[Dialogue] Secondary Ethics

[Mary D'Souza]

I am stepping into this dialogue with fear and trepidation.

I find it a very interesting ...

In my life right now I am not conscious of, in the first instance, of not
being in a situation that Bonhoeffer was in.
Yet if I choose to pay attention then there are similar attrocities that are
going on around me.

What I am trying to do is to be truthful in all situations...most expecially
to myself.  This is not as easy as it seems.  But it does give one a strange
sense of freedom and power. So I am still working on primary integrity.

Gandhi was steeped in the mind set that stated

"Thy business is with action only, never with its fruits.
So let not the fruit of action be thy motive,
Nor be thou to inaction attached.

Perform action dwelling in union with the divine,renouncing attachment and
balanced evenly in success and failure;
Equilibrium is called yoga.'

Annie Beasant's translation of the
Bhagavad Gita,
Second Discourse..stanzas 46 and 47

I think Gandhi was a primary integrity guy.
Some of this text makes sense to me especially the part about dwelling in
union witht the divine.  For me it means be mindful of everything I do.
If I am mindful of everything I do I begin to see the inter relationship of
life and I become clear on the necessary deed. So one trembles in one's
boots even with primary integrity because I think I am open to the activity
of God.


I am also very aware that we are responsible for the results of the action
we take.  I think this is radically different from "results being the
motive".
Secondary integrity is unclear to me.
Mary D'Souza in Mumbai



On 8/23/07, Thomas Morrison <tjmorrison at earthlink.net> wrote:
>
>  Hi everybody,
>
> Goodness, our conversation over primary/seconday integrity (PSI) is most
> interesting, expressing in many ways musings I have had, but forgotten or
> pushed aside.
> I should be more careful for what I pray, that is, my e-mail request--my
> sermon prep just became much more complicated and deep.
>
> If I have read well our respones, I think the following notions pop out
> either in the words or between them concerning PSI:
>
> 1) Behind PSI lurks PIlate's questions: What is truth? What should I do w/
> Jesus (I add: and the "little christs")?
> 2) If we are to work through these questions in an interesting way, at
> least two realizations-ah ha's--must occur . . .
>     a) Everyone is a nobody when it comes to God. ( I am using God here in
> the fullness of RS-1, as best as I understand it).
>     b) Nobody has integrity compared to God. (possible signs: feeling
> fated or guilty).
> 3) There are two ways of working w/ these two facts . . .
>     a) primary integrity
>     b) secondary integrity.
> 4) There is no escape for anyone when it comes to using PSI; the lack of
> escape is also a fact of life and is required for living together to happen.
> 5) Unfortunately, either primary integrity or secondary integrity have
> lurking monsters hovering near.  They are substantial and worthy opponents.
> 6) Knowing that, we proceed as did Bonhoeffer and Gandhi in dramatic form.
>
> Everyday examples are easy enough to identify, I think.
>
> Tom
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> *From:* thomas morrison <tjmorrison at earthlink.net>
> *To: *Colleague Dialogue <dialogue at wedgeblade.net>
> *Sent:* 8/22/2007 4:38:47 PM
> *Subject:* Re: [Dialogue] Secondary Ethics
>
>
>
> Hi Everybody,
>
> I recall a Movement/Order conversation in the late 1960s or early 1970s
> concerning the topic: Primary Ethics and Secondary Ethics.
>
> Looked through my papers, notes and scribbles and came up w/ empty hands.
> Information on the topic would be appreciated.  TKU.
>
> Tom
>
>
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>
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