This is http://www.essayz.com/b0409132.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.}
==========================================================
       =====>   See what editing of this essay will come later.  <======

  %METHODOLOGICAL CHALLENGES DILEMMAS TRAGIC EVENTS 040913
%TRADITIONS VIOLENCE COERCION DOMINATION MYTH DEVIL 040913
%REDEMPTIVE SALVATION RESCUES CODEPENDENT SUPPORTER 040913
  %ADDICTION POWER CONCENTRATIONS CORRUPTION DECAYS 040913
 %LOGIC REASON SCHOLARS SCIENTISTS PROPHETS SPIRITS 040913
%PURITANICAL STANDARDS SEXUAL RELATIONSHIPS REFORMS 040913

     There are  major methodological challenges which face
True-Lovers within each community challenged by:

1.  Traditions of violence, coercion and domination.

2.  Traditional respect for Myths-of-Redemtive Violence.

3.  Respect for Military-Industrial-Complexes.

4.  Respect for collusions, profitable-dishonesty, etc.

5.  Respect for profitable addictions, corruption, etc.

     In such  a community, virtues and vices  have  become
confused,   systems-analysis  has become perverted  and/or
confused,  definitions of "good"  and "evil"  are confused
and applied in misleading ways,  and religious leaders are
often in the service of disintegrative idols.

     To  which  authorities are True-Lovers to  appeal  in
ways that are reliable and worthy of respect,  support and
perhaps  even reverence?   How is any reliable  source  of
authority to be recognized under the circumstances?

               Does the authority-in-question:

1.  Favor the rich and powerful in preferential ways?

2.  Suggest taking advantage of the poor and vulnerable?

3.  Rely on coercion and violence to maintain control?

4.  Favor open and honest discussion of many alternatives?

5.  Favor alienative tools, attitudes, and procedures?

6.  Show indifference to personal & communal integrities?

7.  Suggest sacrificing personal & communal integrities?

8.  Act as if the most powerful should define virtues?

9.  Act as if vices should never be described accurately?

10. Act as if conformity is central to all true virtues?

     In the kind of society which is in question,  how are
confused  people to start to learn how to ask and  respond
wisely to new questions  which transcend the  roots of the
central  communal dilemmas and tragedies?   How can  True-
Lovers in such a community start to build the  foundations
for  recovery  from  their communal-dis-ease?  Maintaining
their traditions is  not likely to be the wise and prudent
way out of their dilemmas and tragic-patterns of living in
disintegrative  ways!   Ancient  taboos,   collusions  and
punishments have  not  been  helpful ---  because  of  the
alienation and evil-relationships which flow from them.

                                                                                                                               
                         (c) 2005 by Paul A. Smith in      
                    (On Being Yourself, Whole and Healthy)  
                                                                                                                               
==========================================================