Recent Entries

• Teaching Good Values

  by Tony Villari March 13, 2015
  The header for this post is a link to a news story.  It is a story of courage, and love, and values we have forgotten, or never were taught.  It is a story of growing up different, of discrimination, and of bullying.  It is a story of an eighth grade basketball team and their ability ...
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• How "Content" Are You?

  by Tony Villari March 10, 2015
  I went out to the readers, once again, for ideas to post here on the Congregation blog.  You know, I should be careful what I ask for, especially from friends I rely on, and who usually give me more than I want.  This particular friend has always been a good muse for me, and she, once agai...
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• Tolerance - A Tough Nut to Crack

  by Tony Villari March 8, 2015
  Why is tolerance such a tough nut to crack?  At the end of the day, we seem content to tacitly accept it as a norm instead of raging against it, or we rage against it without really knowing the target of our discontent.  What makes it so hard for humanity to wrap our feeble minds around it...

• A Moment of Thanks

  by Tony Villari March 6, 2015
  I was sitting here at my "desk," having this banana, when it occurred to me that I haven't said thank you in a while.  So, before I go get my big boy pants on, I have a few words...  To read this post, please follow this link to "The Path" for A Moment of Thanks.

• Time Has No Dominion over Love

  by Tony Villari March 6, 2015
  Can this be true? Can love be defined as a dimension of its own, or, perhaps, part of a dimension of emotion that can transcend time and space? Why is it some have dreams of love lost with people they have never met, yet, when they awake they feel as if they have known them forever? Why do we bump i...

• The Pity Party?

  by Tony Villari March 4, 2015
  Someone once said, "Misery loves company, but it hates confidence.  Be bold enough to say NO to anyone who invites you to a pity party."  I'm not certain why anybody would throw someone a "pity" party.  What's the point, besides enabling the pitiful to continue to be sad and...

• Children: The New "Fog of War"

  by Tony Villari March 2, 2015
  In this new "war" against terrorism, like all other recent conflicts, patriotic people of faith and morality will find themselves up against innocence twisted to the will of immoral monsters and armed with weapons of death and destruction.  We will, once again, find ourselves killing babies for...

• Personal Exploration and Discovery

  by Tony Villari March 1, 2015
  We all stress, usually over issues of our own making.  Oh, we blame other people generally because we have a hard time accepting responsibility for our own stupidity but, truth be known, the fault usually lies squarely on our own shoulders.  When I hear someone is at the end of their rope,...

• Easter - Just a Thought

  by Tony Villari February 27, 2015
  I am sixty-one years old.  If Jesus didn't rise, I don't want to know about it.  What possible good would it serve to know, other than to make the day of radical atheists.  The joke would be on them, though.  They'd have to find something else to constantly bitch about, or give u...

• Carpenter's Gothic

  by Tony Villari February 23, 2015
  I usually find taking a walk clears my mind and helps me focus on the post at hand.  Normally this includes running into situations or people that bear out the message in my post.  Today was no different.  I wandered from the harbor to Bacchus, the restaurant overlooking the shri...

• Dance like There's Nobody Watching!

  by Tony Villari February 20, 2015
  Why don't we make the conscious attempt this Sunday, in church or downtown, to have a moment of dance and laughter?  Let's grab the partner next to us, the wife, stranger, or friend, and dance a little ditty just for the hell of it.  Let's throw caution to the wind and make ourselves look ...

• What do you say to the sick or dying?

  by Tony Villari February 18, 2015
  I do not color what I say to people that ask me questions or seek advice.  My dad always brought me up to call a spade a spade.  This did not serve me well in the butt kissing world of the military, nor the seriously butt kissing corporate world, but I could always look in the mirror at th...

• Charity Begins at Home

  by Tony Villari February 11, 2015
  I think we should give because it is the right thing to do, the moral and the humane thing to do.  It is what Jesus would do, right?  The question, for most of us and our government, is really how to go about giving.  I think Jefferson and Gates have eyes solidly on target.  It i...

• Fading into Memory

  by Tony Villari February 10, 2015
  As we get older, are we fading into memory?  Are we doomed to be hauled off to rot on some forgotten corner of land, ourselves to be forgotten in the course of time?  What of our lives and adventures, lost loves and love found?  Does a lifetime of success boil down to a retirement hom...
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• Another Band of Brothers

  by Tony Villari February 9, 2015
  If you ever have the opportunity to witness a "band of brothers" at your local watering hole, wander on over and listen.  I'll just bet you'll be able to feel it.  "It" is a pride, knowledge that you have actually been that part of something greater than yourself, a love of family and coun...

• A God Given Artistic Ability

  by Tony Villari February 8, 2015
  God imbues us all with an artistic ability.  It is how we develop and move forward.  It is how we survive, define beauty, and learn to appreciate that which reflects our imaginings of God's infinite abilities.  It is our ability to create something from nothing; to take the branch we ...

• Rewriting Religion, or Reinterpreting

  by Tony Villari February 5, 2015
  I think God gives us instructions to save the "herd" from destruction, but outside influences, translations, mistakes, and parables created in an attempt to clarify meaning, have distanced the intent of the "word of God" from what the voice actually said.  And that, for me, is the danger we fac...

• Valentine's Day

  by Tony Villari February 1, 2015
  Regardless of how it came about, the day has become a celebration of love, and for lining competing gangsters up against garage walls and machine gunning them to death. Ah, those were the good old days of Al Capone and "Bugs" Moran, and of course, Bonnie Elizabeth Parker and Clyde Chestnut Barrow. I...

• Secular Family Values

  by Tony Villari January 30, 2015
    I have no doubt that the majority of secularists in the world are practicing good moral life philosophies.  I do have to question a conclusion that abolishing the death penalty has any bearing on murder rates decreasing.  What they're saying is, murder only occurs if a person knows...
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• Mississippi State Book...the Bible?

  by Tony Villari January 27, 2015
  I have been told Mississippi has probably produced more authors, secular and Christian, than any other state in the Union.  Yet, this state seems to have forgotten to designate a state book.  59% of Mississippi residents consider themselves "very religious," so it comes as no surprise that...

• Is Pope Francis a Socialist?

  by Tony Villari January 24, 2015
  So, is Pope Francis a socialist?  I don't think so.  The pope just wants what Jesus wanted, and why wouldn't he?  Like Jesus he is a man of Christian faith and follows the precepts of scripture.  To accuse him of following his faith would be like accusing a quarterback of playing...

• Criticism

  by Tony Villari January 23, 2015
  There are times when you need to dig deeper whether you want to or not; politics, religion, and law all come to mind. Of course these would be the three taboo subjects for any friendly "debate," primarily because the criticism can be emotionally charged because everyone thinks they're right. These a...

• You're Already There

  by Tony Villari January 23, 2015
  I say these three simple words to people and they seem to do a mental shutdown.  It's like they look at the issues in their life and wonder how any of it could possibly equate to happiness.  They build walls around themselves then wonder why nobody is visiting.  They sink into a pit o...

• Open Your Mind

  by Tony Villari January 22, 2015
  Opening your mind doesn't only mean to be open to other ideas and to change. You can also open your mind. You can sit in your car and view the pristine setting in the woods, the wildflowers, pine trees, and the steam flowing through it, or you can get out of the car and open your...

• Don't Look Back?

  by Tony Villari January 22, 2015
  Our past is etched into our skin and our minds, the scars we give no mind to until they are seen, then we remember, then we move on.  But if we pick at the wound, worry over it, it will never heal.  Our scars are our proof of life, our story, and our past.  Our scars remind us of thin...

• Revisiting "Why Do I Keep Doing This?"

  by Tony Villari January 16, 2015
  While transcribing a verse from my Bible today, I was reminded of one of the reasons I continue doing what I do on this blog, week after week.  I cherish this Bible as much as the positive e-mails, comments, gratitude for renewed faith and so much more which I have been graced with since I star...

• A "Personal" Universe of Peace

  by Tony Villari January 16, 2015
  The most basic problem with mankind is that we let our ego get in our line of vision; we cannot see the forest for the trees; we try too damned hard to accomplish that which is already done, to find that which is already found, and to be that which we already are. http://congregationforreligioustol...
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• I Am Not Afraid of My God

  by Tony Villari January 15, 2015
  I have a real problem with the concept that God put us here to satisfy some dark sadistic need to have a specie cower in fear, throughout their existence, at the very thought of him. I would rather think that we would spend our time wanting to make our Father proud than to worry about angering a sup...

• Teenage Transgender Suicide

  by Tony Villari January 14, 2015
  These stories break my heart, and those that read my posts probably know why; my young friends that endured their own struggles at a time in our history when society lacked understanding, the gay community was just beginning to "come out" of the shadows, and AIDS was the up and coming news of the er...
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• Cat Faith

  by Tony Villari January 13, 2015
  Do cats really land on their feet? I think it depends on the height and the landing surface. Either one might render the answer a moot point.  But, that's the confidence of a cat.  Cat "faith," if you will. To read this post, please follow this link to "The Path": Cat Faith  

• The Downhill Slide

  by Tony Villari January 12, 2015
  It is an unfortunate fact of life.  It comes after taxes begin and before death of old age.  Everything we have worked for seemingly begins to slip inexorably through our arthritic fingers.  We become tired as the body begins to give up the health of youth; our lifestyle slims down to...

• How Dare God...

  by Tony Villari January 10, 2015
  If God doesn't exist, ask yourself this question, "To whom should we assign fault for all the pain and suffering in the world?"  If you're hearing the "Jeopardy" tune in your head, you're trying way too hard to answer.  The only other scapegoat is us, hence why we assign it somew...

• Prayer in School

  by Tony Villari January 9, 2015
  If this country was to be based on Christian laws and values in perpetuity, then the founding fathers would have ensured that language was included clearly in our Constitution.  It was not.  They wanted this country to enjoy a broader spectrum of freedoms.  As intelligent an...

• Why?

  by Tony Villari January 5, 2015
  Those that survive to adulthood may find the answer to why they were born.  The sad reality is, many will simply go about their daily grind trying to better their situation or just "keep up with the Joneses."  These people may never find an answer to why they are here, if they ever conside...
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• Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Destruction of a Dream

  by Tony Villari January 4, 2015
  January 19 is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.  How about we do something novel and actually discuss what he was all about?  How about we try practicing some of what he preached?  How about we talk to our children and get them involved on the computer?  How about having them pul...

• An Excuse for Godlessness?

  by Tony Villari January 3, 2015
  Albert Einstein was said to be an atheist, yet never used the word to describe his own thoughts on religion.  He viewed God as a word used by people to describe a concept which was beyond man's grasp and their descriptions as a collection of childish stories.  But was this an admission of ...
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• 2015? Be Colorful in Life!

  by Tony Villari January 1, 2015
  Are you living life to the fullest?  Maybe we can give up resolutions to do what we should be doingfor ourselves anyway, and try squeezing the most out of life for a change. Try being flamboyant and colorful, this might be your last chance.   Be Colorful In Life!
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• Do We Take Our Faith for Granted?

  by Tony Villari December 30, 2014
  Some rambling on a subject that has been preoccupying me for some weeks. I finally got a chance to put pen to paper while watching the Saints pull their fat from the fire. It is a bit long winded, but I hope it makes some sense.  To read it, please follow this link: Taking Faith for Granted&nbs...

• Another New Year's Resolution, Chubby?

  by Tony Villari December 29, 2014
  Thinking about a diet for the coming year?  Again?  Or, have you just thrown up your hands in despair and sat back down on the couch with the "family size" bag of puffed cheese snack?  Instead of beating yourself to death with a diet, unless your health is in danger, how about trying ...

• Suicide Is Painless?

  by Tony Villari December 27, 2014
  Unless you're in intense pain from dying anyway, suicide is the only chance in a lifetime where, if everything goes right, you have one, last, irrevocable opportunity to prove to everyone what you really think about yourself.  I have a better idea...  prove you wrong!  To read this ...
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• The "Autumn" of the Christ?

  by Tony Villari December 24, 2014
  Let's try this again.  I published this under the title "The "Fall" of the Christ" which probably was misunderstood as having a negative connotation.  This has to do with seasons, not reasons; my apologies to those readers keeping me honest.   The dates for the birth of Jesus are all...

• Pope Francis: Like a Bull into 2015

  by Tony Villari December 22, 2014
  Like a bull in a china shop.  Is he unstoppable?  I sure hope so.  You just gotta love this guy! To read this post follow the link: Pope Francis: Like a Bull into 2015

• When Enough Is Enough

  by Tony Villari December 22, 2014
  When do you determine that your conversation has turned into a "braying contest with a jackass" and you would be well-served to step aside?  This was a question put to me recently, my own fault really, as I use the adage occasionally in my posts.  Sometimes people are better left in God's ...

• The Curse of Ignorance and Want

  by Tony Villari December 17, 2014
  Not much has changed since the London of Charles Dickens, December 19, 1843, when he was forced to self-publish A Christmas Carol.  His novella was a statement on the times in this city during a period witnessing the birth of an industrial revolution.  As with any revolution this one ...

• The Hypocrisy of Acceptance?

  by Tony Villari December 14, 2014
  Where do we come off presuming to judge in God's name? Just a few long winded thoughts...  To read this post please follow the link to my blog, "The Path," at The Hypocrisy of Acceptance?

• Dance Like No One's Watching!

  by Tony Villari December 12, 2014
    Tired of being the wallflower?  Do you judge the "life of the party" as they dance around with the lampshade on their head?  Ever want to just start dancing in the aisles?  Maybe, with all going on in the world, this Christmas is time to cut loose!  Check out my Sunday Th...
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• The Bend in the Road

  by Tony Villari December 10, 2014
  God sat you down at the table of life and you've seen the cards you've been dealt.  You can't win if you don't play, right?  So you are faced with a choice.  Bet on the come and hope for greener pastures just around the next bend, or get up from the table.  What we can't for...
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• Path to Nowhere

  by Tony Villari December 7, 2014
    What about that dead end looming ahead of you?  What do you do when faced with the proverbial "path to nowhere" in life?  The question has been put to me several times.  I had to risk falling through my path to find an answer.   To read more on this post, please follow t...

• 2014 - The Slow Death of Christmas?

  by Tony Villari December 3, 2014
  Are Christmas and Christianity under attack?  Will they survive?   Follow this link to read this post, The Slow Death of Christmas?
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• Boots on the Ground, or Let It Burn?

  by Tony Villari November 29, 2014
  Insanity has taken over in Ferguson and the surrounding area.  Like a disease it is spreading to other towns around the nation not involved in the mess.  More and more blacks are stepping forward to decry the actions of the people and the race baiters that have inflamed this situation. &nb...
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• The Ferguson Mirror

  by Tony Villari November 25, 2014
  "Social justice cannot be attained by violence. Violence kills what it intends to create." -- Pope John Paul II   I wondered what Ferguson says about us as a people, a society, and a nation. Just a few thoughts. To read this post please follow this link:  http://congregationforreligious...
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• Feeding the Homeless and Needy

  by Tony Villari November 23, 2014
  It is the season, as it should be most of the year, to think about the truly needy; those that are hungry, and especially their children. My intended "short post" turned into one of my longest. I tried to keep it interesting but, as this subject is beaten to death by so many, that becomes a tall ord...

• Giving Thanks

  by Tony Villari November 21, 2014
  How we give thanks can be as important as... no, actually, giving thanks is probably the most important thing we can do as humans. How we do it is up to each of us. But, find something to be thankful for! THIS is very important to remember. You wake up every morning with renewed opportunities. If yo...

• Paraplegia

  by Tony Villari November 21, 2014
  When are we crippled? Aren't we all handicapped in some way? When do we finally decide it isn't what we are but, rather, who we are that is of importance? And, in this realization, isn't it time to move forward?    http://congregationforreligioustolerance.blogspot.com/2014/11/paraplegia.h...
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• Offending Opinions

  by Tony Villari November 18, 2014
  Offending opinions can really anger some folks.  Have you ever noticed how they either come back for more, or take on the offender like a rabid dog?  Opinions can have that effect.  Sometimes it is an unintentional consequece of the opinion.  Other times it can be a ploy to elici...

• Misreading the Written Word

  by Tony Villari November 15, 2014
  Have you ever read something in a novel and found you had to go back to read it again because it didn't make sense the first time around?  Sometimes it's due to a confusing sentence on the author's part; at times it's due to a preconception on our part as to what we thought was meant due to our...

• Sign, Sign, Everywhere a Sign!

  by Tony Villari November 8, 2014
  I think we have signs for valid reasons.  Sure, some of them really suck, but they are usually there for a darned good reason.  I think one of the most important is so God doesn't have to take the rap when you ignore the sign and kill your dumb self.  But, I could be wrong.  To r...

• The Path Less Travelled

  by Tony Villari November 2, 2014
  When youj look at the choices you make, do you ask why?  And, what does your answer mean?  Does it really matter what fork in the road you take, or not?  To read this post please folow the attached link: http://congregationforreligioustolerance.blogspot.com/2014/11/the-path-less-trav...