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 %MANIPULATIVE DISINTEGRATIVE DOCTRINE BELIEF DOGMA 960519

     Down through history  powerful religious leaders have
often promoted doctrines, beliefs and dogmas which gave to
them additional advantages and power.

     The  doctrine  of the "divine-right-of-kings" was not
devised  to  promote the advantages of democracy  for  the
common folk,  but to strengthen the power of kings to take
advantage of the common folk.

     The  doctrines  pertaining   to  the  advantages   of
sacrificing  self "here-in"   this life  in  order to gain
advantages  in the "here-after"   were not devised due  to
overwhelming  evidence  that those  who  have  made  great
sacrifices "here-in"  this life actually have gained great
advantages in the "here-after".   Instead, such  doctrines
have been promoted in the face of clear "here-in" evidence
that those who have promoted those  doctrines  have gained
great advantages "here-in" this life.

     The doctrines of "original-sin"  which tie people  to
the  past  and  make them dependent  upon  those  powerful
religious leaders who presume to have the power "fix" them
and  so to relieve them of the consequences of  "original-
sin"---are doctrines which have clearly brought advantages
to those powerful religious leaders who have promoted such
doctrines.

     The  doctrine of "predestination"  has been  used  by
powerful religious leaders to manipulate powerless  people
into accepting their lack of power "here-in" this life and
so  has  simplified  the tasks of the powerful  people  to
govern the lives of the powerless.

     Each  religious doctrine needs to be examined by  the
common  people   to  see  to  whom  the  doctrine   brings
advantages.   Integrative people who merit respect do  not
promote religious doctrines  which transfer great  amounts
of  power  from  the  powerless to  the  powerful.    Such
transfers  of  power  do not promote personal or  communal
integrity, and so do not merit respect or support.  People
who  promote  doctrines  which promote such  transfers  of
power do not merit respect or support.

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