Fading into Memory (Updated from 2/10/2015)

Photo courtesy of Crystal D'Zamba 

12971 

Retired from active duty, she sits on blocks. 

There will be no salvage as the wood surrenders to time.

Rats that jumped ship were replaced by their field mice cousins.

Winters come and go, and through all, she abides her fate.

Yet, for 12971, the eye beholds her hidden beauty.

One imagines the animation as she regains her old luster;

Paint and rotting planks miraculously become anew.

The men manning nets hanging from booms on the center mast.

The captain yells out orders as the catch is spied ahead.

12971, a rotting derelict, all but forgotten.

For those that see, beyond what is presented,

There exists another beauty which can only come with age;

Of history, adventure, and stories of those who served.

For those able to see, there is still much to learn.

Fishing boat 12971, retired from active duty?  Perhaps.

But, for as long as she can be seen, she teaches.

She teaches about life, work, and a love for the sea.

There is a lesson of history, danger, and livelihood.

And there remains a quiet beauty, as nature reclaims her soul.

12971; she could be any one of us.

As we get older, are we fading into memory?  Are we doomed to be hauled off to rot on some forgotten corner of land, ourselves to be forgotten in the course of time?  What of our lives and adventures, lost loves and love found?  Does a lifetime of success boil down to a retirement home and a round of golf?  Is this all there is, and is this enough?

I have known some very wealthy people and I have heard of others.  Many of them work their entire lives to leave their mark on industry, the business world, or just in their profession.  They will be remembered, some footnote in history, some plaque on a wall; remembered and just as quickly forgotten.  It is more likely one will be remembered for what they do for others, than what they do for themselves.  It is their selflessness, not their selfishness, which etches them into our memories.  Our legacy should not be what we have built for ourselves but, rather, what we have built for others and what we contribute to society.

"I would rather have it said, 'He lived usefully,' than, 'He died rich.'"

-- Benjamin Franklin

What is the difference between fishing boat 12971 and the flight by the Wright brothers at Kitty Hawk?  We look at 12971, imagine all of her contributions, and see an artistic beauty which remains.   The crew has long faded into memory.  As for Kitty Hawk, we remember Orville and Wilbur Wright, and we may see the craft they flew in our minds eye, but it is their contribution to the world which sticks firmly to memory.

“If you're in the luckiest one per cent of humanity, you owe it to the rest of humanity to think about the other 99 per cent.”

-- Warren Buffett, business magnate, investor, philanthropist

Many of us see the libraries, museums, centers for the performing arts, and the like.  We see the benefactor's names that adorn the many buildings and remember their wealth being used to enrich the lives of the common man, not so much do we remember how they made their enormous wealth.  Even today there are billionaires that, selfishly, fully intend on leaving their massive fortunes to charities and the betterment of mankind so they can feel so much better about themselves.  Somehow that statement just doesn't float.  Perhaps, even more to the point, they just don't want to fade from memory.  Do any of us?

But, the majority doesn't have the finances to leave this kind of legacy behind.  For us there is the legacy of paying it forward.  What we do today can have great effect on those that come after.  How we treat others has great effect on how they, in turn, treat someone else.  What we teach to others is taught, by them, to someone else.  Our legacy is not in what we have, but in what we do.  Will we eventually fade into memory?  Of course, after all, only the pharaohs and kings are ever unearthed by archeologists with any fanfare.  Their minions, for the most part, regardless of contribution, are lost to the sands of time.

But, for as long as she can be seen, she teaches.

She teaches about life, work, and a love for the sea.

There is a lesson of history, danger, and livelihood.

And there remains a quiet beauty, as nature reclaims her soul.

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

Questioning Morals, Jealousy, Agreements, Leaving, and Worry

What is your best hypothetical scenario to get people questioning their morals?

Do as I say, not as I do? It isn’t my job to make them question their morals. There is a special place in hell for people like me, and the best hope I have for them is that I don’t meet them there.

How should you react when someone speaks negatively about your best friend and tells you to end your friendship with them?

“If you have a problem with them, address it. Ending my friendships is my purview, not yours.”

How should one react if their best friend constantly blames someone else for all their problems?

Clue them in that all their problems are not the fault of someone else. If they let someone else control their life, that’s what they get. It is their life, not someone else’s, so only they get to say what happens in their life. Either they can control their life or they can shut the hell up. One or the other.

How should one respond if someone talks nonstop about themselves without allowing others to speak?

“Oh my God! Shut up about you. Give someone else a chance to bloviate.”

Do you think forgiveness is forgetting?

No. Mahatma Gandhi says, “Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.” The memory, however, is a battle we'll have to fight.

What kind of changes have you noticed about society? What kind of change would you like to see?

We seem to be waking up to the “woke” culture, realizing it is steeped in the worst-smelling bullshit one can imagine. History teaches us more than one thing, to remember our history. It teaches us where we came from, what we went through, and who we are because of our history. I’d like to see us teach the basics in school again and stop indoctrinating our children into a political nightmare.

“At its heart, wokeness is divisive, exclusionary, and hateful. It basically gives mean people a shield to be mean and cruel, armored in false virtue.”

-- Elon Musk

I live an ordinary life, but why are there a lot of people jealous of me?

Are you truly happy in your life? Jealousy is when people want what you have. If you’ve found the secret to life, they are jealous of you. Everyone wants to be truly happy in life, but the greater number have no clue.

What is your proudest?

My son and daughter, and my grandkids. Yes, I'm that old.

Why do I always have to take the blame even if it’s not my fault?

You don’t have to. You accept it as a personal choice. It is your life, not theirs. If it isn’t your fault, tell them. If there are consequences, well… it is your life. I’d tell them to go screw themselves before I entertain any “consequences” as punishment for something I’m not at fault for. It is your life, so what do you think?

Michael J. Fox has said "“With gratitude, optimism is sustainable. If you find something to be grateful for, then you can find something to look forward to and you carry on.” He has had Parkinson's for 33 years. Where is YOUR gratitude?

I give thanks each morning when I wake up. A day on this side of the dirt is a great day.

Author's comment: Indeed, so true. To those people who complain about another birthday, I always say - it’s a lot better than the alternative!

What is the basic principle of success?

In life, it is finding true happiness. In work, it is finding perseverance in the face of failure. It isn’t that you fail, it is what you learn from the failure that carries you through to attain your ultimate goal. 

What are the oriental leadership practices you are inclined to?

Try this:

“Thirty spokes share the wheel’s hub; It is the center hole that makes it useful.
Shape clay into a vessel; It is the space within that makes it useful.
Cut doors and windows for a room; It is the holes which make it useful.
Therefore profit comes from what is there;
Usefulness from what is not there.” 

-- Lao Tsu, “Tao Te Ching”

How do we typically handle disagreements and arguments?

In the Intelligence field, I learned how to turn them into discussions. Disagreements and arguments waste precious time, whereas discussions can find “common ground” and keep the timeline where it’s supposed to be.

How do I deal with critical people?

I’m my own worst critic. I ignore them. You should try it. 

What hurts you the most about religion?

People who don’t understand faith. Both atheists and theists fail in this. “Faith” is a belief in something for which there is little or no proof. Niether side has any incontrovertible proof, to offer, for the faith in their belief. 

Humans are born stupid as they grow older they become more intelligent and wiser younger Americans have decided that's no longer the case being older is no longer being wiser, should all Americans allow younger Americans   philosophy to control America?

Well, I’ll be damned… you found the time to insert a comma and a question mark.

What are the chances of everyone being wrong?

Slim, but it depends on the question and the variables. “What is the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow?” Is it hurt? Where is it flying? How high? What is the swallow’s weight? How old is it? Is it suffering from PTSD? Is it being shot at? Yadda, yadda, yadda?

Is there always some truth in what a person says? How can we determine if their words are genuine or just an excuse?

There is always some truth in what I say. I have no filter, so I’ll tell you what’s on my mind, based on what I’ve heard or seen.

“If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember anything.”

-- Mark Twain

What are some ways to walk away from a situation when your heart is telling you not to?

Put one foot in front of the other, while heading in the opposite direction.

Why are Americans now famous across the world for being ignorant and stupid?

Have you seen who we elected as President?

When did the use of Sir/Ma’am as a general respect term decline?

Everywhere, it seems, but in Mississippi.

Is it considered rude to belittle or criticize others?

Ya think?

How can you communicate with someone who believes they are smarter than others, but may not be?

“Uh… Just a thought, but, you might be an idiot. Just saying.”

Can you provide some quotes from intelligent individuals who may not have been traditionally considered "smart"?

Try this: 

“It is not that I'm so smart. But I stay with the questions much longer.”

-- Albert Einstein

What is a ticking timebomb that people should be worried about but aren't aware of?

An imminent terrorist attack.

What do you think of people who don't know what they want? Do you think they're toxic?

Not necessarily. I think they need to find out what they want, and then they need to work their ass off for it. But, from what I’ve heard, welfare won’t provide what most greedy people want.

In a world evolving at breakneck speed, how can leaders maintain authenticity while adapting to constant change?

It seems obvious that they can’t.

Does publishing mass shootings on public access media increase the likelihood of shootings? Does the media know that sensationalizing these stories makes unbalanced people more likely to become shooters? Don't most shooters do it for the attention?

Publishing closeups of the bloody corpses of the offenders will help curb shootings, as will keeping guns out of the hands of unbalanced people.

Why are humans the only animals to work at jobs? Why don't we live in the world like animals, using what we need day to day rather than accumulating so much?

It is freedom of choice. You have the freedom to do that, so start doing it.

Do you keep trying and trying until you become successful?

Yes. It’s called perseverance.

“It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.”

-- Confucius

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

Questioning Responsibility, Secrets, Communication, Failure, Morals, and Atheists

“Men are more moral than they think and far more immoral than they can imagine.”

-- Sigmund Freud

How much responsibility, in your opinion, does the one who carries out an immoral action, hold compared to the one who gave the order?

Not as much as the one giving the order. Both have a choice to make, but the onus is on the order.

When your money, job, safety, health, reputation, and history are transferred to nonproductive individuals who have been causing harm and setbacks to you and your community, who is negatively impacted?

I am. Everything that is mine, my money, job, safety, health, reputation, and history have been transferred to some “numb nuts” that I probably don’t know. Who do you think is going to be negatively impacted?

What are some of the skills or knowledge that you have learned or improved by achieving your goals?

Perseverance, team building, supervision, and management.

When I'm talking with someone else, my mind thinks quickly, I have more ideas, and I get answers to questions that I couldn't think of before, and more. But when I'm thinking alone, I can't get the same results. Is that normal? If not, how is it called?

It’s normal. When you are talking to someone else you have an audience and feedback. It is normal for you to “spitball” ideas and get feedback for questions. If it is just you, you have no feedback, no audience, and your mind is loping along at its regular pace. It is why teams usually get the job done better, quicker, and with fewer issues than individuals working alone.

Is mischief a form of evil?

It can be. It can also be a form of joking playfulness. The “intent” is the qualifier.

Yeah, that's all true, but don't you think when maturity hits a person it changes him a lot, and not everyone remains in the same pit forever? Mistakes can be forgiven.

I have no idea what you think is “all true.” But, when maturity hits a person, they do change. They should realize that mistakes are learning experiences that can be forgiven but not forgotten. You choose to leave the pit of misery and live an adult life with new wisdom.

“When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.”

-- 1 Corinthians 13:11

What is something that the quietest person in a room may never reveal?

The fantasy they think about concerning the beautiful woman on the couch. Most sexually based thoughts will remain secret for the “quiet” person. For the extrovert, on the other hand, they can’t wait to share their thoughts with others.

Why are a lot of people with wealthy backgrounds mostly thin?

Stress.

Why are smart people considered to be less happy than average people?

“Smart” people are usually the average people. “Intelligent” people are probably less happy than average people due to the stress of constantly having their intelligence under a microscope.

Why do people look older than me when they’re my age?

I also look younger than I am. Revel in the fact that you are aging slower.

What techniques can people use to improve accepting feedback from others?

Understand what “feedback” is, for one thing.

Feedback: Information about reactions to a product, a person's performance of a task, etc. which is used as a basis for improvement.

You can lope along, thinking you’re all that, or you can use the feedback to become more than you are. It is a choice most “smart” people make to improve.

Is every moral considered ethical?

Bad morals aren’t, but the good ones are.

"Science has been charged with undermining morality, but the charge is unjust. A man's ethical behavior should be based effectually on sympathy, education, and social ties and needs; no religious basis is necessary. Man would indeed be in a poor way if he had to be restrained by fear of punishment and hope of reward after death."

-- Albert Einstein

What are the factors that influence good communication?

You have to consider the clarity of the message to the understanding of the audience. For instance, there has been no communication if the audience gets lost in the techno-blab.

Can sexting be better than sex?

Hell no. 

What should teenage girls stop worrying about during sex?

Whether the guy is enjoying himself. She needs to pay more attention to whether she is enjoying herself. If she isn’t, she needs to find a real man who can bring her dreams to a climax, so to speak. The fear of getting pregnant should be constantly in their thoughts.  

Can you share your code of ethics/morals/ideals/values and the process of developing them?

Ethics and morality are closely related, and ideals and values are formed by how you view your ethics and morals. But when developing any of them, you need to pay attention to what is good and bad. What we used to think were moral judgments and principles are now thought of as ethical judgments and principles. This comes full circle when we think of the controversy concerning abortion. You either agree that murdering a baby in the womb is okay, or you see it as what it is. It is a choice that will taint your ethics and morals for some time. Killing will do that.

In developing a good personal code of ethical behavior, you need to think about what is right and wrong, or good and bad. You will either have good values or bad values. There is no “good” mix. You either embrace the good, or you embrace the bad. It is a moral and ethical choice you must make for your life and the life you bring into this world. Let us all hope you choose to have good ethics and values.

I’m a 15-year-old girl and always want to have sex. Is that normal? How can I stop feeling this way?

Think about a 15-year-old girl with a baby, or having an abortion. If that doesn’t cure it, you are probably doomed to be on welfare. Lucky you. Your future just got dimmer.

How does one come up with a plan?

A “plan” is a process that brings you from here to there. From a beginning to an endpoint - to fruition. A “good” plan negates the negatives in the process. It considers the dangers, problems, attitudes, regulations, and the like, and takes you from here to there with little or no problem. You start by listing the steps in the process. Then you think of all the problems in each step. Then you solve all the problems in each step. What you have at the end is a good and safe plan that has minimized or negated issues. 

“If you don't know where you are going, you'll end up someplace else.”

-- Yogi Berra

Can anyone give me advice to failure? Who will try again?

Do nothing. If you do nothing, you won't need to try again. You will fail.

What is the difference between having sex with a teenager vs a mature lady, physically and psychologically?

With one, you are the teacher, and with the other, you are the student. Both present obvious physical and psychological differences.

What factors contribute to the intelligence and perceived stupidity in the UK?

A question better answered by the Australians.

How would a gun owner react if I started beating the shit out of him while demanding he hand me his gun?

He fears for his life, so he would hand you his gun while he knifes you in the gut so he can take his gun back.

How can one handle a situation where someone says they are listening but does not act or respond?

Walk away. They simply don’t give a fig.

How do I say, "That’s okay, I’ll stick to my first plan."?

“That really sucks. I’ll go with this." Don’t mince words, it confuses the common folk. If you're staying with your first plan, there must be a reason. Does their plan suck? Say what you think.

“The true definition of mental illness is when the majority of your time is spent in the past or future, but rarely living in the realism of NOW.”

-- Shannon L. Alder

What is one ideal or moral value that you believe should apply universally? Why do you think this value is important?

Do what is morally right. The “importance” is self-explanatory.

What's the point of living if I can't have the life I want?

If you want a specific life, you need to work for it. Work harder. If you end your life, what happens when you end up right back where you are? Sooner or later you will catch a clue. Any day on this side of the dirt is a great day to be alive.

Do men need to be polite after understanding what women want?

Yes. Or, you can admit you were stupid, from the start.

How do you handle a situation when you are not ready?

In football parlance, you fall back and punt. You make the best of a bad situation. You get ready while you start the mission. It can go only two ways, good or bad, and I do not like to look bad, so it had better go good.

Why does everyone try to be #1? What does it beget?

#3.

 How should a guy respond if he is called "too kind"?

“Okay, well, I can be a total asshole, but something tells me you probably wouldn’t like that, either.”

“When we are nice to others, we generally lose all claim to their respect.”

-- Marcel Proust

How would atheists and non-believers react to a world without gods? Would it terrify them or bring them comfort?

If they don’t believe in gods, why would it terrify them more than now?

What does it mean when someone says, “He doesn't deserve you.”?

It means the guy isn’t all that, and someone realizes that the other person is better than he is. If he were a better man, perhaps he would deserve what he has. But, to this other person, he doesn’t deserve who he has.

In what situations is it acceptable to be called by the wrong name?

When your gang is robbing a bank.

Why does God allow so much cruelty in the world?

God doesn’t allow it. God gave man the tools to do what is right. If man chooses to do what is wrong, it is on man’s head, not God’s. Karma will make man pay for his arrogance, sooner or later.

Why are some people good at mathematics but they are not good at logical thinking?

Math has nothing to do with emotions. Logic, on the other hand...

Can there be a difference of opinion on what is considered ethically right or wrong? How can we determine what is ethically correct or incorrect?

There can be, but the naysayer is kidding themself. What is right is right. An example would be the right to an abortion, murdering life in the womb. Is it ethical, or not? Doctors no longer take the “Hippocratic Oath” due the the multiple violations they incur. Better that they simply wing it, and let the courts decide on ethics and morals.

“I've noticed that everyone who is for abortion has already been born.”

-- Ronald Reagan

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

Rewriting Religion and Reinterpreting (Updated from 2/8/2015)

"The crazed fundamentalists of all religions call for the subversion of equal rights – they deny the words of our Constitution which grant that all men are created equal and replace them with words from antiquity which they claim are holy. Here in America, we even allow tax exemptions to bigoted ideologies that seek to hold back society with their unproven, personal beliefs taken from ancient books written by men who claim divine inspiration. Where is the beyond a reasonable doubt evidence or the preponderance of evidence that would pass the bar of scientific scrutiny?"

-- TheMonastery.org, "Call to Rewrite Religion"

In a peaceful, free, society, when do freedom of speech and freedom of religion cross the line and become a threat to the peace and safety of others?  The riots in Ferguson, Missouri would be a great recent example of free speech gone awry.  Ferguson became another in a string of incidents in America depicting innocence under fire.  As a racial statement, the actions fell flat considering most of the pain, anguish, and destruction directly affected the residents who were rioting.  The particular fuse for Ferguson was the death of a lawless bully too stupid to do what he was told.  The existing "bomb" was a community with no respect for the rule of law, or anyone else's rights but their own.  Any fuse could have been used, but the explosion still would have occurred, it was just a matter of time.

I am a patriot, and as such I believe in the rights of others as laid out in our Constitution and Bill of Rights.  But I also believe there must be moral limits to those rights.  Freedom of speech ignited the waiting fuse in Ferguson and set off the bomb of rioting and destruction.  If the National Guard had shot everyone looting or burning, during the first night of rioting, what are the chances there would have been a second-night crime wave?  Would they have been right in doing so?  Freedom of speech turned a demonstration into total anarchy.  The police and National Guard would have been protecting the rights, property, and safety of the law-abiding citizens of the United States from domestic terrorists.  Yes, the minute the police and the National Guard crossed that line into acts of violence against a segment of our society, they went from being citizens to domestic terrorists.  Some would say, the police and Guard are just criminals, and they would be right. They should be charged with the crime of domestic terrorism.  I think free speech is a protected right until it threatens the safety and welfare of citizens.

In the 1919 Supreme Court case of Schenck v. United States, Oliver Holmes wrote that causing such a dangerous panic by untrue words was not protected speech. What isn't widely known is that this was later clarified in another Supreme Court case (Brandenburg v. Ohio). It wasn't that the false warning caused “clear and present danger” that would deem it unprotected, but rather, the speech must incite “imminent lawless action.”

-- TheMonastery.org, "Call to Rewrite Religion"

If Christians, in their zeal to do away with abortion clinics, state that all the doctors performing such procedures should be hurt or killed, and the centers bombed, this is inciting lawless action.  Is it "imminent lawless action"?  That would depend on how soon some insane Christian fanatic brings the threat to fruition.  I am not an abortion proponent.  However, I believe there are times when it is, unfortunately, called for.  But, that doesn't make it right.

We find similar issues in religious texts.  There exists "language" that, depending upon one's interpretation, can be construed to allow for untold violence against individuals, groups, and society.  Interpretations are usually driven by outside influences like politics, money, emotion, and, like lately, by personal agendas.   But, how is the "word of God" interpreted any other way than the way God wanted?  It is written; therefore, it must be obeyed, right?  The meaning behind the "word of God" is only as accurate as far as the person who first received it.   From the first telling, the story begins to be corrupted, if not by outside influences, then by repeated translations and rewrites.  

Let's say I own a ranch with a massive herd of cattle.  I've discovered that some of the cattle are afflicted with a communicable disease.  To save the rest of the cattle I instruct my foreman, my voice on the ranch, to separate the sick from the healthy, and "put down" the ones that just can't be saved so we don't spread the malady to all the other ranches.  My foreman's second language is English, but we've worked together for some time and I made the instructions simple for him to understand.  The foreman carries out the instructions but, while doing so, hears from another well-respected foreman that all the cattle are at risk and should be killed for the greater good.  

Not being able to get hold of me to confirm, and knowing how deathly serious the situation is, he proceeds to kill all of the cattle on my ranch.  Being the "master", I gave instructions I expected to be followed.  Being human, the foreman wanted to do the best job he could and reinterpreted my instructions with new information he received, and "misunderstood" my instructions.  Instead of killing all of the infected cattle, he destroyed the entire herd and put me out of business.

I think God gives us instructions to help save the "herd" from destruction.  Outside influences, translations, mistakes, and parables created in an attempt to clarify meaning, have distanced the intent of the "word of God" from what God actually meant.  And that, for me, is the danger we face in mucking with scripture any further than we have.

When the regulation becomes so convoluted as to be misunderstood, or not understood, it is time to scrap the rewrites and start over again from scratch and come at it from a different angle.  It might not have ever been the "word" that was the problem.  It might very well have been the messenger.  If the principal teaches the teacher, and the teacher doesn't grasp the message, don't let the teacher teach until they grasp the original message.  Reinterpreting the message for them is not the answer.  What we find are teachers spreading the wrong message to the students.  There is no doubt that something needs to be done to bring religious thought back in line with peace and love before we destroy this planet through misdirected faith. Rewriting already misunderstood documents is not the answer.  We must start over.

Where Christianity is concerned, we have a better grasp of the language, grammar, and the meanings of those times, than we ever had.  Let us take a current translation of original texts and come up with a more accurate scripture.  Those books that cannot be verified, or that have questionable origin, may be included but need to be annotated with the issues.  All the books that were left out of the bible need to be re-examined and offered up as relevant to the time they were written.  New material, that has come to light in recent years, needs to be examined as to age, and relation to the "original" text, then used to update poorly transcribed, translated, or interpreted pages.  We need to have a complete picture that, perhaps, one book will not suffice to cover.  We need to agree on the meaning behind the words, remembering how we expect God to be the loving, forgiving, Father.

All of this will never happen.  But further misinterpreting of sacred documents that have already gone through thousands of years of misinterpreting will do nothing more than muddy already polluted waters.  What we teach, of what those documents have to offer, is an entirely different issue.  We need to adopt a new paradigm in how we teach, and preach, the "religions of peace."  

As with freedom of speech, perhaps we can try to agree on the clear and present dangers in teaching an interpretation of peace that is steeped in "imminent lawless action."  Any religious sect that condones the killing of peace and innocence in the name of their god, needs to answer to the parent religion for their crimes.  Any religion that approves of the atrocities needs to be held accountable by the rest of the world for crimes against humanity.  It isn't what is written that is necessarily evil; it is how we read what is written that determines whether it is good or bad. Ultimately, we might be the problem.  

Our belief, or faith, and our concept of all that is, rests solely on our interpretations.  It's just as thought, mind you, but, if what we read can't be interpreted as morally pure, loving, peaceful, and righteous, maybe it isn't our interpretation that sucks.  Maybe it really is a bad interpretation of a righteous document.  Maybe we should look again.

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

Questioning Self-Care, Expectation, Failure, Insecurity, Attitude, and Anger

 

“If you want to help her, you need to help yourself first. No one serves their friends by grinding themselves into dust on the altar of compassion.”

-- Seanan McGuire

 

What are some things you do for your form of self-care?

Bourbon, meditation, and to be truly happy always, and in all things, regardless of my circumstances.

How do you help others without expectation, but they must not judge you about anything?

If I’m helping them it is selflessly, and without expectation. I also don’t expect them to judge me, but that is their tact, not mine. If they judge me, their judgment is on them. I can only hope it is a positive judgment.

Do you know what your responsibilities and the operator's responsibilities are?

I’m not completely stupid. What are we talking about?

To what extent is the concept of ditching boring things a bad idea?

I would be careful about ditching the “boring” wife who loves her husband dearly. The husband made this mistake and it is up to him to make it right by helping her to be an exciting spouse.

How do successful people think?

Successfully?

 What is a strategy as a process?

The “strategy” can be how you plan to implement a process. The “strategy” can be to plan the process. The “strategy” can be how you plan to market an end product of the process. The “strategy” is a plan, no matter where it falls in the process model. Any plan made without strategy is at risk of failing, and a process with no strategy is at risk of failing.

“You’ve got to think about big things while you’re doing small things, so that all the small things go in the right direction.”

-- Alvin Toffler

Is it better to fail than not try at all?

Failure and mistakes are the best way we learn. Perseverance in the face of failure is the trick. It isn’t that you fail, it’s what you do with the failure that counts in life.

I'm 25 years old. Will I be able to navigate through life?

You are 25. It seems you’ve been navigating through life, so far. Keep it up.

What role has your emotional intelligence played in recognizing and diffusing bullying situations before they escalate? Please give specific examples of your emotional intelligence if you can.

I had just started high school and was being bullied constantly. It wasn’t going to stop, and I knew this. I picked up a tree branch and almost killed the little shit before my friend peeled me off of him. My “emotional intelligence” told me to stand up for myself. I got my ass beat several more times, but I never ran from the fight. Emotional intelligence? I served 23 years in military intelligence, does that count?  

Why are people who answer Quora questions such bad-tempered, miserable geriatrics?

I resemble that remark, you judgmental little so-and-so.

What do you do if someone is calling you a bad person when you're really not?

Ask them to cite when you’ve been a “bad person” and what you did that was so bad to deserve their ridicule. If you have done nothing, it should shut them up. If they have evidence, you have some introspection to do.

Is it possible for a poor person to be a friend with a rich person?

Even rich people need true friends. I doubt they’ll find them in their “click” though.

“There's always something to do if you don't have to work or consider the cost. It's no real fun but the rich don't know that. They never had any. They never want anything very hard except maybe somebody else's wife and that's a pretty pale desire compared with the way a plumber's wife wants new curtains for the living room.”

-- Raymond Chandler

What is your biggest insecurity? Is that something you can solve?

Dying alone. I make a lot of friends and never go anywhere alone.

What is the meaning behind someone telling you that you deserve better than what they can offer?

It is self-explanatory. If someone tells me that they deserve better than I offer, they must believe it. Tearing their ego down won’t win me points.

Who's the best personality of all time?

George Burns.

What do you expect to want?

At my age? A much younger woman who likes threesomes. I don’t expect to want anything at my age. Stuff just complicates life, and people bring their baggage with them. I don’t want anything, especially stuff and baggage.

What kind of people should be part of your “close group of confidantes”?

The retired military. We’ve been through the same hell for longer than most.

What does it mean when someone says, “Money can't buy everything.”?

Money can’t buy true love, and money can’t buy true happiness. True happiness and true love are generally the purview of those who want, not of those who have. If you haven’t lived a life before you have it all, what have you experienced that is true, except money? Better for the rich to walk in a poor person’s shoes, for a time, so they can appreciate real life.

“Work can sometimes be very tricky. It gives with one hand and takes away with the other. It gives you money and takes away your time. It offers you wealth and steals your happiness.”

-- Mouloud Benzadi

How important is failure in becoming successful?

Very important. Failure and mistakes are the best way we learn. And, if you don’t learn, you can’t hold onto the goals you’ve attained that made your life successful.

How do you get to know life more?

You have to go out and “live” life to know it. I experienced more “life” than I bargained for by being in the Air Force for 23 years. I met airmen who wouldn’t even consider going off base while overseas. If you don’t go off base, you don’t get to live life to the fullest. Having said this, In Turkey, I collected a mild case of PTSD from sitting in cafes with bombs going off outside. Hey, part of living life to the fullest. No guts, no glory.

What do you do if you put yourself down a lot?

I waste a lot of time picking myself up. It is so much better for me to like myself.

What is the meaning behind someone saying they are not perfect and then later claiming that not everyone can be like them?

Not everyone can claim to be “not” perfect. Most people claim to be as perfect as they want to be. I think if someone claims to not be perfect, and then states that not everyone can be like them, they haven’t lied.

What do the poor always worry about?

Money. They should be worrying about happiness, but they think money can buy that.

I am successful people, but why?

To be truly happy in life is to be successful. You must strive to be truly happy always and in all things, regardless of your circumstances, to be this successful.

“Folks are usually about as happy as they make their minds up to be.”

-- Abraham Lincoln

Does a person's attitude change with wealth?

They say their attitude is the same. The lie they tell is the first change in their attitude.

What are your challenges and difficulties?

When my mother and father died recently, they left everything in a “family trust” which has made my life a living hell.

Can someone be wealthy without having any friends or social life?

Yes, they can be wealthy in money. They will be lonely, but monetarily wealthy.

Is it advisable to forgive someone who has cheated once or twice? Can someone who has cheated once be trusted not to do it again if forgiven?

It is always wise to forgive, but forgetting is another issue. If they have cheated more than once, there is always the possibility they will cheat again. This is why we can’t seem to forget. Life has served you a lesson, and you have to remember the lesson so you don’t get “used” again. We have a memory for a reason.

How can we determine if someone is a true friend or just using us for their own benefit?

Find a way to cut off their perceived benefits. If they’re still your friend, you’re a lucky person.

For all the people in my life that hurt me and treated me like crap, I want revenge. What could I do about it? I know it's probably bad to want revenge. I'm just filled with so much hate towards everyone.

Let it go. Karma will take care of everyone else, so you don’t have to be on Karma’s list of evil-doers. “Revenge” will put you at the top of the list, and “hate” if not quelched, will put you halfway. Better to let Karma handle it.

“Karma comes after everyone eventually. You can't get away with screwing people over your whole life, I don't care who you are. What goes around comes around. That's how it works. Sooner or later the universe will serve you the revenge that you deserve.”

-- Jessica Brody

What do you call someone who gets mad when you do to them what they did to you?

Confused. They need to have it pointed out that it’s the same thing, and just because they do it doesn’t make it okay. 

How could people always make you the issue but they keep doing the same wrong thing over and over?

Because you keep letting them get away with making you the issue?

I've hurt my family and I'd like to stop the cycle of abuse. Is suicide reasonable?

An apology will prevent you from being born into the same situation and trying to make it right. An apology, heartfelt, will help you to make things right in this life, not in the lives that come. Better to change and turn over a new leaf in this life. You can, actually, ask your family to help you. Now, there’s a thought.

Can you forgive your partner who cheated on you two times?

I can forgive her for ten times. I’d be an idiot for staying with her, but I’d forgive her. Forgetting is another thing, however.

What do men talk about when women aren't around?

Women.

Why do history books suggest that people are doomed to repeat their mistakes, even though they continue to make them?

Because they continue to make them. Evidence proves that the suggestion is true. Am I not understanding the question, or is it the question?

"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."

-- George Santayana

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