Questioning Mantras, Life, Religion, Ideas, Input, and Wisdom

 

'Expect nothing and hope for the best' is my mantra. A drama teacher called Joseph Blatchley told me that, and it's the best advice I've had. If you keep an open mind and don't expect too much, then you won't be disappointed."

-- Michelle Dockery

What mantra do you live your life by?

Strive to be truly happy always and in all things, regardless of your circumstances.

Do atheists know they have given up the right for their prayers to be heard?

If an atheist tries to pray, they aren’t an atheist. They have become an agnostic. Atheists may think they ahve given up their right to pray, but God has been waiting for them to turn around.

Why do some atheists respond with sarcasm when asked about their belief in God?

Because some atheists are ignorant... just like some theists.

How do we determine the validity of someone's beliefs if there is no concept of right or wrong?

We don’t need to. The validity of someone’s belief is up to them to validate, not us. If they think their belief is valid, so be it. They aren’t asking you to validate it. Who are you… or we? We have no concept of another’s belief paradigm. We think we do, but we really don’t. It is up to them to decide if it is right or wrong. We need to stay out of it.

How do you respond when someone asks if you believe in God?

Yes.

What was the most devastating moment in your life that eventually bounced back from, and how?

My divorce. I thought taking my life was the answer, but it would hurt… who? I gathered all my friends around me and built another life… without the likes of her. I became stronger than I ever was. I became more understanding and perpetually happy. This is the moment that I came up with striving to be truly happy always and in all things, regardless of my circumstances. It was a choice.

"A betrayal in a family is much more devastating than a betrayal among friends, or even lovers."

-- Ari Aster

What was the moment you realized that life had passed you by? 

I am living, so if life “passed me by,” I wasn’t paying attention. It is my life, so I have control over it. Life doesn’t pass me by unless I let it. It will be my fault. 

If achieving your dreams meant someone else had to give up theirs, would you still go for it?

If they are working hard, go for it. If they are slacking, they’d need to catch up to me.

What would your life look like if you let curiosity, not ambition, be your guide?

It will be exactly like it is. I have never let ambition guide me. Curiosity has always been my downfall… and my success. I have never had any ambition. If I had, I would not have experienced so much of life. People who let ambition guide them, miss out on what they might have experienced through curiosity.

Author's comment: Thanks, Tony! Very well-stated reply! 

Do the morally corrupt find common grounds?

Usually when they clean out the coffee maker.

Why does everyone think communication is describing your mind's experience, because it is a "brain process" that transforms thoughts into words?

Because your brain, your mind, is communicating with you. You can transform those thoughts into words if you understand the message, the prime directive.

What's the point in life if all we do is work?

Learning. The point of life is to learn.

“It is not that we have so little time but that we lose so much. ... The life we receive is not short, but we make it so; we are not ill-provided but use what we have wastefully.”

-- Lucius Annaeus Seneca

How can we determine the validity of our religion compared to others?

Would you like to enlighten us? Which “religion” you are referring to?

What do you really do for a living?

I helped to keep the country safe. Then, I helped to keep medical subjects safe. Now, I try to keep myself safe, in my retirement. Safety first, in all things.

What happens after death? What do I see after I die?

No one really knows. There are stories, but, you have to die, to find out if they are true. 

How do atheists handle the fear of going to hell and not having an afterlife? How do they establish their moral code without belief in a higher power?

They don’t believe in hell or an afterlife. They manage a moral code without believing in a “higher power.” It is the difference between being good or bad. What they don’t buy into, is God. That’s it.

If science is true, if we die, where do we go to?

When it comes to death, science is guessing. No one died, for long, and came back to tell.

What is the reason for creationists ignoring scientific evidence for evolution and not accepting it as fact like other scientific theories such as gravity?

No one knows how we cropped up. There are a few theories, backed up by what we can glean from history, But the facts are dicey.  No one really knows… because we weren’t around to witness it.

“Intelligent design offers few answers. For instance, when and how did a designing intelligence intervene in life’s history? By creating the first DNA? The first cell? The first human? Was every species designed, or just a few early ones? Proponents of intelligent design theory frequently decline to be pinned down on these points. They do not even make real attempts to reconcile their disparate ideas about intelligent design. Instead, they pursue argument by exclusion—that is, they belittle evolutionary explanations as far-fetched or incomplete and then imply that only design-based alternatives remain.”

-- Scientific American Editors

Can an idea be right and wrong at the same time?

Iran should be bombed out of existence. But there are many innocent people there, who don’t agree with the leadership. It is right, and at the same time, it is wrong.

Is it more beneficial to pursue your passions, or to go with the flow in life?

Pursue your passions, if you can afford them. If not, flow with life and dabble in your passions. The point, I’m trying to make, is that your passions are important to your well-being. You might regret not including your passions in your life. I regret several ladies… but, that is another story.

Can a human have two souls?

No.

So long as we are young and in service, life looks cheerful & bright. Once we retire from service, why does life suddenly become purposeless & directionless?

You haven’t planned properly. I’m 71 and retired, twice. I do not need more true happiness than I have. I have more direction and purpose than I need in my retirement, thank you very much. My parents over-planned my retirement before they died. A "family trust" haunts me.

Is it considered wrong for an atheist to be arrogant about their beliefs?

Not more than theists. To be arrogant is wrong. Believe what you believe, and shut up about it.

Does believing in God mean you're religious?

Religion can be numbered in the pantheon of beliefs. I am not “religious,” per se. I am “spiritual.” My definition of God does not meet the requirements of other “religious” beliefs.

“Anyone who thinks sitting in church can make you a Christian must also think that sitting in a garage can make you a car.”

-- Garrison Keillor

Why does nobody seem to care about my input?

I’m not certain I have ever seen your input. And, if I’m not certain then your question may be deficient by including the term, “nobody.”

What is it called if something can't be proven wrong or right?

Up in the air.

“Do not let your happiness depend on something you may lose.” Do you agree?

I so disagree. Some happiness is fleeting. You may truly love a person who is dying. This love may make you very happy. You are going to lose this person. But, it doesn’t matter to you. The true love, you feel, is worth whatever temporary happiness you get with them.  Even if it means you have to message them. True love makes distances disappear.

What motivates people with no future or job to keep living?

They realize that their problem is them. They know they need to keep on trying.

Are curiosity and self-awareness signs of maturity and being wise?

“Curiosity” is a trait learned at a very young age. Self-awareness comes a little later, and it is a sign of maturity. Being wise, on the other hand, may never occur. People go through their lives, never discovering wisdom, while children may display wisdom beyond their years.

What is the most important thing for you in your work?

Good sense. Good sense is beyond “common” sense, which doesn’t display much anymore.

“Common sense in an uncommon degree is what the world calls wisdom.”

-- Samuel Taylor Coleridge

Is wisdom a natural gift, or can we gradually get it?

Wisdom is not a natural gift. You can gradually get it.

Is it fair to stop working and rely on others to support you?

No. This is selfish. Personally, I would like to see someone beat the crap out of the person who stopped working. I mean, really? Others would step up to support a freeloader. Not on my watch.

How can I be liked by people if I'm a being without a soul?

If you were without a soul, you wouldn’t have asked this question.

Is it possible for God to have imperfections that we are unable to see?

Yes. He screwed up with Adam and Eve. I thought He was perfect. It shows that He is excellent, not perfect. Who puts a serpent in the Garden? To test Adam and Eve? But, I thought God was perfect. The entirety of Genesis has issues for the reader. And, then, we turn the page. There is a reason why God stopped giving the written word.

What is the most transformative experience you’ve ever had, and how did it shape who you are today?

Air Force Intelligence. It made me the man I am today.

Why does God make life so difficult?

He doesn’t. Everything you think is difficult is stuff you don’t want to deal with. Life is all about learning. Once you wrap your mind around this, life becomes a bit easier. Life is difficult because you need an excuse, or… you can deal with it, learn the lesson, and move on. It is a choice.

"Your success and happiness lie in you. Resolve to keep happy, and your joy and you shall form an invincible host against difficulties."

-- Helen Keller

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