Questioning Maturity, Concepts, Actors, Journeys, 180, and Fear

"Happy 12th Birthday!

Never forget that this is the last year 

you have to be a little kid."

-- Unknown

Why do I feel so mature? I'm just 12.

It is a feeling, and you’re 12. You’ll get over it, maybe. Don’t let it go to your head, or someone might slap you down. You need to pay attention to being a kid, for a while longer.

Is it ignorance and lack of education that makes libtards think everybody who disagrees with them is Hitler?

Pretty much.

Can it be true that if you wish to improve, be content to appear clueless or stupid?

Well, that idea is clueless and stupid. If you wish to improve, how about working at it, instead of acting clueless and stupid?

Author's comment: Well said, thank you.

How can you change the world for the good in twenty minutes or less?

Become a god.

Why is keeping secrets so scary?

Because they are secrets, most humans can’t keep their big mouths shut. It is so much easier when your job is keeping secrets. If you can’t, then people might die. If you can’t, you have no business in an "intelligence" job. 

What expertise do you consider to be of the greatest worth that someone may possess?

Selflessness.

“Selflessness. It should be the basis of every relationship. If a person truly cares about you, they'll get more pleasure from the way they make you feel, rather than the way you make them feel.”

-- Colleen Hoover

Are nationalism and patriotism stupid concepts?

Only for anarchists, autocrats, dictators, and liberals.

Who can be your best enemy?

My ex-wife. She worked at it. I don’t think things have changed much in 23 years. I do pity the poor submissive guy she’s been running rough-shod over, though.

How do I know if the hatred I have against a person is a real feeling and not just immaturity?

I’ve hated my ex-wife for 24 years. I know this because she wasted 25 years of my life. I hate her for admitting that she never loved me. I hate her for using me and taking half of my retirement for her lack of effort. I know that this is “stone-cold” hate, not immaturity. I know this because she doesn’t understand that I’ve never stopped loving her. Some people can turn off the switch, and in doing so they admit they never really loved. I hate her because she doesn’t understand the love I always had for her. But, I forgive her, for all of her trespasses. And, yes, I’m an idiot. I add to the balance needed by the universe. 

Which techniques are essential for all individuals to be aware of?

How to own their actions, and how to ask forgiveness. 

What is the best way to forgive someone who has betrayed your trust and caused great harm?

Explain exactly what they have done to you, and then forgive them. Nothing pisses off people more than having to be forgiven. 

What are writer norms and rules? Do you follow these?

I use “The Essential Writer’s Companion” and “Write Right” to guide norms and rules.

"One thing that is always with the writer—no matter how long he has written or how good he is—is the continuing process of learning how to write. As soon as the writer "learns to write," as soon as he knows what he is going to find, and discovers a way to say what he knew all along, or worse still, a way to say nothing, he is finished."

-- Flannery O'Connor

Why does Adam Huber suck as an actor?

So you know what a good acting is. Adam provides the needed balance our universe demands.

What do I do? Do I report my manager or not? I am faced with a moral dilemma.

What is right is never a “moral” dilemma. We do what is right, regardless of the backlash. Otherwise, we go through life knowing we did nothing when we should have. We will continue to do nothing for the rest of our life, because of this. Better to do what is morally right.

Can it be true that those who judge others rarely question themselves, finding false security in the illusion of superiority?

Absolutely. Judging others is a window to your true soul that you really don’t need to open.

Author's comment: Well answered, thank you.

How can I prove to someone that I don't have an imaginary friend?

Why do you care? You have stated that you don’t. They can’t be that thick. I, on the other hand, consider myself to be my imaginary friend. He is the only person I can rely on to support my feeling of true happiness always and in all things, regardless of my circumstances. But, then, I’m a bit off the edge.

Do you feel comfortable discussing money and debt?

Make mass money and stay the hell out of debt. That’s pretty much it.

Why do LGBTQ people assume "you're born that way" when we know both epigenetics and grooming happens? Is it just a lie so they don't have to think about it, a so-called thought terminating cliche?

It happens, but, sometimes, it doesn’t have to. It becomes a choice, and the choice can be driven by genetics that are just that much off-balance. People who don’t understand that there can be issues driving choices, choose not to think about it. For these people who choose not to understand, it can be called a "thought-terminating cliché"... so to speak.

“This is why homophobia is a terrible evil: it disguises itself as concern while it is inherently hate.”

-- Tyler Oakley

What is the significance of taking a long-term solo journey in one's lifetime?

If you pay attention during your “long-term solo journey” you might just learn a thing or two about who you really are in life, not the “mask” that you let others see.

What do people in Hell, do all day?

Burn.

Why is it not allowed to get from people instead of God?

You don’t "get" from God. God gives you people. If you choose not to utilize people, then God can’t help you.

Reader comment: What? Which god are you referring to? My god has never given me a person.

My reply: You're an idiot.

What is the psychological reason behind why masks are so scary to people?

We all bring one to hide behind, and we all know why we do it, even if we’re in denial.

Does it take as long as a lifetime to understand Jesus as a realized person?

Not necessarily. It can take as long as it takes for you to understand that Jesus is a realized person. It didn’t take me that long. It will take atheists longer, and agnostics a bit less. It all depends on your faith in what you believe. And, this is where it gets tough since faith is a belief in something for which there is little or no proof. Everyone has faith in something. Faith gives birth to hope, and a person without hope has very little faith.

How can my girlfriend, an ex-porn star, have a normal sex life with me?

She needs to truly love you. But, it sounds like she’s not the only one with an issue.

“Do not seek for the best partner, but seek for the person who makes you a better version of yourself.”

-- Abhijit Naskar

What is an opinion you have turned 180 degrees on?

My ex-wife. I started out hating her after the divorce, but then I realized I still loved her. I just didn’t love what she did to me. I still love her, I just know I can’t ever be around her. She flips too many switches.

What do you feel while watching a video?

Anticipation.

Do games have the same emotional impact as movies?

It depends on how much you lost in the game. Emotion, a few dollars, a car, or a house, all might have an impact that could top the movies.

Can you give an example of faulty communication?

Define “faulty” communication.

How are we making our way toward a conscious civilization?

You might want to clue everyone in on the ultimate destination. By their behavior, I don’t think many people are aware, much less care. Some seem more interested in being indoctrinated than being very conscious.

What's worse than trying every day but still failing?

A lack of perseverance.

“The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.”

-- Confucius 

Is it logical to be afraid of something that is unknown or cannot be fully understood, such as God or religion (for atheists)?

Fear prevents us from doing something stupid, things that can kill us, like jumping from an airplane with a parachute that hasn’t been quality-checked, free climbing, swimming with great white sharks, or making love to a stranger. Fear is very logical, especially when dealing with the unknown or not fully understood.

What would happen if God created everything on earth for humans?

Greed is already a big issue. 

If you won the lottery, what would you do and what kind of person would you become in the next 5 years?

I doubt if it would change me, as I have enough problems with money. I’d probably start a charity and dole money out to people in dire need. It might take much longer than 5 years to eat through the balance. I’m kind of stingy that way.

Why do you think that’s small?

I haven’t seen it. Do you think it’s small?

When a man feels ignored in his marriage, what are some possible reactions? What can be done to improve the situation?

He married her. He probably didn’t do his due diligence. Divorce might be a possible reaction. She’s probably found “excitement” somewhere else. If they want to improve the situation, find out the facts by asking her what the problem is. Divorce can be a great improvement.

What is the point of enlightenment if everything is impermanent?

And? You are aware. Change is the only constant in the universe, and the endpoint of awareness is enlightenment. Good job!

“According to Vedanta, there are only two symptoms of enlightenment, just two indications that a transformation is taking place within you toward a higher consciousness. The first symptom is that you stop worrying. Things don't bother you anymore. You become light-hearted and full of joy. The second symptom is that you encounter more and more meaningful coincidences in your life, more and more synchronicities. And this accelerates to the point where you actually experience the miraculous. ()”

-- Deepak Chopra (quoted by Carol Lynn Pearson in Consider the Butterfly)

 

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