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 %PURIFICATION PURE PURITY GOLD SILVER PRECIOUS GOD 040104
 %ADULTERATION GARBAGE CHOS MIXTURES DIRTS SOIL SIN 040104
 %ENTROPY CONFUSION REMOVED REJECTED BANISHED DEVIL 040104
 %EXCLUSIVITY EXCLUSION ALIENATION SEPARATION LOVER 040104
  %IDEALS VALUES PRINCIPLES HOPES ASPIRATIONS GOALS 040104
  %TOGETHER COMPLEMENTARY COOPERATION DIALOGUE OPEN 040104

     Religious leaders have often idealized  "purity"   as 
something which  might  always  be desired.    Pure  gold, 
silver,   and precious-stones  are much desired;   whereas 
adulterated gold,   silver and precious-stones are not  as 
much   desired.    Pure  things  have   had   adulterating 
substances,  compounds and/or elements removed;  e.g.,  by 
mixing metal ore  with carbon  and heating the mixture  so 
that  the carbon will combine with the oxygen in the metal 
oxide  to form  carbon-dioxide;   leaving  just  the  pure 
metallic  element such as gold,  silver,  copper or  iron.  
Such  purity  has  to  do with  excluding  all   but   the 
preferred  and  chosen  kind of  substance,   compound  or 
element. 
     
     In the light of the above observations, what shall we 
say of pure-people and pure-communities? 
     
     What  is  it that has been excluded from the lives of 
pure-people  through  some  form  of  exclusivity?    What 
ideals,   values,  principles,  experiences,  friendships, 
relationships  have been rejected and excluded?   How  has 
the  process of excluding them facilitated and/or promoted 
personal and communal integrations and integrities? 
     
     What is it that has been excluded from the  lives  of 
pure-communities; e.g., from the lives of pure: religious, 
political,  scholarly or scientific groups?   What ideals, 
values,  principles,  experiences,  friendships, relation-
ships  have  been rejected and  excluded?    How  has  the 
process  of  excluding  them facilitated  and/or  promoted 
personal  and communal integrations and integrities?   How 
so?                                                  

     Integration   has  to  do  with   bringing   together 
complementary  ideals,  values,  principles,  experiences, 
people,   friendships,   relationships,   visions,  hopes, 
aspirations, etc. --- in mutually complementary ways which 
create  a  whole  which  is  meaningfully  more  than  the 
arithmetic  sum  of  its  parts.    Integrations  lead  to 
integrities  which  merits  reverence,   respect,   honor, 
support, etc. 
     
     In  the  light of the above comments  about  what  is 
entailed in purification and purity.  In what sense can we 
say that pure-people and pure-communities merit reverence, 
respect,  honor,  support,  etc?   If we cannot articulate 
such  a  "sense"   ---   why should we  continue  to  show 
reverence,  respect,  honor,  support,  etc.  ---  towards 
"pure"   people and communities?   Does the  "ideal"   of 
"purity" make sense in regards to people and communities?  
If so, why so? 
                                                                                                                               
                         (c) 2005 by Paul A. Smith in      
                    (On Being Yourself, Whole and Healthy)  
                                                                                                                               
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