This is http://www.essayz.com/a9812051.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.} ========================================================== %FIGHT DISPUTE DEBATE CONTEST CONTENTION CONFLICT+981205 %CONTROL PREVENT ELIMINATE HIDE CONCEAL TOLERATE+981205 %RESPECT RECOGNIZE DESCRIBE CONFORMITY REBELLION+981205 %SIN REPENTANCE RECONCILIATION FORGIVE SECURITY 981205 How well we are and do depends greatly upon how we approach, recognize, define, and talk about the dilemmas which sinful and evil RELATIONSHIPS present to us. We are not well and do not do well when we approach and regard sin and evil as: 1. Characteristics of individuals as individuals apart from us; blaming individuals as individuals for defects in our mutual relationships. 2. Pollutants which can be eliminated through washing, sewer pipes, garbage trucks, incinerators, etc. 3. The fruits of some powerful spiritual being who has malicious intentions, designs and desires. 4. Being rooted in refusals to conform self and others according to certain prescriptions, proscriptions and commandments regarding attitudes, beliefs, assumptions, thoughts, desires, experiences, decisions, and behaviors. 5. Things which "good people" can and should control, prevent, eliminate, be free of and/or transcend. 6. Things which can be dealt with helpfully through the making of symbolic sacrifices, the payments of fines, and the imposition of proper punishments. We are most likely to become well and do well as we recognize, name, describe and deal with sin and evil as: 1. Pertaining to personal RELATIONSHIPS which are characterized by alienation, ignorance, estrangement, misunderstanding, prejudice, confusion, arrogance, self- righteousness, coercion, manipulations, violence, fear, anger, resentment, distrust, etc. 2. Rooted in conflicts which are persistent, contentious, conflicted, manipulative, pretentious, dishonest, collusive, technocratic, coercive, violent, etc. 3. INAPPROPRIATELY blamed upon enemies, faithless people, disloyal people, defective people, traitors, etc. 4. Signs of our need to focus more clearly upon the foundations for personal and communal integrity --- both of which depend upon all of us being free to be safely vulnerable in open and honest dialogue while seeking to be true to self and others about what most concerns us. 5. Signs of imbalance in our foci, concerns, approaches, values, ideals and principles. 6. Fruits of efforts to solve dilemmas as if they were problems to be dealt with through the use of superior power to control; and through the use of superior technologies and greater amounts of scarce resources. 7. Signs that we need to recognize, name, describe, and resolve conflicts between our most cherished and respected ideals, values, principles, traditions, rituals, scriptures, doctrines, institutions, and religious fellowships. 8. Signs of the futility of our collusive games of mutual self deception. People who are preoccupied with issues of control and with attempts to control sin and evil --- are themselves unwitting victims of their own kinds of attempt to be in control. Controllers do not recognize, name, describe and talk about sin and evil as signs of alienation and estrangement, as in essence having to do with RELATIONSHIPS of alienation and estrangement --- and as the the fruits of RELATIONSHIPS of alienation and estrangement. Rather than seeking to work for reconciliation and the resolution of conflicts between and among high ideals, ideas, values, principles and intentions --- controllers seek to work to control what kinds of fruits grow on the branches of the trees in their orchards of alienation, estrangement, conflict, contention, violence, terror, fear, and war. Controllers are engaged in tragic work which bears bitter fruits. We can recognize them by the kinds of fruits which their kinds of work bear. (c) 2005 by Paul A. Smith in (On Being Yourself, Whole and Healthy) ==========================================================