This is http://www.essayz.com/a9605222.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.} ========================================================== %YES-OR-NO ALTERNATIVE REBEL-OR-SUBMIT TRANSCEND+960522 %VIOLENT CONFLICT RESOLUTION TERROR WAR CRIME SIN+960522 %MILITARY SECURITY DEFENSE VULNERABILITY POINT FAIL 960522 Often we feel that we have only two alternatives and that we must choose between just the two alternatives. Life may seem to be full of dichotomies and we may feel we must choose sides---on each and every dichotomy. Armies are confronting each other and it is dangerous to be in the no-man's-lands between the confrontations. Bullies of various levels of sophistication often seem to give us only the following two alternatives: 1. Submit 2. Rebel Highly respected and powerful people are often bullies. It is not only the immature adolescent boy who plays out the role of the bully. Such boys often do not grow up, and in adult life they still play the role of bully. A bully may be a corporate CEO, a religious leader, or a professor. When we are confronted with a bully must we choose between submitting and rebelling? What other option can there be? If we are in search of integrity and honesty; seeking to be true to ourselves and each other within whole and healthy communities---it is generally possible to find ways to transcend false dichotomies. We need not submit to coercions which limit us to either/or choices. Through meditation, prayer, and reflection we can envision, dream, and hope for other alternatives which break out of the prison of yes/no responses. The dilemma is that if we try to break out of the prison of yes/no responses we may find ourselves in the no-man's-land between armies and find that all the members of both armies regard us as their enemy. We may find that nobody trusts us because we are trying to resolve the conflict to which they have dedicated their lives, liberty and properties. It is treasonous to seek to transcend such a conflict and resolve the conflict. It is easier to choose sides and have approximately 50 percent of the people respect us. It is no wonder that so many conflicts persist generation after generation--- undermining both personal and communal integrity for countless generations. (c) 2005 by Paul A. Smith in (On Being Yourself, Whole and Healthy) ==========================================================