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    %DISINTEGRATIVE BELIEF CENTRAL REALITIES IDEALS+951114
        %VALUES CONCEPTS FOCUS ORGANIZE COMMUNITIES 951114

     Our personal lives and communities are integrative or
disintegrative---according  to our beliefs regarding which
central realities, ideals, values,  questions and concepts
are integrative; and which are disintegrative.

     We often focus and organize our lives and communities
around beliefs,  realities, ideals, values,  questions and
concepts   which   persistently  lead  us  into  long-term
disintegrative conflict and violence.

     We  all  need  to  see  to  intentionally  focus  and
organize  our  lives  around  those  beliefs,   realities,
ideals,   values,  questions and concepts which will  most
likely  lead  us  into  long-term  cooperative   conflict-
resolution with with-win outcomes.

     If  we  focus compulsively upon our  conflict-ridden-
past;   our  future  will be one  of  long-term  conflict,
violence and disintegration.

     If  we  focus upon past beliefs in the importance  of
simple and clear distinctions between good people and evil
people---we will be led into long-term conflict,  violence
and disintegration.

     If  we  concentrate upon ways and means by  which  we
believe  we  can  each work to achieve  our  own  personal
salvation---at  the  expense  of each  other  and  of  the
integrity  of  our communities---we will lead  each  other
into long-term conflict, violence and disintegration.

     If we  focus  upon  questions  which  demand  yes/no,
either/or and other dichotomous responses---we will be led
into long-term conflict, violence and disintegration.

     If  we  believe  that  alienation  and   threats   of
alienation are useful tools with which to promote personal
and  communal  integrity---we  will  disintegrate  through
alienation.

     If  we  believe  that  we ourselves  as  persons  are
inherently  better  or worse as persons  than  some  other
persons---then we and they will lead each other into long-
term conflict, violence and disintegration.

     If  we  believe  that  we  as  individuals  can  gain
meaningful  personal  advantages  at the  expense  of  the
integrity  of our selves and/or our communities---then  we
will   be  led  into  long-term  conflict,   violence  and
disintegration.

     If  we  are preoccupied with issues  of  control  and
conformity  focused  around  respected  prescriptions  and
proscriptions---then   we  will  be  led  into   long-term
conflict, violence and disintegration.

     Those   beliefs,   preoccupations,    questions   and
assumptions  which  have  in  the  past  led  us  and  our
ancestors into conflict, violence and disintegration; will
continue to  do so in the future---unless we intentionally
shift our focus and attention away from them.

     We  need  to intentionally seek  to  recognize  which
beliefs, questions and preoccupations have in the past led
us  and our ancestors into long-term  cooperative  efforts
towards  conflict  resolution with win-win  outcomes---and
work  together  to  focus  upon  them  and  organize   our
endeavors around them.

     If  we continue to believe in the ultimate importance
of those beliefs, realities, ideals, values, questions and
concepts  which  have led us and our ancestors into  long-
term conflicts,  violence and disintegration---so shall we
continue to be led.
                                                                                                                               
                         (c) 2005 by Paul A. Smith in      
                    (On Being Yourself, Whole and Healthy)  
                                                                                                                               
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