This is http://www.essayz.com/a9710291.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.} ========================================================== %RELIGIOUS CONFLICT EITHER/OR YES NO VOTE ORDAIN 971029 When different religious leaders are forced to vote either YES or NO on some highly controversial motion, they choose which way to vote in many different ways --- based upon many different combinations of considerations which are likely to include the following: 1. Respect for, and/or loyalty to, people whom they see as impressive role models of personal integrity. They vote to affirm such role models. 2 Disrespect for, and/or disgust engendered by people whom they see as examples of personal degeneration, dishonesty, selfishness, decadence, arrogance, etc. They vote to disaffirm such people. 3. Dependence upon and loyalty towards the people of their own family, clan, tribe, lodge, organization, congregation etc. They vote to affirm the group-think of those people upon whom they depend for a sense of belonging. 4. Anger and resentment towards people who have engaged in coercive, violent and alienative patterns of behavior towards self and loved ones. They vote to disaffirm whatever such people appear to stand for. 5. Respect for, and/or loyalty to, some manner of approaching and interpreting: scriptures, biblical accounts, confessions, traditions, and/or governance procedures. They vote to affirm such respect and loyalty --- in support of those who together share such respect and loyalty. 6. Respect for logic and reason combined with particular beginning attitudes, assumptions and beliefs -- - which are for them are not to be doubted or questioned. They vote to affirm sacred logic, reasoning, attitudes, assumptions and beliefs. 7. Fear of unfamiliar and unknown persons, cultures, languages, perspectives and beliefs. They vote to affirm sacred traditions and patterns of life --- because they fear change. 8. Abstract conceptions of ideals, values and principles which have been and/or might be incarnate in healthy personal relationships and communities. They vote to affirm such abstract ideals, values and principles. 9. Concrete experiences of supportive communities which have demonstrated love in inclusive ways which help participants to recover from alienation, harm, pain, and disease. They vote to affirm such supportive communities. 10. Concern over measuring up to some particular set of standards --- which must be met to be included in some exclusive community which affirms exclusive standards of membership. They vote to affirm such an exclusive community --- out of fear of being excluded from it. Some people seek to start with explicitly stated beginning considerations --- and move from them to a conclusion about how they should vote. Other people start with how they believe they should vote --- and move from that conviction to considerations which may be presented in support of their belief. Most people feel that they must vote either YES or NO on the proposed action, and see no other alternative which might be more creative and helpful. For tragic reasons many people find themselves unable to listen carefully to each other's considerations --- and so they remain unable to speak thoughtfully to each other's considerations. Alienation, misunderstanding, confusion and prejudice dominate their interactions with each other as they battle over how many YES and how many NO votes there will be cast on the divisive motion. (c) 2005 by Paul A. Smith in (On Being Yourself, Whole and Healthy) ==========================================================