Questioning Dogs, Thoughts, Differences, Niche, and Necessary

“Owners of dogs will have noticed that, if you provide them with food and water and shelter and affection, they will think you are god. Whereas owners of cats are compelled to realize that, if you provide them with food and water and shelter and affection, they draw the conclusion that they are gods.”

-- Christopher Hitchens

Is it considered bad to say that your dog is good?

No more than saying your child is good.

What can I do to stop hating my life and be more positive?

Make the conscious choice to be truly happy always and in all things, regardless of your circumstances. Hating your life is counter-productive. Being happy always, regardless of your circumstances, sends a positive message to those around you, and might piss a few people off. It is a simple choice to make for your life (I like pissing off negative people).

Is it considered bad etiquette to say "I love you" to a dog?

I say “I love you” to my cat. Is that bad? I don’t think so. Love is to be spread around, like peanut butter.

How do you deal with a psychologist that you think is bad?

Don’t go back to them.

Psychologists, can you share a mind hack that can help improve daily happiness?

Wake up and be truly happy you’re on this side of the dirt. Any day you’re on this side of the dirt is a great day to be alive. Smile and be happy, because the alternative simply sucks.

What moves followers to accomplish far beyond what is expected?

A great attitude and desire.

“It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit.”

-- Harry S. Truman

Can our thoughts attract good or bad things?

It depends on if you have good or bad thoughts.

How can leaders encourage their team members to share their innovtive ideas?

Start with “round table discussions” so they know you are interested. Let them know that you’d like to hear any innovative ideas they have that make the job easier, or the products better. Make certain they understand they will get credit where credit is due.

Do people actually have sex with a dead body?

Yes. It’s called necrophilia.

What is the definition of karma? Does karma really come back to you if you're bad or mean to others? If so, how long does it take for the karma to come back?

Karma, by definition: “Destiny or fate, following as effect from cause.” Basically, if you do something, good or bad, it will affect your fate. When? That is entirely up to karma. It can be minutes or years. You never know when karma will teach you a valuable lesson.

Why shouldn’t you talk to white people?

This is a racist question.

How would you differentiate and describe traditional and modern values that inspire and prevent development?

They are differentiated by traditional and modern values that inspire progress and those that prevent progress. The question answers itself.

“You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.”

-- Buckminster Fuller

What is the difference between "being negative" and "being realistic"?

There may be no difference. It may be very realistic that you’re going to die. It is hard to make anything positive about dying, but that is the realistic aspect of it. The two really don’t have much to do with each other. Being negative, as opposed to being positive, or being realistic, as opposed to being non-realistic, would make much more sense… to me, anyway.

What are some things to consider when trying to determine if your career will lead to happiness or success?

If your career leads to happiness, you have attained success in life. If you are trying to determine if attaining a career goal will happen, this is another question.

Can it be true that “he who blames others has a long way to go on his journey, he who blames himself is halfway there, and he who blames no one has arrived”?

He who blames no one has his head buried in the sand. Things happen for a reason. To deny the reason is to deny learning so it doesn’t happen again. The quote is why District Attorneys are letting criminals back out on the street to perpetrate crime all over again. The DA arrives, but some innocent citizen is paying the ultimate price for the DA’s ineptitude.

 What made you feel proud?

When my son made the “Dean’s List” through college. and my daughter became the mother she always wanted to be.

What is an arrogant buffoon?

Most elected officials in politics. Most of them have no idea how to balance a budget, but they can spend money like an “arrogant buffoon” possessed. Especially if it’s on a “bridge to nowhere” and their pockets are being lined with cash.

Is success a hidden treasure for humankind?

“Success” is finding true happiness in life. This is, indeed, a “hidden treasure” for most people.

“He has achieved success who has lived well, laughed often, and loved much;

Who has enjoyed the trust of pure women, the respect of intelligent men, and the love of little children;

Who has filled his niche and accomplished his task;

Who has never lacked appreciation of Earth's beauty or failed to express it;

Who has left the world better than he found it,

Whether an improved poppy, a perfect poem, or a rescued soul;

Who has always looked for the best in others and given them the best he had;

Whose life was an inspiration;

Whose memory a benediction.”

-- Bessie Anderson Stanley

Is there a point when you are too niche for society?

Is this supposed to be “niche” or “nice”? If it is “nice” then, if you really don’t give a damn about what others think, then you are never too nice for society. Society can use all the “nice” it can get.

What do you have in common with the person your lover is cheating on you with?

They were military.

Do you agree that mentors don't have to have all the answers, they just have to have good questions?

No. Mentors don’t have all the answers, but the bulk of questions have to come from who they are mentoring unless they are trying to validate that learning is taking place. You can’t find an answer if there is no question put to you.

Can you provide the context of the quote "I'm not that rich, but I am very wealthy"?

“I am not that rich in money, but I am very wealthy in friends and family.”

Why can’t I find comfort in anything, even in my girlfriend?

First, make the conscious choice to be truly happy always and in all things, regardless of your circumstances. Second, dump the girlfriend, if she is truly not comfortable, and find yourself one that is. Comfort is all about happiness, and happiness is all about making a choice: To be, or not to be. Make the right choice.

How does risky behavior influence decision-making?

Risky behavior is a sign of risky decision-making. I wouldn’t go into a business relationship with a guy who skydives or freeclimbs as a hobby. I could be left holding the bag.

“Joining a gang is like skydiving without a parachute. Oh, at first it’s all fun, as you take on gravity in a thrilling and exhilarating free fall towards earth. The truth is, anything that is risky and dangerous always starts out as fun. But the odds are always stacked in gravity’s favor, for you will eventually come face to face with the Earth, and Mother Earth always wins those battles. The same thing can be said about being in a gang.”

-- Drexel Deal

What are necessary truths? What are necessary falsehoods?

Whatever the truth is, it is necessary. There is no necessity for falsehoods, even to spare emotions.

How can you tell if something is false or if it is just not known yet?

I go by the “rule of thumb.” If it sounds too good to be true, it probably isn’t. If someone finds it necessary to spoonfeed you the “truth,” it probably isn’t. You can tell if something is true or false by educating yourself on the topic, not by believing pundits who want you to believe their version of things. Politics is famous for lies and propaganda. Don’t be stupid and drink the arsenic-laced Kool-Aid.

How can you love someone who has nothing?

I always have. What they have should have no bearing on the love you feel for them. 

Can a man of 56 find love after years of celibacy?

Are you looking for love or sex? You can be head over heels in love and stay celibate. Your partner might not appreciate it, but they aren’t your question.

What do you think is the key for healthy communication to exist?

Truthfulness and clarity.

What do you do when you have lost all hope in life? I feel like breaking up with the person who loves me and giving up my dog. I have had depression for 18 years (29 years old).

Unless you’re contemplating suicide, you will, in all probability, wake up tomorrow. This you can have faith in, and faith is the wellspring for hope. So, truth be known, you haven’t lost all hope in life. You have a choice to make. You can continue to be a miserable person, or you can make the conscious choice to be truly happy always and in all things, regardless of your circumstances. It is a simple choice, no matter how complicated you’d like to make it.

“If you're reading this...

Congratulations, you're alive. If that's not something to smile about, then I don't know what is.”

-- Chad Sugg

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 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