Questioning Answers, Samaritans, Selfishness, Ignorance, Addiction, and Descartes

 

“Life is filled with unanswered questions, but it is the courage to seek those answers that continues to give meaning to life. You can spend your life wallowing in despair, wondering why you were the one who was led towards the road strewn with pain, or you can be grateful that you are strong enough to survive it.”

-- J.D. Stroube

 

What is your favorite book answer?

"Search me."

Who is the best person you have ever met, and why?

A psychology professor when I was in college. He understood me. He knew that I didn’t crack a book and still passed his classes with high marks. He was going to give me a letter of introduction for Stanford before I received my draft notice for the Vietnam conflict. 

Why are Americans always so curious and keep asking questions about someone's life when they don't even know that person?

What do you do for a living?

If everyone had to say yes to every question you ask for 24 hours, what's the first question you'll ask?

"Does God exist?"

Is the deliberate use of willful misunderstanding an underhanded arguing tactic? Is it dishonest to make a person believe that you don't understand them when the reality is, you simply disagree with them?

Yes, and any dishonesty defines who you are to those around you. If you disagree, then say that you disagree. Don’t lie about it. And, yes, you can lie by omission. Disagreeing doesn’t make you a bad person, it makes you an honest one. If everyone who disagreed with an idiot, would be honest, the idiot might rethink the bullshit they are running up the flagpole. In the end, more people would rethink their argument and simply state that they really don’t know.

Why is our mind out of control?

Whoa! I don’t know about the rest of you, but my mind is under my control. Get a grip!

Why is it that almost 99.99% will never support you to realize your dream?

Because I never told the other 99.99% of the people what my dream was. Truth be told, it was never any of their business to know. My life, my choices. Their support was a moot point.

“People who lack the clarity, courage, or determination to follow their own dreams will often find ways to discourage yours. Live your truth and don't EVER stop!”

-- Steve Maraboli

How can I start being courageous? Today, my friend was being picked on by a kid my age who was bigger than him or I… Instead of being a better friend and helping him out, I stood and watched like a coward… This has happened before and I am fed up.

So, the next time it happens, step in and be a better friend. Anybody can be a coward, but to take a stand takes courage. I almost beat my bully to death with a tree branch. I was mad and I’d had enough. He never came near me again.

Do you know that being a good samaritan in this day and age is risky?

Damn the torpedoes! Full speed ahead! Crossing the street is risky. Be a good Samaritan.

Is it weird that I don't see any value in traveling, and people keep bugging me to travel and try, I traveled with my family in the past and alone for professional reasons, but I feel absolutely nothing, but a waste of money, time, and energy?

Many people don’t see any value in meeting people from other places and going to other places to learn bout their history and culture. It is a choice you have made for your life. I don’t agree with it, but it isn’t my life, it is yours. When I was in the military, some folks would stay on base and not go out to learn bout other cultures, overseas. I couldn’t wait to meet new people and learn bout their cultures. But, then, I was in the Intelligence branch. I don’t judge what you do, as it reflects who you are. Be that.

What's the most effective productivity tip that has transformed your work routine?

Don’t be afraid to fail. Failure is the best way we learn.

I find myself constantly backing down when confronted and I feel as if my kindness is holding me back. How do I become a less kind person so I can stand up for myself?

You can be a kind person and stand up for yourself. People who “confront” you expect you to back down, so don’t. If you feel you are in the right, then stand up for the right. If their argument has merit, then tell them you’ll consider it. You can do all this as a kind person with convictions.

What is something I want to hear and it's got to be true?

Not a clue. Tell us.

Does calling someone immature and childish make you more mature than the other person?

No, it diminished your maturity, when you started calling the other person names. Lowering yourself to another person’s level doesn’t accomplish anything but magnify their animosity toward you. You are approaching being two kids stepping off for a fight.

"If someone's ungrateful and you tell him he's ungrateful, okay, you've called him a name. You haven't solved anything."

-- Robert M. Pirsig

What are some examples that prove you are smart enough to be your own guardian and live independently?

At least 18 years old, have a job that allows you to pay rent and eat, and you are responsible. I joined the Air Force. That, pretty much, covered all the bases.

Is it selfish for me to help people only because I like them being grateful to me?

Yes, it is. Helping people is the right thing to do, regardless of their appreciation. You need to exercise selflessness in everything you do for others.

How is it true that he will win, who knows when to fight and when not to fight?

Unless you’re being attacked, there is no reason to fight. Fighting is the last resort of a man with no imagination. For instance, if you threaten me and I tie you down to a rack and tell you that I’m going to peel your face off with a plastic knife from a fast food restaurant, you’d think I was kidding… until I began. Then the apologies begin flowing forth. When I accept your apologies and let you up, I’ll never see you again. You think I’m insane. No, I’m military intelligence. I come up with this shit. You were insane to threaten someone you know nothing about. Fighting accomplishes nothing unless it’s to stop the fight.

Author's comment: Brilliant, thank you.

How do you win your enemy?

Give them what they want, or beat them into submission. Beating them sends a warning message to other antagonists. Accommodate them, and they’ll keep coming back for more.

What has someone done to you that you won't be able to forgive?

My wife divorced me after 25 years of marriage. She admitted that she never loved me, but only used me as an escape from family. I find it hard to forgive wasting 25 years of my life, but I have. I’m one of those people who can’t just turn off the switch when someone doesn’t love me anymore. I can’t even forget what she did, but I have learned to forgive a person I still love. If I can forgive this, I question what I can’t forgive.

Can an intelligent person be hopeless at chess even with practice?

Yes. People are intelligent at different things. Some things, like chess, are simply hopeless. I play, and I’m pretty smart, but I’ll never come close to beating a master.

Why does it feel good to forgive other people?

If you don’t forgive, then you will suffer more than they will. Mahatma Gandhi said, “The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.” Truer words were never spoken. But, let’s take a lesson for Bill Young:

“Forgiveness is not about forgetting. It is about letting go of another person's throat... Forgiveness does not create a relationship. Unless people speak the truth about what they have done and change their minds and behavior, a relationship of trust is not possible. When you forgive someone you certainly release them from judgment, but without true change, no real relationship can be established... Forgiveness in no way requires that you trust the one you forgive. But should they finally confess and repent, you will discover a miracle in your own heart that allows you to reach out and begin to build between you a bridge of reconciliation... Forgiveness does not excuse anything... You may have to declare your forgiveness a hundred times the first day and the second day, but the third day will be less and each day after, until one day you will realize that you have forgiven completely. And then one day you will pray for his wholeness...”

-- William P. Young

In a world full of strife, must I tell the truth at all times? I am a descendant of Chinggis Khaan and I'm in love with the Mongolian culture.

The world would be better off if everyone would tell the truth at all times. Unfortunately, we’ll never know. Develop a good “code of ethics” you will stand by. It will define who you are to those around you. Being a liar is not an ethic you want people to know you for. Better to live a good and ethical life.

Can someone be considered truly knowledgeable about all topics and disciplines, or is there always something they don't know?

There will always be a lot they don’t know. 

Should we kill people who give out complaints?

No.  We should thank them for pointing out areas that might need to be corrected. If we did it your way, the problems would continue due to our ignorance. We can’t correct what we don’t know about.

What do you think of the thought that everyone is addicted to something? How did this come about?

Everyone who is addicted to something is the only person this idiot knows.

Why do people prioritize their own desires over seeking the truth?

Do you do this? I don’t, but it seems you think all people do. If my desires were more important than the truth, I would be living a lie, which I’m not. I can see why some people might do this, but not all people.

The falling snow has me wanting to pack my tent into the forest to sleep and wake in the majesty that a snow-covered forest presents. Do these kinds of desires ever tempt you?

Yep, and then I remember bigfoot, bears, mountain lions, wolves, demented killers… But, I am tempted.

Author's comment: How does driving work as dangerous as it is? I gave up driving. Animals are not so dangerous.

My reply: So, you’ve met me driving. Watch out!

Can someone be enlightened and still have an ego? Are all egos considered negative?

The “ego” is defined as “the part of the mind that mediates between the conscious and the unconscious and is responsible for reality testing and a sense of personal identity.” If you allow your ego to run amok, it will get you into trouble when your sense of self-esteem, or self-importance, becomes your focal point.

“Opinion is really the lowest form of human knowledge. It requires no accountability, no understanding. The highest form of knowledge… is empathy, for it requires us to suspend our egos and live in another’s world. It requires profound purpose larger than the self kind of understanding.”

-- Bill Bullard

Help. I think I suffer from addiction. Its physics related. Literally, when I began going into physics, again, I couldn't stop. I would sit for 10 hours, straight, with no food, water, or toilet, just zooming in on one problem until I burned out. What can I do?

Set a timer for every hour. Get up and stretch, drink, toilet, walk around the block, then hit the physics again. Your mind will be sharper, and you won’t burn out.

Can you help someone today?

I help someone in need every day.

What should be common sense to people?

Any “good” sense that is common. Unfortunately, most “good” sense is not that common. Most young people seem to lack the majority of it. Understandable, since schools started indoctrinating instead of teaching, socialism and communism have been proven to, for the most part, lack “good” sense.

Is pointing out shortcomings of your own government unpatriotic?

Absolutely not. Pointing out government shortcomings is very patriotic. I will use our current President as a prime example.  

Can manipulation books make someone manipulative?

It would depend on how weak-minded they are.

To what extent does losing hope in the people around you, and negatively viewing the world affect your motivation?

Almost all the people around me are ex-military. There is no losing hope. But, if your scenario were to play out, my motivation would be to survive. I would be motivated to get myself through my negative view of the world. If anything, my motivation would be razor-sharp.

How does young people's respect for seniors today, compare to young people's respect for seniors during the 1940s and 1950s?

It has diminished. Very few young people are respectful of the elderly. I blame the parents for this.

“Respect and learn from your elders, have manners, listen and absorb from their decades of wisdom.”

-- Henry Joseph-Grant

Do the ends justify the means? How far are you willing to go to get what you want?

The ends rarely justify the means, and what I want is rarely worth what I’m willing to do. You must stand by your personal code of righteous ethics. If you don’t, what kind of person does that make you, in the minds of those around you?

What are some ways people use to gain power?

A strong military comes to mind. 

How would YOU better rephrase Descartes' statement "I think therefore I am"? Maybe it is better to say "I doubt therefore doubt exists"? Or "I doubt therefore all is lost"?

It cannot be any better. Descartes explains the phrase: "The simple meaning of the phrase is that if one is skeptical of existence, that is in and of itself proof that he does exist."

Why do I feel immature for my age and why are Millennials and GenZ less mentally mature than previous generations when they were the same age?

You can trace this back to the majority of public school systems. Each generation we have taught less and indoctrinated more. It is the curse we brought upon ourselves, and our good teachers when we let the educational system unionize. Teachers work less and our students learn less. It is why private schools do so much better. They get paid to teach the basic education, not indoctrination.

Have you known that most dangerous addicts aren’t able to tolerate and adapt to anything safe and healthy when they’re not able to quit their dangerous and risky addictions?

Yes.

Is maturity at a young age linked to a high IQ?

Yes, but it is a “false positive” for maturity. At first glance, a child with a high IQ may seem mature, but a closer look will reveal they are still a child. They lack the wisdom that age brings to maturity.

What does "earning" entail in the popular but baseless and scathing buzz-line "in order to get respect you have to earn it"?

Ah! I see that explaining this will accomplish little with a member of the League of the Perpetually Offended. Your statement shows that your mind is already made up.

“Never explain―your friends do not need it and your enemies will not believe you anyway.”

-- Elbert Hubbard

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