Touch

"Many people are alive but don't touch the miracle of being alive." 

-- Thich Nhat Hanh, Buddhist monk, lecturer, poet

Our path begins at life, our journey, begins with a single touch.  For most of us it will be in the gentle touch of our mother, for others in the kindness shown by a stranger.  Is it the simple act of reaching out to something or someone?  Is it about how we reach out and the emotion we put into the act?  Is it how we interpret touching?  I think one thing is certain, we are all "touched" in one way or another; we can only hope it is for the better.

I was impressed by a Catholic priest, recently, who came to the medical center for a "Blessing of the Hands" of the medical staff and volunteers.  He was all of five foot nothing with the thick African accent of his homeland.  I am not big on Catholic priests, an unfortunate opinion formed from a couple of years in Catholic grade school, Catechism, and catching the tail end of the Latin language in Mass.  You haven't experience Mass as a Catholic until you have to sit through the long, boring ceremony listening to it from an older than Christ priest speaking in Latin with a heavy Irish brogue.  Just shoot me now.

“Sometimes, reaching out and taking someone's hand is the beginning of a journey. At other times, it is allowing another to take yours.”

-- Vera Nazarian, author

This priest, however, was something different.  This small man had a toothy smile which lit up the hospital foyer as he entered.  He shook my hand with both of his, and made everyone he touched feel special... just for being alive.  The emotion he displayed when speaking about doctors, nurses, and the volunteers was palpable.  Yes, it was his persona, but it was also his touch.  It was as if his small frame was charged with a palpable, spiritual calm; a subtle, peaceful energy of love for mankind I have never had the joy of experiencing before.  If this was a representative of Christ on earth, I can only imagine the aura of Christ Himself.  How absolutely marvelous this must have been.

The great lecturer, and academician, Dr. Leo Buscaglia, was capable of making one feel love and life through his energetic presentations.  He would wear me out just watching him speak, and does so today, years after his death, as I continue to enjoy his many lectures online.  Perspiring from the intensity of his lecture, he was constantly wiping his brow and face with a handkerchief.  I was so riveted by his lecture I would find myself having to wipe my own brow and eyes, as if listening had become an energetic activity and I was trying to keep up.  His was a proof that words also have the ability to touch others.  It was proof that, for many of us, you can truly have faith in something you cannot feel or touch.  Leo had the gift, the ability to reach inside of us and flick on that switch so many of us could not see.  

“Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.”

-- Leo Buscaglia

How do we "touch the miracle of being alive" or, if we even know, explain it to others?  I think the concept would be like explaining why we lie to people who know concept of anything other than truth, or trying to explain God when we have never been in the presence of God.  I think the Buddhists touch on it when they try to explain the Tao:

Within the context of traditional Chinese philosophy and religion, the Tao is the intuitive knowing of "life" that cannot be grasped full-heartedly as just a concept but is known nonetheless through actual living experience of one's everyday being.

Laozi in the Tao Te Ching explains that the Tao is not a 'name' for a 'thing' but the underlying natural order of the Universe whose ultimate essence is difficult to circumscribe due to it being non conceptual yet evident' in one's being of aliveness. The Tao is "eternally nameless” and to be distinguished from the countless 'named' things which are considered to be its manifestations, the reality of life before its descriptions of it.

-- Wikipedia, "Tao"

Even in their own philosophy they fully admit explaining the Tao is an exercise in describing the indescribable, and even if it could be done you would have not described it.  As Christians we learn, like the Taoist we must be "free of desire" in order to observe the wonders of God, because if we are full of desire we will only see the manifestations of those wonders.  I see this as why many Christians focus so much on the word of scripture instead of the spirit which manifested it.  I think there comes a point when we cross the fine line between looking upon the Bible as Holy Scripture, or as idolatry on par with God.

The Tao that can be spoken is not the eternal Tao

The name that can be named is not the eternal name

The nameless is the origin of Heaven and Earth

The named is the mother of myriad things 

Thus, constantly free of desire

One observes its wonders

Constantly filled with desire

One observes its manifestations 

These two emerge together but differ in name

The unity is said to be the mystery

Mystery of mysteries, the door to all wonders

-- Laozi (??? - 531 BC), "Tao Te Ching"

 As humans we live for the touch of other humans.  Barring that, we live for the touch of another living creature.  Even a loner appreciates the occasional time with others, even if those others are creatures of the woodland.  Our lives revolve around touch, or being touched, whether it is physically or mentally.  We can be touched by what we hear as well as what we see, and can touch others by what we say and what we do.  As spiritual beings we overcome our fears through faith, and our desire to stand back by our overwhelming need to help our neighbor.  It is who we are; touching, hands on, a part of God's creation.  To be anything else would weigh heavily on our conscience, no matter our excuse.  

I try to give to the poor people for love what the rich could get for money. No, I wouldn't touch a leper for a thousand pounds; yet I willingly cure him for the love of God.

-- Mother Teresa

We exist, and by existing we touch, and by touching we become, for better or worse, a part of what was, is now, and what will be.

In rivers, the water that you touch is the last of what has passed and the first of that which comes; so with present time.

-- Leonardo da Vinci

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 opinion any more right or wrong than the other. An opinion, presented in this context, is a way of inciting others to think and, hopefully, to form opinions of their own, 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 another viewpoint. 

It is my fervent hope that we keep open and active minds when reading opinions and then engaging in peaceful, constructive, discussion in an arena of mutual respect concerning the opinions put forth. After over twenty years with military intelligence, I have come to believe engaging each other in this manner and in this arena is the 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 do afterward, and what we learn from the experience.

Pastor Tony spent 22 years with Air Force Intelligence as a planner, analyst, briefer, and instructor. He is founder of the Congregation for Religious Tolerance and author/editor of the Congregation's official blog site, "The Path," which offers a vehicle for commentary and guidance concerning one's own personal, spiritual, path toward peace and the final destination.

My Sunday Thought for 08072016: Being Truly Great

"I believe that if you get involved in competition at a really young age, you have a false sense of the reality of true talent. You get stuck on learning how to win something instead of learning how to be truly great at your craft."

-- Aubrey O'Day, singer-songwriter, actress

The stairway to true greatness lies before you.  You can stand there and stare at it until hell freezes, or you can take the first step on the climb of your life.  But, before you start, ask yourself, "Why?"  Then, when you are satisfied with why you are making the climb, maybe you should think about what you're going to do after you reach the top, since the major problem with the top is... it's the top.

Someone can be a talented guitarist and blues singer, but unless they've experienced what it takes to sing the blues, they will never be truly great except to those that didn't grow up listening to the "greats" of the blues genre.  And those "greats" might have made a ton of money but, truth be known, they enjoy a smoky bar stage more than an auditorium full of people.  They enjoy a street corner jam session with friends more than a backup band for the album.  They enjoy their art more than their fame.

“Who is more humble? The scientist who looks at the universe with an open mind and accepts whatever the universe has to teach us, or somebody who says everything in this book must be considered the literal truth and never mind the fallibility of all the human beings involved?” 

-- Carl Sagan (1934-1996), astrophysicist, author

What do you when you finally reach the top, the end of your path? If that’s where you want to be, then you do nothing. But, for the truly great, for those who truly enjoy their craft, the end of the path is simply an opportunity to blaze a new trail of discovery. It isn't about the destination; after all, it is about the journey. It isn't whether you win or lose; it's about how you play the game. The best can never be truly great without a strong sense of humility. Without humility you're either a talented ass, or just an ass.

“There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self.”

-- Ernest Hemingway (1899-1961), novelist, journalist

The truly great are a humble lot.

“A great man is always willing to be little.”

― Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882), essayist, poet

If you weren't brought up by parents or mentors with a concept of what it takes to be truly great in your own right, I can only point you to the best advice available from one of the greatest, yet most humble person I can think of.  One may not start out on their path with thoughts of greatness.  Many times greatness is what overtakes us in our endeavor.  How we deal with this greatness and notoriety says much about who we are and how others view us in the context of friend, teacher, or leader.  It also says much about how we will be remembered by society and history.

Carefully watch your thoughts, for they become your words. Manage and watch your words, for they will become your actions. Consider and judge your actions, for they have become your habits. Acknowledge and watch your habits, for they shall become your values. Understand and embrace your values, for they become your destiny.

 -- Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948), civil rights philosopher

As usual, I beat this post out this morning before coffee... yeah, that would have been about 5:30.  I polished it and put it through spell and grammar check this evening, reread it knowing full well that the League of the Perpetually Offended would find some reason not to like it, decided I really didn't care what they thought, and added my "Get Out of Jail Free" card to the bottom, as I always do when the deal is sealed.  Should I take more time to be "politically correct" with my posts?  Do you really want me to blow smoke up your collective ass?  I think not.

In my own eyes, I will never be "truly great."  What I will always try to be is honest and humble; it is all any of us can strive for.  As a self-admitted hypocrite and sinner, I will probably continue to fail at this much, but I will always come back into the fray with renewed vigor.  I remember my past, live in my present, and know my future.  This is my path, and life is good.

It isn't what you can be, what you achieve, or how high you can climb.  It is why you dream, why you achieve, and why you climb, that dictates why you exist, and why you exist defines, in no small measure, the kind of person you truly are.

Be truly great!

A great man is always willing to be little; 

the little man has yet to understand how great he already is.

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 opinion any more right or wrong than the other. An opinion, presented in this context, is a way of inciting others to think and, hopefully, to form opinions of their own, 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 another viewpoint. 

It is my fervent hope that we keep open and active minds when reading opinions and then engaging in peaceful, constructive, discussion in an arena of mutual respect concerning the opinions put forth. After over twenty years with military intelligence, I have come to believe engaging each other in this manner and in this arena is the 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 do afterward, and what we learn from the experience.

Pastor Tony spent 22 years with Air Force Intelligence as a planner, analyst, briefer, and instructor. He is founder of the Congregation for Religious Tolerance and author/editor of the Congregation's official blog site, "The Path," which offers a vehicle for commentary and guidance concerning one's own personal, spiritual, path toward peace and the final destination.

Ghosts of Childhood's Past

I was putting my daughter to bed one night,

when she was around two.

She said, “Mommy, who’s that?”

“Who’s what?” I asked.

“Those people talking to me, in my closet. Who is that?”

I just about shit myself.

-- Unknown

It was a dark and stormy night... I was seven years old and was being allowed to stay up and watch Peter Lorre, Robert Alda, and Andrea King in the 1946 horror film, The Beast with Five Fingers.  I would soon be following it with such classics as The House on Haunted Hill, The Haunting of Hell House, and Thirteen Ghosts.  Thirteen years later I would find myself working for military intelligence.

I entertained no thoughts of mystery concerning my occasional conversations with fellow intelligence personnel about creative ways to make an enemy talk; I knew what made my skin crawl and it wasn't "waterboarding."  Waterboarding is interrogation amateur night; a hazing technique performed by college fraternities and now outlawed by universities.  In the movies you see interrogators make a grand display of laying out their numerous shiny and sharp, tools of the trade, the trade which nullifies all your human rights, usually because you've dared to nullify someone else's. These interrogators go through way more trouble than one would think necessary in order to extract information, and talk way too much about it beforehand.

I say let's simplify the procedure, especially in combat situations:  Give me a simple scalpel, a large mirror, and a gag.  I really don't care if the blade is sterile, and I'm feeling peckish so... bring me pastrami on rye with lots of mustard since this may take a while.  There won't be much conversation as they'll be wearing the gag and watching everything in the mirror, hence the sound of muffled screams.  Oh, and no witnesses, please, as this is the stuff of Congressional committees more interested in protecting our enemies than our saving  own personnel, so... don't let the door hit you in the ass on your way out. 

A PhD in child psychology and a million dollar grant isn't necessary, I suspect what a child is subjected to, or experiences on their own, has great bearing on the ghosts they bring with them into adulthood.  I also suspect this is why I shy away from horror movies today.  One can only stare into the abyss so long.  But this is what it takes to keep a country safe and secure,  These are horrors the common citizen has a right to know, but doesn't really want to hear until it hits the front page of the Times and they scream in mock offense.

“Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you.” 

-- Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900), philosopher

Where men are concerned, parent's used to raise them.  It was a matter of pride for a father to bring his son into adulthood and show off the man his son had become.  I think that this idea of manhood has morphed into education, stock portfolios, and job positioning.  Gone are the real men of yesteryear that went to war and came back to live full productive lives.  We no longer seem to raise men to be soldiers.  Is this a good thing?

Men and women are now fighting kinder, gentler, wars.  They now go into battle with one hand tied behind their back with "rules of engagement."  Do we still build capable soldiers, or are we molding ambassadors to throw at the enemy like so much fodder?  If we are, this is not the brave soldiers fault.  This is the fault of their parents, our government, courts, and trial lawyers.  God forbid parents bring their children up able to survive in today's world.  God forbid we touch, or verbally abuse a soldier as training to keep them alive.  We wouldn't want to hurt their precious sensitivities after all.  Do we really prefer seeing them come home in body bags rather than hurt their feelings for a pitiful few weeks of basic training?  Better we give them participation awards they can wear proudly into battle against an enemy that relishes cutting their heads off as sport.  

As for me, "I love the smell of napalm in the morning" and God bless "Old Blood and Guts," General George S. Patton, Jr.  If you go into battle ill prepared to do anything less than kill the enemy, you should stay home and learn their language so you can assimilate all the easier after they kick your ass.  Is our new strategy is to come up with better weapons, unmanned weapons, as a much more expensive yet efficient way to fight war, or would it seem an admission that we no longer have a military of people mentally fit to fight the monsters of this world on their own turf?  Is it better to lose our children trying to win hearts and minds of our enemy, or should we simply kill them all and let God sort them out?

War changes people, it always has and, God willing, it always will.  It is a way of reminding ourselves we don't want to wage war.  If war is good for anything, however, it is a test of soldiers to go into battle and prove their mettle, their ability to preserve their freedom and way of life, to protect all they hold dear.  We send our young people to war and we're supposed to get back adults prepared to carry our country forward.  Instead we, for the most part, get back emotionally broken, psychologically and physically broken, young people.  But, then, that yearned for success all depends on a quality of training where we can separate the wheat from the chaff before we send them off to die.  Today we seem content to litter the battlefields and hospitals with too much of our brave kids that we probably should have never been sent to fight.

If you battle monsters, you don't always become a monster. But you aren't entirely human anymore, either.

-- Jonathan Maberry, author

The monsters of childhood's past we bring with us into adulthood.  For some, we use our personal monsters, we need these personal monsters; to fight the real monsters of our adult reality, those Nazis, ISIS, insane criminals and sociopaths which lay in wait at the gates to our adult nightmares.  Writer Alice Sebold said these "murderers are not monsters, they're men. And that's the most frightening thing about them.”  Do our monsters need to be more frightening and capable than theirs?  I wonder.  We are, all of us, monsters to some degree even if it's just in the knowledge of what we let others do to secure our safety and freedom.

There is no denying that Hitler and Stalin are alive today... they are waiting for us to forget, because this is what makes possible the resurrection of these two monsters.

-- Simon Wiesenthal, Holocaust survivor

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 opinion any more right or wrong than the other. An opinion, presented in this context, is a way of inciting others to think and, hopefully, to form opinions of their own, 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 another viewpoint. 

It is my fervent hope that we keep open and active minds when reading opinions and then engaging in peaceful, constructive, discussion in an arena of mutual respect concerning the opinions put forth. After over twenty years with military intelligence, I have come to believe engaging each other in this manner and in this arena is the 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 do afterward, and what we learn from the experience.

Pastor Tony spent 22 years with Air Force Intelligence as a planner, analyst, briefer, and instructor. He is founder of the Congregation for Religious Tolerance and author/editor of the Congregation's official blog site, "The Path," which offers a vehicle for commentary and guidance concerning one's own personal, spiritual, path toward peace and the final destination.

My Sunday Thought for 07312016: At The Edge of Forever

The Edge of Forever

To stand at the edge of forever

The end of the path

To view the many wonders

Of what lay beyond  

To glance back, one last time

At that which has gone before,

Brought us to this point

Our history; our life

One more step to take

Into the great unknown

Mysteries of lay beyond beyond

And the truth of God

Lean forward, over the edge

With sudden realization

We already know all

And God was never a mystery

To take a knee at the precipice

And not be able to cry

The sound of silent laughter

Deafening in its empathy

Just one step to take, but... no

Many wonders lay beyond

Countless wonders lay behind

One more step...

Just one...

"I've followed you on many adventures... but into the great unknown mystery, I go first, Indy!"  These were the last few words of Wu Tan before he died in the arms of his longtime friend, Indiana Jones.  "The great unknown mystery" is something that has occupied man's imagination since before he had one.  How would you feel standing at the edge of forever?  Is your soul prepared for what comes next?  What if you don't wake up tomorrow?  Still feel prepared?

I have faith in God and in a hereafter.  My desire to believe in an afterlife is driven by pure selfishness.  You see, I don't want to die and find out the atheists are right, because I won't be able to be pissed off about it.  Better they should die and find out they are, well... nothing.  And I think if you don't pad your bet with a healthy dose of belief in God, salvation, and an afterlife, you either get what you ask for, or you come back as a fly nibbling dung off some elephant's... well, you get the idea.

I look forward to standing at the edge of forever.  I hope to do so after I live much more of this already so eventful life.  I want one last chance to rage at the dying of the light, and then I'd like to drop trou and moon the world before taking that step forward "into the great unknown mystery."  I think that would make a fitting top piece to my headstone, an old guy shooting the moon with trousers down around his ankles.  Kind of tells everyone what you were about?  If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything, show them.  But the truth is, I have lots of nice things to say.  I say them constantly.  It is the reason my mouth had been the bane of my existence up until I learned the concept of "proper comment at the proper time and in the proper place."

As for the next step, I hope to make my way slowly to the edge, gnarled cane in hand and fedora set rakishly on my bald, liver spotted, head.  My cousin made a comment the other day, that her day was great as she was "still on this side of the dirt." I identify with that sentiment each and every morning.  I'm already prepared to take the step, I just don't know if I'll ever really want to.  I suppose it would help if I knew what God's plan was for me.  I'd hate to think it's all about relaxing.  I'll go freaking bat shit crazy if I just sit around for eternity; talk about your own personal hell.

What will you do when you approach the edge?  Will you be prepared?  Are any of us ever prepared?  But this is just food for thought, and My Sunday Thought for this last day of July, 2016.

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 opinion any more right or wrong than the other. An opinion, presented in this context, is a way of inciting others to think and, hopefully, to form opinions of their own, 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 another viewpoint. 

It is my fervent hope that we keep open and active minds when reading opinions and then engaging in peaceful, constructive, discussion in an arena of mutual respect concerning the opinions put forth. After over twenty years with military intelligence, I have come to believe engaging each other in this manner and in this arena is the 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 do afterward, and what we learn from the experience.

Pastor Tony spent 22 years with Air Force Intelligence as a planner, analyst, briefer, and instructor. He is founder of the Congregation for Religious Tolerance and author/editor of the Congregation's official blog site, "The Path," which offers a vehicle for commentary and guidance concerning one's own personal, spiritual, path toward peace and the final destination.

Women - Be the Pedestal (Part 2 - Commentary)

On the darkest days, when I feel inadequate, unloved and unworthy,
I remember whose daughter I am and straighten my crown.

Sometimes I write posts which resonate with my audience.  Usually these posts concern women, the issues I see them having to deal with, my opinions of those issues, and my undying respect and love of the gender in general.  I was brought up to respect women, to open doors for them, treat them gently, and place them on a pedestal where they might be protected and admired.  Every woman, whether she knows it or not, is a trophy.  If being thought of in this way offends some, well, get over it.

I wrote the post, Women - Be the Pedestal, because I was again finding myself fielding comments from women who feel inadequate, unloved, and unworthy.  And, the obvious reasons for this?  Well, they were inadequate, unloved, and unworthy.  They had listened to the bullshit around them so long they had become what others thought they should be, and that was manifest into what others saw.  How sad is that for the one of God's creatures tasked with being the mother of us all?

“A consequence of female self-love is that the woman grows convinced of social worth. Her love for her body will be unqualified, which is the basis of female identification. If a woman loves her own body, she doesn't grudge what other women do with theirs; if she loves femaleness, she champions its rights.

-- Naomi Wolf

I received a comment on the post which sparked this "Part 2" installment.  I have shared it, below, with minimal changes to correct formatting issues.  It might benefit you to read Women - Be the Pedestal, first, so you can approach this comment in context. 

I did not read the whole article but I intend to, and I do appreciate it. It opens the door to a whole new dialogue especially coming from a man to women. The truth is that most females don't identify or understand who they really are. I could elaborate but what for. For one thing, we don't get the whole picture about self-esteem. Look around you. Whether you are a male or female you must learn to love yourself first before loving anyone else not to mention LEARNING to love GOD. God accepts us exactly the way we are on the outside; he is only interested in the unseen on the inside.

It is of no consequence how attractive or beautiful you are, that will not get you an audience with the ONE it matters with most. We did not come here to stay. We all must leave; talk to God about it. You are beautiful and whatever is imperfect to others should not matter. The one you need to please is God. If you are not satisfied with yourself then do something about it if that is possible. Otherwise leave off with the earthly physical of who you are supposed to be or look like. 

There is a whole lot more too each FEMALE than her outward makeup/gender if she would just identify with the gifts that GOD has endowed her with and I don't mean her physical body. Each one of us is unique in our own way. God is our FATHER and I say lovingly - Talk to HIM about it and see what happens.  Ask and you shall receive. Seek and you shall find. Knock and the door shall be opened to you. All you need do is ASK. I hope I have not offended anyone for I had the best intentions.

--Anonymous, Women - Be the Pedestal, July 5, 2016 at 9:12 AM

It is another unfortunate reality of our times that parenting and faith are no longer priorities for so many of us.  Parenting to teach our young girls how they should act, look, and expect to be treated by society.  Faith which would instill in them the knowledge that they have a path laid out before them to become more than they are, regardless of what anyone else might tell them.

When we love we should love God, self, family, and society, in that order.  One might ask why I always say you need to love yourself before you can truly love others, yet God comes first on my list.  My answer would be that God loves you whether or not you understand that you already love God.  It would be like the rebellious child that hates their father without understanding that the father's love is unconditional.  You can't truly love unless you love yourself, but sometimes folks need God's help to understand why they are; why they exist.  Once we understand why we are, it is easier to understand who and what we are, or will become.  With this understanding comes a greater understanding and love of God.  

If you imagine your love as a pyramid of priorities with God and self-represented as a gold coin spinning at the top, God and self  on either side, one and the same as contradictory evidence, the paradox, that we must love ourselves before we can love God and we must love God before we can love ourselves.

“A person learns how to love himself through the simple acts of loving and being loved by someone else.”

-- Haruki Murakami, novelist

French lawyer, politician and author, Anthelme Brillat-Savarin (1755-1826), once wrote, "Tell me what you eat and I will tell you what you are."  I think his comment is not so much to do with gastronomy as with his witty observation of the human condition.  We are what we eat.  We are our faith, our beliefs, and our actions.  We are, for better or worse, what we want to be.

“It’s all about falling in love with yourself and sharing that love with someone who appreciates you, rather than looking for love to compensate for a self love deficit.”

-- Eartha Kitt (1927-2008), singer, actress

Whether one is plus-sized or slender to the point of anorexia, the only concern should be how it affects your health and your continued life among those that truly care about you.  What you are on the outside should reflect what you are on the inside.  If you're fat because you're the "life of the party" ton of fun, so be it.  Be happy and revel in it.  Show people you are happy with why you are by your positive outward appearance.  If you dress nicely, do your hair, and put on some appropriate makeup, everyone will learn to understand that you are all about happiness, life, and love.  You should strive, for your own benefit, to make a statement that you do not wallow in self-pity, and you are so much more than meets the eye.  Be the woman of mystery; be the mother of the future; be strength, the foundation, and the pedestal on which you stand for all to see!  

“I am so beautiful, sometimes people weep when they see me. And it has nothing to do with what I look like really, it is just that I gave myself the power to say that I am beautiful, and if I could do that, maybe there is hope for them too. And the great divide between the beautiful and the ugly will cease to be. Because we are all what we choose.”

-- Margaret Cho, comedian, actress, author

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 opinion any more right or wrong than the other. An opinion, presented in this context, is a way of inciting others to think and, hopefully, to form opinions of their own, 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 another viewpoint. 

It is my fervent hope that we keep open and active minds when reading opinions and then engaging in peaceful, constructive, discussion in an arena of mutual respect concerning the opinions put forth. After over twenty years with military intelligence, I have come to believe engaging each other in this manner and in this arena is the 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 do afterward, and what we learn from the experience.

Pastor Tony spent 22 years with Air Force Intelligence as a planner, analyst, briefer, and instructor. He is founder of the Congregation for Religious Tolerance and author/editor of the Congregation's official blog site, "The Path," which offers a vehicle for commentary and guidance concerning one's own personal, spiritual, path toward peace and the final destination.

Operation Valkyrie - At What Cost Salvation?

“Ich betreibe mit allen mir zur Verfügung stehenden Mitteln den Hochverrat…”

("I run with all my available funds to high treason ...")

-- Claus von Stauffenberg (1907-1944), on his plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler

There are only three quotes, I can find, attributable to Claus Philipp Maria Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg, a German army officer, Catholic aristocrat, and self-appointed assassin and savior of Germany.  He "was one of the leading members of the failed 20 July plot of 1944 to assassinate Adolf Hitler and remove the Nazi Party from power" during the operation known as Valkyrie.

The "Count of Stauffenberg," as he was titled, was a practicing Catholic who shunned membership in the Nazi Party. His Catholic guilt was triggered by what was happening to the Jews and religion under the rule of the Nazi Party.  He "basically approved of the racial principle of National Socialism, but considered it to be exaggerated and excessive."  Stauffenberg's sense of morality and justice would soon lead him to take action to defend the millions he saw suffering under the inhumanity of Nazi rule, action he would excuse as his right under Naturrecht (natural law).

We took this challenge before our Lord and our conscience, and it must be done, because this man, Hitler, he is the ultimate evil.

-- Claus von Stauffenberg

I always tout the benefit of remembering history because I have faith in the well-known statement by Edmund Burke (1729-1797), "Those who don't know history are destined to repeat it."  Maybe this is why I find Stauffenberg's story the stuff of faith; his faith in Germany, his military, his comrades in arms, himself, and his Christianity.  I see him as an unwitting savior of his country and, like Jesus, he finds himself embroiled in his plot and left holding the bag by his own cowardly, traitorous Judas,  his co-conspirator, Generaloberst Friedrich Fromm, who would have his fellows arrested and condemned to death.

We Americans are also revisiting the past with the recent attacks on the American right to keep and bear arms.  "A well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."  Again, one might ask what this has to do with my discussion.  To wit:  

"This year will go down in history.  For the first time, a civilized nation has full gun registration.  Our streets will be safer, our police more efficient, and the world will follow our lead into the future."

-- Adolf Hitler, 1935

History will record the actions taken by Claus von Stauffenberg as a heroic.  It would seem our own political parties are at odds with history, however.  One party would let the 2nd Amendment of our Constitution stand and, through much work, strive to accomplish the same laudable goals, stated by Hitler, of safer streets, efficient policing, and the respect of the world.  The other party would seem content to cancel the 2nd Amendment, have full gun registration or ban guns ownership altogether, and take us down the Hitler's Nazi path of National Socialism.  Both parties have to walk a tightrope of public opinion in our country lest they ignite another Civil War of brother against brother while also sidestepping another Holy Crusade against the radical terrorists infecting Islam.  I equate this last quote of Stauffenberg, below, to the current state of the American government:

If our most highly qualified General Staff officers had been told to work out the most nonsensical high level organization for war which they could think of, they could not have produced anything more stupid that that which we have at present.

-- Claus von Stauffenberg

What do we, as individuals, have to be willing to sacrifice for our social, political, religious, spiritual, and personal salvation?  I suppose this depends on how much of your freedom you value, and how much you also value your own sense of morality and justice.  Claus von Stauffenberg saw his duty to Germany, himself, and his Catholic faith.  He knew, all too well, what sacrifices probably would be required and what the consequences of his actions might be.   As far as political correctness is concerned, faith is one freedom which exists in the mind and, like free will, it cannot be taken away.  Our choices will always be the precursor of our consequences.

I'm just saying.

Stauffenberg memorial at the ruins of the Wolf's Lair, near Kętrzyn, Poland

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 opinion any more right or wrong than the other. An opinion, presented in this context, is a way of inciting others to think and, hopefully, to form opinions of their own, 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 another viewpoint. 

It is my fervent hope that we keep open and active minds when reading opinions and then engaging in peaceful, constructive, discussion in an arena of mutual respect concerning the opinions put forth. After over twenty years with military intelligence, I have come to believe engaging each other in this manner and in this arena is the 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 do afterward, and what we learn from the experience.

Pastor Tony spent 22 years with Air Force Intelligence as a planner, analyst, briefer, and instructor. He is founder of the Congregation for Religious Tolerance and author/editor of the Congregation's official blog site, "The Path," which offers a vehicle for commentary and guidance concerning one's own personal, spiritual, path toward peace and the final destination.

My Sunday Thought for 07242016: Religious Freedom or Hypocrisy?

"When evaluated as a whole, it's clear that opinions are shifting on the notion of religious freedom. For generations, religious beliefs enjoyed certain protections under the First Amendment. No longer, it seems. Increasingly, courts are declaring that if these beliefs are perceived as discriminatory in any way, they are unconstitutional. As a result, many Christians feel as if their fundamental belief system is under legal attack."

-- ULC Monastery, Christian Religious Freedom Under Attack

"Fundamental belief system," as mention in the article found above, indicates the obvious fact that Christians have fundamental faith in scripture, to wit:

You therefore have no excuse, you who pass judgment on another. For on whatever grounds you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things.

-- Romans 2:1

Who are you to judge a Servant who is not yours? For if he stands, he stands to his Master, and if he falls, he falls to his Master, for it is appointed to his Master to be able to establish him.

-- Romans 14:4

So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God. Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister.

-- Romans 14:12-13

Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.  But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’  For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

-- Matthew 9:12-13

Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me?  Up to seven times?”  Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.  “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.  As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold was brought to him.  Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.  “At this the servant fell on his knees before him.  ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’  The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.  “But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins.  He grabbed him and began to choke him.  ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded.  “His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.’  “But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt.  When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened.  “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to.  Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?"

-- Matthew 18:21-33

One can find many passages in scripture which some of us, as Christians, seem to conveniently forget  or reinterpret as it suits our denominational agenda, but these few examples give a flavor for the point I'm trying to make about judging and a fundamental lack of tolerance, forgiveness, and mercy as we Christians tend to forget about placing our faith's best foot forward.  Some of us seem to prefer to show the ugly side of Christianity, for reasons which escape me.

Christians also forget how scripture clarifies the laws of God and Man.  In Mark 12:13-17 we learn to follow the laws of the land as laid down by the  government as Jesus addresses the necessity of paying the imperial tax, "Give back to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's."  In this simple statement all is clarified.  If you wish to live in a country you must abide by the laws of that country.  If those laws run contrary to those of God, you have a choice to leave the country, leave "Egypt," if you will, for more agreeable pastures.  Fortunately, it seems scripture only runs afoul of our tolerant, democratic, government when we conveniently reinterpret, misinterpret, or just plain forget meaningful passages to suit our bigoted, selfish, desires.  We tend to forget history, and why our country was founded.

I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me.

-- Matthew 25: 35

More simply stated, if you want to open a store in the United States be prepared to serve everyone or don't open the store.  Government is not asking you to show Christian tolerance, forgiveness, mercy, or any of the other traits which Jesus might require, they simply ask that you follow society's rule of law.  If this is too much to ask, then don't open a business to serve people.  It matters little to most of society what you do as your tolerance or hypocrisy will be weighed by your own master, after it is weighed by Caesar.

As for those that are offended by a business's lack of tolerance, the offended have recourse to file complaints.  Having filed the complaints, find somewhere else to patronize that is more accommodating to your beliefs and lifestyle.  If enough people stop patronizing the business they will either change or close.  Wanting to patronize a business that doesn't appreciate or tolerate your beliefs or culture is a bit masochistic.   Wanting to belabor the issue to the point of making it a public spectacle only reveals you to be at least as bad and perhaps even worse, than the business owners, since you are acting out of vengeance where they are simply ignorant, thoughtless, and bad business people.

I'm just saying.

"Truly I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of my brethren you did it to me."

-- Matthew 25:40

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 opinion any more right or wrong than the other. An opinion, presented in this context, is a way of inciting others to think and, hopefully, to form opinions of their own, 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 another viewpoint. 

It is my fervent hope that we keep open and active minds when reading opinions and then engaging in peaceful, constructive, discussion in an arena of mutual respect concerning the opinions put forth. After over twenty years with military intelligence, I have come to believe engaging each other in this manner and in this arena is the 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 do afterward, and what we learn from the experience.

Pastor Tony spent 22 years with Air Force Intelligence as a planner, analyst, briefer, and instructor. He is founder of the Congregation for Religious Tolerance and author/editor of the Congregation's official blog site, "The Path," which offers a vehicle for commentary and guidance concerning one's own personal, spiritual, path toward peace and the final destination.