Questioning Living, Altruism, Value, Church, Learning, and Life

 

“The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”

-- Mark Twain

What do I do when I don't see the point in living anymore?

If you are in reasonable health, what’s your point? Are you tired of learning? That is the entire point of your life - to learn. If you end your life, there will be no more. As a learner, you are useful in life. If you continue to fail at your prime directive, there is no use for you. Start learning and get on the train for the next life.

What if Earth was autistic?

What? You need to think about this.

Do you think inspiration is something we find, or does it find us? Why?

Inspiration is something we find. You can sit in front of a project until you come up with an inspiration. You will have an “Aha!” moment, as your inspiration explodes in your brain.

Is being a human being good?

If you are a good human, then, yes.

What do I do, when my best isn't good enough?

It is what it is. You can try harder. Your “best” might be better. In this case, your “best” really might not be your best.

What are the best ways to painlessly end life?

Slip into a coma. Any other way can be painful. That makes suicide… ignorant.

“You knew when you saw those eyes he was going to die soon. There was no sign of life in his flesh, just the barest trace of what had once been a life. His body was like a dilapidated old house from which all the fixtures and fittings had been removed, awaiting its final demolition. Around the dry lips clumps of whiskers sprouted like weeds. So, I thought, even after so much of a man's life force has been lost, his beard continues to grow.”

-- Haruki Murakami

What is wrong with altruism?

“The belief in or practice of disinterested and selfless concern for the well-being of others” has nothing wrong with it. The problem is that many people don’t practice it enough.

Is life not what I think?

Your life is what you make of it. It may not be perfect, but it is yours. Try harder.

Why is knowledge really important for our future?

Our prime directive on this plane of existence is to learn. If we all learn, we will have a glut of knowledge. In order for us to move into the future with our heads held high, we need to do it with the knowledge we have gathered. Or, we can sit around a fire in a cave and grunt at each other. Given the choice, I’d really like to take our knowledge to the future. Knowledge will make the future a bit brighter.

Why do we have to do things in this life?

You don’t. You don’t have to do anything. You can be a bump on a log.

Is it alright to have sex with an ex who cheated on me?

If you have sex with a person you were married to, that cheated on you, what does this say about you? They will continue to cheat. The only thing you get is sex because they need it, not because you want it. If you have sex with an ex who cheated on you, you are simple-minded. 

Dark chocolate is bad. Do you agree?

Try this:

“Eating dark chocolate with high cocoa content in moderation can deliver antioxidants and minerals and may help protect you from heart disease. But it may also contain high amounts of sugar and calories. Dark chocolate is loaded with nutrients that can positively affect your health. Made from the seed of the cacao tree, it’s one of the best sources of antioxidants you can find. Studies show that dark chocolate can improve your health and lower the risk of heart disease.”

-- Healthline

How can I stop being worthless and have value?

You have the potential value, but you have not exercised it. Stop thinking you are worthless and move forward with vigor. Find a goal and strive to conquer it.

If nobody needs me, do I still need to be alive? Why?

To learn. Learning is the prime directive for life. If you aren’t alive, we are missing a learner. That means other people need to take up the slack you left. They need to learn the stuff you didn’t want to learn. And, you might bump into people that need you. You never know what will happen.

What renews your faith in humans?

If they practice true selflessness.

How do I know that my future is going to be okay?

Do you strive to be truly happy always, and in all things, regardless of your circumstances? If you aren’t, you have a problem. If you are always happy, the future doesn’t matter. What matters is what is happening right now, and if you are truly happy, "now" is great.

What do you do if you live a lifetime in a day?

Sex of a lifetime… for a day. Let’s get to it!

When will everything be okay?

If you are alive, everything is okay. Celebrate your life and whatever lesson you are learning, because learning is why we are here. Don’t think that learning is drama. Learning is the prime directive for life.

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

-- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Why doesn't anybody go to church anymore?

In the South, the churches are packed.

Why do we strive to live, when life is totally against us?

Life isn’t against you. Everybody might be against you, but life is what it is. You need to change what you’re doing and see what is “totally against you” lightens up.

Should everybody mind their own business?

Wouldn’t that be great?

Why is life so important, and what is the meaning of life?

Life is important because I’m alive. This might not please you, but it tickles the hell out of me. The fact that I’m alive lets me learn everything I can before I die and move on to the next life, where I can learn more.

What is life? What gives the meaning of life?

Learning. It is the prime directive. Learn all you can, before you move on to the next life. 

Why won’t God hear me if I have sin uncontested?

God hears you. But, the sin you have, that is uncontested, should be taken care of - by you. God wants us to take care of our own life before we move on to the next life If you don’t take care of it here, you will be taking care of it in the next life. 

“Sin is the inveterate tendency of human beings to serve themselves rather than God, or their neighbors, or the creation God gave them. Even my efforts to get rid of it will inevitably - somewhere, somehow - be tainted by self-serving. I can corrupt any act, however good… Sin is not just “bad action”; it’s a condition of all the actions of the fallen race… Our actions are never going to be able to bring about the ultimate triumph of goodness over evil."

-- Robert Farrar Capon

Is it true that our purpose in life is to love God and others?

Our purpose is to learn. Loving God and others is what we are supposed to be all about.

What do you do if you can't do anything when you know what's coming?

Run around like Chicken Little, screaming that the sky is falling. Or, you can just accept the inevitable, you can’t do anything about what’s coming. If the earth was going to explode tomorrow, there is nothing I can do about it… but screw my brains out, for 24 hours.

Do you want to become awesome?

I’m already there.

How does education contribute to personal and professional growth?

If you are serious about your education, learning is paramount. The right education will contribute to your personal and professional growth by teaching you what you will have to know. Learning is up to each of us.

How do you find true fulfillment in your career?

Enjoy what you do in your career. I enjoyed the heck out of my Intelligence career.

What's the purpose of living when your purpose in life is just to survive?

Are you learning anything about survival? That is the “purpose” of survival, you can learn from it. If you have learned nothing from it, life has been a waste of your time. Start learning.

“The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience.”

-- Eleanor Roosevelt

Is it true that only you can change your life, no one else can do it for you?

Others can change your life if you let them. But, you have to let them. It is your life, and you are in charge of it. If you let others change your life, you have allowed it to happen. This is why a revolution happens. People don’t agree being under the thumb of bad leadership. It is your life.

What life experiences taught you to find meaning in suffering?

Six weeks of Air Force Basic Training, and a couple of months of Intelligence tech school.

What does "living life" really mean to you specifically?

To live your life, every minute that you are on this planet fully. And, to not let drama tamp down the happiness you are supposed to enjoy in life.

Why does life never promise to be easy?

Because you are the one who is supposed to make life easy. It is your promise.

What life will make you a better person?

The life I’ve lived has made me a better person. You don’t have a choice of your life. You make the best of what you have - your life. You make sure that it makes you a better person, in the end. If you fail at this, you have failed at life. You have to start all over again and try to make it great. Be truly happy in all things, regardless of your circumstances. If you can’t do this, you need to change the direction of your life. 

Is true randomness possible, or is everything determined by underlying patterns?

Have you tossed dice at the “craps” table? Randomness is always possible.

“If you hear a "prominent" economist using the word 'equilibrium,' or 'normal distribution,' do not argue with him; just ignore him, or try to put a rat down his shirt.”

-- Nassim Nicholas Taleb

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