This is http://www.essayz.com/a9801141.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.} ========================================================== %ABSOLUTE ULTIMATE TRUTH CONVICTIONS BELIEFS DOGMAS+980114 %INHIBIT ALIENATIVE OPEN HONEST DIALOGUE INTIMACY+980114 %DIRECT PERSONAL EXPERIENCE ABSTRACT EXCLUSIVE SIN+980114 %HEALTH HEAL SICK DISEASE SEXUAL RELATIONS EVIL GOD 980114 People who are preoccupied with absolute and ultimate truth, convictions, beliefs and dogmas --- often alienate themselves and others from open and honest dialogue with themselves and others --- about what can be learned from direct personal human experiences, and from open and honest dialogue about direct personal experiences. Such people often are preoccupied with abstractions --- to the exclusion of open and honest dialogue among people about their own direct personal experiences. How are we to recognize the differences between healthy and sick human relationships --- if we avoid open and honest dialogue about our own direct personal experiences of the healthy and sick human relationships which most profoundly affect us? Is it reasonable to pretend that we can be well informed through lectures, debates and contentious conflicts over abstract statements/assertions --- in the absence of open and honest dialogue about our own direct personal experiences? Often through collusive games of mutual self deception people agree that it is not good, proper or decent to engage in open and honest dialogue about those direct personal experiences which most profoundly affect us; e.g., political, religious and sexual ones --- around which there have been many disagreements and much conflict. If those conventions are honored --- how are the participants in them to learn how to respond prudently and wisely to changing environmental conditions and so to survive with meaning and satisfaction in the face of change. (c) 2005 by Paul A. Smith in (On Being Yourself, Whole and Healthy) ==========================================================