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   %OBJECTIFICATION SPIRITUAL RELATIONSHIPS CONTROL 900428

     People  who  are  compulsively  objective  in   their
approach  to  reality are likely to seek to  extend  their
objective paradigm to spiritual relationships;  i.e., they
are likely to seek to deal with spiritual realities as  if
spiritual realities were realities which exist independent
of  personal participation in them,  and which are  to  be
apprehended  by transcendent additional senses other  than
eyes,    ears,  nose,  touch or taste.    In this way such
people seek to be faithful to their  paradigm and to avoid
getting  honestly involved in reflexive relationships.

     Authentic   spiritual    relationships   pertain   to
reflexive relationships  which involve people honestly  in
dialogue and communication which is personal in character.
Authentic   spiritual  relationships  are  not   objective
relationships and  do not pertain to an extended class  of
objects  called spirits.   Spirits are not  an  additional
class  of  out-there realities  which are to  be  detected
through   an  additional  class  of  extra-sensory  means.
Rather  the  realm of spirituality pertains  to  reflexive
personal relationships,    attitudes,   values,    ideals,
dialogue,   communication,      honesty,      fulfillment,
satisfaction,   salvation,     etc.      The   realm    of
spirituality   is complementary to, not like, the realm of
objectivity.

     In  objective  relationships there is  a  fundamental
difference  between  the observer and the  observed.    In
spiritual  relationships  there  is  no  such  fundamental
difference   between   an  observer   and   an   observed;
participation  is  balanced  and mutual in reflexive ways.
In   spiritual  relationships  the  participants  do   not
manipulate  or  try to  control  the  other  as  observers
manipulate   and  try  to  control  objects  in  objective
relationships.    In  spiritual  relationships  there  are
participants in dialogue without  fundamental distinctions
made  regarding  power,  authority, perfection,  prestige,
etc.

     Objective   relationships  do  not  provide   healthy
guidance  to people who seek to discover significance  and
meaning in their lives.   Significance and meaning are not
objective realities which are out there to be  discovered.
They   are   not  like  objective  realities;   they   are
complementary  to  and  quite  different  from   objective
realities  and  relationships,  and  cannot be  discovered
apart  from reflexive  participation  which  violates  the
taboos of compulsively objective people.

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