matter what your shape is.  It matters who you are and how you present yourself.  If your goal in life is to be trailer trash, I respect that.  Go for it!  But, at least be the best trailer trash you can be and please don't bitch to the rest of us about how miserable your life is.  It is your life!

As usual, this is just an opinion, my opinion. Opinions are great "pot stirrers" and more people should voice theirs. One person's opinion is another person's stepping-off point to creating an opinion of their own. My goal is never to try and convince, or to preach. My goal is to try and make people think. Sometimes, I don't even agree with me. I can write something then sit back and ask myself, "Where do you come up with this drivel?" Then, occasionally, I find I'm right on target. What you think is never the point. The point is, always, that you think at all.  The more important question is, "Why?"

“Every broken heart has screamed at one time or another: Why can't you see who I truly am?”

-- Shannon L. Alder

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

Wasted Tears (Updated from 7/12/2014)

 

"There are few things in life sadder than tears wasted, save tears themselves."

-- F.A. Villari

450 years before the birth of Christ, the Greek poet Sophocles said, "There is no sense crying over spilt milk.  Why bewail what is done and cannot be recalled?"  By the same token, you should not fret over those things you can do nothing about.  Is this supposed to make grief easier to bear?  I think not.  On the contrary, William Shakespeare says, "To weep is to make less the depth of grief."  I have found this to be true for many people, including me.  I find it best to not cry for no good reason, and then I fail.  There are few things in life sadder than tears wasted, save tears themselves.

We cry for a variety of reasons, but not all of them are necessarily bad.  We cry when sad or happy.  We cry at the loss of a loved one, or at the birth of a baby.  We cry when we lose something cherished, and when we get a gift of something desired.  We cry when we laugh too hard and we cry when someone else cries.

Personally, I cry at the drop of a hat.  I always have, and it was always a source of embarrassment for my daughter who has witnessed my tearful displays numerous times as we watched such cinematic classics as the 1963 Disney film, "The Incredible Journey" and the 1993 Disney remake, "Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey."  Both of these masterpieces required a large box of tissue which she was eager to fetch prior to the start of each film.  For me, the moment doesn't even have to concern living beings.  In the Star Trek movie franchise, I cried when the starship Enterprise was destroyed, and I cried when the Android, Data, gave his life to save everyone in the final offering of that particular franchise.

I came to two conclusions some time ago.  One is that it takes a real man to wear pink and make it look good.  And two is that real men cry.  Hey, real men can be sensitive.  Get over yourself.  Real men cry as the antithesis of our sense of humor.  The more heartfelt our tears, the more we laugh.  A man who can cry simply displays evidence of his ability to feel deep emotion, while the man who holds it in exhibits fear of what others might think.  Many men see tears as a sign of weakness.  I think this is bullshit.  A leader should never fear to show emotions, when appropriate.

"Those who do not know how to weep with their whole heart don't know how to laugh either."

-- Golda Meir

I happened upon a new philosophy for dealing with loss.  Well, new for me anyway.  And it comes from far out in "left field" though one will recognize why the author of this "philosophy" should not really surprise anyone.  We spend so much time crying and bemoaning the loss, the end of an era, a relationship, family, or friends.  But I ask you to consider this gem:

"Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened."

-- Dr. Seuss

But how does this help me when I see kids in a children's hospital that fight for life and greet death with much more dignity and understanding than any mature adult possibly could?  I cannot visit a children's ward.  Dying children affect me in a way that crushes my heart while lifting my soul.  You have to experience this to understand.  It is hard to explain.  Victor Hugo wrote, "Those who do not weep, do not see."  I think it pertains.

And you're probably asking what any of this has to do with wasted tears?  Well, I see it this way.  We waste a lot of our tears on trivial bullshit.  This is sad when you consider all that is happening around us in the world.  Yet, when I see one child cry from hunger or hurt, the feeling I get as a father and a grandfather is one of empathy.  We have many reasons to cry, but should we?  There are those among us who cry for far better reasons than many of us could ever imagine.

Next time I cry, I think I'll try to make sure they're tears of joy.  I will try not to cry for the loss of someone, but to smile because they happened, because I knew them, and because I shared a moment of friendship and love.

But, I will cry.

"Crying is one of the highest devotional songs.  One who knows crying knows spiritual practice.  If you can cry with a pure heart, nothing compares to such a prayer.  Crying includes all the principles of Yoga."

-- Swami Krialvanandji

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

Not Let Your Hearts Be Troubled (Updated from 7/12/2014)

 

"Peace I leave with you, my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid... Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete."

-- John 14:27 & 16:24

I hear from people every day how angry they are, how hurt they are, how sad they are, how poor they are, how overworked they are, how lonely they are, how God has forsaken them, and the complaints go on.  Yet, they go to bed at night and wake up the next morning having been given the "gift" of another day; perhaps, for some, they choose another day in hell.  And yet, if these complaints were a heartfelt reality, why wake up?  Why abuse the gift given to you by wasting it by complaining?  Why endure another pitiful day in a self-imposed hell?  I say "self-imposed" because life is all about making choices and living with the consequences.  If you live in "hell" it, therefore, must be your choice to do so.

When you were born, life was gifted to you.  This gift was reality; the only true reality.  Awareness of the world around you allowed you to make choices that replaced this true reality with your own "created" reality.  Your "created" reality has thrown the one true reality out of balance.  The further out of balance this reality becomes, the more misery is felt, to the point that our misery begins to affect the true reality of others, and so on, and so on.  But, we have the ability to end this cycle, or at least mitigate the damage.  While Christ lived, and before He died, He gave us yet another gift; a chance to bring our reality back into balance.

He came, He lived, and He showed us the path.  He endured more than any of us could imagine prior to his death, yet in those final minutes, he still forgave mankind.  With everything we think we endure in this life, we still wake up the next morning with a fresh chance to make our lives right; to put our reality back in balance.

"Peace I leave with you, my peace I give you."  Unconditional peace and love, brought by Christ from God, for all mankind; a peace which is free for you to enjoy, as long as you make good choices.

"Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."  To what end are your troubles and fear?  It will gain you nothing to worry over that which you have no control.  If it affects you so much, ask for peace in His name "and you will receive, and your joy will be complete."  Or, you can continue to wallow in self-pity wondering each morning why God has forsaken you by making you wake up to another miserable day in your self-imposed hell.  

Why would God do this to you?  You wake up every morning and, yet, you don't really wake up.  Every morning God gives you another chance to understand and, like many, you remain in a near-vegetative state, constantly ignoring lessons in favor of whining and complaining about your misery.  Does it compare to the misery Christ endured for you?  I think not.  If you truly think this, then consider going to the garage, getting a 60-penny box nail, driving the nail through your hand with a 4-pound sledgehammer, and then asking yourself if you want to repeat this "lesson" with the other hand.  No?  Then I doubt if your misery comes close to that of the passion of Christ.  Yet, you wake up every morning to endure... what?

We all have to ask ourselves why we are miserable in our lives.  Why do we dread waking up every morning instead of reveling in the paradise we were gifted.  Once we figure out why our "created reality" sucks, we can do something about making it right again.  The point is, it's not someone else making our lives miserable.  If you're looking for someone to blame for all of your ills, look in a mirror.  When the analysis is complete, you will find that the 800-pound gorilla in the room is you.  If you are miserable because of your job, but the job supports your lifestyle, you have a logical choice; change jobs or change the lifestyle.  If you don't want to do either then quit complaining and suck it up, because misery seems to agree with you.

The bottom line is, your heart doesn't need to be troubled.  You are always in control of your own life.  Whatever misery befalls it, is misery you create, so stop creating it!

Maybe it's time to wake up and take control of your life by making better choices, choices that will diminish, or extinguish, all the drama you allow into your life.

As always, this is just my opinion.  Not many will agree with me.  I understand this and never expect much from my detractors.  Personally, I don't think many folks are awake enough to understand or desire to understand, the changes they need to make.  Many will shift the blame on others for their misery, even though it was their own poor choice which set the wheels of misery in motion.  It always seems to be someone else's fault.  I find it a conundrum that we are so afraid of change and yet change is the only constant in the universe.  We encounter changes in our lives daily, yet we fear those changes which can make our lives happier and more fulfilling.  We fear these changes so much that we subconsciously make ourselves ignorant of them.  We need to stop fearing change and learn to embrace it.

Tomorrow morning, ask yourself if you are truly awake, and then take this gift of life and go out to feel the joy of another great day in paradise. It is your life, after all. Stop complaining, and make your life count.  It is a personal choice only you can make.

“The love of wilderness is more than a hunger for what is always beyond reach; it is also an expression of loyalty to the earth, the earth which bore us and sustains us, the only paradise we shall ever know, the only paradise we ever need... if only we had the eyes to see.”

-- Edward Abbey

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

Is the Test You? (Updated from 7/8/2014)

 

"This is your moment of test of your faith. You're not a victim of circumstance but a winner of predicaments. Don't lose hope. Hold onto your faith and trust in God."

-- Ritu Ghatourey

Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son, Isaac (Genesis 22:1-19), has always been appalling. That an all-knowing and omnipotent being would contrive such a test for which, being all-knowing, the outcome would only prove what both of them already know. This seems, to me, cruel and pointless. God even admits that the test proves Abraham's fear of God, which is seen as "appropriate" by this version of God. Why are we meant to fear a loving God, especially one who already knows what is in our hearts? Sometimes I wonder if God isn't doing a kind of "taste test" to ensure his recipe for mankind turned out as planned. The thought doesn't make sense, though, if God is perfect and all-knowing. Right?

Do you think God testing you, or are you the test for someone else? And, is being the test for someone else also a test for you? God's 'twofer special' is to see if you realize you are the test and if you're up to taking on the challenge. 

We are all on a path of discovery and, with every experience, we learn more which we can pass on to others. Each of us is a mentor, a minister, a shepherd, and a pastor to each other. One of the first tests is to realize this truth, the next test is how you put it into practice.

“Those who are determined to be ‘offended’ will discover a provocation somewhere. We cannot possibly adjust enough to please the fanatics, and it is degrading to make the attempt.”

-- Christopher Hitchens

Someone's "judgment" of your righteousness is, also, a judgment of their own. Where you see judgment, you might be better served to find the lesson in the predicament and show others the error in judging. You can try to explain it to them, but words rarely sway a person's ego, especially the ego of the perpetually offended. It is very easy to judge others, but there is a fine line one must walk in order to have an opinion and not judge others for their opinion.

Our varied opinions on morality are an obvious test for each of us. Our view of morality can be the impetus for disagreement, and can, very often, create a negative "judgment" about us. I find this happens most often with "hot-button" topics, like abortion. Can both sides of this debate, pro-life and pro-choice, equally offend each other? I've had problems understanding how. "Pro-choice" defends the right of women to choose what happens with their bodies, while "pro-life" stands to defend unborn children from being murdered in the womb. Two totally different arguments, right? I see pro-choice as a, well, choice, while pro-life is a moral imperative.

“I've noticed that everyone who is for abortion has already been born.”

-- Ronald Reagan

I try not to judge, but it is a hard task. I am a hypocrite in that I am "perpetually offended" by the League of the Perpetually Offended. I am especially offended by those members of the League that are offended when I take exception to any excuse they can drum up for the murder of innocent life. Yet, we are all a party to this when we allow the government to define, with questionable science, when life begins and when it is deemed appropriate under the law to approve the slaughter of innocent life which doesn't meet their poor definition of when life begins, or whether it should be allowed to continue. This very definition, of when life begins, is a test of our civilization. Even science can't agree on the definition as it seems to change constantly. What do we say to those innocent we allowed to be slaughtered under a previous ruling? Sorry about that?

"Last but not least among serial killer methodologies, we have women who kill their own children."

-- Pat Brown

The health and welfare of the woman is one thing, but unwanted pregnancy can now be terminated at the onset. We no longer have an excuse to wait until just before our definition of when life exists before we opt for murder in lieu of termination. It seems just as easy for a doctor to do harm one way as the other, providing a doctor is even involved. Why don't we just elect an executioner to snap the baby's little neck as it emerges?

I see no reason why people who abhor abortion of the innocent should be forced to pay their tax dollars to support the lunatics behind the act. This amounts to forced immorality. Fyodor Dostoevsky once wrote, "The degree of civilization in a society can be judged by entering its prisons." I offer that the true degree of civilization can be judged by how we treat the least of us, our "at-risk" populations. For the most part, we don't even acknowledge them, unless we have to, and, even then, we'd rather not. We would sell our souls for a life of faux peace and serenity rather than waste any effort to protect those unable to protect themselves. Our very lack of humanity seems to be evidence of the waste of "humanity" that we have become. I don't see this as judgment, as much as it seems to be a sad fact.

“It is a poverty to decide that a child must die so that you may live as you wish.”

-- Saint Teresa of Calcutta

I try not to argue with the "perpetually offended" about any issue, much less moral ones, because, well, they are going to be offended, regardless, and perpetually. These are people who might firmly believe the Holocaust never happened; the historical evidence, firsthand accounts, and photos are all a fraud perpetrated by, well, it really doesn't matter who, because it offends them, which is all that does matter for them. If they could change history, they would. If they could kill God, they would. If they could kill everyone who doesn't agree with them, they would. And then, having offended themselves by killing everyone else and having nobody left to feel offended by, they would start killing themselves. Hallelujah...

“I cannot understand anti-abortion arguments that centre on the sanctity of life. As a species, we've fairly comprehensively demonstrated that we don't believe in the sanctity of life. The shrugging acceptance of war, famine, epidemic, pain, and life-long poverty shows us that, whatever we tell ourselves, we've made only the most feeble of efforts to really treat human life as sacred.”

-- Caitlin Moran

In the case of abortion, the offended seems to be offended by anyone who would dare to limit a woman's ability to make decisions where her own body is concerned. Oh, I totally agree with them, as long as her decision doesn't involve murdering another human life, especially one within her, for no sound reason other than, "Oops! I made another mistake... again." 

 One question stands out for me if sex was consensual, is this going to be her first test or a perpetual one? Only she can judge, right? If she even cares. But, her ability to make sound moral judgments would seem to be already questionable.

The only sound reasons I can envision for abortion are rape, the mother's health, or the child's health. Again, rape can be dealt with immediately. Termination of innocent life due to health concerns for the mother is no fault of her or the child and is an understandable decision only the mother can make. As to the health of the child, I will leave that to be answered by the numerous handicapped children who might have been aborted but are so very happy to be alive and bringing joy to the very parents who considered abortion and opted for the life of innocence. 

Was this the mother's test? Maybe. God bless them for making the right and moral call. Pro-life advocates wait to see what monumental changes these "saved" children can offer the universe.

“If a mother can kill her own child - what is left is for me to kill you and you to kill me - there is nothing between.”

-- Mother Teresa of Calcutta

As well as being a test, our moral beliefs are, most importantly, personal judgments of ourselves. How other people judge us for our views on personal morality is of little consequence since we don't answer to those who feel they have the right to judge us. This concept offends the perpetually offended (no shit) who think they have the right to judge and that we should answer to them for even daring to take the moral high ground. I see no problem making good use of this ground, and the test, both of which they seem to have rejected.

Having said all this, the definition of when life begins is our test. It should be the purview of civilized science and not those who have the most money or the most to gain, or the most political influence. It certainly shouldn't be left in the hands of those immoral intellectual titans who can't say no, keep their legs together, their manhood in their pants, or take a pill or wear a condom.

“More than a decade ago, a Supreme Court decision literally wiped off the books of fifty states' statutes protecting the rights of unborn children. Abortion on demand now takes the lives of up to 1.5 million unborn children a year. Human life legislation ending this tragedy will someday pass the Congress, and you and I must never rest until it does. Unless and until it can be proven that the unborn child is not a living entity, then its right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness must be protected.”

-- Ronald Reagan

People have berated me for my stand on abortion. I absolutely own it, and without hesitation, so berate away! I have been called many things, none of them nice, and I can live with the bile that issues from other people's pie holes much easier than I could live with the murder of unborn children. I've seen it, watched it, and pushed the bile back down my throat until I couldn't watch it anymore. I have broad shoulders when it comes to standing up against the immoral murdering of innocence and, in doing so, I'm beyond certain I will perpetually offend those who find any excuse to allow it. I'm as certain that this is my test as I am that abortion is theirs. Good luck!

"God is testing people so they will know what is in their own hearts."

-- Matt Slick

God knows what is in your heart; knows what you will do and, therefore, knows the outcome of every test. The test is for you, not for God. God wants you to learn what is already known, understand that which is already understood, conclude what is already foregone, and have faith that what is, is.

“Tough times don't define you, they refine you.‪”

-- Carlos A. Rodriguez

There will always be times of trial; times that stress us to the breaking point, and beyond. Yet, things seem to work out because, in the end, you are still here to complain about it or be offended by it. The complaint or offense is evidence we have missed the point. Wouldn't it feel better to work through it with faith and a positive attitude? Wouldn't it feel better to admit that, once again, at the end of the day, you will still be here to witness your faith in God and God's faith in you? This will trump all the complaining or doubting one can muster. Things will always work out. Well, things will always work out except for the perpetually offended. For things to work out, you simply have to understand the outcome may not be what you expected, yet. You need to have faith.

I have faith that those who do evil to others will have evil done unto them. Everyone will be graded according to their work. The test of good or evil is a simple one: Good benefits everyone while evil only benefits those who support and perpetuate it. It is an unfortunate universal rule that we must have both good and evil. There must be balance in the universe, so, for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction, in order to maintain this balance.

Each day is a test allowing you to move forward, or backward, on your path through your infinite existence. Evil, at times, might seem to move you forward faster, but to where, and at what cost to the immortal soul? We are not intended to travel in circles, reliving the life we damage. We should always do good, and trust in the ultimate power of the universe to guide us on a good and righteous path. We know the difference between right and wrong, so lying to ourselves just compounds the damage we do to our souls.

"Sometimes God pushes us to our limits...He tests us beyond our endurance because He has greater FAITH in us than we have in ourselves."

-- Nishan Panwar

While traveling your path, never give up, never surrender, never lose faith, never lose hope, and never feel like you are alone in your trials. Everything is being watched. In times of strength, give some of that strength to others. In times of weakness, watch for those who will come to mentor and minister to your needs. These mentors and ministers might be friends, family, and even total strangers, who might say the one thing you need to hear. Good and evil take many forms and are not, usually, easy to see. We need to start seeing good and evil for what they are, and the angels and demons for what they are.

They may be us.

"When you are going through something hard and wonder where God is...remember, the teacher is always quiet during a test."

-- Anonymous

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