Issue No. 7Be a good man, but a dangerous one.

more on aceapolonio.com | May 14, 2023

Hi friend,

Some people ask me where my ideas for my newsletter come from. My question to them is, "How can you not see so many ideas around you?" Everything that catches your senses has wisdom embedded in it. You just have to stop and become aware.

Sunday Contemplation

I was born into a Catholic family that is somewhat religious. My grandmother would often force me to go to church. I hated it because of the music that put me to sleep and the uncomfortable chairs that were harder than cement. My butt cheeks never missed feeling the discomfort. Additionally, the church was a scary and eerie place to me. I would often ask myself, while trying to mumble "Amen" repeatedly, "Why would a bunch of people worship a guy attached to a stick and bleeding?" "Isn't it sadistic to constantly remind a child like me of how God suffered on the cross? Can't we remember him when he's smiling or happy?" "Why do we eat his body and blood?" "Is it really his body and blood?" "Am I a cannibal? I thought that was illegal. Besides, I don't want to eat God."

Later on, I would find out that these concepts are metaphorical in nature. Catholics view this sacrament as a way to partake in a deeply spiritual communion with Christ, following Jesus' words during the Last Supper when he said, "Take, eat; this is my body" and "Drink from it all of you; for this is my blood of the covenant" (Matthew 26:26-28).

It wasn't the religion itself that pushed me away from Catholicism. In fact, I enjoyed reading the Bible because of the stories that contained wisdom and various forms of love. I never took them literally. To me, the stories were probably just symbolic or allegorical representations of the world that Christ had lived in during his time. I tried to hold on to the message when reading them.

What truly pushed me away from religion altogether were the people who would go to church every day as holy men and come out behaving like the devil. It’s not always the case and it’s not everyone but there is a lot of them. They rarely, if ever, practiced what they learned. Going to church was like a pastime to them, and attending meant reserving a space in heaven. It was then that I realized one doesn't need to have a religion to be a good person. Otherwise, all indigenous people or uncontacted Amazon tribes would be sent to hell for not knowing Christ. I stopped going to church at the age of 14. I studied the Bible at home, alongside an English version of the Qur'an. After reading them, I also explored ancient texts from Buddha, Mencius, and Confucius, followed by the Torah of Judaism, a few Vedas such as the Rigveda, the Avesta of Zoroastrianism, and the Tao Te Ching of Taoism.

I was obsessed with these holy texts because I was trying to discover what makes a good person. After reading them, I finally realized what it is.

To be wise is to be self-aware.To be self-aware is to be self-assured.To be self-assured is to be assertive.To be assertive is to be formidable.To be formidable is to be dangerous.To be dangerous is to be virtuous.To be virtuous is to be a good man.

In short, a good man is a dangerous man. Dangerous not in a harmful or violent form but in a form in which the man is capable of violence but chooses not to. His formidability arises from self-control. With self-control, he understands the value of his choices. Not being capable of violence is not virtuous on itself. It just means weakness. For virtue to be acclaimed, a man must possess the capability to be violent and to be bold, but at the same time has the power to choose not to. This ability is what defines strength. There is no virtue in weakness. The weak are the destructive ones in our society for they succumb to their incapacity to control themselves. Weak men create hard times.

Nurture a strong mind and body. Become aware, become knowledgeable. Build your principles and stick to it. Do not let anyone smother it with their undisciplined life. Be simple, lean. Say no to things that do not push your goals forward. Be indiffierent to things that do not make a difference. You’re a limited man but with unlimited potential. Potential without direction, however, is wasted time, neglected life. Don’t be religious, be spiritual. Be precise with your actions and accurate with your words. Teach those who’s ready to receive. Help the one next in line. Forget those who prance around decisions. Life is short but it’s long enough to live a good life.

Jesus Christ was a dangerous man in many ways to those who sought to destroy him. His capacity to challenge authority, social norms, and established systems of his time proved to be the cause of his death and resurrection—an allegory for the life of a regular man who dies when born and lives again as wisdom approaches his mind. Enlightenment is the resurrection of the living spirit, and it's available to everyone, now and forever. Even though I do not subscribe to the Catholic or Christian interpretation of Jesus as God or Messiah, I have taken from him the cultivation of a compassionate, loving, and forgiving nature. To some, religion provides a framework for understanding the world and a source of meaning and purpose in their lives. And if you’re one of them, go ahead and study the scriptures. Learn from it and perform it. To me, I know that, in the end, if there is truly an afterlife and a God like Jesus, Allah, or Yahweh, he will not judge me solely by my belief in him (for he does not need self-assurance), but by my actions towards my cohabitants on this planet and that to live as a good person is enough to reach paradise here or in another life. So be a good man, but a dangerous one.

Quote of the Week

“A good man is a dangerous man. Dangerous not in a harmful or violent form but in a form in which the man is capable of violence but chooses not to. His formidability arises from self-control. With self-control, he understands the value of his choices. Not being capable of violence is not virtuous on itself. It just means weakness. For virtue to be acclaimed, a man must possess the capability to be violent and to be bold, but at the same time has the power to choose not to. This ability is what defines strength. There is no virtue in weakness. The weak are the destructive ones in our society for they succumb to their incapacity to control themselves. Weak men create hard times.”—Ace ApolonioShare the image below on social media, tag me @aceapolonio, and I will choose one lucky person at random to receive a physical copy of my book 'Silent Contemplations'.

Mindful Reminder

Learn how to be a dangerous person, not to destroy others, but to protect your goals and your people. You have to possess a strong mind and body because living is ruthless. There will be storms that you did not call for, and you have to face them head-on. You cannot and should not depend on anyone but yourself. Only through this can you truly grasp the value of being alive. And when you are finally alive, you will know how to take care of others. Be strong so that those around you who are weak have a shoulder to cry on.

2 Lessons from Others

Jordan Peterson, a renowned psychologist and author, on the nature of a good man:

“A harmless man is not a good man. A good man is a very dangerous man who has that under voluntary control.”

Samuel Johnson, an English writer and lexicographer, on what makes a good man:

“The true measure of a man is how he treats someone who can do him absolutely no good.”

Song of the Week

Be More Kind by Frank Turner is a song that emphasizes the importance of empathy, compassion, and kindness in a world that often seems harsh and divided. The lyrics encourage listeners to reflect on their own actions and to strive for a more understanding and caring approach to others.

The song addresses the notion that in our fast-paced and sometimes tumultuous society, people can become hardened and closed off from one another. It calls on listeners to open their hearts and to actively practice kindness, both towards themselves and others around them. By advocating for a more compassionate way of living, the song invites individuals to contribute to a more positive and harmonious world.

Meme of the Week

🗣️ Let your friends join us in this journey by telling them to sign up for Sunday Stillness newsletter here: aceapolonio.com☕️ Buy me a coffee: Link📖 Read the past issues here: Link🥰 I read your sweet letters to me via email. Please leave more messages for me here.Until next week,

Author of Silent Contemplations

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