Questioning Magic, Religion, Women, Sluts, Honesty, and Money

“The magic of life is hidden in replacing fear with hope.”

-- Sukant Ratnakar

If magic exists but gods don't, then why not vice versa?

Why not? This is a very good question.

Now that I’ve told my best friend that she should not be friends with my enemy, she’s ghosted me. What should I do?

People need to do what they think is right. If she wants to be friends with your enemy, let her. There is no lesson like a practical one. Hopefully, she will see the error in her ways, and come crawling back.

Is the only person who will be there for you is yourself?

If me is the only person I can rely on, then yes. 

Can someone believe in something without believing in its existence?

God might fill this gap. “Faith” is a belief in something for which there is little or no proof. Atheists nor theists have incontrovertible proof that they are right, but they do have faith in their beliefs. The “proof” doesn’t exist. Now, theists believe, for the most part, that God exists in one form or another. I believe God exists, but my spiritual belief has God as pure energy. The energy that created all things. I believe, but not how most Christians believe.

Were the Italians known for their fighting abilities, and did they pose a challenge to their enemies?

Romans? Really? Yes, and yes. Five centuries of the Roman Empire.

Can hurting people's feelings be considered egoistic behavior?

If they’re doing it on purpose, yeah. It can be construed as egotistical. But people around them will know who the real shit is, and it isn’t the person being hurt.

“Having a low opinion of yourself is not 'modesty.' It's self-destruction. Holding your uniqueness in high regard is not 'egotism.' It's a necessary precondition to happiness and success.”

-- Bobbe Sommer

Should your religion burn for eternity?

The religion can do what it will, but the faith will carry on.

What is your opinion on changing your mind? Have you ever changed your mind on a topic you were pretty firm in your belief about?

My mind is open to new ideas. The only topic I’m firm about is my code of moral ethics. I try not to bugger that up. The rest of reality, however, is at the mercy of incontrovertible proof.

Do you feel loved often?

All the time, and more on the weekends.

Do you believe that everything happens for a reason?

Yes, and the reason is usually due to our choices and decisions. If we get broadsided in an intersection, we should have left of few minutes earlier or later. If we lose the mortgage on the blackjack table, we shouldn’t have gone to the casino. 

How do you like to receive love?

My usual way.

What does love need for its existence: logic or emotion?

Emotion. There is no logic when it comes to love, It is why so many of us get burned. For a man, love can be, more times than not, a knee-jerk reaction to something she does, like lick her lips.

“Your emotions make you human. Even the unpleasant ones have a purpose. Don't lock them away. If you ignore them, they just get louder and angrier.”

-- Sabaa Tahir

Is it true that guys only befriend women to get with her?

Most guys are dogs. I wouldn’t put it past them. Hell, I wouldn’t put it past me. But, then, I’m an admitted hypocrite. Don’t do as I do, do as I say. At least I try to maintain a certain level of decorum around women I don’t know.

How can I convince a guy I love to let me pay him for sex without him feeling like a prostitute? Also, he is so only person whom I would pay for sex.

Damn! More women should adopt your particular ethics. 

I’ve been dating someone for a month now he asked me out 3 days ago, my mom has met him and feels as if I can do better. She said this with my ex as well. At this point, I don’t know how to feel or what to think. What should I do?

You’re dating him, not doing the nasty with him. You might do better. Until then, have some fun. But, let the poor guy know you might be dating other people. It’s just being honest.

Do you believe in your country?

I believe in the country, not in the current leadership.

I'm in love with a guy but he doesn't love me. What should I do?

You can’t make him love you. If he has no ethics, he’ll use you. Better to put your money on another horse. This one might have too many riders.

Is it possible for someone to develop romantic feelings for their best friend without realizing it? How might they come to this realization?

The “lip lock” you plant on them will answer everything. It would clear things up for me.

“She hardly ever thought of him. He had worn a place for himself in some corner of her heart, as a sea shell, always boring against the rock, might do. The making of the place had been her pain. But now the shell was safely in the rock. It was lodged, and ground no longer.”

-- T.H. White

How are you the slut that goes for older men?

Hmmm. I’ve never thought to ask a woman that, nor have I had the balls.

What does it mean if a guy tells you he loves you in the first conversation?

He’s in lust, not love. You can’t truly love someone in the first conversation. It takes some time to get to really know them.

Should I leave a girl if she makes more money than me?

Not if she truly loves you. It is a new age of equality. Revel in it.

How can I make someone understand that they are choosing to do things for others, not being forced to? They are kind to others not because of genuine goodwill, but as a way to manipulate or get something in return.

They are selfish, then. Their greed has found a way to manipulate people so they can get something in return.

What do you think is the closest thing to a perfect motive?

Greed. It drives the world.

How do I convince a new friend to have sex?

Tell them, “I’d like to have sex with you.” Now the ball is in their court. They can say yes or no.

“The difference between sex and love is that sex relieves tension and love causes it.”

-- Woody Allen

Should I say I am currently working at my previous job even though I am unemployed? I was fired. will the employer find out if they contacted my last job?

Yep. They have ways of letting each other know.

What does it mean if a guy doesn't have money? Will he still be able to love you?

Money has little to do with love. If you’re looking for someone who can afford to love you, that isn’t true love. It’s greed. The poor guy is probably trying to get his life on the right track. If he perseveres in his attempt to make some real cash, he will probably be looking for someone to share his life. Priorities drive most of what we do.

I always want to be in love with him. How do I achieve this?

You can start by telling him how you feel about him. You can’t arrive at your destination unless you take the first step.

In being something what words means to explain, tell and understand everything as they are and with me in specific and to make it more and see more than that with deep understanding so more is explained and added with full precision?

What?

What does it mean when someone says "you are not enlightened" to you?

They don’t know the true me, so they don’t know how “enlightened” I am. For one thing, you don’t go around flaunting enlightenment. That would not be evidence of enlightenment. Enlightenment is rooted in how humble a person is.

How should I behave knowing that another woman wants my man?

Proud, unless your “man” wants the other woman, and you don't want to watch or join in.

“She... tried to ignore what Aeron's presence did to her. What both of them did to her. Especially when they were watching her with barely concealed hunger. ...”

-- Savannah Stuart

Where does our money go when we lose it?

Either in a black hole or someone else’s pocket. If it goes into the black hole, you have a chance of finding it.

What does it mean if someone says they talk to God?

I talk to God all the time. God rarely talks back. When He does, it is in the form of a sign, pointing me in the right direction, which was there all the time, but I just didn’t want to see it. Talking to God is more like meditation. Opening up your mind to other possibilities. Is it “God” or do we use God as our focal point to meditate? Well, it has been working for me for about 60 years. I think I will continue.

What modest deed of kindness could you do daily to make a difference in the world?

Be kind. It doesn’t take much, but people tend to forget to be kind to others. They may not treat you the same, but you might be able to change them by being kind.

Why would someone act like they hate you but then say they love you? Is there a reason for this behavior? Can it be fixed?

My ex-wife used this tactic. The reason was so she could be taken care of until I retired and she could glom onto half of my military retirement. She admitted that she never loved me, After holding the marriage together for 25 years, I finally had to file for a divorce. When you waste 25 years of your life on someone, you learn a special lesson.

Why are empaths so crap at faking love and end up alone?

They are crappy “empaths” for one thing. Saying you’re one, and truly being one, is two different animals.

Can a born-again Christian make fun and joke? Is it a sin?

Humor is a creation of God. I mean, he created man. That alone is quite the joke on us. And then, He created woman. Man, woman, fruits, and snakes? Can it get any funnier? Yes, God has a special sense of humor.

“Christians believe that God loves you sooo much... he created hell, just in case you don't love him back.”

-- Oliver Markus Malloy

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