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     %DICHOTOMOUS TEMPTATIONS RIGHT WRONG GOOD EVIL+950312
    %ACCEPT REJECT SUCCESS FAILURE DO DON'T CONFORM+950312
    %BATTLE CONFLICT WAR PARADIGM CHOSE SIDES FALSE 950312

     We are  often  tempted to make or force other to make
dichotomous choices between just  two  alternatives---when
more than two alternatives are available.   We are falsely
told  that only two alternative are available,  when  many
alternative are available.   We are tempted to join in the
dishonesty of our  tempters  who tempt us to believe  that
only  two  alternatives  are available to us,  and that we
much  chose  between just two alternatives:   right/wrong,
good/evil,     success/failure,     acceptable/rejectable,
moral/immoral, pure/sinful,  Godly/Devilish, etc.

     The temptations to be dichotomous obscure the reality
that most of  our lives have  to  do with choosing between
alternatives  which are  good,   desirable,  honorable and
helpful  in  various ways.   Our dilemma is  that  we  are
limited in time,  resources and personal energy: we cannot
do all the good, desirable, honorable or helpful things we
wish  to  do.    We must  say  no  to  many  possibilities
which  are good,  desirable,  honorable  and  helpful---in
order  to  say yes to a few of them in  keeping  with  our
creaturely limitations.

     It  is dishonest to pretend that we can  meaningfully
say  yes to more good,  desirable,  honorable and  helpful
alternatives than our creaturely limitations permit.

     It  is dishonest to pretend that our main problem  is
saying  no to "temptations"  to do evil things,  when  our
main  problem  is  saying  no  with  integrity to the many
alternatives which it would be good,  desirable, honorable
and  helpful  to say yes to---if we  had  unlimited  time,
resources and personal energy.

     How  are we to set personal priorities with integrity
and thereby promote both personal and communal integrity?

     How  are we to transcend the false dichotomies  which
we  are  tempted  to treat seriously---and  to  regard  as
properly defining "temptations"  to do evil rather than to
do good?

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