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  %GOD HUMAN FREE WILL INDEPENDENCE INTERDEPENDENCE 050420
%PHILOSOPHY THEOLOGY TALK WRITE SCHOLAR THEOLOGY IT 050420
%EVIL RELATIONSHIPS INDIVIDUALS ESSENTIAL NATURE ID 050420
%FREEDOM PARTICIPATE BOND DESIRE HOPE YEARN ACTIONS 050420
  %RESPONSIVE INTIMATE FRIENDSHIP SEXUAL CREATIVITY 050420
%OPEN HONEST DIALOGUE INITIATE DESCRIBE EXPERIENCES 050420

     There have been many philosophical and/or theological
discussions  and  writings about Free-Will on the part  of
humans.   Are humans really free to make their own choices
or,  are they predestined in a complete way to do what God
Wills that they do?  Is God the dominant consideration, or
are humans free to act independently of God's Will?

     The  above focus of the considerations and discussion
is a tragically misleading focus.  It is a projection upon
God considered as a Domineering-Person ---  of the  tragic
domineering   attitudes  and  dispositions   of   dominant
scholars and theologians.  There are far more helpful ways
of framing the questions, and far more liberating "frames"
in  terms  of  which  to  consider  the  situations  which
actually exist in human-to-human-relationships,  human-to-
other-alive-creature-relationships,      and     human-to-
inanimate-object-relationships.

     In  each  of the above instances the  kinds  of  foci
around  which the questions may helpfully be framed,   and
the kinds of "frames"  which may helpfully be devised  ---
are suggested by the following kinds of considerations:

     1.  What are the reliable indications  REGARDING-THE-
ABILITY of each  participant   in  each  relationship  to:
imagine,  envision,  yearn-for, desire, plan-for,  strive-
for,   fight-for ---  taking some independent  initiative,
reciprocating   in   responsive   ways,    being-actively-
interactive,      becoming-bonded,      creating-a-mutual-
relationship, being openly honest, being integrative, etc?

     2.  What  are  the reliable  indications  OF-LIMITED-
ABILITY on  the  part of participants in each relationship
to:   imagine,  envision,  yearn-for,  desire,   plan-for,
strive-for, fight-for: taking some independent initiative,
reciprocating   in   responsive   ways,    being-actively-
interactive,   becoming-bonded,   creating-a-truly-mutual-
relationship, etc?

     3.  What   are   the  reliable  indications  of   the
different  levels  of  integrity  which  have  existed  in
relationships  between  humans  ---   as compared  to  the
relationships  between  humans and:   different  kinds  of
alive-creatures, different kinds of inanimate-objects, and
different kinds-of-humans?

     4.  What are the reliable indicators of the different
levels  of  integrity  in  each  of  the  above  kinds  of
relationships?

     5.  How  are the levels of integrities of the various
relationships  correlated  with the levels  of  domination
among the participants within the relationships?

     6.  How  are  the  levels of the integrities  of  the
various  relationships  correlated  with  the  amounts  of
freedom which the participants are willing to grant to the
other participants within the relationships?

     7.  What are the most helpful questions which can  be
framed,  asked,  and  responded to regarding the levels of
freedoms of the participants in the relationships ---  and
the  reasons for the participants having differing  levels
of  freedom to act upon choices which are inherent in them
and   their  independent  relationships  with  each  other
participant?
                                                                                                                               
                         (c) 2005 by Paul A. Smith in      
                    (On Being Yourself, Whole and Healthy)  
                                                                                                                               
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