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          %COMMITMENT TO VALUES AND IDEALS VIOLENCE 861225

     Often  sincere commitments and  dedications  to  high
values   and   ideals   lead  to  violence  and   to   the
disintegration  of  personal and communal integrity.    In
the  heat of  the conflict  between  complementary  values
and   ideals---people seek to use coercion and violence as
means  in  the   service of   their   highest  ideals  and
values.     They   are  mislead  because   their   highest
ideals  and  values  do  not  place enough  emphasis  upon
the   ultimate  importance  of   personal  and    communal
integrity.      All   too  often  the  use   of  coercion,
manipulation,     alienation,    estrangement,  rejection,
etc.  as means in the service of high ideals and values---
ultimately   results  in  the  disintegration    of    the
community  which  might otherwise embody those ideals  and
values.   Ideals   and  values  are  not  served  well  by
procedures   and  means  which disintegrate the  community
which   might in the long term give the ideals and  values
meaning and significance.

     Ideals  and  values  are better served by  means  and
procedures  which help people discover how  to  complement
some   ideals  and values---with other ideals  and  values
which promote  balance and wholeness so that people may be
well  at   ease   rather,    than  ill  at  ease    within
diseased relationships.      Ideals   and  values  survive
through   integrative   relationships   among  people   of
integrity  in communities  of people cooperating with each
other  through active  listening  in  meaningful dialogue.
Ideals    and   values    die    through    disintegrative
relationships   among people trapped in  violent  contests
among people  dedicated to  conflicting ideals---which are
regarded   as  good  or   evil  depending  upon   people's
perspectives on the battle.

                                                                                                                               
                         (c) 2005 by Paul A. Smith in      
                    (On Being Yourself, Whole and Healthy)  
                                                                                                                               
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