Questioning Humility, Sense, Relations, Then, and Stuttering

How can we have more people experience humility?

Invite them to become selfless. I know. I laughed when the thought crossed my mind. Selfless? Be real.

I am proud of being born as an evil child. I don't have consideration for others, I don’t give others food, and I spit on people. I will never unalive myself, I will keep living. What do you think?

You, pretty much, suck. You remind me of those members of the League of the Perpetually Offended.

Isn't it true that "you can't trust someone with a profit motive not to exploit you"? If so, why do we even have money anyway when everything necessary could easily be free and we could just work for things we want like luxury items or experiences?

Socialism. Thank God we are capitalists. 

When I get shaved down in my private area, it feels fantastic, but it is so itchy for days. What can I do?

A little pain, a little pleasure. Whatever you do, don’t put alcohol on the shaved area. It is a lot of pain, and very little pleasure… unless you’re into that.

What questions do people in their twenties have?

“What the…?”
“Work? You’re being serious, now, right?”
“How do I pull my head out of my ass when it isn’t in there?”
“I have to make coffee? Isn’t there a Starbucks?”
“What’s this “pink slip” for?”

Are all the radical leftists swamped in ignorance, lack of information, and hypnotized by nothingness?

We all wish socialism were that simplistic.  You left out that their brains look like inside-out penises.  No, really, they do.

“The left don't attack racism, they attack the race, which of course is the definition of racism. They have this idea that no matter what is done or said to white people, it is not racism. That is their mentality.”

-- Robert Black

Do successful investors have a good sense of judgment?

When it comes to investing, yes.

Why is it that we Americans seem to be blind to the manipulations that divide us into smaller groups and prevent us from solving the real problems? And I admit I am very worried about our future as a democracy.

Not all Americans are blind to the manipulations. If our future as a democracy is in question, our future as a “free” country is in dire peril. We will be a country with Republicans and Socialists, and the Republicans will soon disappear. I think parking a guillotine out in front of the Capitol might straighten out some thinking, in lieu of a revolution, that is. If a revolution was to occur, however, the guillotine would have been stationed at the proper place.

What are the most obvious things we choose to ignore?

Loud-mouthed, boisterous, idiots.

How has social media changed the way we communicate with each other?

We tend not to speak face-to-face that much. We miss facial tells and voice inflections. What we read we are forced to believe or not. Our communicative skills have suffered greatly because of it. Even talking on the phone limits understanding by not being able to see and touch the person. We rely solely on sound. When you’re trying to hold a marriage together, talk face-to-face, don’t leave anything to your assumptions. This I speak from experience.

Why would a wife suddenly compare her husband of 20 years to her ex-boyfriend?

If it isn’t positive, or better, I’d be suspicious of her reasoning. 

Is it lying/immoral to speak the precisely accurate truth, while aware that your audience will misunderstand in a way that is advantageous to you?

Yes. Speaking the truth means speaking the entire truth, not just the truth you want people to hear. If the audience is subject to misunderstanding, you need to make sure they do understand. If the truth might be “advantageous” to you, you need to explain that little bit of information so everyone understands. You need to leave nothing of the truth hidden that someone can come back on you for.

“A stupid man's report of what a clever man says can never be accurate because he unconsciously translates what he hears into something he can understand.”

-- Bertrand Russell 

Do you believe relationships that start online are as strong as those that start offline?

Nope.

What is hope? Can you provide examples of historical events where hope played a crucial role in shaping outcomes?

Hope is a product of faith. There was “hope” that the Allies would march into the Third Reich and liberate Adolf Hitler’s death camps. The Allies managed to save many, but tens of millions died before they arrived.

What is the perfect year for everyone?

There isn’t. The “perfect year” is what each person thinks it to be. 

Can talent alone bring riches into one's life?

Yes, but having the wherewithal to learn how to market your talent might help you understand if there is a desire for your talent, and, thereby, bring those riches in sooner, if at all.

Is it common for students to know where their teacher lives?

No, and the student shouldn’t ask.

What has been the saddest moment ever in your entire life?

My divorce. I voluntarily gave up my right to be a father to my children. No one should ever have the right to ask that of you, and the court should be ashamed when the mother is unfit.

“I didn't want to wake up. I was having a much better time asleep. And that's really sad. It was almost like a reverse nightmare, like when you wake up from a nightmare you're so relieved. I woke up into a nightmare.”

-- Ned Vizzini

What is “the then past” and “the then present”?

I will assume they are referring to the “past” for a specific point in our past, and what we would refer to as the “present” at a particular point in our past.

How would you have sex with a stranger on the first meeting them?

A condom would definitely be involved.

What is the harsh truth of life that you learned from your bad times?

You don’t have to be married to have a lasting relationship. My pitiful marriage lasted for 25 years. The excellent relationship with my girlfriend has been going on for 20 years.

What’s the best piece of advice your parents told you that helped you succeed in life?

Stay out of debt. When I got my divorce, all the debt was my wife's.  She got it.

Why do we let ourselves be manipulated by someone?

Because we are really the ones doing the manipulating. To manipulate the manipulator takes a great talent to hold it all together.

How do you indicate a question?

It usually starts with who, what, why, where, or how, and it ends with a question mark.

“There are some questions that shouldn't be asked until a person is mature enough to appreciate the answers.”

-- Anne Bishop

I stutter and that makes me afraid to talk to people it really makes me sad. What should I do guys?

Stutter, it is who you are. There’s nothing to do about it. Explain it to people, going in. If they judge you, it says more about them than you.

Is sadness an idiotic/foolish/stupid choice to make?

Pretty much. Who, in their right mind, would choose to be sad when they can be happy?

Can successful people’s behavior be bad in the environment?

It can, especially if their behavior pollutes. One hopes, that when people become successful in life, they will consider protecting the planet instead of destroying it.

Why success is not being about perfect?

Success is being truly happy always and in all things, regardless of your circumstances.

Can someone lack empathy and/or feelings of guilt/conscience but still act like they do?

If this is the way they used to act, then, yes. Otherwise, they’d have to be an undercover operative.

Can it be true that avoiding trivial matters and not giving credence to false claims or superstitions is a mark of wisdom?

Is it “wisdom” to ignore superstition if you truly don’t know if there is validity to it? Avoiding trivial matters may seem the prudent course until one of the “trivial” matters blows up in your face. I suppose you need to create your own definition of what “wisdom” is.

Author's comment: Well said, thank you!

“It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.”

-- Aristotle

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