This is http://www.essayz.com/b0309041.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.} ========================================================== %HUMANE CIVILIZATIONS HOSPITALITY REVERENCE LOVERS+030904 %GENETICALLY DISPOSED GATHER TOGETHER COMMITTED GOD+030904 %IDOLATRY PARADOX WHOLE TRUTH FRAGMENTED KNOWLEDGE+030904 %PERSONAL COMMUNAL INTEGRITY HONESTY HEAL SEXUAL+030904 %INTIMACY SAFELY VULNERABLE GIFTS SANCTUARY PLEASE+030904 %NUCLEAR WAR WINTER DISCONTENT RELIGION FUNDAMENTAL 030904 Humans seem genetically disposed to gather together into committed/loyal: gangs, armies, families, tribes, cities, states, nations, etc. --- which are often viewed/seen as being unavoidably- mutually exclusive --- based upon diverse distinguishing characteristics such as: 1. Race, color, language, hair, eyes, size, etc. 2. Labels which have been affixed by self/others. 3. Previous patterns of behaviors/communications. 4. Promises made and/or broken. 5. Articulated theories, assumptions, attitudes. 6. Technologies used, abused, rejected, clung to. 7. Priorities affirmed, rejected, ignored, etc. 8. Views of who can/cannot be trusted to be "loyal" 9. Views as to who has/not been "chosen" by God 10. Views as to who is/not "pure", "saved", "redeemed" 11. Views as to which of the above should be honored. 12. Views as to which of the above should be changed. Central to the above questions and issues are conflicts over the proper and/or improper roles in all of the above --- of the following kinds of contrasting "elements": appearances, pretentiousness, arrogance, deceptions; self righteousness, conformity, non conformity; authenticity, right relationships, integrities; segregations, integrations, mixtures, purifications; reliability, predictability, loyalty, honor; simplicity, clarity, transparency, complexity; simplifications, complications, confusions, chaos, order, orders, commandments, prescriptions, taboos; proscriptions, descriptions, accuracy, truths; etc. Different "elements" mean different things to different people; in light of, or in spite of, what roles each element plays in the natural/chosen courses of events. Some people focus almost exclusively upon patterns of natural cause and effect --- while other people focus almost exclusively upon patterns of assigned symbolic- meanings which may (or many not) have been assigned in the light of past events, causes, and natural and/or humanly chosen consequences. Various diverse people discern various patterns in all of the above; patterns which may/can/cannot/should not be changed --- depending upon different people's perceptions of what is possible, impossible, desirable, forbidden, etc. People are pre disposed to approach each other with attitudes, beliefs, convictions which lead them to be contentious and/or cooperative. Some people seem able to transcend some of their pre dispositions, attitudes, beliefs, and convictions --- and so to move from contentiousness into cooperative patterns of true conflict resolution, peace making, healing and integrations of persons and communities. Such people build great civilizations. Some people seem unable to transcend any of their destructive pre dispositions, attitudes, beliefs and convictions --- and so move through progressively more destructive patterns of contentiousness, coercion, violence, war making, alienation, and disintegration. Such people destroy great civilizations. What will you and those nearest and dearest to you chose and do? (c) 2005 by Paul A. Smith in (On Being Yourself, Whole and Healthy) ==========================================================