This is http://www.essayz.com/a9803231.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.}
==========================================================

%CHRISTIAN PREOCCUPATION CHOICE SINS EVIL FOCUS ILL+980323                                       
  %COERCION VIOLENCE THREAT EXCOMMUNICATION ADDICTS+980323           
%CHURCH RELIGIOUS LEADERS CORRUPTION POWER ALIENATE 980323                                        
                                                                                                                               
     It is interesting that Christians have for  centuries                      
been   far   more  concerned  with  sins  associated  with                               
unconventional  sexual desires and behaviors;   than  with
sins associated with coercion,  violence, excommunication,           
alienation   and  threats  thereof.     This  pattern   of                                        
selective  interest in sexual sins ---  compared with sins
of  coercion,  violence,  excommunication,  alienation and           
threats  ---  is  probably   associated  with  Christians'                                                                     
relatively low interest in the evolving insights of Twelve                      
Steppers regarding  addictions  and codependent supporters                                 
of addicts.                                                
                                                                                                                               
     It is also interesting that Christians have tended to                      
focus upon the sins  of alienated/isolated individuals who                                        
are  vulnerable  to the powers of addictive  organizations                                             
such  as  churches;  rather focus than upon  the  sins  of                                                                     
addictive   organizations  such  as  churches  which   are                                                
preoccupied with issues of control.    The  result of this                                                           
neglect of communal/corporate sins  is that many alienated               
and  powerless  neighbors of such powerful  churches  have                                             
become  alienated  from  the churches ---  and  have  lost                                        
respect for churches which claim to represent the life and                                      
teachings  of  Jesus  of Nazareth ---  who associated with                                                                     
powerless  people,  to the dismay of the powerful  leaders                                             
who  passed  judgement  upon Jesus  because  of  his  non-                          
conformist ways.      
                                                                                                                               
     Much  too  often,    religious  leaders  have focused                                                                     
(either explicitly or  tacitly)   upon negative statements                                                                     
about  human  sexual  behavior.    Their focus  has  often
engendered alienation, rather than reconciliation.   Young                                        
people who  have  sought  positive  guidance in expressing                                                                    
their  sexuality ---   have  instead  been   immersed   in
commercial   manipulations   and   religious   negativity.                                                                     
Rarely  have  most  religious  institutions   focused   in                                                                     
positive/affirmative  ways upon providing role  models  of      
healthy sexuality --- and  upon principles  and  teachings
which  affirm the development of healthy sexuality.    The
essence  of  healthy  sexuality  is  not to  be  found  in
negative    statements,    condemnations   or    pervasive                                                                     
repressions of sexual desires.
                                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                               
                         (c) 2005 by Paul A. Smith in      
                    (On Being Yourself, Whole and Healthy)  
                                                                                                                               
==========================================================