Questioning Hope, Learning, Love, Hurt, Stupid, and Genius

 

“Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me... Anything can happen, child. Anything can be.”

-- Shel Silverstein

 

When all seems lost, where is hope?

Hope is hiding where it seems.  All is not lost. When all seems lost, you will find hope where it seems. It just “seems” lost. As long as it seems… then, hope will still be with us.

What should you realize by the age of 30?

You aren’t getting any younger.

How wise are we actually?

Wisdom comes at us when we least expect it. Most of us are wise and don’t really understand. Some of us are wise and hold it over people. Some of us are wise, understand it, smile, and are humble about it. And, some are too busy, or, don’t want to be bothered with wisdom. Those who are truly wise, however, are humble about it.

What do you think of dictator Putin recruiting 133,000 more men for the Russian Army?

Recruiting? He is a dictator. He doesn't recruit.

What is your personal definition of a "hero"? Have you ever had an opportunity to act like a hero? If so, what happened?

A hero is willing to put their life on the line to keep others safe. First responders, police, military, and many others, are in my definition of what “hero” means.

Is 48 too young to be a grumpy old man?

No, but when you are a really “old man” it will be redefined for you.

"I see what the problem is here. I'm talking in English, and you're listening in dumbass."

-- Clint Eastwood

What motivates you to learn? How does learning benefit you personally?

Life. We are here in this life to learn. Everything else supports the prime objective. Learning benefits me by completing the main reason for me being here. I am fulfilling my destiny in this life, and I will fulfill my destiny in the next, and so on.

What was your worst time ever?

Air Force basic training. The only thing good about it… was thinking of Army boot camp.

What are you, single or married?

Single. I went through a divorce and swore I’d never go through that again. I am happily living with my life partner for the past 20 years. It is a breath of fresh air, compared to being suffocated.

What’s the most valuable skill you’ve learned that schools didn’t teach you?

Supervision and management. 

What did you do to earn your last spanking? 

Other than screwing up by calling her “Madam” and licking her kneecaps? I had to learn the name is “Mistress” and I’m supposed to lick her toes.

What is the best quotes for teachers?

Teaching would be a nice change. Try this:

“Education is not the filling of a pail but the lighting of a fire.”

-- William Butler Yeats

How do I show my boyfriend more love?

A blowjob comes to mind.

How does atheism address the idea that life needs meaning to have value?

Atheists have much meaning in their lives. It is, probably, the only life they will have, so they need to make meaning in it. They have meaning and value, they just don’t have God. One belief, among all the beliefs they have. For Christians, it is a big miss. For atheists, it is just a bother. 

Is sarcasm necessary?

No, but it can be funny.

Describe the importance of ethics in organizations. What are the central ideas to focus on?

You can answer the importance and the central idea of good “ethics” in one word: Honesty. 

Reader comment: Honesty and integrity.

My reply: To my mind, if you have honesty you have integrity.

Reader reply: Touche….you are right. I guess the "integrity piece" is being honest, even when no one is watching.

My reply: Indeed.

Is life important or worship?

Life is important. Without it, we wouldn’t be able to worship.

How can someone cultivate wisdom without relying solely on formal education or life experiences?

Wisdom doesn’t rely on formal education, more than it does on life experiences. If you have paid attention to life, you have cultivated serious wisdom many would like to latch onto.

"When one door of happiness closes, another one opens; but we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us."

-- Helen Keller

Can a man get over being hurt by a woman?

Get over, yes. Forget, no. Hurt is a survival instinct. Try not to be hurt more than once.

In this day and age, how do you know if you are good or evil?

You know the same way you did yesterday. If you do good you are not evil. Evil is similar to good in that it is self-defining. You are either good or evil. You can’t have it both ways. Some people think they can, but they really can’t.

Do I need an honest wife?

It is much better than a “dishonest” wife. You can take my word for this.

My wife wants different men in bed. What should I do?

Crack open a beer, get a comfortable chair, and bring on the entertainment. Or, you can divorce her — your choice. Personally, I’d bring on the entertainment. But, that’s just me.

What do you call the wife of a pastor?

The pastor’s wife.

My husband left me for a 19-year-old woman. What should I do?

Go shopping for a 19-year-old man. What is good for him is just as good for you. Actually, it will be better… if you ride the horse. Your husband is only good for one shot. You can ride till your eyes explode.

“If you spend your time hoping someone will suffer the consequences for what they did to your heart, then you're allowing them to hurt you a second time in your mind.”

-- Shannon L. Alder

What do you do to get away from stupid people?

Leave.

Do you like getting treated like a stupid person?

The last man who treated me like a “stupid person” I nudged him off the three-foot-high platform, into the mud. “Oh, sorry! I’d help you out, but, I’m too stupid to know where to start.” I turned and went inside, out of the rain. I was chewed out by the officer in charge, and then he smiled and congratulated me for fast thinking. I was rewarded with the man’s supervisory position, a week later.

Can being mindful and aware lead to a better and safer reality?

It’s much better than going around with a blindfold over your eyes.

Does the wise man trust women?

Does a wise woman trust men? Both sides would like to put “sin” on the other when both sides are equally capable of the same sin. Both genders can be equally crap when it comes to fidelity. 

Are most women even worthy of trust?

Again... Are men?

Do you agree with Stephen Hawking’s scathing criticism of IQ as a measure of intelligence, “People who boast about their IQ scores are losers”?

Hawking was right. To boast how “intelligent” you are makes you a loser in the minds of many “smart” people. To be a braggart is to hold your “ego” so high that everyone knows you’re ignorant.

"Noise proves nothing. Often a hen who has merely laid an egg cackles as if she had laid an asteroid."

-- Mark Twain

How can I show my genius to the world?

Don’t. You will come off as a showoff and a braggart.

Is it true that calling someone stupid can make them less intelligent? Are there more respectful ways to describe someone who is not very intelligent?

For those susceptible to “ignorant” name-calling they might become less intelligent. Ignorant is what I’d call someone who is not very intelligent. Oh… I see I’ve used the name twice in my answer. It must be right.

When in your life did you understand to never underestimate human stupidity?

When I was in Air Force Intelligence.

How can being called "smart" be considered rude?

I've not a clue. Most “smart” people have more “moxie” than intelligent people. It is probably why intelligent people rudely call them “smart”.

How does a wise man become emotionally intelligent?

If he is a truly “wise man” he’s already emotionally intelligent.

How do you judge a person a success or failure?

The "judgment" is in the hands of the person being judged. What other people think of someone, has no bearing on what they think of themselves. If people think a person is a failure, but the person is genuinely and truly happy, are they a success? I would think so. What a person thinks of themselves, is more important than anything we can come up with.

“Sometimes the Bible in the hand of one man is worse than a whisky bottle in the hand of (another)... There are just some kind of men who... who're so busy worrying about the next world they've never learned to live in this one, and you can look down the street and see the results.”

-- Harper Lee

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