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     %DOMINANT WANT DESIRE EXPECT ANTICIPATE PERSON+930429
  %LEGALISTS MORAL CODE FAILURE CONFORM EVIL PEOPLE 930429

     It   is   worth  noting  that  often  legalists   who
set  up restrictive  moral codes  by which  to control the
behavior  of   people,    often  find it   impossible   to
successfully  control the behaviors  of even those  people
who  believe  in their moral codes;  much less  those  who
reject   their moral codes as objectionable.  They usually
regard  the  failure of people to abide   by  their  moral
codes  as signs of how evil the people are.   They  rarely
regard  the failures of people to conform to  their  moral
codes  as  signs  of the inadequacy of  moral   codes   as
means  for  promoting  personal  and communal integrity.

     If  good  moral codes were good  means for  promoting
both  personal   and   communal  integrity  it  would   be
evident  to many people  that  the guidance offered by the
moral  codes  was worthy of respect,   and likely  to   be
advantageous  in  practice.     It seems  unreasonable  to
believe  that  large fractions of  people over many  years
and  in many  cultures would  act  contrary to good  moral
codes   which  were good means for promoting both personal
and  communal   integrity.  Such  a belief would  seem  to
suggest  that  large   fractions of   people   over   many
years  and   in  many  cultures  are inherently prone   to
engage   in    disintegrative   behaviors;    and     that
restrictive   moral  codes   will   effectively  encourage
such people to avoid engaging in disintegrative behaviors.

     It  might  be   worth   entertaining  the  hypothesis
that  legalistic  moral  codes  are  not  effective  means
for  promoting  both  personal and   communal   integrity.
This  hypothesis is supported by the observation that  one
of  the  world's   major   religions  is   named   for   a
liberal  non-conformist    who  was   crucified   at   the
initiative    of religious  leaders who  were  preoccupied
with  legalistic restrictions upon human behaviors.

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