Questioning Satan, the "Ex", Learning, Wisdom, the Homeless, and Leaving

“In all those stories about people who sold their souls to the devil, I never quite understood why the devil was the bad guy, or why it was okay to screw him out of his soul. They got what they wanted: fame, money, love, whatever—though usually it turned out not to be what they really wanted or expected. Was that the devil's fault? I never thought so. Like John Wayne said, "Life's tough. It's even tougher when you're stupid.”

-- James Anderson

How can I make a deal with Satan and get rich?

Deal with Satan and you’ll get rich and die the next day or your face will slough off.

How did Satan gain the ability to do anything he wanted?

Satan's a fallen angel. He can’t do anything he wants. Like, he can’t beat God.

Why doesn't Satan take responsibility for what he does?

Uh… it’s Satan. Is this a trick question?

Why doesn't Satan stop all of the evil in the world?

Do you know who Satan is?

What is the most dangerous weakness of human nature that Satan uses against us?

Gullibility.

Can humans stop Satan's deceptions?

No, but we can ignore them.

“Poor God, how often He is blamed for all the suffering in the world. It’s like praising Satan for allowing all the good that happens.”

-- E.A. Bucchianeri

How do I know if my ex has moved on?

Why do you care? They are an “ex” and nothing but drama that you seem to want to build on by caring. Let them go, and get on with life without them.

Is it wrong to break up with someone because they are not good at math?

What does math have to do with love? I’m confused. 

Are you afraid of what will happen next year?

Nope. Biden will be out of office and the economy will pick up. There will be a terrorist attack, but that’s what happens when we let some dumbass opens the borders wide for four years. We will get over it.

Do you think the world is divided by an oppressive opulent rich minority in power and a poor majority?

Of course. George Soros and his family are part of them.

If people treat others disrespectfully and refuse to respect them, why would some people fight back with the same behavior that one person gave to others and why do people think this is appropriate and okay?

You give the respect and expect it back in kind. If you don’t get it, you smile and walk away. I said “good morning” to some guy on the street and he fed me a ration of shit. I smiled and told him he was some kind of award-winning asshole and to have a nice day. He looked at me crosseyed while I walked away, still smiling. I try not to get upset to the point I can’t smile at another person’s disrespectful ignorance. 

How can one effectively handle a leader who lacks a vision for the future and continues to repeat the same actions?

Find another job, then go to the owner and let them know what’s happening. If they balk, quit. It’s that simple. Most of the time, owners have no idea what the leaders are doing.

“Good leaders have a vision and inspire others to help them turn vision into reality. Great leaders have vision, share vision, and inspire others to create their own.”

-- Roy Bennett

Why are some people not willing to learn anything new and want to stay stupid?

You are making a faulty assumption that makes you look a bit judgmental.

How can one cope with a decreasing interest in spirituality?

Spirituality is “the quality of being concerned with the human spirit or soul as opposed to material or physical things.” And you want to cope with a decreasing interest in this, why? If I was the only spiritual individual it would matter less to me than the bourbon I drink at night. Decreasing interest in the fact that I’m spiritual is no one’s business but mine. 

Is it possible to be lying when you tell the gospel truth? If you don't believe you're lying because you don’t believe the truth?

To me, this is bullshit. If I don’t know the “gospel truth” as fact, I caveat what I say with a disclaimer.

Reader comment: Disclaimers didn’t work for Trump. but then most prosecutors aren’t out to get you like Leticia was to get Trump.

My reply: There is no proven crime. This will go to a higher court. 

When was the moment you realized you no longer wanted to be married to your spouse?

When she kept sleeping around. After 25 years of marriage, she finally admitted to me that I was just an escape from her parents and that she never loved me. That kind of cemented the decision. We divorced in 2000 and all her “friends” wondered why it took me so long. I had dates lining up. 

Do you think questions on [this site] define the person asking?

Yeah, it defines them as not knowing.

How do you cope in the world when you feel like you don't belong in it?

Whether you “feel” like you belong in the world, or not, you are here, so the cold, hard, fact is that you need to cope with it. Coping with it means you have to live life to the fullest and stop feeling like you don’t belong. You are here. You can’t be anywhere else, so deal with it.

“It's funny: I always imagined when I was a kid that adults had some kind of inner toolbox full of shiny tools: the saw of discernment, the hammer of wisdom, the sandpaper of patience. But then when I grew up I found that life handed you these rusty bent old tools - friendships, prayer, conscience, honesty - and said 'Do the best you can with these, they will have to do.' And mostly, against all odds, they do.”

-- Anne Lamott

What is the difference between knowledge and wisdom?

If you understand your knowledge enough to wield it, you have the wisdom to not.

Nowadays, in an interdisciplinary reality, what is the difference between a wizard, a philosopher, a scientist, a priest, and an artist? What is the stance of the Church on magic?

The “wizard” is, in reality, a scientist. The other folks practice their separate trades. The stance of the church on magic? There is good and evil, and “magic” is a mental ability that has been nurtured. Angels are endowed with “abilities” God allows them to have. We look at it as “magic” while they probably see it as a mental ability they have been gifted.

What is the importance of respecting elders? How can we teach children to follow this cultural value?

One should respect everyone until they are not worthy. Teaching children, at all, seems to be a problem.

Why are people on Quora so petrified that my IQ is 200?

I’m on Quora and the fact that you keep harping on your IQ makes me wonder what the point is. If your IQ is 200, so be it. It doesn’t “petrify” me. I really could give a shit. So, can we move on, or do you have more to say?

What is a person who keeps track of everything you do?

A busybody.

Is everybody trying to be a better human being?

Not really. Most people are trying to keep their heads above water. Between working, debt, and survival, trying to be a better human being gets lost in the clutter of life. I think most people would like to work on being better, but it is enough that they find the time to just be good and right. Most people work hard and find the precious time to be good, much less think about being better. 

Reader comment: I gave that up after my 50th birthday, it was just too tiring trying to make others like me. 

“The truest story - the one that will always be truest - is that I am a human being, being human. Sometimes, I am my best self. Sometimes, not so much. But goddamn, I am trying to do better. I am always trying to do better. My guess is that you are, too.”

-- Laura McKowen

Why can't we just separate homeless "people" from the rest of society? This way they are not plugging into society with their unwanted presence.

Ouch! I have no argument for this, and I have no filter, but… ouch!

Why are certain people less human than others?

If they are human, then, they are human. They may act like they are not, they may act like animals, but they are still humans acting like animals. Now, if they are a non-terrestrial alien cross-bred with a human, that would make them less human. Just saying.

Someone just said something to me on the street. I didn't recognize the person. I think they said “hi”, though I was wearing headphones and it's raining so I'm not sure. I didn't say anything back. Was that rude?

Yes. You should have taken off the headphones and made sure what they said. 

How do you answer the question, “Are you religious?”

No, I am spiritual. “Religious” means you follow an organized church. Since I don’t buy into “organized” religion, with its rules, pomp, and circumstance, I praise my definition of God in my own way.

Is it possible to have a relationship with your neighbor?

Oh, hell yes!

Why does marriage fall apart soon after?

Because they married too soon and for the wrong reasons. It is not enough to love someone, you truly have to love them, be close friends, and create an equal partnership with them. They have to become the other side of you. If none of this makes sense, then you should be ready to keep having casual sex and leave marriage to those who can.

“Divorce is required when love and respect has seized in a marriage”

-- Gugu Mofokeng

Did you know that no one leaves this world alive?

I’m pretty sure the astronauts left the world, traveled to the moon, and returned.

Is it possible that our thoughts and actions are not predetermined and everything happens by chance in the world we live in?

Our thoughts and actions are predetermined by us. We think what we do and we act like we think. Almost everything in the world happens for a reason. If it doesn’t, it happens by chance, not by luck.

How can I be making at least $5 daily?

Because you don’t live in a country with a minimum wage above $10 an hour? 

Is there any way I can get $200 in an hour?

If you're old enough, I'd be looking for a “red light” district?

How am I going to make $500 a month?

Again, this plays into the “red light” district, but you’ll have to be old enough, and you'll make so much more.

As a teenager, how can I make $1,500 a month?

When you’re 17, I think your parents can allow you to join the military.

“I was shocked at how many prostitutes are on social media! The days of cruising the red light district are gone, you just cruise social media!”

-- Steven Magee

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