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%ULTIMATE CONCERNS IDOLATRY IDEALS VALUES PRINCIPLE+000830
  %DOMINATION SYSTEM PRIVACY RIGHTS INQUIRY CONTROL+000830
  %REGULATION DISCIPLINE COMMAND PROHIBIT PRESCRIBE+000830
%EXCLUSIVE EXPERIENCES DESIRES HOPES FEARS CONCERNS+000830
  %SEXUAL ABUSE RAPE CONSENT RESPONSIVE OPEN HONEST 000830
                                                          
     The ultimate concerns,  ideals, values and principles
of  domineering  people  --- make  it  difficult,   if not
impossible,  for them to truly respect,  honor and support
people's rights to privacy.   To be successfully  dominant
they  need  to think about what people do in private,   to
make  inquiry  into what people do in  private,    and  to
attempt to   control  what people do  in  private.    True
privacy is  a threat to their right to dominate,  to be in
control,  and to regulate what other people think,   feel,
desire,  hope, fear, do, etc.                             
                                                          
     Domineering   people  often  seek  to   use   ancient
commandments, prohibitions,  prescriptions  and scriptures
---   as   tools  with  which  to  dominate   people   who
are   vulnerable.    The   often  seek  to  exclude   from
consideration  the   current   experiences,       desires,
pleasures,   hopes,  aspirations and fears of  people  who
now find themselves within    problematic   relationships.
Only     ancient authoritative    sources   are    allowed
to   be   given consideration ---  because they are easier
to control  than are modern aspects  of  life. Domineering
people   cannot   acknowledge   that   the       essential
differences    between     intimate/sexual   relationships
which   are  healthy  and those which  entail sexual abuse
and/or rape  ---    pertain  to the degrees of  mutuality,
balance, openness,   honesty,   and reciprocity within the
participants'  current:  experiences,  desires, pleasures,
hopes,  aspirations and  fears.     The  current essential
differences   are  not  addressed  clearly  and  helpfully
in ancient commandments, prohibitions,  prescriptions  and
scriptures.                                               
                                                          
     In  order to effectively understand,  transcend,  and
graciously subvert domineering people's efforts to control
us --- we must be clear in our minds about what it is that
they are trying to do,   why they are trying to do it, how
they are trying to do it,  and how we can rob them  of the
power to do it.    We are unlikely to be able to do all of
that    exclusively    in  terms   of    ancient    texts,
commandments, prescriptions, proscriptions and scriptures.
There  are  modern revelations which are relevant  to  our
modern  conditions and our personal circumstances.  God is
not  done  offering Her revelations to those humble people
who are open to them and willing to accept them.          
                                                          
     We  need to and should take gracious advantage of the
following circumstances:                                  
                                                          
     1.  Domineering  people  who  are  playing  collusive
games  of  mutual  self deception blind themselves to  how
tragically they  reveal  their true natures ---  when they
dominate and/or crucify vulnerable people who are:   sick,
dis-eased, ill-at-ease,  mentally-ill,  thirsty,   hungry,
homeless,   imprisoned,  poor,  naked,  harmed,  women and
children.    Their pretensions-of-righteousness and  their
arrogance are thereby exposed.                            
                                                          
     2.  The  powers  of domineering people are  subverted
when  their  true natures,  motives  and  technologies  of
manipulation  are graciously exposed --- yet they may then
be unaware  of how their powers have been subverted.      
                                                          
     3.  When   domineering  people  excommunicate   their
chosen victims ---  they excommunicate themselves from all
their  victims and all bystanders ---  who are willing  to
perceive and discern how unworthy of  honor,  respect  and
support    ---      are  domineering  people's    motives,
decisions  and patterns of behavior.                      
                                                          
     4.  We cannot be effectively dominated by domineering
people ---  when we ourselves understand,  transcend,  and
graciously  subvert  such people's efforts  to control us.
They   cannot   be  successfully  dominant   without   our
cooperation.    If  we cooperate with them  by  trying  to
dominate them,  we become like them --- domineering people
who cannot see,  hear,  or understand what is happening to
us and our relationships.                                 
                                                          
                                                                                                                               
                         (c) 2005 by Paul A. Smith in      
                    (On Being Yourself, Whole and Healthy)  
                                                                                                                               
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