Questioning Becoming, Life, Torture, Purpose, God, and Truth

 

“Even if we didn't know the context, we were instructed to remember that context existed. Everyone on earth, they'd tell us, was carrying around an unseen history, and that alone deserved some tolerance.”

-- Michelle Obama

How would you define "becoming the person you want to be"?

Ta-da! I’m there! I hold to my humility and try to deal with everyone with good honesty.

Why do uneducated people think smart people are stupid?

Well, somebody has to be more ignorant than they are. So, they picked on the smart people. I know, it makes little sense. But, look what we have to work with.

Are stupid people happier?

“Ignorant” people are happier, but not as those who are truly happy.

Why should we show respect to people?

You absolutely don’t need to. It is a choice, I get what you give. If you don’t give respect, you don’t have to expect to get respect back, and you probably won’t. If you decide to treat people like shit, expect to get treated like shit. Respect is something that makes our lives a little more bearable. Most of us choose to respect each other… even the Democrats.

How would you define a stupid person, a dumb person, and an idiotic individual?

There is no difference. All of them are ignorant… and should be called so. Calling them stupid, dumb, or idiotic, is just throwing names around. They are “ignorant”, and that’s all.

Which currency was really stupid?

Pennies.

“Listen with your entire body, not just your ears. Watch with your entire being, not just your eyes. And judge with your entire soul, not just shallow perception.”- Pepper Winters

Why does it feel like many people on [this site] don't have a life?

It’s a feeling. Don’t pay much attention to it.

Why do stupid people get famous on the internet?

It doesn’t say much about everyone else, does it? People are just about as ignorant as they can be. They trust everyone, no one is capable of lying to them, and what you buy isn’t crap. All three of these are a toss-up. People are what they are, and the rest of us are happy as pigs in shit as we smile and shake our heads at how ridiculous the rest of the people are.

What is the greatest threat to life on Earth?

Other than man, asteroids.

Why do stupid people have a lot of followers?

Again, ignorant people have a lot of followers, and the followers are a few cans short of a six-pack. It doesn’t say much for the “followers” of ignorant people, does it?

How can we stop making stupid people famous?

Stop voting them into office.

How does culture define our morality?

It depends on the culture. "Good" culture has, probably, good morality. "Bad" culture has, probably, bad morality. There are so many levels of good and bad, that morality can defined good or bad depending on how you look at it. Abortion is a prime example.

“It is a poverty to decide that a child must die so that you may live as you wish.”

-- Saint Theresa of Calcutta

What is the best way to smite my dead mother? She is probably laughing at me that I am getting old. She abandoned me at 10. How can I torture her ghost to show her I am what she never could be?

She already knows. Karma can be a bitch.

Human Behavior: How can I be less stupid?

You can’t be less “stupid.” It is just a name. But, you can be less ignorant. Life is all about learning, so you have to continue to learn. Read, study, and ask questions, of those folks who are in the know. It doesn’t take much to be less ignorant. You might even learn something.

Are all experiences real?

If you experience it, it is real to you. What is real to you is the most important thing in your life.

How do you process knowing that you will die one day?

Everybody dies. There is no “processing” it. The two facts in life in the United States, are death and taxes. You can try to cheat on your tax forms, but you can’t cheat death… it is what it is. I recently lost my parents, and my reality is that I’m 70 years of age. I probably have 20 years left, and then I find out if “another great adventure” is waiting for me. The “plus” of being a theist. “Processing” is admitting you are going to pass one day.

It might sound so stupid, but what's the point of life?

It isn’t stupid, it is ignorant. The point to life is to learn, as much as you can. See? You learned.

What are the pros and cons of being an optimist or a pessimist?

The “pros” have to do with optimists and the “cons” with the pessimists. One is positive and one is negative. The “negative” just sucks. It is so much better to be an optimist.

“Be mindful. Be grateful. Be positive. Be true. Be kind.”

-- Roy T. Bennett

Is it important to have a purpose in life even though the reason for existence is unknown?

The purpose of existence is to learn. You will learn from cradle to coffin. It is why we are here. Everything else is to support our learning.

How precious is human bandwidth?

According to what I have read, human bandwidth is, “the amount of brain resources a person has at any given moment. Similar to time and physical energy, mental bandwidth is limited.” We process a lot of information, but, if you let your “bandwidth” get sloppy, what you will process will not be that much. I would say that “human bandwidth” is pretty precious.

Is it possible to say the word "God" in a dream?

Yes.

I get emotionally attached to people too easily. What can I do to change this?

I’m not sure this is worth a change. You are an emotional person, hence, you get emotionally attached. If the people, you become attached to, don’t mind it, why do you? It would be nice to have someone be “emotionally attached,” for once. It would be a breath of fresh air.

Would you rather your child be a good person, or be able to get what they want, whether or not it's fair?

The child should be a good person. Karma will take care of the rest.

Is everything in existence necessary?

If it is natural, it is not up to us. Everything else, someone brought into existence. When they go, the thing they brought will, also, go in time.

“It's not my responsibility to be beautiful. I'm not alive for that purpose. My existence is not about how desirable you find me.”

-- Warsan Shire

I just realized God is a pure waste of one's time, What should I do?

Prepare to die with no afterlife. When you’re done, you are done.

My son was given 72 hours to live. He has decided to spend the entire time pleasuring himself. What should I do?

72 hours to pleasure himself. Three days. It doesn’t seem a long time, to make you balk. Leave him alone. He has a couple of days to live. Let him live.

What if you lost all your material possessions?

I would smile at God, and work to replace everything. It is a test to see if I’ve learned.

Considering the word do in the phrase "do no harm", from your perspective, how do you, yourself, accomplish this? How often do you fail?

In the Intelligence field, we try to “do no harm.” If it is impossible to “do no harm,” we try to mitigate the harm we have to do. Sometimes, on the job, it becomes a matter of percentages. It doesn’t make it right, but it is better than letting “harm” rule the roost. 

Why do millennials and post-millennials have such a hard time understanding sarcasm?

Parenting. We never taught them. Hey! It worked out…. for the adults.

What is the role of ethics in everyday decision-making?

Good ethics demands you use good ethics to make the best decision you can, by doing no harm. It is too bad the majority of our elected officials don’t live by this rule.

“Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all.”

-- Aristotle

When will I know the truth?

When you die, the truth will be revealed.

Is mischievousness a personality trait that only kids possess?  Is it an immature personality trait?

They head up the percentages, but adults can also get into mischief.

If someone offered you a large sum of money, would you spare your husband or wife?

My ex-wife would be the first to go. She is such toast.

What is something that you really want but can never have?

A gold bar. There are many women, but… a gold bar.

What is something you always wanted to do but couldn't because of your family?

My choices were supported. I did what I wanted, within reason. Safety is a good reason.

Do you think it's worth bringing a child into the world?

Children are the only hope we have.

“The soul is healed by being with children.”

-- Fyodor Dostoevsky

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