This is http://www.essayz.com/a9509151.htm         
Previous-Essay      <== This-Essay ==>     Following-Essay
Click HERE on this line to find essays via Your-Key-Words.
{Most frequent wordstarts of each essay will be put here.}
==========================================================
 %DICHOTOMY DESCRIBE PRESCRIBE ALIEN EVIL FOCUS SIN+950915
  %FOCUS ATTENTION BELIEF CONVICTION APPROVE REJECT+950915
  %GOOD RIGHT WRONG ACCEPT CORRECT CONFORM OWN CALL+950915
   %DISTINCTIONS EXCLUSIVE RESPECTABLE SUCCESS FAIL 950915

     Descriptions    are   usually   more   helpful   than
prescriptions   or  proscriptions.    The  following   are
descriptions  rather than  prescriptions or proscriptions.
It  will be helpful  for all people to look and see if the
following descriptions are accurate  descriptions;  and to
act accordingly.

     Alienation  and  evil  are  usually  associated  with
focusing attention unnecessarily and compulsively upon:

     1.  Either/or questions and  convictions focused upon
dichotomous:   assumptions, beliefs, convictions,  issues,
etc.

     2.  Approval or disapproval.

     3.  Good or evil.

     4.  Right or wrong.

     5.  Prescriptions or proscriptions.

     6.  Rewards or punishments.

     7.  Acceptance or rejection.

     8.  Commanded or forbidden.

     9.  Respectable or non-respectable.

    10.  Forgiveness or condemnation.

    11.  Us or them.

    12.  Godly or ungodly.

    13.  Redeemed or dammed.

    14.  Correct or incorrect.

     One  kind of unnecessary and compulsive  focusing  of
attention  is not  better  or more helpful than  any other
kind  of unnecessary and compulsive focusing  of attention
upon the above dichotomous considerations.   All kinds  of
unnecessary and compulsive focusing of  attention upon the
above dichotomous considerations  are misleading---usually
leading    people    towards   personal    and    communal
disintegration.

     Alienation  and evil are NOT transcended by  focusing
upon dichotomous distinctions.  They are  NOT  TRANSCENDED
BY FOCUSING UPON:

     Making   the  correct  choices  between   dichotomous
opposites   and  avoiding  incorrect  choices---and   then
focusing  upon associating only with the people  who  make
correct  choices,   and avoiding  those  people  who  make
incorrect choices.

     Conformity and/or non-conformity to correct  patterns
of  behavior---and  then focusing upon who has  conformed,
and who has not conformed to correct patterns of behavior.



     Alienation  and  evil  ARE  TRANSCENDED  by  focusing
attention upon being true to  self and others.  Alienation
and evil ARE TRANSCENDED BY FOCUSING UPON:

     Encouraging others to be true to self and others.

     Setting others free to be open honest.

     Giving and accepting gifts of the freedom to be
     safely vulnerable in honestly intimate relationships.

     Examples of personal and communal integrity, and upon
     all that encourages personal and communal integrity.



     God  does  not call us to make clear distinctions  by
which we will be a distinctive/distinguished people in our
own, or in God's eyes.

     God does not call us to make distinctions by which we
can tell who is good, and who is evil, in God's eyes.

     God  does  not call upon us to distinguish  ourselves
from others through good and proper:  beliefs,  doctrines,
rituals,   traditions,  disciplines,  commandments,  laws,
judgements,   condemnations,    excommunications,   and/or
punishments.



     God calls us to be peacemakers through:

     1.  Reconciliation.

     2.  Conflict resolution.

     3.  Forgiveness.

     4.  Repentance from making dichotomous distinctions.

     5.  Giving and accepting gifts of true security.

     6.  Seeking personal and communal integrity.

     The above are  descriptions rather than prescriptions
or  proscriptions.    How  they are regarded can  make  an
important difference in how we focus our attention.

     For additional insights see the book, "AWAKEN TO YOUR
OWN CALL"  by Jon Mundy, published by Crossroad Publishing
Company, 370 Lexington Ave. NY, NY 10017.

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