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%REPENT VIOLENCE COERCE DISHONEST HARM WEAK POWER+970601
%ALIENATE ESTRANGE EXCOMMUNICATE DESTRUCTION SIN 970601
Repentance has to do with truly regretting having
used one's own freedom and power in ways which engendered
harm, embarrassment, resentment, anger, and/or alienation
which could have been avoided at a reasonable cost to self
and/or others.
Usually repentance has to do with recognizing that:
1. One has abused one's own freedom and power.
2. One has engendered harm, embarrassment,
resentment, anger and/or alienation.
3. One could well have avoided the above.
4. Reconciliation is possible and desirable by
openly and honestly acknowledging the above.
If one has been harmed, embarrassed and/or
excommunicated by people with more freedom and/or power
than one has --- it is unlikely that one can truly regret
and repent of one's own minor "offenses" against the
"sensibilities" of those who have abused their greater
power and freedom.
The responsibility to repent lies more heavily upon
the people who have had and abused more freedom and power,
than upon those who have had less freedom and power and/or
have not abused freedom and power.
It is irresponsible for those who have greater
amounts of freedom and power to call upon those who have
the lesser amounts of freedom and power --- to repent of
non-harmful actions which trouble and or offend the
sensitivities of the persons with greater freedom and
power; especially if the powerful ones are in the majority
and/or hold official positions of trust and respect. Such
a call for repentance is itself an abuse of freedom and
power.
Put another way, it is arrogant and irresponsible
for those who are relatively powerful and invulnerable to
make others become weaker and more vulnerable --- and then
call upon those who are weaker and more vulnerable to
"repent" of their non-conformal behaviors to which the
powerful people object.
Repentance has to do with restoring balance to power
relationships --- so that reconciliation is made possible,
invited, and brought to fruition.
True repentance is not a response by the weak to the
demands of the strong in a power conflict.
True repentance is mutual, balanced and leads to the
exchange of true and free gifts of the freedom to be
mutually and safely vulnerable.
(c) 2005 by Paul A. Smith in
www.essayz.com Search for Integrity and Honesty
(On Being Yourself, Whole and Healthy)
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