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    %DISAGREE DICHOTOMY CHOICE PRIORITY INTEGRATIVE 961116

     Often  people insist that we either agree or disagree
with  them  when they have made a  dichotomous  choice  or
assertion.    They insist that we either accept or  reject
their    whole   pattern   of   assumptions,    attitudes,
perceptions, beliefs, values and ideals.  They insist that
we  either  join  them  or oppose them.    If  we  do  not
thoughtlessly  join them,  they view us as opposing  them.
Their  pattern  of  attitudes,   thoughts  and   behaviors
generates conflicts and so is disintegrative.

     The essential question to ask about each  alternative
pattern of attitudes, thoughts and behaviors is whether it
will contribute to personal and communal integration;   or
to  personal and communal disintegration.   The  essential
question   is  not  whither  the  choice  is  right/wrong,
good/evil,       friendly/unfriendly,       moral/immoral,
acceptable/unacceptable, of-us/of-them, spiritual/secular,
scriptural/profane, idealistic/pragmatic, etc.    All such
dichotomies cons thinking and choices.

     To  ask whether  a choice is likely to contribute  to
personal and communal  integration;   or  to  personal and
communal disintegration---is not constraining in the  same
way.   Personal and communal integrity are not pre-defined
in  limiting ways having to do with issues of control  and
conformity.     Instead  they  are  realities  which   are
responsive to the growing unique characteristics of people
and communities.
                                                                                                                               
                         (c) 2005 by Paul A. Smith in      
                    (On Being Yourself, Whole and Healthy)  
                                                                                                                               
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