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%CORPORATE CHRISTIAN RELIGION CHURCH POWER SIN EVIL+971206                                       
 %ADDICT CODEPENDENT CONTROL DISCIPLINE APPEAR FAIL+971206                                                
  %ALIENATIVE SEXUAL RELATIONS OPEN HONEST DIALOGUE+971206
%COMMUNAL PERSONAL INTEGRITY BALANCE CORRUPT LEADER 971206                                                                
                                                                                                                               
     Christian  churches  have  focused far more  upon the                                                                     
individual sins of the powerless  poor ---  than  upon  to                                             
corporate sins of the powerful rich.   When Jesus told the                                             
rich  young ruler that to enter the Kingdom of  Heaven  he                                                                     
would  have to sell all that he had,   and go and give  to                                                                     
the powerless poor ---  he was talking about letting go of                                             
abusive power ---  just as much as about letting go of the                                             
things which are the symbols of power and wealth.                                             
                                                                                                                               
     Powerful  leaders in religious institutions  are  not                                             
prone  to dramatize the alienation which they engender  by                                        
focusing  upon the individual sins of the powerless  poor.                                             
They can  best  increase  their  power  and  reputation by                                             
manipulating  the  self-images  and  self-esteems  of  the                                                      
powerless poor ---  while concealing their own patterns of                   
abuse   of  power.    The  integrity  of  their  religious                                             
institutions   is   systematically  undermined  by   their                                    
preoccupations with issues of power, control, appearances,                                             
and conformity.            
                                                                                                                               
     Corrupt  religious  leaders find it in their  special                                                                     
interest to focus  upon  laws,   rules,  prescriptions and                      
proscriptions  selected  to differentiate themselves  from    
the  powerless poor;  rather than  upon the self-righteous       
and     alienative    attitudes,     assumptions,      and                                        
rationalizations which lead to their own  excommunications                   
from the powerless poor.                                             
                                                                                                                               
     The  systemic sins of the religiously  powerful  will                                    
not be dealt with openly and honestly so long  as they are                                                                  
respected by the powerless poor --- who lack understanding                                      
of  how  power is being abused.    The powerless poor need                 
the benefits  of open and honest descriptions of the abuse                                                                  
of power by the religiously powerful ---  who are  skilled                                             
in  playing collusive games of mutual self-deception  with 
each  other  and with the powerless poor.   The  powerless                                             
poor   do   not   need   additional   prescriptions    and                 
proscriptions  to be enforced by powerful  people  who are                                             
preoccupied with issues of control and appearances.   They                                                           
need   liberation,   reconciliation  and   healing;    not                 
disciplines, controls and authoritarian pronouncements.                                                           
                                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                               
                         (c) 2005 by Paul A. Smith in      
                    (On Being Yourself, Whole and Healthy)  
                                                                                                                               
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