Questioning Creation, Rights, Filters, Comfort, Men, and Discipline

 

“In the beginning, God created the earth, and he looked upon it in His cosmic loneliness.

And God said, "Let Us make living creatures out of mud, so the mud can see what We have done." And God created every living creature that now moveth, and one was man. Mud as man alone could speak. God leaned close to mud as man sat up, looked around, and spoke. Man blinked. "What is the purpose of all this?" he asked politely.

"Everything must have a purpose?" asked God.

"Certainly," said man.

"Then I leave it to you to think of one for all this," said God.

And He went away.”

-- Kurt Vonnegut

What is the goal of the thought of creation?

To create. This is kinda fun.

If you’re just not into your job, do you have a moral obligation to quit, even if you don’t have another position lined up?

There is no obligation. The decision is up to you, to quit or not. To quit without “another position lined up” seems a bit irresponsible, to me, however. At 70 years of age, I should know all about this. Unfortunately, I was exceedingly happy in every position I applied for. So, advising someone who says “your just not into your job” seems out of my wheelhouse. Get another job lined up first. There are already too many deadbeats on welfare.

What is in your mind before representing yourself in public or groups that you do not know?

I must have a very good reason for doing it.

What was your am-surrounded-by-idiots?

I was the NCO in charge of an Intelligence Division that I left two years before, after bringing it up from a marginal rating to an excellent rating. I returned, on a “by name request” to find they had dragged it back down to a marginal. The Colonel, in charge, said he needed me. I told him, with all due respect, I am surrounded by the same idiots I told not to let the new alcoholic NCOIC, replacing me, drag the Division back down to a marginal. By the next inspection, we were back to an excellent. The inspectors were glad to see me back.

How do you prove everything without using any logical principle or axiom?

You make a statement based on your best guess, then stand back and watch it unfold. With all humility, I’m rarely wrong.

If I have a talent for being subservient, should I just be a whore?

Just being a whore, won’t meet the definition. Your talent is being a subservient whore, so you should whore yourself out as a “subservient” if that is your talent. You need to be very good at being a subservient, if you plan on charging the big dollars for doing it. Not that I know anything about it.

“If you have voluntarily saddled yourself with a dog that you’ll have to walk twice a day, come rain wind, or snow, that is as good as having put a leash around your own neck.”

-- Muriel Barbery

What gives a successful person the right to upset others along their journey?

Nothing gives them the right to upset others unless they are instructing and you aren’t learning. Instead of getting upset, however, you might think about learning. If you can’t learn, you may want to change paths and pick another journey.

Have you been traumatized by something that wasn't life-threatening, at all? What happened? How did that trauma affect you throughout your life?

I joined the military. That “trauma” turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to me. I stayed in for 23 years. 

Can something bad turn into something good or vice versa? If yes, how does it work?

I was on my way to the University of Stanford, with the blessing of a psychology professor from a junior college, when I got my draft notice for Vietnam. I didn’t want to die in the Army, so I joined the Air Force. This was bad. It was putting a wrench in my college plans. It turned out that I tested to the top 10% and was offered a position in Intelligence Operations. Fate moves in mysterious ways. I spent the next 23 years in the Intelligence field.

Is literacy the most powerful way of transforming humans into assets?

If you’ve thrown their hard-earned talent out the window, and literacy is all you have left, then yes. Good luck with that.

What is genuinely funny and what’s just stupid or dumb?

What one thinks is “genuinely funny” can be “stupid or dumb” if being stupid or dumb is made to be genuinely funny. I love “slapstick” comedy. Slapstick comedy is usually stupid or dumb, but it makes me laugh. It all depends on what a person likes and finds funny. Humor, in general, is an acquired taste.

Is it too late to obedience train my dog?

Is there any truth to the adage, “You can’t teach old dogs new tricks.”? If there is, then no. But, I think it depends on the dog, and just how old they are.

"I can't think of anything that brings me closer to tears than when my old dog - completely exhausted after a hard day in the field - limps away from her nice spot in front of the fire and comes over to where I'm sitting and puts her head in my lap, a paw over my knee, and closes her eyes, and goes back to sleep. I don't know what I've done to deserve that kind of friend."

-- Gene Hill

What are your ideas for speaking as you think?

I have no filter. What I think, I tend to say. It gets me in trouble, but at least you know I’m honest.

Can you give some examples of things that people think they understand, but actually don't? Why do you think this happens?

Politics. Because people are too stupid to do their due diligence. They listen to the media and form opinions from media propaganda. The unfortunate reality explains Joe Biden as President.

Does life suck or do people fail to adapt to it?

Life is what people make of it. If it sucks, it doesn’t say much about the person.

If you had a chance to change a day in your life, what would you change about it?

The day my marriage started south, I would be more tolerant and understanding of her. I certainly wouldn't let it go for 25 years. In the end, it wasn’t worth the effort to try and save it. 

Is shouting the loudest and most often the way to make people do what you want?

No. But it might be a way to get ostracized by the audience.

Why do people seek revenge?

They think it will help them to get past the evil done to them. Unfortunately, karma now has to deal with the perpetrator of revenge on the evil-doer that karma already had on the list. Better if revenge is left to karma. Evil will pay, sooner or later, for what they did.

“The best revenge is to be unlike him who performed the injury.”

-- Marcus Aurelius

When did I last push the boundaries of my comfort zone?

Search me. You don’t know?

Why arejews such liars and cheaters?

Spoken, and written, like someone who hasn’t spent time in Auschwitz, waiting for an empty oven.

Is it really correct that my proof that physics is wrong, is wrong because the cited existing physics equations for the given example are wrong? Have I succeeded in proving my book wrong or not? Have the scientists gone mental or WTF is going here?

What the hell are you going on about? 

How much time do you spend in a day thinking about Christ or God?

3/4 of my day, minimum, is spent thinking about God or Jesus. I strive to be truly happy always and in all things, regardless of my circumstances. I am not the best Christian, but my spiritualistic nature allows me to strive in this endeavor. It is a choice.

How do girls initiate sex with each other?

A deep, meaningful, tongue-searching kiss, comes to mind.

What if I don't have a reason to stay alive?

You haven’t explored all of your options. And, if you end your life, you will never be able to explore all of your options. The problem with suicide is, that just before death, you realize why you should stay alive. Oops! Too late. Sucks being you. Is this really what you want to experience? Imagine you’re a cat on the 20th-floor ledge of a building. You jump and die, and find yourself back on the ledge. The dog at the window is laughing his ass off because you forgot you have nine lives. What if people who commit suicide find themselves back on the ledge, as their piece of hell on earth? Just saying.

“There comes a time when you look into the mirror and you realize that what you see is all that you will ever be. And then you accept it. Or you kill yourself. Or you stop looking in mirrors.”

-- J. Michael Straczynski 

My daughter is dating a gun owner. How do I convince her that a male who needs a weapon other than his fists to feel unafraid is not man enough for her?

You must not live in Chicago where a group of murderers will jump you for no reason. This seems to be the new normal everywhere.

What's the name for someone who always puts others before self?

Selfless.

Where does the myth that "sex" and "gender" used to be synonyms come from?

The dictionary. People need to use it for definitions.

Author's comment:  I thought so too. From the Oxford English Dictionary.

So it can’t be the dictionary. It says there plain as day that it’s a recent invention. Maybe other dictionaries include this myth. It’s very irresponsible if so.

My reply:  I see it as saying that“sex came increasingly to mean sexual intercourse." Originally, however, it did not.

Author's reply: Sorry for any confusion. This is a definition of gender. It says that gender only became commonly used as a synonym of sex in the 20th century, i.e. it wasn’t historically.

My reply: Ah! Yes, indeed. 

I love helping people but I also want to be a multi-millionaire. Which career options do I have?

I don’t know your talents, so I can’t advise you on career options. However, it would help if you became a multi-millionaire first, then worry about helping other people.

What is something that gives you hope?

 Faith. Faith is the mother of my hope.

Author's comment: Nice. 

 What are some common mistakes to avoid when it comes to managing and growing your earnings?

Learn to pay your debts off each month. A common mistake is trying to build your income while you are fighting your debt. Stay out of debt.

“The speed of your success is limited only by your dedication and what you're willing to sacrifice”

-- Nathan W. Morris

What do you think of a person who speaks of change but lacks discipline?

They are hypocritical. Don’t do as I do, do as I say.

I have a cat, but it keeps distracting me and holding me back from life. I cannot send her to my parent's home because they won't take care of her. What can I do?

You should never have accepted responsibility for a loving animal. It makes one wonder what you’ll do when a child holds you back from life.

What do you need to know about AI?

That the world has agreed on laws governing the expansion of it into sentience.

Why do people think politicians in general are corrupt and wicked?

The majority don’t, but then, they are inferior judges of character. The American president is a perfect example of how well people think. Very sad.

What is the biggest compliment you can give someone in your life?

“You dog! She’s absolutely beautiful!”

I’m 16 years old and I hope to have a beautiful wife and two kids one day. It almost seems impossible nowadays to have long-term relationships. What goes wrong in a marriage that causes a divorce?

When you choose a wife, make sure you really know each other. You need to be best friends, as well as being in love. You need to respect each other, be honest with each other, support each other, and have the same goals for your life together. You need to strive to be truly happy together always and in all things, regardless of your circumstances. 

“The price of a successful relationship is devotion. Devotion is, essentially, commitment to something we value. We are devoted to the well-being of another person and the well-being of the relationship. We honor the value of the other person and we honor the worth of the relationship.”

-- Donna Goddard

“Some of the freckles I once loved are now closer to liver spots. But it’s still the eyes we look at, isn’t it? That’s where we found the other person, and find them still.”

-- Julian Barnes

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 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 in 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