This is http://www.essayz.com/a9710051.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.} ========================================================== %STANDARDS IDEALS VALUES PRINCIPLES FOCUS LIVES+971005 %BEHAVIOR DIVERSITY CREATIVE AUTHENTIC COERCION+971005 %CONFLICT ALIENATION DECEPTION REBELLION EVIL SIN 971005 What stands we take and how we take our stands both depend upon what kinds of standards, ideals, values and principals we focus upon in our daily lives. Some people focus upon behavioral standards which demand conformity at the expense of diversity, creativity and authenticity. Such people are likely to take stands which engender coercion, conflicts, alienation, deception, rebellion and self-righteousness. Other people focus upon relational standards which call for integrative relationships graced by humility, gentleness, reconciliation and conflict resolution. Such peacemakers call into question the assumptions, attitudes and manipulative strategies of people who call for conformity in terms of behavioral standards. Peacemakers are more interested in promoting personal and communal integrity through open and honest dialogue --- than in any form of conformity. Peacemakers rarely take sides in other people's contentious conflicts --- they stand for promoting and facilitating true security enjoyed as the freedom to be safely vulnerable in being true to self and others. Contentious people want to know where other people stand in regards to drawn battle lines. Contentious people do not appreciate peacemakers who stand for conflict-resolution, reconciliation and gracious peacemaking in true love. Contentious people cannot fulfill their calling in the absence of a battle, so they take stands which engender battles, conflicts and violence --- with all the alienation which flows from them. (c) 2005 by Paul A. Smith in (On Being Yourself, Whole and Healthy) ==========================================================