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    %CONFORM ACCEPT COMMUNITY REJECT BEHAVE EXPRESS+921212
 %MYSTERY RELATE REFLEXIVE RELIGION RITUAL DOCTRINE+921212
   %GOOD EVIL INTEGRITY SALVATION REDEMPTION PRAYER 921213

     Truly spiritual  persons  know and acknowledge  their
limited   powers  and  their  experiences  of   mysterious
relationships among  themselves  and others which point to
powers which transcend themselves and others in ways which
they cannot understand, predict, explain or control.

     Truly   spiritual   persons  are   NOT   COMPULSIVELY
PREOCCUPIED   WITH:   doctrinal  statements,   systems  of
beliefs,   sets  of  rituals,   conformal  standards   for
acceptable  behaviors,   the formation and maintenance  of
exclusive  communities,  or with the exercise of authority
of the power to be in control.

     Particular  forms  of  prayer,   worship,    witness,
evangelism,   and  salvation  are  NOT  the  foci  of  the
interests or  concerns of truly spiritual  persons;   even
though they  do engage  in  particular  forms  of  prayer,
worship,  witness,  and evangelism; and do acknowledge and
tell  others  about  their   particular   experiences   of
salvation.  They do NOT try to generalize their particular
forms  and  do  NOT expect other  people  to  adopt  their
particular  forms  as being of transcendent value  to  all
peoples. They are fulfilled and content in open and honest
conversations/dialogues  which  convert   people   through
honest expressions of what they have experienced and  know
through personal participation  in reflexive relationships
which  transcend  themselves  in ways  which  they  cannot
understand, predict, explain or control; and which they do
NOT  feel any need to understand,  predict,  explain,   or
control.

     Truly   spiritual  people  may  be  participants   in
recognized  religious groups,  and may NOT be.   Religious
groups  are NOT the primary focus of  their  interest  and
concern;   for their interests and concerns transcend  all
religious groups,  and relate to the lives of all  peoples
regardless  of  their  association with or  disassociation
from religious: beliefs, rituals,  practices,  traditions,
organizations, and informal groups.

     Truly spiritual people are NOT preoccupied with  what
thoughts, feelings, perceptions,  beliefs, attitudes,  and
emotions are to be regarded as:  permitted, proper, right,
good,   and acceptable;  or NOT.  They recognize that such
preoccupations  lead  to  collusive  attempts  to  control
people, to addictions, to disintegration, to violations of
people's  rights  and integrity,  and so to many forms  of
violence.

     Truly  spiritual people are humble,  but confident of
what they know through their own experiences.  They do NOT
presume  to know truths which are unrelated to  their  own
experiences.   They  are  secure  in  their  knowledge  of
themselves  and  of  each  other;  for they  are  true  to
themselves  and to each other.  They are NOT defensive  of
that  which  the  do NOT know in  relation  to  their  own
experiences. They witness honestly to what they do know in
relation to their own experiences.

     Truly   spiritual   people   are   NOT   compulsively
preoccupied  with any particular language,  set of  words,
scriptures, prayers, rituals, organizations,  doctrines or
leaders: and they worship none of them.

     Truly  spiritual  people are NOT willing to sacrifice
everything in the service of any particular language,  set
of  words,  scriptures,  prayers,  rituals,  organization,
doctrine or leader;  for they worship none of them.  Truly
spiritual people are integrative people working to  create
secure  communities by giving gifts of security freely  to
all members of their communities---people whose membership
in their communities they  never  call  into  question  or
threatened.

     Truly   spiritual  people  do  not  pretend  to  have
superior knowledge of the difference between good and evil
to  serve  as  the basis for  them  making  judgments  and
distinctions  regarding good people and evil people.  They
recognize and  acknowledge  that  presuming  to have  such
knowledge   is   alienative   and  the  source   of   much
estrangement,  and so the source of the disintegration  of
persons and communities.

     Truly spiritual people do not fight,  oppose,  block,
restrict  or  stand in the way of  people  who  are  often
regarded by many as evil people.  They recognize that such
behaviors   entail  participation  in  that   which   most
characterizes the people who are often regarded by many as
evil people. Such behaviors do not bear sweet fruit and do
not merit respect.   Such  behaviors  lead to personal and
communal disintegration.

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