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   %RELIGIOUS CONFLICT TENSION WAR CRUSADE QUESTION+960304
 %FOCUS DIVERT ATTENTION CONCERN PERSONAL INTEGRITY+960304
%COMMUNAL DISINTEGRATION EFFORTS VIOLENCE TERRORISM 960304

     Often religious  leaders have led their  followers to
focus their attention  in ways which have lead to personal
and communal disintegration;  rather than to the enjoyment
of personal and communal integrity.

     Often religious leaders have  engaged in conflicts in
which leaders on the  various sides  of the  conflict have
focused attention in ways which are not helpful,  healthy,
or integrative.   They have  been preoccupied with winning
contests,  battles,  wars, crusades,  etc.   They have not
been interested in promoting the enjoyment of personal and
communal integrity.

     Many  times  religious  conflicts  have  focused upon
questions such as the following:

     1.  In  a modern objective sense what really happened
in  the  lives  of  the  early  founders  of  the  various
religions?

     2.  What was  the exact process  of  revelation which
occurred in the lives of the early founders?

     3.  Which  leaders have been and/or are appointed  by
God to speak on behalf of God?

     4.  What   is  the  real  meaning  of  the  words  of
scripture written many hundreds of years ago in what is to
us  a foreign language,  within a culture which no  longer
exists, and about which we know relatively little?

     5.  Which accounts are literally true,  and which are
only pointing to truths which are found, not contained  in
the  words, but  perceived  by looking for  them  in  ways
suggested by the words?

     6.  Which religious  truths are  superior  to others,
which are inferior to others?

     7.  How does God regard each of the various religious
groups?   With  great  favor upon one religious group, and
great disdain upon all other religions groups?

     8.  How does  God  regard the judgements of  men (and
women) regarding the salvation of other men (and women)?

     Might it not be more helpful to focus  attention upon
the following kinds of questions?

     1.  How can people learn to be true peacemakers?

     2.  How can people learn to resolve conflicts between
their   religious   ideals,    values,    principles   and
organizations?

     3.  Why do  people  respect and  support  patterns of
assumptions, attitudes, beliefs and convictions which have
over and over led  previous generations  into personal and
communal disintegration?

     4.  Why do some people  interpret the births,  lives,
teachings and  deaths of great prophets in ways  which are
contradictions to the overall character of them?

     5.  How shall  we best focus our attention in ways to
understand the futility of many ways in which  people have
focused attention and efforts in the past?

     6.  What  primary  concerns  will  point  us  towards
promoting   and   enjoying  both  personal  and   communal
integrity?
                                                                                                                               
                         (c) 2005 by Paul A. Smith in      
                    (On Being Yourself, Whole and Healthy)  
                                                                                                                               
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