Questioning Knowing, Freedom, Sabotage, Life, Navigation, and Single

"Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance."

-- Kong Qiu (Confucius)

Do you know that I know something that you don't know?

Do you know that I know something that you don’t know?

How do I erase myself from existence?

Tell everybody you are moving, then commit suicide. No one will care because no one will know. But, committing “suicide” is the only thing I will call stupid. It serves no creative purpose, and no one will care a few days later. Better that you “celebrate” your existence, than erase yourself. There are a few people who will miss you.

If I live nobody cares about me, do I exist?

If nobody cares about you, you must exist for them not to care.

If God is real, why am I suffering?

God gave you responsibility over your life. If you are suffering, you have brought on yourself. Don’t try to find a scapegoat to blame your suffering on. Even if your suffering was put on you before you were born, it is who you are. Your job, now, is to show people how you strive to be truly happy, always and in all things, regardless of your circumstances. It is a choice you have to make. Be the light in the darkness.

What do you do if I am on your TV right now?

Change the channel... to something creative.

What is a point to life way greater than love?

“Life” itself. Without life, you would not fall in love. You can’t put the cart before the horse. You can try, but it doesn’t work.

“Life is a succession of lessons which must be lived to be understood.”

-- Ralph Waldo Emerson

How does the "concept of free will" coexist with the belief in an all-knowing god? Can our choices truly be considered free if they are predetermined by a higher power?

We all need to be on board with what God has done with mankind. He has cut us loose. We can be good or bad. It is our choice, not God’s. If we are bad, we pay. If we are good, we get paid. Our “free will” is still in play. God has not predetermined anything. God has let us determine which way we choose to go.

What brain mechanisms create the illusion of consciousness and self?

I’ll guess the “dream state.”

Is life harder than it should be for you?

Life is what it is. It was hard, and I climbed on top of it. Life was no harder than I made it. Life gave me lessons and I learned from them. Life is all about learning, and I learned the lessons that were served to me. No whining, complaining, or feeling sorry for myself. 

Why should we live if there's no free will?

There is always free will. 

Are we here and now?

No, for me, you are here and now. Unless we are talking together, at the same time, we can never be together “here and now” as we will always be at differing times.

What personal experiences led you to stop believing in religion?

Have you really read Genesis? I became “spiritual” because of Genesis. God stopped writing things down because man kept misinterpreting them. So, what does the man do, he prints a Holy Bible. Man reinterprets almost everything he prints in the Bible. How many Councils of Nicaea have there been? We can’t stop. God stopped.

“We must be cautious that as we accept by faith that nothing is too hard for God, we do not begin to dictate to him which hard thing he must do. He tends to have things in mind that go far beyond what we are able to ask or even think.”

-- John H. Walton

What are the various reasons for sabotaging oneself?

The only reason I can think of is… the person’s an idiot. The rest of us are trying not to sabotage ourselves.

I like the thought of wasting my entire life and missing out on happiness. Why?

Ignorance? Why? Well, you admit to wasting your entire life and missing out on happiness. Seems pretty ignorant to me. Missing out on happiness? Be real. Happiness is the third most important thing - life, learning, and happiness. Everything else supports the first three. If you don’t have the first three, you aren’t trying very hard.

Can any religious belief system be proven true without relying on faith? Are there any facts that support religious beliefs?

The only religious belief system proven mostly true is Taoism.

Is it true that atheism leads to a lack of purpose in life? If so, how do atheists find meaning in their lives?

I’m a spiritual being, and I see no difference between atheists and theists as far as finding meaning in their lives. Try again.

What if everyone committed omnicide?

There would be no one to mourn the death of everybody. Omnicide is stupid.

What was the best day of your life, and what made it so? Have you had more than one?

The day my son was born, and then, 5 years later, the day my daughter was born. And then, in the year 2000, I got my divorce. There are so many good moments, but these are the best.

“My first words, as I was being born... I looked up at my mother and said, 'That's the last time I'm going up one of those.”

-- Stephen Fry

Are we alive before we are conceived?

If you believe in reincarnation, then, yes.

How can you limit the use of social media when you can’t have genuine connections in real life either?

Stop using “social media” and you’ll find out how many people you really have genuine connections with.

What did you do to ruin your life?

I got married.

What's the hardest thing in your life right now?

That’s kind of personal. But, if you’re discussing labor… nothing. I’m retired, so nothing is that difficult. I strive to be truly happy always.

Should I destroy my life by doing what I want since my vision is getting worse?

I can’t think of one reason, other than depriving people of your presence.

Why do we live in a world where you have to have experience in the field, as opposed to just being great at it? Wouldn't someone being perfectly great at something be better than someone who just has little experience?

We live a life that demands we learn. The fact that we have to learn makes life a bit safer for us. But, if you want to “wing it” with your being “great” at something, let me get a bit of distance between us so I’m safe… when you screw the pooch.

"Screw the pooch was popularized by the 1979 book-turned-movie, The Right Stuff, by Tom Wolfe. Based on the Mercury Seven space program of the 1960s, the book and the film both depict characters repeatedly using screw the pooch – an effort to use actual NASA jargon and slang of the day."

-- Slang Dictionary

How do I navigate through a rough high school life knowing that there are still a few years left?

Because… there are only a few years left. Get over it. If high school puts a burr under your saddle, wait until you get to college, that’s if you get that far.

What are some works that have been imported from the future?

The future hasn’t happened yet. We rely on “imagining” what the future will be like.

Why don’t bad, mean stupid, weird, ignorant, and/or arrogant people like the truths and honesties?

Because truth and honesty tell them they are bad, mean, stupid, weird, ignorant, and/or arrogant people.

If free will is an illusion, why do people still strive to choose between good and evil?

They have the “free will” to do so, and having “free will” is not an illusion. Every living creature has “free will” to do, or not to do. It may not be obvious to them, but it is there for them to use.

What is "expectation" for real? I don't have a clear idea or understanding of it.

Do you “expect” us to tell you? “Expectation” is what you think will happen. It might happen, or not, but your “expectation” of the possible event is real.

In a world where we trust science, given the worldwide scientific consensus that human life begins at conception, and for their age they are perfectly formed humans, who are we to disavow the science? Don't we all have the essential right to life?

We do. The first mistake is trusting science. Science is questioned constantly. 

“We cannot diminish the value of one category of human life, "the unborn", without diminishing the value of all human life.”

-- President Ronald Reagan

Why is it that people tend to do things the way most people do? I work two days a week instead of five and am single (because the less time around people, less problems). Why don't more people do this?

Most people don’t like to be single.

Author's comment: If you look at people who are married or dating a lot of the time it isn’t an ideal situation. same with families. the hardships from that. More people should be single and not want anything to do with dating due to the complications it causes. When you are on your own you are only responsible for yourself and can do what you want to do.

My reply: I can’t be that selfish, denying people a piece of me.

What should someone do if they don't really enjoy volunteering in charity shops, but the few other options are either unsuitable or so selective you have to know someone to get in?

Volunteering in a soup kitchen is an option. I used to help feed the hungry, outside, in Olympia. “Volunteering” is not a hard game to play. You have to try a bit harder.

What does true happiness mean in this life?

You know what true happiness is if you are poor and truly happy. If you lost a good-paying job, smile, and take the tact that it is what it is, you know what true happiness is. True happiness is not about money. True happiness is an attitude that you never lose. Poor or rich, if you have true happiness you know what it is. 

If a black cat, crossing your path from left to right, is considered bad luck, is a WHITE cat, crossing your path from left to right, considered good luck?

This has been around for a while and it is bullshit. If you buy into it, you are already in the crosshairs. You will have a better day if you pet the kitty.

Have you ever had a 'why me' moment?

I shake my head every time I get slammed by people on this site, that don't like my answers. It is a “why me” moment when I see that the people have not answered the question for themselves. I would rather like these people to answer the question, instead of ragging me. It is what it is, but it doesn’t have to be. 

In the future, if a strong artificial intelligence is shut down and restarted, will it still be the same robot?

If it has an AI brain, storing everything it does, it will still be the same AI “robot” when rebooted.

“Any AI smart enough to pass a Turing test is smart enough to know to fail it.”

-- Ian McDonald

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