Questioning Riches, Love, Odds, Horny, Karma, and Consequences

“There’s a widespread conviction, spoken and unspoken, that the road to riches is trimmed in Ivy and the reins of power held by those who’ve donned Harvard’s crimson, Yale’s blue and Princeton’s orange, not just on their chests but in their souls. No one told that to the Fortune 500. They’re the American corporations with the highest gross revenues. The list is revised yearly. As I write this paragraph in the summer of 2014, the top ten are, in order, Wal-Mart, Exxon Mobil, Chevron, Berkshire Hathaway, Apple, Phillips 66, General Motors, Ford Motor, General Electric, and Valero Energy. And here’s the list, in the same order, of schools where their chief executives got their undergraduate degrees: the University of Arkansas; the University of Texas; the University of California, Davis; the University of Nebraska; Auburn; Texas A&M; the General Motors Institute (now called Kettering University); the University of Kansas; Dartmouth College and the University of Missouri–St. Louis. Just one Ivy League school shows up.”

-- Frank Bruni

If you could become a multi-millionaire overnight, what would you do with the money? How would your life change after that?

Invest it in “Fortune 500″ companies and live off the interest.

Why does it seem 80 has become the age everyone agrees is when someone is officially "old" (rather than 65, 70, 75, etc.)? Even though 65 is still the official "age of seniority"?

At 70, I still feel fairly vibrant. At the age of 80, some tarnish will start to show. It might be the military service for 23 years, but I still feel fairly young.

What would you do with millions of dollars besides paying bills and buying personal items?

I would bank it and spend the interest.

What would you do for $10,000?

That would depend on the request from the old woman who offered it. $10K is quite the sum to turn down... for a roll in the hay. 

Can an atheist persuade a theist to question their beliefs?

No. Neither of them has any incontrovertible proof they can offer as evidence to back up their faith in their belief. Any persuasion, from either side, will make them sound ignorant. Better to have your belief and let the other side have theirs. Faith, by the way, is a belief in something for which the is little or no proof. When you die, you'll know. Until then...

How should you respond if someone repeatedly calls you "woefully ignorant"?

“Coming from a judgmental putz, I’ll take the “woeful” and you can keep the “ignorance” for yourself.”

"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."

-- Matthew 7:1-2

How do I get a woman so easily?

Got $100?

Have mean, stupid, ignorant, and/or arrogant people, accused you of being defensive and combative for trying to explain?

Nope. I am neither defensive nor combative. If I explain and they don’t listen, it is their loss.

If I got 80 percent out of 50 questions how many did I get right?

40. 

What does it mean when she says she has a whole lot going on?

And, she doesn’t have time for you.

Would you be happy to work on a day when most of your colleagues are off?

Oh, hell yes! Extra pay? Who wouldn’t want extra pay doing a job with no one around? Heck, the boss might ask me several times a month if I knock it out of the park.

Have you ever felt bad for yourself and life?

Immediately after my divorce. I wasted 25 years of my life.

“Did you really want to die?"

"No one commits suicide because they want to die."

"Then why do they do it?"

"Because they want to stop the pain.”

-- Tiffanie DeBartolo

Who can help me with odds for today?

If you make good choices and decisions, the odds that you will be truly happy will be in your favor. Strive to be truly happy always and in all things, regardless of your circumstances.

“Nothing tangible lasts forever; all the stuff that makes you angry will go away, and all the things you like will go away. Then you'll go away. So there ain't much use in getting worked up about it too much?“

Is this a question? Hard to tell. Sounds more like a statement.

Can the conservative propaganda group "Do Not Comply" figure out they're complying with America's enemies while they take a dump on the Constitution, America & Americans because they're being manipulated with emotions, like the emo sheep they are?

No. They are members of the League of the Perpetually Offended. Trying not to be offended would offend them more. Better to just ignore them.

Who is credited with saying that a person's success defines them?

I don’t know, but it isn’t necessarily true.

How do you interpret the quote, "There is no right or wrong, the world just is.'"?

It’s bullshit, so interpreting it is a waste of time. The world just is right or wrong, good or bad. The universe demands balance.

I came across a quote saying “Return back to yourself, you have been away for far too long.” What does that mean if you don’t know who you are?

That’s the entire point. Return back to yourself and determine who you are. If you stay away too long, it is harder for you to determine your personal truth. Better that you find out who you really are before you put your foot in your mouth. Develop a personal code of ethics that you can stand by in the hardest of times. It will define who you are to those around you.

“Do not let the roles you play in life make you forget who you are.”

-- Roy T. Bennett

What do you do with a horny girl like me?

Work diligently on the issue.

What's the difference between being honest and being unpleasant towards others?

If you were me, and you were being “unpleasant” toward others, you are being honest since they must have deserved it. For the most part, though, Unless someone has really left the tracks, I treat them with due respect. But, if they have jumped into being an asshole, I will be honest to a fault, since I have no filter, and take them down a couple of rungs.

How long does the average man last getting a blow job?

Can the man count backward from 500? It helps if he gets his mind off what’s happening.

Without the spirit of the Holy Goast infused in you, life becomes a boring chore. Is this why atheists are perpetually angry?

I always thought they were members of the League of the Perpetually Offended, but then I came across theists doing the same dance. Personally, I’d like both sides to shut the hell up and go about their own business. If theists are right, then the more atheists there are, the more room there will be in the afterlife. So stop arguing with them.

Oh, and "ghost" is spelled like this. Just saying.

Why can’t atheists respect our Christian faith?

They give the respect they get. Again, the best tact both sides can take is to shut the hell up and go about their respective business.

 Could your enemies hide the fact that they are evil?

They could, but it would drive them crazy.

“In the moment when I truly understand my enemy, understand him well enough to defeat him, then in that very moment I also love him. I think it’s impossible to really understand somebody, what they want, what they believe, and not love them the way they love themselves. And then, in that very moment when I love them... I destroy them.”

-- Orson Scott Card

How can we respond to someone who believes in karma and fate but not in a higher power?

“Dumbass.”

Why are snobs so obsessed with being classy?

They’re snobs. Question answered. Definition: “A person with an exaggerated respect for high social position or wealth who seeks to associate with social superiors and dislikes people or activities regarded as lower-class.”

Do women kiss other women to greet them?

Yeah, but they don’t give each other “tongue” unless they really like each other.

What are some reasons for people being careless with their religion?

I don’t think most people pay attention to the religious precepts set down by the religious hierarchy. The religion doesn’t care because they get money from the “righteous” membership. Piss off the membership, no money.

Do atheists dislike it whenever religious people try to convert them?

Yes, as much as theists dislike being confronted by atheists. I ignore them both.

Why hasn't God made me successful by now?

It isn’t God’s life. It is yours. So, why haven’t you become successful by now? It seems most people blame God for their choices and decisions when those are their choices and decisions, not God's. People tend to shoot at the wrong target.

“You may not understand what all is happening in your life right now, but any possible explanation pales in comparison to what you do know because of your faith in God's goodness and assurance.”

-- Priscilla Shirer

Why do I answer questions without thinking about the consequences?

You are like me. One of my good friends says I have no filter, and she is very right. If it’s worth thinking, it must be worth saying. My abject honesty should make me bite my tongue at times, but I don’t see the point.

Is 27 to 47 the most lustful age group for women?

Over the age of 50, many of them have lost their inhibitions. Ride ‘em, cowboy!

Can the law be for you but not for the insecure?

Ignoring the liberal District Attorneys in the United States, the “law” must be applied equally to everybody. Unfortunately, this is not always the case lately. Whether you are insecure, or not, the law must stand for everybody or it is worthless.

What do you call a person who hates everyone they meet?

An asshole.

Some say that giving up can be a good thing, but what about giving up for good?

Giving up “can” be a good thing, but it can also be wrong. If you give up on life, this is wrong. If you give up on love, this is also wrong. If you give up on friends, who do they have left to turn to if the rock that anchors their life has given up on them? Sometimes “giving up for good” can have dire consequences for for you and for other people.

Author's comment: Not if all my empathy is diminished for good, especially by life.

My reply: That, my friend, is a choice. Strive to be truly happy always and in all things, regardless of your circumstances. A simple choice.

What question keeps you up at night?

"Why?"

“He who has a why to live for can bear almost any how.”

-- Friedrich Nietzsche

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