Questioning Today, Slapping, Persuasion, Enemies, WW-III, and Cheating

“Every day you wake up on the right side of the dirt is a good one.”

-- Paula Deen

What's one thing that you are grateful for today?

I woke up for one more day in paradise. Any time on this side of the dirt is a great day!

Why do some people still hold onto anger from the past?

They have no reason to let go of it. My wife, of 25 years, told me she never loved me. I divorced her. I can’t forget what she did, but I have forgiven her, and myself, for the waste of life we had together. I have been ecstatically happy for the past 23 years without her. My girlfriend and I have been together for 20 years now. Happy. Very happy!

Are Democrats secretly brainwashing our youth to embrace socialism and destroy our capitalist society?

Yes, and it is a lack of good parenting that allows it.

Why do we have to continue to believe in the power of positive change?

You don’t. You can believe any way you want to. If you want to believe in negative change, go for it. You have freedom of thought.

A 13-year-old friend is very immature and throws a fit when she doesn't get her way. Acts almost like a baby Several people suggested her mom give her diaper punishment. I don't know exactly how this goes but it's abusive, sadistic, and probably illegal, right?

It sounds like the parents are ultimately at fault for this. Diaper punishment won’t work.

What would you tell your 25-year-old self about money?

Stay out of debt. Debt is the new slavery, only you volunteer to be a slave. Banks, credit card companies, and stores, for the most part, are the new masters. It is insidious… and very legal.

“You must gain control over your money or the lack of it will forever control you.”

-- Dave Ramsey

What should I do in a situation where my teammates constantly downgrade me in every team meeting?

Help others and do better.

Why do I feel no compassion for the people I love very much, but I do feel compassion for people I am not close to?

People I love and know, know how to take care of themselves. People I don’t know very well, seem to have mass issues.

What am I supposed to do after having my reputation destroyed through lies disclosed by an influential person?

Get a lawyer and sue them for defamation of character.

When people comment about the things we have, why do we excessively worry about these things going wrong or things being ruined? This innate fear of losing, and seeing others do better than us.

Because you haven’t recognized true happiness in life. One must strive for true happiness always and in all things, regardless of their circumstances. It is a choice few make because they are ignorant of it. We are what we are, and we make more of ourselves as we learn. If we do this to be better than others, we have already lost. Be who you want to be because that is who you want to be, not because you think you are better.

Do you feel that we are fighting to survive the atrocities of our leaders?

Currently, yes!

What is a responsibility within a team?

The responsibility is clearly stated by the team leader, who usually gets it from a manager, who usually gets it from the owner. The responsibility is usually to get the job done, on time, and under budget.

“To say you have no choice is to relieve yourself of responsibility.”

-- Patrick Ness

What are some effective ways to persuade others of our ideas, even if they seem like common knowledge?

Communicate effectively. Develop an incontrovertible reason why your idea is better.

Why is everyone who answers Quora questions stupid or suffering from a mental illness?

How stupid do you have to be to read questions you think are stupid from people suffering from mental illness? For one thing, not everyone answering questions is stupid. For another, not everyone asking the questions is stupid.

Are you an idiot? What do you base this idiotic question on?

Uh, well, what "idiotic question" are you basing this question on?

How do you ignore people who try to cause problems with you?

Pretty much. It is easier because they try, rather than succeed. In my 70 years of life, I have only encountered three instances I can remember. One was a bully in high school, one was a gay woman with a chip on her shoulder, and the last was a miscommunication in the military. The bully I finally stood up to, the gay woman I told to remove the chip, and the miscommunication I cleared up with the Squadron Commander. Anything else I just sloughed off.

In the karmic traditions, is there the phenomenon of giving up and starting over the next time?

I don’t think so. The onus is on you. It is incumbent on you to make things right. Karma doesn’t recognize giving up and starting over as an option. 

How can I let go of hurt & heal a fractured friendship? We both realized our mistakes & apologized. But nothing can lessen the hurt already caused (on both sides) & communication became so dry. I wish I could forgive but the hurt is too deep.

You both made mistakes, and the way you feel is life teaching you a lesson. Learn from it. You can forgive, but forgetting is something that the lesson won’t let you do. You have to work hard to put the friendship back to some semblance of what it was. It may never be the same, but you need to learn about friendship, hurt, and forgiveness. Your memory, however, is what it is.

“Before you reach the point of forgiveness, you go through the phase where you pray... for every possible misfortune and ill luck to strike them dead while you sit and watch.”

-- Joyce Rachelle

What screams "I have no enemies"?

An idiot.

When people genuinely thank me, I find it hard to say, "You are welcome," or anything that acknowledges my helping them. What’s wrong with me?

You recognize that something is amiss, so nothing is “wrong” with you. You find it uncomfortable to be thanked for doing something selfless. No big deal, but it is a little rude. If “you’re welcome” sticks in your throat, try saying, “Not a problem.”

Is [this site] a social mixer for libtards with no life?

Are your hooters really that big?

Is 'hard work' better than 'talent' for success in life? 

Do you have a “talent” for hard work? Everyone has a talent, even for hard work. Usually, it takes hard work and talent to make a success. The hard work might show up as “perseverance” in the face of overwhelming odds. 

Why do I enjoy being manipulated by my partner? It feels bad and nice at the same time.

It sounds like you might be “submissive” to them. Feeling bad gives you a “rush.”

What are some of the biggest misconceptions about marriage?

Nowadays, it might not last. If you are close friends, you can weather almost anything together. My marriage went south after 25 years of wedded hell. But, I have been with my girlfriend for 20 years, we are happy, and we rarely disagree on things. Marriage is a piece of paper that isn’t worth the ink printed on it. A good friendship, however…

“It is not a lack of love, but a lack of friendship that makes unhappy marriages.”

-- Friedrich Nietzsche

How do you move on with life when you're worried that WW-III is going to start all of the time?

There is nothing you can do to stop it except vote for competent leaders who can head it off. This presidency is the first time I can remember being scared shitless, listening to a doddering old fool. Our annihilation would serve us right for voting an old idiot into office.

Is intelligence dependent on belief in God?

No. Having no choice but oblivion is dependent on a belief in God.

Time has a way of changing things. How have you used time for change?

I made the point of telling my boss that I could wait until he realized his mistake. He did, the next day, and then we went about making the changes.

Do people not mess with me because they know what my 200 IQ is capable of?

Drooling? I’m not sure that’s a good reason.

Why is character important?

Character is who you are. For me, it is a good code of ethical behavior that I can stand by through thick and thin. It tells those around me that they can rely on me to do the right thing. A friend tells me that I have “no filter”. She is right. I say whatever is on my mind, good, bad, or indifferent. Honesty is part of my character, and I try to be as honest as I can. Sometimes I slip, but it is a rare occurrence.

How smart was Albert Einstein in terms of raw intellect?

In his own words:

“It’s not that I’m so smart, it’s just that I stay with problems longer.”

-- Albert Einstein

Is it true that people are less likely to cheat if they have nothing to lose?

It is true, that people are less likely to cheat… because it is wrong.

How do you let go of a relationship that was your everything and move on from a person you deeply love, who left you?

They left you. That says everything. They didn’t love you the same way you loved them. Stop wasting time on unrequited love and go find someone you can be with forever. Life is too short to waste on people who don’t respect you.

Are there geniuses who are not very intelligent?

I’ve met a couple. Their "genius" is shallow, and their ego is through the roof.

When someone hurts me emotionally, why do I feel the need to hurt them back or make them feel bad? What can I do to mature past this?

My ex-wife emotionally hurt me many times. I beat my fists into cinderblock walls so I wouldn’t take my frustrations out on her. 25 years later she admitted that she never loved me. I was her escape route from home. I didn’t hurt her back, I divorced her. She wasted 25 years of my life, and all I did was divorce her. If you want to “mature” past this, understand that karma will take care of it for you in the form of health, finances, and being with people not as good as you were. The “hurt” will haunt them unto death. As for me, I still love her, I just know that I can’t be around her.

Can you give examples of decisions that have significantly impacted people's lives, aside from getting married?

Joe Biden for President.

Why are white people not satisfied with equality? Why are they greedy and do not want people to have the same rights that they have?

Why do folks always put everyone in the same basket? Not everyone has the same mindset. It sounds a lot like you’re a charter member of the League of the Perpetually Offended.

“Let no man pull you so low as to hate him.”

-- Martin Luther King, Jr.

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