Text of all essays written in yy/mm
%PRAY IN CHRIST'S NAME SPIRIT ATTITUDES FELLOWSHIP+941003
%ADDICTIVE DEADLY PREOCCUPATION WORD SOUNDS CONTROL+941003
%SOUNDS WORDS POINT SYMBOL LANGUAGE REPRESENT TRUE 941003
For centuries people have gathered "in Christ's
name", but in two contrasting ways.
Some people are compulsively preoccupied with the
sounds which pass from people's lips when they speak a
word which points to a particular historic person. They
alienate themselves (with arrogant and even violent self-
righteousness) from those people who do not conform
themselves to a prescribed way of passing such sounds from
their lips on specified occasions. These people gather in
exclusive fellowships which are defined by who is
excluded.
Other people gather together in inclusive fellowships
which demonstrate in a loving way the healing attitudes
and creative spirit to which the birth, life and death of
a historic person point. They seek to resolve conflicts
through forgiveness, reconciliation and the acceptance of
all who will come into open and honest dialogue with them
about their own experiences and beliefs. They work with
Inclusive Holy Spirit to minimize estrangement,
alienation, misunderstanding, ignorance, conflict and
violence. They know the roots of evil, and work
charitably to deprive the roots of evil of alienative
nourishment.
(c) 2003 by Paul A. Smith in
GO: essayz.com "Search for Integrity and Honesty"
for download (On Being Yourself, Whole and Healthy)
%RESPOND REACT CHANGE GROWTH REVOLUTION STAGNATION+941004
%SECOND ORDER ACCELERATION NET FORCES LAWS NEWTON 941004
We respond to change according to what kind of people
we are. How we respond depends upon how we perceive
change, and how we think and feel about change; what our
attitudes towards change are, and what we fear.
If we are getting richer while others are getting
poorer because we are getting richer---we may perceive
such change as good, and think that God is being good to
us because of our righteousness. We may have favorable
attitudes towards such change.
If we are getting poorer while others are getting
richer through our getting poorer---we are likely to
perceive such change as bad or evil. We are unlikely to
think that God is being good to those who are getting
richer; especially, we are unlikely to think that the
reason for their favored treatment is because of their
righteousness. Our attitudes are likely to be sympathetic
to a paradigm shift and a revolution. We are likely to be
alienated from the rich people.
If we are in a comfortable airplane traveling at a
steady velocity we may perceive our changing position as
not really change, but as a good process which is stable
and to our liking. A process of change may be regarded as
good stability which is to our liking. In that event a
change in the process may be regarded as change, and
perhaps not to our liking. Second-order change may appear
to us to be change, while first-order change appears to
involve no change. Newton's laws of motion focus upon
such second-order change which is called acceleration, and
is related to net-vector-sum-forces. It is second-order
change which most draws our attention.
If we are un-loved and insecure we may respond in
defensive ways to prevent any change which we perceive to
threaten us, and we are likely to encourage any change
which we perceive will threaten our perceived enemies.
If we are loved and have received many gifts of
security known as the freedom to be safely vulnerable,
then we may respond in creative ways which help to sustain
people of integrity in communities of integrity. We and
others are likely to grow together with integrity, rather
than grow apart through alienation. Our changes are
likely to be integrative, rather than disintegrative.
(c) 2003 by Paul A. Smith in
GO: essayz.com "Search for Integrity and Honesty"
for download (On Being Yourself, Whole and Healthy)
%IMPOSSIBLE BEING PERSON INTEGRITY OWN DISASSOCIATE+941005
%ROOT EVIL ALIENATION GOOD LAWS COMMANDMENTS REJECT+941005
%PERSON COMMUNAL INTEGRITY DIALOGUE DESCRIBE LEARN+941005
%MISTAKE TRAGEDY OWN ASSOCIATE CONFORMITY OBEY SIN 941005
It is impossible to continue as a person of integrity
within a community of integrity---so long as you feel
deeply that you cannot survive with integrity if you are
honestly associated with your own experiences,
perceptions, feelings, desires, hopes, aspirations
beliefs, convictions, and sense of integrity.
If you feel deeply that you are required by your
community to dis-associate yourself from your own
experiences, perceptions, feelings, desires, hopes,
aspirations, beliefs, convictions and sense of integrity;
then it is impossible to continue as a person of integrity
within your community as a community of integrity.
If you cannot associate yourself openly and honestly
with other people who have and own your own kinds of
experiences, perceptions, feelings, desires, hopes,
aspirations, beliefs, convictions and sense of integrity;
then it is impossible to continue to as a person of
integrity within your community as a community of
integrity.
If dishonest conformity is required by your community
as a condition for the community to accept your being
present in the community as a communicant member of the
community---then you cannot survive within the community
as a person of integrity, and the community cannot be a
community of integrity.
Conformity to prescribed or expected patterns of
experiences, perceptions, feelings, desires, hopes,
aspirations, beliefs, convictions and doctrines cannot be
the basis for personal or communal integrity---for such
conformity leads inevitably to dishonesty through dis-
association of self from all that is essential to personal
integrity.
When self dis-associates self from all that is
essential to personal integrity---self is playing
collusive games of mutual self deception with self and
others. There is then no foundation upon which to build
by learning from one's own experiences, perceptions,
feelings, desires, hopes, aspirations, beliefs or
convictions. Each person is other-directed to behave like
others who are other-directed in incoherent ways---and so
there is no basis whatsoever for any coherent learning
from the consequences of mistakes made and tragedies
encountered.
Under the circumstances suggested above it is
impossible for people to:
1. Honestly describe what they experience.
2. Learn from what they experience.
3. Tell each other what they have learned.
4. Remember the consequences of decisions made.
5. Be creative and innovative in new situations.
6. Be responsive or responsible to each other.
7. Be authentic and whole in who they are.
8. Be healthy.
9. Be true to self or others about self.
10. Obey commandments with integrity.
People cannot be people of integrity in communities
of integrity so long as their acceptance into dialogue
within their communities depends primarily upon their
obeying commandments which require their conformity to
standards of acceptability. When law is supreme, there is
no integrity. When laws, commandments, rules,
regulations, prescriptions, proscriptions and expectations
are worshiped in idolatrous ways; peoples and
communities disintegrate. No laws or commandments can
make it be otherwise. Idolatry leads to disintegration
when laws are worshipped.
The essence of evil is NOT found in honest non-
conformity, creativity and responsiveness.
The essence of evil is found within rejections,
excommunication, banishments, alienations, estrangements,
dis-fellowshipping, and other forms of disintegration
which are rooted in the attitudes of people who believe
that the essence of evil is to be found in non-conformity
to what they regard as good laws, commandments, rules,
regulations, prescriptions, proscriptions and
expectations.
(c) 2003 by Paul A. Smith in
GO: essayz.com "Search for Integrity and Honesty"
for download (On Being Yourself, Whole and Healthy)
%CAUSE CARRY INFECTIOUS DISEASE SICKNESS ILLNESS 941006
Many medical diseases are caused by microscopic
organisms such as bacteria, viruses, prions, and moulds
which can enter the body of a person and cause a disease
by being present within the body. They use the tissues
of the body for food, and release their own metabolic
"wastes" and "attack poisons" into the body. We say the
diseases are "infectious" if one person who carries the
disease can easily pass the disease agents on to another
person who does not yet carry the disease.
We are accustomed to think of disease agents as
objective microscopic organisms which can be examined
under a microscope and identified by medical experts by
virtue of the characteristic microscopic appearances,
forms, and metabolic processes.
Not all diseases, sicknesses and illnesses are
occasioned primarily by objective microscopic organisms.
Our understanding of many diseases, illnesses, and
sicknesses are bound to be tragically misguided if we
think of diseases exclusively in terms of objective micro-
agents which can physically enter into human bodies and
cause disintegration in objectively verifiable ways which
can be analyzed---using traditional medical tools of
objective analysis.
Many dis-eases originate in social, cultural, family,
organizational, religious and work-place conditions which
threaten people and so make people ill-at-ease, insecure
and defensive. Such diseases originate in unhealthy human
relationships, not in objective micro-organisms. To look
for the causes of such reflexive human dis-eases primarily
in micro-organisms is be tragically misguided by a medical
paradigm of too narrow a vision which is dominated by
compulsive objectivity.
(See the following essay.)
(c) 2003 by Paul A. Smith in
GO: essayz.com "Search for Integrity and Honesty"
for download (On Being Yourself, Whole and Healthy)
%DISHONEST FAITH BELIEF CONVICTION WORKS MIRACLE+941006
%TRAGIC CONSEQUENCE COLLUSION COERCIVE VIOLENCE SIN+941006
%ELIMINATE LACK DEVIL ALIENATION ESTRANGE ADDICTION+941006
%SALVATION REDEMPTION SCIENCE PARADIGM EXCLUSIVITY 941006
There are many people who teach that all things are
possible to those people who properly believe and have
adequate faith. In their view great works and miracles
are made possible by high levels of faith and conviction,
and that nothing is impossible in the face of adequate
faith and conviction which is free of doubt.
We need to ask if the following is possible on the
basis of great faith and conviction:
1. Self cures of alcoholism and other forms of
addiction on the basis of the convictions of the addicts
that by trying harder they will be able cure themselves.
2. Salvation through faithfulness to commandments of
prohibition and prescription by those who have great faith
in the effectiveness of such efforts.
3. The elimination of communal conflict by people
who have great faith in their superior power to coerce
and/or disintegrate their perceived enemies.
4. The superior management of a corporation or
business on the basis of the great self confidence of the
CEO that he and he alone knows what must be done, in what
order, and by whom.
5. The revival of the life and integrity of a
religious organization through the great faith of leaders
within the organization that their particular
interpretation of their carefully selected holy
scriptures is the one and only way to properly interpret
their scriptures, and that any people who differ with them
are agents of the devil.
6. The discovery of endless supplies of fossil
fuel within a few miles of the surface of the earth on the
basis of great faith and conviction that there will always
be more.
7. The human exploration in person of all parts of
the universe on the basis of great faith that it is our
human destiny to explore and populate the whole universe.
8. The objective understanding of all aspects of
being fully human on the basis of great faith in the
paradigm which says that reliable understanding comes only
through detachment of the knower from the object of study.
9. The improvement of science education by increased
dedication to and faith in the objective paradigm of
exact scientists as the key to improving science
education.
10. The elimination of evil by identifying and
eliminating all people who are evil.
(c) 2003 by Paul A. Smith in
GO: essayz.com "Search for Integrity and Honesty"
for download (On Being Yourself, Whole and Healthy)
%REPRESSED AFFIRMATION ENCOURAGEMENT PRAISE ESTEEM+941007
%COLLUSIVE EVIL ALIENATION ESTRANGEMENT EXCOMMUNE 941007
Within a collusive community most of the evil is
tacit, implicit, secret, hidden, and otherwise invisible;
because of the pattern of playing games of mutual self
deception---whereby the game, the rules and the leaders
of the games are invisible.
Within a collusive community people of integrity are
not affirmed, encouraged, praised or esteemed in healthy
ways---because to do so would threaten the collusive games
of mutual self deception and all of the highly respected
leaders of those games. The evil which is generated by
the repression of affirmations, encouragement, praise and
esteem of healthy people of integrity---does much more
damage to the integrity of the people and the community
than the members of the community can imagine. Collusions
cause repression, and also make repressions and their
consequences invisible---so people cannot learn
anything from the consequences of their tragic mistakes
of neglect.
A hidden evil is the source of more evil which
spreads invisibly like a plague through collusive
communities. The diseases which plague such communities
are carried by disease carriers that carry non-objective
diseases; diseases which are reflexive in character and
which undermine any personal and communal integrity which
may be present within the community. (See the
immediately proceeding essay regarding infectious
diseases.)
(c) 2003 by Paul A. Smith in
GO: essayz.com "Search for Integrity and Honesty"
for download (On Being Yourself, Whole and Healthy)
%TABOO LAW PROHIBITION PROSCRIPTION COMMAND SCIENCE+941008
%OBJECTIVE SUBJECTIVE REFLEXIVE COLLUSIVE PRESCRIBE 941008
Informal taboos are essentially reflexive realities,
for they guide how people reflect upon themselves and
each other in the light of their tacit and often collusive
proscriptions. People are not detached from and objective
about their taboos. People's most intimate relationships
are often very strongly influenced by their taboos. Thus
taboos cannot be the subject of objective study and
analysis. Taboos are outside the scope of what scientists
are qualified to study, understand and make predictions in
regards to. It is collusive to pretend otherwise.
It is taboo to describe the provisions of taboos and
the alienative punishments which are informally required
for violating a taboo. There cannot be, however, a taboo
which makes it taboo to neglect to describe the provisions
of the taboo. Informal taboos are essentially collusive
in nature and inevitably lead to tragic consequences.
(c) 2003 by Paul A. Smith in
GO: essayz.com "Search for Integrity and Honesty"
for download (On Being Yourself, Whole and Healthy)
%AVOID POSSIBLE HURT OFFENSE INSULT TRUTH CHARITY+941009
%LOVE COLLUSIVE ADDICT CODEPEND SUPPORT FEAR RIGHT 941009
It is futile to attempt to avoid all the ways of
hurting, offending or insulting all people---for many
people will inevitably be hurt, offended or insulted by
people who speak the truth charitably, maintain their own
integrity in loving ways, and do not yield to the
efforts of fearful people to manipulate them and their
fears.
Collusive addicts and their codependent supporters
often regard it as their right, responsibility and/or duty
to be hurt, offended or insulted. Thus, not all hurts,
offenses and insults can be avoided by healthy people of
integrity. Yet it is good to do what can be done with
integrity to minimize hurts, offenses and insults.
(c) 2003 by Paul A. Smith in
GO: essayz.com "Search for Integrity and Honesty"
for download (On Being Yourself, Whole and Healthy)
%GUIDE LEAD SUGGEST HELP ENCOURAGE HEALTH INTEGRITY+941009
%SHARE DEMAND VIOLENT COERCE THREAT PLEASURE JOYS 941009
There are many different ways to offer guidance,
leadership, suggestions, help and encouragement towards
personal and communal health and integrity.
It is useful to be able to distinguish and describe
the differences between those ways which are healthy, and
those ways which are un-healthy. Being preoccupied in un-
healthy ways, with un-healthy fears, is not helpful.
We need to distinguish between (and describe the
differences between) healthy fears and un-healthy fears;
and between how people respond to each kind of fear---with
respect and sharing, or with suspicion and fear.
It is particularly helpful to respect, encourage, and
facilitate the honest sharing of:
non-demanding, non-violent,
non-coercive and non-threatening - - - - -
pleasures, joys, fulfillments,
discoveries, inventions, creations, visions,
dreams, and fantasies.
It is helpful to seek to minimize coercions,
violence, alienation, rejection and excommunications.
It is helpful to seek to moderate extremes, and
preoccupations with perfection.
It is prudent to suspect demands, self-righteousness
and arrogance which lead to disintegration.
It is integrative to facilitate honest:
descriptions, namings, articulation, dialogue,
communication and sharing.
(c) 2003 by Paul A. Smith in
GO: essayz.com "Search for Integrity and Honesty"
for download (On Being Yourself, Whole and Healthy)
%FIND INTEGRATIVE WAYS REFLEXIVE JUDGMENT ALIEN+941010
%OPEN HONEST NATURAL DILEMMA TECHNICAL PROBLEM+941010
%COMMUNAL COOPERATIVE INTEGRATE REFLEXIVE RECONCILE+941010
%OPEN HONEST TECHNICAL PARADIGM ARROGANT EXCLUSIVE+941010
%LEGAL VISION ACHIEVE NARROW OBJECT MANIPULATE JOY+941010
%COERCIVE VIOLENT PREDICT CONTROL 941010
It is important for us to cooperate in finding
integrative ways to pass necessary reflexive judgments
which are not alienative, by dealing openly and honestly
with the natural dilemmas and technical problems of
healthy communal life.
Such ways will naturally be found to be more
cooperative, integrative, reflexive, reconciling, open,
honest, non-technical and communal---than are those of
our traditional paradigms.
Such ways will also be found to be less judgmental,
arrogant, exclusive, excommunicative, and legalistic---
than our traditional ways.
Healthy visions of such ways will not be achieved
through any of our traditional technical efforts which are
focused narrowly upon objective: manipulations,
coercions, violence, measurements, computations,
understandings, predictions, controls, and/or judgments.
(c) 2003 by Paul A. Smith in
GO: essayz.com "Search for Integrity and Honesty"
for download (On Being Yourself, Whole and Healthy)
%AUTHOR RETROSPECTIVE PATTERN ARTICULATION ESSAYS 941011
It has become clear in retrospect that the process of
writing these essays has been a search for, recognition
of, naming of and description of contrasting patterns in
modern life---in terms of which we may understand and
respond wisely to our modern threats to personal and
communal integrity.
Some patterns in our assumptions, attitudes,
perceptions, beliefs, convictions, ideals, values and
paradigms lead to personal and communal disintegration---
and so lead to people and communities which lack
integrity.
Dialogue about contrasting patterns in our
assumptions, attitudes, perceptions, beliefs,
convictions, ideals, values and paradigms leads to
personal and communal integration---and so leads to people
and communities which enjoy integrity.
Not all people welcome the clarification of the
patterns in their lives and communities which threaten
their integrity, for they believe that they can profit
from the disintegration of others and of their
communities. Some people do not recognize or
acknowledge that alienative disintegrations in people and
communities are a threat to the integrity of all people
and communities; including themselves.
(c) 2003 by Paul A. Smith in
GO: essayz.com "Search for Integrity and Honesty"
for download (On Being Yourself, Whole and Healthy)
%SCIENTIST OBJECTIVE DIFFERENT REFLEXIVE DILEMMA+941013
%CRISIS PROBLEM LEAD PARADIGM QUESTION VALUE IDEAL 941013
The following questions are similar to each other,
but not entirely equivalent to each other. The
differences between the questions may be important
differences worthy of careful attention.
1. Are objective scientists who are preoccupied with
(if not fixated upon): objectivity, analysis,
measurement, computations, mathematical representations,
predictions and control---better qualified than other
people to deal wisely with reflexive human relationships?
2. Have objective scientists as described above been
more successful in dealing with human crises which involve
conflicting ideals, values, principles, and paradigms---
than have other people?
3. Have objective scientists as described above been
outstanding leaders in helping businessmen find ways to
resolve dilemmas having to do with profitability, trade
imbalances, technical education and conflict resolution?
4. Have objective scientists as described above been
outstanding leaders in helping religious leaders deal with
conflicts over theology, sexuality, the population
explosion, sexually transmitted diseases, and sex
education?
5. Is the paradigm of objective scientists as
described above likely to be a reliable model for a new
paradigm which will be reliable in dealing with reflexive
dilemmas and tragedies?
6. What reasoning, logic, and existential evidence
can be offered in support of each response to the above
questions and others which are similar to and/or
complimentary to the above questions? What are the tacit
and perhaps hidden assumptions which are present in each
personal response to the above questions and others like
them?
(c) 2003 by Paul A. Smith in
GO: essayz.com "Search for Integrity and Honesty"
for download (On Being Yourself, Whole and Healthy)
%SHAME GUILT CONDEMN JUDGE EXCOMMUNICATE BANISH+941013
%REJECT DISFELLOWSHIP THREATEN PATTERN CONTROL 941013
When the following efforts are part of a pattern of
behavior designed to control one or more persons without
dialogue, the efforts are alienative and evil:
shaming guilting condemning
judging banishing excommunicating
rejecting threatening disfellowshipping
People come to be who they are with integrity. If
they are not free to be and encouraged to be true to
themselves and to each other---then they become involved
in many forms of addiction, dishonesty and violent
conflicts which they will not know how to resolve, and
will not learn how to resolve.
(c) 2003 by Paul A. Smith in
GO: essayz.com "Search for Integrity and Honesty"
for download (On Being Yourself, Whole and Healthy)
%ADDICTIVE CODEPENDENT REACTIONS PUSH BUTTONS FACES+941014
%RESPONSIBILITY PREDICTABLE CONFORMITY CONTROL RULE+941014
%HONOR RECOGNIZE CREATIVE PROPHETS TRUTH HONESTY 941014
Addiction and codependency are two faces of one coin.
Addicts and codependents seek security in conformity, but
are usually at odds with each other in regards to
conformity to what set of standards, rules or rulers. They
are embarrassed and made to feel insecure by truly
creative people who respond thoughtfully and honestly;
being true to themselves and other, rather than
reacting thoughtlessly and collusively in attempts to
push people's "buttons". Addicts and codependents can
understand each other and accommodate to each other
in chaotically dysfunctional ways; but they cannot
understand or work with people of integrity who are true
to themselves and to each other.
Truly creative prophets who speak the truth openly
and honestly find it difficult to gain honor in their own
country, much less their own state, county, city or
church---especially if their neighbors are fixated in
keeping with the preoccupations of collusive addicts and
their codependent supporters. Honor is almost always
bestowed in terms of traditional paradigms which are
comfortable and comforting to many people. Honor is
rarely bestowed promptly upon truly creative people
who threaten to overthrow a dysfunctional paradigm or
expose collusive patterns of dishonesty. Such honor is
usually bestowed by later generations after power has
fully passed to new generations which were not threatened
by the creativity or the honesty.
(c) 2003 by Paul A. Smith in
GO: essayz.com "Search for Integrity and Honesty"
for download (On Being Yourself, Whole and Healthy)
%SYSTEMIC PATTERN REPRESS REFLEXIVE AWARENESS LEARN 941015
The repression of reflexive awareness, insight,
understanding, learning and wisdom occurs in a multitude
of ways which form a perversely coherent pattern. To
transcend the repression of reflexive awareness we need to
recognize the importance of both the perversely coherent
pattern which empowers the process of repression through
perverse cooperation, and the various individual aspects
of the pattern which contribute elements of perverse
strength to the pattern.
We need to deal both with the perverse strength of
the systemic pattern of repression, and with the perverse
strength of individual elements in the pattern.
Some of the elements in the pattern of the repression
of reflexive awareness, insight, understanding, learning
and wisdom INCLUDE:
1. Taboos, prohibitions, proscriptions, informal
rules, and threats of punishment which lead us to AVOID
SITUATIONS WHERE WE MIGHT BECOME INVOLVED in experiences
which would generate reflexive awareness, insights,
understanding, learning and wisdom. Lines are drawn in
the sands of our lives. Such lines serve as boundaries
which we feel we must not, can not, and dare not cross. To
cross those boundaries would be to risk the great dangers
inherent in reflexive experiences. We know very little of,
and fear greatly such experiences because of our
ignorance. We fear the transcendence of our ignorance, for
we are driven by our fears, and see no way to hope to
become free of our fears.
2. When the AVOIDANCE stratagem fails we may have
some disturbing reflexive experiences, and other
stratagems become essential to protect us against the
risks inherent in transcending the security of total
objectivity. We may be OVERWHELMED BY THE TERROR of having
violated the: taboos, prohibitions, proscriptions,
informal rules and communal expectations. Our reflexive
experiences may be dominated by such terror, leaving us
imprisoned in the terror and so unable to experience
anything we are involved in apart from such terror. Under
such circumstances we cannot distinguish between patterns
of natural cause and effect relationships---on the one
hand; and collusive patterns of humanly contrived
dishonest threats, punishments, rewards and promotions---
on the other hand.
3. If we get past the AVOIDANCE and TERROR of
forbidden reflexive experiences; then we may become the
victims of FORGETFULNESS and CONFUSION so that we cannot
deal wisely with our reflexive experiences in retrospect.
If we remember the TERROR we are likely to forget all
other aspects of our reflexive experience, or else be very
confused about all the other aspects of the reflexive
experience. Under such circumstances we cannot honestly
learn from our reflexive experiences, and we cannot
honestly profit from mistakes made by ourselves or others.
4. If we get past AVOIDANCE, TERROR, FORGETFULNESS,
and CONFUSION, then we are likely to become victims of RE-
INTERPRETATIONS. The expressions of the lessons learned
in the light of our reflexive experiences may be gradually
changed, so as to revise the meanings which are given to
those expressions and gradually the meanings become
reversed and misleading. The New Testament gradually is
re-interpreted to be a re-affirmation of all of the LAWS
in the Old Testament.
5. If we get past AVOIDANCE, TERROR, FORGETFULNESS,
CONFUSION and RE-INTERPRETATIONS, then we may be
confronted with ADDICTIVE/CODEPENDENT manipulations
whereby expressions of true and clear wisdom are made to
be HERETICAL. The expression of any truths about our own
reflexive experiences may be repressed---if we have NOT
AVOIDED them, NOT BEEN TERRORIZED by them, NOT FORGOTTEN
them, NOT BEEN CONFUSED in them, and NOT RE-INTERPRETED
them. Collusions cannot survive in the presence of people
of integrity who openly and honestly express the truths
which they know about their own reflexive experiences.
Thus addictive/codependent organizations and communities
repress honest expressions of personal reflexive
experiences, and insist that all expressions be dominated
by taboos, prohibitions, proscriptions, informal
rules, and threats of punishment which lead us to AVOID
SITUATIONS WHERE WE MIGHT BECOME INVOLVED in experiences
which would generate reflexive awareness, insights,
understanding, learning and wisdom.
The cycles of repression, avoidance, terror,
forgetfulness, confusion, re-interpretation, and silence
run through many variations, permutations and
combinations---which lead round and round inside our
Gordian knots and keep us away from the real world of open
and honest relationships of intimate understanding and
cooperation.
We cannot transcend the limitations of our Gordian
Knots unless we recognize and deal with the strengths of
the elements of our Gordian Knots and the ways in which
the elements are systemically combined in our
dysfunctional communities and personalities---to imprison
us so we cannot visit each other openly and honestly in
intimate relationships which are honest and wise, rather
than imprisoning.
None of our collusions, addictions or codependent
patterns of support are God. If we think any of them are
God---we are repressing God, avoiding God, terrorized by
false gods, forgetful of God, confused about God, re-
interpreting truths about God and/or silent about God.
Keepers of collusions and of repressive paradigms,
addictions and patterns of codependent support thereof---
will be intolerant of even hints of weak support thereof.
Any crack through which light, insight, truth and
creativity might leak---must promptly be plugged to
protect the dishonesty of our collusive and repressive
paradigms. Their "integrity" is based upon dishonesty and
they will crumble in the presence of open and honest
dialogue among people about their own reflexive
experiences, awareness, insights, understanding, learning
and wisdom. Such honest dialogue cannot be tolerated.
(c) 2003 by Paul A. Smith in
GO: essayz.com "Search for Integrity and Honesty"
for download (On Being Yourself, Whole and Healthy)
%ESCAPE PRESENCE HOLY SACRED GOD PRAY MEDITATE TRUE+941016
%COLLUSIVE ADDICTION CODEPENDENT SUPPORT HONEST JOY 941016
If as scriptures suggest we cannot escape the
presence of God, because God is omni-present and omni-
potent; what then does it mean to use the phrase "Come
into the presence of God?" It may reasonably be taken to
mean that we need to give up our collusions, addictions
and codependent support of their alienative ways---and
start coming into each other's presence as holy and sacred
beings worthy of respect and dialogue. It is our
collusions, addictions, fixes, fixations, technocracy and
our codependent support of their alienative ways---which
we need to bring and sacrifice on the sacred altar, so
that our lives may be altered by God, rather than
controlled by our preoccupations about being in control.
Workaholics are unlikely to be still long enough to
know God as the honest power of true Love. Workaholics
fill all of their time with frantic business designed to
keep God's presence hidden from them. They keep open and
honest people at a distance and appropriately alienated,
and so are not distracted from their addictive work of
saving themselves from themselves and from their
dishonesty which they cannot perceive or deal with. They
fill their holy days of rest with more duties, the
fulfillment of which is supposed to save them from
damnation---but does not.
(c) 2003 by Paul A. Smith in
GO: essayz.com "Search for Integrity and Honesty"
for download (On Being Yourself, Whole and Healthy)
%PRETEND PLAY GOD KNOW GOOD EVIL JUDGE CONDEMN+941016
%HUMBLY WALK PRESENCE JUSTICE MERCY ARROGANT ADDICT 941016
Often people presumptuously take on the duties of God
and assume that they have the powers of God: making
judgments of whether people are good people or evil
people. They have eaten of the Tree of the Knowledge of
Good and Evil in violation of the first commandment of God
in the Garden of Eden. Pretending to be like God entails
arrogance, conceit and so an utter lack of humility. Such
pretense is dishonest in the extreme, and leads to
personal and communal disintegration and alienation
through attempts to control that which is not for humans
to control. Rebellion against human finitude does not make
humans like God, for such dishonest rebellion is not the
key to transcendence of human limitations. Pretending
not to be limited, does not lead to the transcendence of
limitations.
(c) 2003 by Paul A. Smith in
GO: essayz.com "Search for Integrity and Honesty"
for download (On Being Yourself, Whole and Healthy)
%RESURRECTION LIVING DEAD ALIVE DISINTEGRATE FAILS+941016
%PERVERSION REVISION ADDICTIVE COLLUSION SIN EVIL+941016
%CHOSEN FUNDAMENTALS ARROGANT SELF RIGHTEOUSNESS 941016
If resurrection means anything it must include meaning
that it is possible for the living dead to revive and live
with new life and integrity---in spite of the
disintegrative effects of collusions, addictions and
codependent support thereof---by individuals,
organizations and institutions of whatever kind: secular,
religious, business, political, educational, scientific,
etc.
Sinful people are to be expected to work to corrupt
the Gospel so that the "Gospel" will not disturb their
false peace and serenity---which has been achieved through
their collusive games of mutual self deception.
Our constant need is to recognize and honestly deal
with the multitude of ways in which the Gospel is
perverted, corrupted and mis-interpreted---often with
great confidence and self-assured certainty on the part of
false prophets.
Carefully selected fundamental elements of the Gospel
are often chosen and woven together in ways which imprison
those who have faith in false prophets' leadership. We
need to recognize and talk about the Gospel of truth which
sets us free from such imprisoning perversions of the
Gospel. We also need to recognize ways in which the
Gospel breaks through perversions of the Gospel and
reveals them to be perversions of the Gospel, so as to
help addicts regain new life.
(c) 2003 by Paul A. Smith in
GO: essayz.com "Search for Integrity and Honesty"
for download (On Being Yourself, Whole and Healthy)
%CONFLICT DEFINITIONS NATURE DISAGREE VALUES EVIL+941018
%LISTEN DESCRIBE MUTUAL SATISFACTION AGREE HONEST+941018
%RESOLVE TRANSCEND ESCAPE PRISON COLLUSION ADDICT+941018
%TERRORIST WAR MILITARY PREPARE WEAPONS VIOLENCE+941018
%OBJECTIVE SUBJECTIVE REFLEXIVE 941018
We cannot resolve our conflicts so long as we are in
conflict over our respective definitions of what it is
that we are in conflict over.
To resolve our conflicts we must first agree to work
toward agreement about just what are the issues, ideals,
values, principles and desires over which we have
conflicts.
We cannot agree upon what it is that we are in
conflict about, until we have really listened to each
other try to explain what issues, ideals, values,
principles and desires play central roles in our
experiences of conflict.
We cannot agree on how to resolve our conflicts,
until we can explain to each other's satisfaction what
each other's perspectives are, regarding the issues,
ideals, values, principles and desires which play central
roles in our conflicts.
We cannot agree on how to resolve our conflicts until
we can agree on the most significant objective facts
regarding the historic events which play central roles in
our respective memories of the history of our conflicts.
If we are in conflict about whether to be honest about our
communal past, we cannot be fully honest about our
communal present or future. In the absence of such basic
honesty we cannot resolve our conflicts. It is dishonest
to pretend otherwise.
We cannot resolve our conflicts until we can explain
to each other's satisfaction what each other's reflexive
perspectives are regarding the most significant objective
facts of the historic events which play central roles in
our respective memories of the history of our conflicts.
Such explanations are reflexive explanations, not
objective descriptions. The explanations reflect back and
forth between us, in ways which we cannot detach from
through objective withdrawal. We may be in conflict over
whether we must be objective in such explanations; if so,
we cannot resolve our conflicts until we agree on the
nature of our conflict.
We cannot resolve our conflicts unless we are agreed
that it is desirable for us to resolve our conflicts. If
we are in conflict over whether it is desirable to resolve
our conflicts---then we cannot resolve our conflicts. If
some of us firmly believe that the continuation of our
conflicts is desirable---then to that extent we cannot
resolve our conflicts. Before we can resolve our
conflicts we must work to make it evident to all people
who have the power to continue our conflicts that it is to
everybody's advantage to resolve our conflicts. See the
next essay.
(c) 2003 by Paul A. Smith in
GO: essayz.com "Search for Integrity and Honesty"
for download (On Being Yourself, Whole and Healthy)
%DISHONEST ENJOYMENT FULFILLMENT SATISFACTION TRUTH 941018
Uncoerced honesty is essential to our enjoyment,
fulfillment and satisfaction in any endeavor.
Honesty cannot be coerced. Only addictive people try
to coerce honesty to get powerless people to become
vulnerable to them, so that they can take advantage of the
powerless people. The common response to such addictive
coercion is to try to avoid all forms of vulnerability.
This makes true security impossible, because true security
is the acceptance of and exercise of the gift of the
freedom to be safely vulnerable.
Dishonesty is not an effective tool in efforts to
achieve enjoyment, fulfillment and satisfaction.
Dishonesty is not an effective tool of manipulation,
unless it is kept hidden. Open dishonesty is not an
effective tool of manipulation, for people can defend
themselves against open dishonesty.
Covert dishonest is not an effective tool in efforts
to achieve enjoyment, fulfillment and satisfaction---for
each dishonest expression, action or appearance must be
hidden with additional dishonest expressions, actions and
appearances---in an endless exponential growth of
dishonesty with growing anxiety; and with fear that the
exponential growth pattern will become apparent, exposed,
revealed, and untenable. Such an untenable situation
generates anxiety, fear, tension, conflict and violence---
which undermines all possibilities of joy, enjoyment,
happiness, fulfillment and satisfaction. Thus dishonesty
is not an effective tool in efforts to achieve enjoyment,
fulfillment and satisfaction.
Honesty is central within all contexts where people
enjoy fulfillment and satisfaction in cooperative efforts
to meet their own needs, while helping others to meet
their own needs. In such contexts people's focus is not
upon achievements through technical efforts to
reach unilaterally set goals, requirements and pre-
requisites. The whole mind-set within such joyful contexts
is in great contrast to the mind-set of dishonest
collusive addicts and their codependent supporters who are
engaged in willful conflict perpetuation. (See the
previous essay.)
(c) 2003 by Paul A. Smith in
GO: essayz.com "Search for Integrity and Honesty"
for download (On Being Yourself, Whole and Healthy)
%CONDEMNATION EXCOMMUNICATION DISFELLOWSHIP REJECT+941020
%CHRIST GOD HOLY SPIRIT ALIENATION ESTRANGEMENT+941020
%PARADIGM DEVIL PLAN THREATEN VIOLENCE COERCION+941020
%COMMANDMENTS LAWS RULES REGULATIONS TABOOS SIN 941020
In Christ there is no condemnation; i.e., in the
paradigm of Christ, God, and the Holy Spirit---
condemnation, rejection, excommunication, dis-
fellowshipping, alienation and estrangement are not parts
of the plan.
Condemnation, rejection, excommunication, dis-
fellowshipping, alienation and estrangement are parts of
the devil's plan which are not included in the paradigm of
Christ, God or the Holy Spirit---overtly, implicitly,
tacitly or by threat.
Commandments offered with threats of condemnation,
rejection, disfellowshipping, excommunication, alienation
and/or estrangement---are not part of Christ's, God's or
the Holy Spirit's plan.
It is people who have been condemned, rejected,
excommunicated, disfellowshipped, alienated, and/or
rejected---who believe that rejection, excommunication,
disfellowshipping, alienation, and/or rejection are parts
of God's, Christ's and/or the Holy Spirit's plans; for
such persons know little of true love, acceptance,
affection, communication, fellowship and inclusion. That
which they have not know, they cannot conceive to be part
of the Holy plan of Love. Such people do not see clearly
with their eyes, hear clearly with their ears, analyze
clearly with their minds, or understand clearly with their
hearts.
We cannot save ourselves or others through the use of
condemnation, rejection, excommunication, disfellowship-
ping, or alienation---whether it is we or others who are
the targets of the actions or reactions. Such tools are
not part of the Holy plan of Love. The use of such tools
does not please any Holy person. The use of such tools is
the result of a misunderstanding of the Holy plan of Love.
(c) 2003 by Paul A. Smith in
GO: essayz.com "Search for Integrity and Honesty"
for download (On Being Yourself, Whole and Healthy)
%DISINTEGRATIVE CONTROL DISCIPLINE PUNISHMENT SIN+941020
%MANAGEMENT JUDGMENT COERCION VIOLENCE LAWS RULES+941020
%PROHIBITIONS REQUIREMENT MORALS ETHICS RULES EVIL 941020
Often we form habits of associating positive
emotional responses with particular words such as: MANAGE,
DISCIPLINE, RULES, LAWS, ETHICS, MORALITY, and ORDER. Then
we may fall into the trap of responding positively to
statements because they include the words to which we have
learned to respond positively by habit.
In a similar way we may respond negatively to
statements which include other words to which we have
learned to respond negatively, with fear; e.g., words such
as: NONCONFORMIST, UNRULY, UNDISCIPLINED, DIFFERENT,
ALIEN, or STRANGE. In both kinds of situations we may
respond unwisely---because we respond to the presence
of trigger words, rather than to the whole meaning
of each statement.
Often our reactions are not appropriate: True
statements often include trigger words to which we react
with a negative emotion. False statements often include
trigger words to which we react with a positive emotion.
Such inappropriate reactions are not reasonable,
intelligent, well informed or wise---and often have tragic
consequences. We need to avoid letting our emotional
reactions to trigger words lead us into unwisely
reacting to true or false statements containing our
particular "trigger words".
(c) 2003 by Paul A. Smith in
GO: essayz.com "Search for Integrity and Honesty"
for download (On Being Yourself, Whole and Healthy)
%ADDICTIVE SEXUAL RELATIONSHIPS DISINTEGRATIVE SIN+941022
%ONLY IF EVIL FIXATION TECHNICAL PROBLEM DILEMMA 941022
Clearly addictive sexual relationships are
alienative, involve estrangement, and therefore are evil
relationships. It is not so easy to be sure that
particular sexual relationships are healthy, integrative
and worthy of respect if they are not clearly addictive.
Addictive relationships are characterized by
dishonesty, confusion, forgetfulness, technocratic
manipulations, fixations, and attempts to achieve
salvation on the basis of personal efforts and merit. Are
sexual relationships which are not so characterized always
healthy, integrative and worthy of respect?
Are the human sexual relationships which are not
worthy of respect and support always of such a character
that it is appropriate to characterize them with the word
"addictive"? If not, what kinds of sexual relationships
which are not addictive are not healthy, integrative and
worthy of respect---and what kinds of sexual relationships
which are addictive: are healthy, integrative and worthy
of respect? Open and honest dialogue about these
questions and reports of personal experiences which might
cast light upon these questions---will be helpful in
resolving conflicts pertaining to human sexuality and how
we may most wisely guide its development and expressions
in our lives and communities.
(c) 2003 by Paul A. Smith in
GO: essayz.com "Search for Integrity and Honesty"
for download (On Being Yourself, Whole and Healthy)
%BLOCKAGE DOORS KINGDOM HEAVEN SATISFACTION FULFILL+941023
%FALSE ASSUMPTION ONE ONLY WAY EXCLUSIVE REJECTION+941023
%CRIME GANG LORD ARBITRARY LAWS RULER JUST LAW SIN 941023
There are often blockages at the doors of the Kingdom
of Heaven. The blockages at the doors of the Kingdom
of Heaven take many forms and come about in many ways. We
will do well to treat each form of blockage and how it
comes to be present with due regard for its unique
characteristics. If we treat different forms of blockage
and/or the processes of their formations as if they are
alike or identical---such treatment is itself a form of
blockage of the doors of the Kingdom of Heaven.
Many blockages of the doors of the Kingdom of Heaven
take the form of FALSE ASSUMPTIONS; e.g., that there is
only ONE DOOR TO THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. Many other kinds
of assumptions and particular assumptions also form at the
doors of the Kingdom of Heaven and act as blockages which
keep God's Children out of the Kingdom of Heaven.
In ancient mythology there were fearsome creatures
with swords, fires and wings which stood guard of the door
(gate) to the Kingdom of Heaven. Often the blocking
assumption is made that such creatures are doing God's
bidding to protect the King's Turf in the manner of a
Crime Gang Lord in an inner city ghetto---suggesting that
the Kingdom of Heaven of the creator of the cosmos---is
like an inner city ghetto, which is ruled over by an
addictive man who makes his own laws without regard for
the integrity of the residents or of the community as a
whole.
Jesus re-imaged the nature of the Kingdom of Heaven
and of the supreme power and presence in the Kingdom of
Heaven---by referring to the kingdom as having many
mansions where his Father lived, and to which he was
returning to prepare places for disciples who regard him
as the Truth, the Way and the Life. He called his
disciples to follow him as humble and just servants,
willing to welcome and care for children and adults who
are poor in political power, financial wealth, and
community respect.
Many of the blockages of the way to the Kingdom of
Heaven take the form of assumptions that most injustice,
disparity of power, illness, dis-ease, conflicts,
misunderstanding and alienation is unavoidable and/or
part of a divine system of punishments for human
violations of a divine system of taboos, laws,
proscriptions and commandments which require human
conformity under threat of punishment. Volunteer
enforcers seek to get into the Kingdom of Heaven as
refiners and administrators of such a system of laws---or
as jail-keepers in the prisons of the Kingdom of Heaven.
Such people do not in the name of the God of Love visit
the least of their brothers and sisters who are in
prison, nor offer cups of water to those who are
thirsty, nor offer clothing to those who are tragically
without basic human needs.
Many of the blockages of the way to the Kingdom of
Heaven are essentially dishonest, deceptive, collusive,
addictive and/or supportive of dishonesty, deception,
collusions and/or addictive individuals or organizations.
Such blockages are managed by people who seek to be (or to
appear to be) in control, in their own name, or in the
name of the Vice Lord of the Kingdom of Heaven. They
protect their turf in what they regard as their kingdom
through the use of: deception, deceit, dishonesty,
confusion, coercion, manipulations, condemnations,
excommunications, violence and murder; all the while
regarding themselves as better than those whom they
deceive, confuse, coerce, manipulate, violate, murder,
judge, condemn and excommunicate.
Many of the blockages of the way to the Kingdom of
Heaven pertain to the acquisition of, manipulation of, or
appearances of, power to control or be in control---under
the assumption that those who have the power to control or
be in control are more worthy of respect than those who do
not. Such blockages work to promote conflict, rather than
to resolve conflicts; to pass judgments, condemn, and
excommunicate---rather than to work for reconciliation
through open and honest dialogue.
The assumption that security has to do with being
invulnerable, blocks the doors of the Kingdom of Heaven;
for true security has to do with the freedom to be safely
vulnerable in intimate relationships which are open,
honest and non-manipulative.
Ignorance often blocks the doors of the Kingdom of
Heaven, and so also does the promotion of and manipulation
of ignorance through secrecy, elitism, exclusivity,
judgmentalism and condemnations.
Technocrats often block the doors of the Kingdom of
Heaven by trying to achieve what cannot be achieved, to
solve dilemmas as if they were technical problems, and
by dealing with reflexive relationships as if they were
objective relationships.
Attempts to prevent tragic mistakes often block the
doors of the Kingdom of Heaven---for perfectionists'
efforts to prevent all tragic mistakes lead many people
into tragic violations of people's freedom to be true to
themselves and to each other.
(c) 2003 by Paul A. Smith in
GO: essayz.com "Search for Integrity and Honesty"
for download (On Being Yourself, Whole and Healthy)
%EASY AVOID BIAS FEAR COERCION VIOLENCE MANIPULATE+941026
%COLLUSION ADDICT CODEPENDENT SUPPORTERS INTEGRITY+941026
%OBJECTIVE REFLEXIVE RELATIONSHIP OPEN HONESTY SIN 941026
In regards to which kinds of relationships is it
easier to be personally involved, to describe; and yet to
avoid: bias, fear, coercion, violence and manipulations---
which are dishonest and disintegrative?
(1) Objective relationships?
(2) Objective-reflexive relationships?
(3) Reflexive relationships?
It is when a relationship reflects back upon one's
own person, body, mind, soul, spirit, competence,
achievements, acceptability, reputation, appearance, and
esteem---that issues of vulnerability, security and self-
defense are most likely to arise. In such relationships
it is NOT EASY to be involved with integrity, to describe
accurately, to be honest, and yet to avoid: bias,
fear, coercion, violence and personal manipulations---of
self and of others.
When one is trying one's best to be objective and to
avoid the risks of bias in reflexive relationships---one
is likely to be dishonest about one's failures to be
objective in all regards; e.g., in regards to one's self
and one's own relationships. Being honest about one's
self and one's own relationships entails reflexivity which
cannot be avoided. Pure objectivity is an illusion which
can be maintained only through dishonest manipulations of
appearances by participants in collusive games of mutual
self deception.
(c) 2003 by Paul A. Smith in
GO: essayz.com "Search for Integrity and Honesty"
for download (On Being Yourself, Whole and Healthy)
%EFFECTIVE TEACHING PROFESSING LEARNING STUDENT+941026
%AFFECTIVE OBJECTIVE SCIENCE LEADERS REFLEXIVE KNOW 941026
Effective teaching and serving as a professor entails
leadership of the people who are students. It is only as
the students are led to do new things, behave in new ways,
think in new ways and feel new emotions that they can
learn new things. Learning occurs when students do new
things. Students will do new things only to the extent
that they are lead to do new things by effective teachers.
Such leadership is essentially reflexive in nature, and so
people who are preoccupied with being objective cannot be
effective teachers or serve effectively as learning
role models who help students to learn new things.
(c) 2003 by Paul A. Smith in
GO: essayz.com "Search for Integrity and Honesty"
for download (On Being Yourself, Whole and Healthy)
%WISE PEOPLE MAKE ROOM TIME BUDGET MEDITATE PRAY+941027
%ADDICT COLLUSIVE CODEPENDENT SUPPORT SYSTEMATIC 941027
Wise people make room in their time-budgets, hearts,
minds and affective lives for:
RELAXATION PLAY SPONTANEITY CREATIVITY
NEW INSIGHTS REVELATIONS REVOLUTIONS PARADIGM SHIFTS
GAMES PRAYER IMAGINATION VISIONS
FRIENDSHIPS INTIMACY AFFECTION SEXUALITY
Addicts, colluders and their supportive codependents
fear undisciplined indulgence in letting any of the above
break into and disrupt their frantic life patterns---
because each of them can play a role in exposing
systematic patterns of dishonesty by which "powerful"
people often maintain their false appearances of
respectability, acceptability, completeness, coherence,
power and control.
If we fail to make room for the above antidotes to
the fears of addicts, colluders and their supportive
codependents---we thereby become entrapped in
dysfunctional paradigms. There is no technical way to
escape such dysfunctional paradigms. Escape from
addictive technocracy cannot be a technological
achievement.
(c) 2003 by Paul A. Smith in
GO: essayz.com "Search for Integrity and Honesty"
for download (On Being Yourself, Whole and Healthy)