[Dialogue] Primary/Secondary Integrity in HDP's

Wed Aug 29 23:21:49 EDT 2007

Hello,
  I'm visiting Cebu and Mactan Island end of Sept.  How do I get to Suddongan and who can I meet there?>
  Let me know.
  Darlene Golembo 
  now based in Baguio teaching spiritual studies in Brahma Kumaris Spiritual University

"W. J." <synergi at yahoo.com> wrote:
    No, Addi, I'm not organizing The Tour, and I won't be your tourguide. Sounds like you're a better man for the job. 

  When Dick Alton recently asked me to go to Africa and shoot another movie, the idea was so hilariously funny I actually laughed him out of the restaurant! I'm leaving that stuff to the younger generation. Like Lyn True (see her film Lumo on PBS/POV Sept 18). http://www.pbs.org/pov/pov2007/lumo/preview.html

  All I'm promising now is that ICAI will re-release on DVD the movie about the way life was 30 years ago in those incredible HDP's.

  While we didn't wave our magic wand and raise up Seventy-six Trombones in every village, we raised up at least seventy-six Iron Men and Women in every village, as your journeys attest. And then after a few years, we intentionally melted away and left them in charge. 

  One never knows when the next earthquake will come and shake 'em loose, literally or figuratively. But I'm sure having the ICA come to town was like an earthquake. Joe Mathews and the Area Prior would do their authorization visits, and then they'd drive around for days to find the most dusty, crummy, sleepy little forgotten places near an airport where we could get a toehold. It was like nailing up a big sign that said "Selected for Transformation!"

  Marshall
  in Earthquake Country

Adelbert Batica <abatica at hotmail.com> wrote:
        Marshall,
  Just to follow up on your planned a la Cecil B. de Mille production, are you sure you really want to see Sudtonggan in its current condition?  The last time Elsa and I visited the village was in September, 1995.  And it looked different from its 1977 condition.  It's hard to describe it, so I guess you'll have to see it for yourself.  As Indiana Jones would put it:  "There's only one way to find out..."
  I visited Cebu again in 1996, and yes - landed at Mactan International Airport, but skipped Sudtonggan.  Visited Cebu again in 2003, and skipped both Mactan Island and Sudtonggan altogether.  So, perhaps instead of a "de colores" clip of Sudtonggan, you might consider something like "film noire".  Let's see...which other HDP sites did I want to "revisit" in the present - Kinney?  My work with the state takes me to Minnesota's Iron Range, but in the close to 20 years that I've been doing these "circuits", the "Mystery" has always managed to push the gas pedal to enable this lonely traveler...to drive past the "Kinney" sign faster than you could possibly imagine.
  Hmmmm!  In 2003, we drove from Minnesota to South Dakota, for our first ever trip to the Black Hills and Mt. Rushmore.  On the drive back, we chose a different route, and since we were in the neighborhood anyways - zoomed to Cannonball.  Not to "see" whatever "remained" of the project, but to see local folks whom we met during our stay on the res. during the summer of 1980 (we were there that year for the Cannonball HDTS, and I was on the faculty because...because...I was (allegedly) an expert on HDP's).  There were only two people we were interested in seeing during our French call - George and Mary Rose Fool Bear, whom we really came to know that summer.  They're still there, hanging on, refusing to leave Cannonball.  They now have grandchildren, and yes - greatgrandchildren.  We just sat down with them for a warm chat on a quiet afternoon.  And you know what?  They still remembered us, and then they asked us:  "How's Dick Kroeger?"  We were moved, not just because the
 couple remembered Kroeger, but also because they (and especially, George) remembered many of his positive experiences from the HDP years.  In our minds, and in his mind - it was what mattered the most:  how one is best remembered, or...how one would want to be remembered in History.  So, Dick, if it's any consolation at all:  the Fool Bears will always treasure your friendship, your human connection.  That's the spiritual awakening from that sentimental visit to Cannonball.
  In 2004, the power of Mystery kept pulling us back, to the one village that taught us what it was like to really "come alive" (and not just for the sake of "development") - the Village of Azpitia.  Just as we made the conscious decision to officially relocate there on Mother's Day, 1979, we also chose to show up in Azpitia...for the first time in a quarter century - on Mother's Day, 2004.  25 years!  Sure, Azpitia had changed and grown by leaps and bounds, we could hardly recognize the "original", the Azpitia we used to know.  But what moved us the most was...the fact that many in that village still remembered us, our many stories, our struggles together, our "Life Together", our being in community and being in communion with..."Local Man".  No monument is big enough to describe, to capture that kind of mysterious feeling - it can only be felt in the minds, the hearts, and the souls of human beings.  In the Spirit.  The energetic young and middle-aged folks I knew then -
 had aged over the years.  The gradeschoolers and the high school kids who eagerly wanted to hear and learn from us, who painstakingly took notes at the many meetings we had, were now in the lead.  It's amazing that these "youngsters" would still ask us (over a few shots of pisco and red wine):  "What else can you teach us?"  My response was short:  "Nothing...except Take The Lead."  And they are...still...in these hard times.  When an Intensity 8 Earthquake whose epicenter was only 94 miles away shook them.
  Did I really "teach" more, or "learn" more from doing HDP's?  And now, if I were to sum up all my Learnings into "The One Thing" (he, he, he) - what would that "One Thing" be?  In my view, HDP was not just about building buildings, schools, clinics, or other "man-made" structures, or creating wild stories about ourselves...it was about building human connections, it was about releasing spirit energy for it to serve as a "transformative force", so that this "New Human" could create "the good, the true, and the beautiful".  It was about becoming more human, not more mechanical or material.  It should'a, could'a, would'a...occurred to me back then. 
  Things are always 20/20 in hindsight.  But the past is always approved, right, Marshall?  Finally, the only way for me to heal is to forgive myself, and forgive others.  Am I right again, Reverend?
  Now, how about that category about the Future being open? 
  Addi

---------------------------------

From:  "W. J." <synergi at yahoo.com>
Reply-To:  Colleague Dialogue <dialogue at wedgeblade.net>
To:  dialogue at wedgeblade.net, oe at wedgeblade.net
Subject:  [Dialogue] Primary/Secondary Integrity in HDP's
Date:  Tue, 28 Aug 2007 23:17:27 -0700 (PDT)

  Yes, Addi, I am.

     And, BTW, soon we're all gonna be able to revisit Sudtonggan again, as well Bayad, Kawangware, Maliwada, Oyubari, Ijede, Kwangyung, Hai Ou, and many of the other HDP's. And yes, we'll be able to see those wells gushing life-giving clean water. For real.

     A little bird told me that ICAI is gonna re-release The World of Human Development on DVD this year, exactly thirty years after it was shot. So we can all take a new look.

     And I can't wait.
          "You've got to give a little, take a little,
     And let your poor heart break a little,
     That's the story of, that's the 
glory of Love."   
     That's the story of, that's the glory of...
     Secondary Integrity!

     Marshall

     "In 1952 they ranked me number five!"
     "Mountain Rivera was no punk. Mountain Rivera was almost the Heavyweight Champion of the World!"

Adelbert Batica <abatica at hotmail.com> wrote:

Rev. Jones -

Are you doing theology again? Heh, heh, heh! These are topnotch 
"pedagogical illustrations", though. And when did this pugilist make that 
bold claim, about not "taking a dive" - in 1952? Why even brag about not 
taking a dive - What was his problem, anyway?

And your   
"Professor Hill", did he teach at the "Gary, Indiana Conservatory 
of Music"? Yeah, you do have a way with cinema as a "tool". "Of all the 
bars and the gin joints in all the world..." - you have to delve into this 
God-thing right here.

Alright, Primary and Secondary "integrity". But you know, I still struggle 
with these categories, like Randy and Kroeger, because aside from doing 
development - I was up to my eyeballs in HDP. And in Sudtonggan, I 
sometimes whirled and twirled just thinking about the many stories being 
told about the many miracles we were performing in that poor, desolate 
village. The Community Health Clinic is the image that sticks in my mind. 
Because...God only knows how many times we "sold" that Clinic to how many 
donors. Luckily enough for us - we didn't have to "invent" a well, because 
as far as water was concerned - like Moses... we could literally draw water 
from limestone rock. No sweat, no   
kidding. And the water tasted just like 
spring water. We knew early on that that was a commodity we couldn't "sell" 
to any prospective donor.

Maybe I set aside that Primary and Secondary stuff as soon as I was in the 
Land of the Incas, to begin working in Azpitia. Perhaps because I knew I 
didn't have to invent stories, but instead focused on "Veritas". No, there 
was no need to "create a story" for the Jesuits - they were willing to help 
out and give us a chance. But perhaps my wonder of wonders at the time was 
(and this is perhaps where that Primary and Secondary thing steps in) - my 
willingness to sit down with the Padres de Opus Dei, the Spaniards who had 
jurisdiction over the parish, Azpitia's church included. The Jesuits did 
warn me about not having anything to do with Opus Dei, but I thought at that 
point that, at least every once in while - "integrity", ha, ha, ha - could 
be "set aside" by breaking bread with   
them. After all, isn't there 
something about "The Unity of Opposites"? When Left and Right come together 
- a creative force is released. Opus Dei gave us permission to use the 
church building for meetings and other project-related activities. The 
other thing Opus Dei gave me permission to do was...officiate at some 
funerals when no priest was available. It was actually a good feeling, to 
do the "send-out" (and fall back on my Latin every now and then, which the 
more conservative congregation just loved!) "De profundis clamavi ad te, 
Domine, Domine exaude vocem meam..."

Yes, sometimes we had to make hard decisions, and I can't exactly describe 
the gut-wrenching feeling of having to stand in radical ambiguity. And feel 
the pain. And have to go through the Dark Night. Doubt myself, blame God, 
blame the world. The Dark Night. We all have to experience the Dark Night, 
it's part of our humanity. That the Christ figure would   
dare demand: "Take 
this cup away from me..." is proof enough of his humanity. And the world 
will never be the same.

What a great revelation.

Addi Batica

P.S. "I'm just shocked, shocked to know that gambling is going on here!"

----Original Message Follows----
From: "W. J." 
Reply-To: Colleague Dialogue 
To: oe at wedgeblade.net, dialogue at wedgeblade.net
Subject: [Dialogue] Primary/Secondary Integrity in the movies
Date: Tue, 28 Aug 2007 15:12:27 -0700 (PDT)

Just to stir the pot a little bit more (y'know it's hard to resist!):

There are two movie characters that come to mind in trying to understand 
Primary and Secondary Integrity.

One uttered the famous line: "One hundred eleven fights and never took a 
dive!" That for me is a good example of Primary Integrity that, in the 
context/situation of the film, gets transformed. Ten points if   
you can guess 
the film title.

The other guy is Professor Harold Hill. Seventy-six extra points if you 
can name the title. Hint: he's a major scam artist. Second hint: it's a 
musical!

Basically Harold just wants to get laid, get paid, and hop the last 
freight train outa town before he's tarred and feathered. (I know, it's 
coming, let me think a sec!)

But here's what's amazing about the movie. Despite all his bad 
intentions, the town gets permanently transformed, and Harold gets caught up 
in a brand new reality (for him) and blows his exit.

So what's really going on here? You could say the whole town was 
imprisoned by their xenophobia (google it) and gossip ("Pick pick pick, talk 
a lot, pick a little more!").

And along comes this seductive, nasty guy whose only ethic is to prey on 
the town's vulnerability (fear of "the telltale signs of corruption" and 
appetite for a larger vision of something),   
screw 'em financially, and leave 
'em lying in their dust and disappointment.

But he believes in something, however impossible, reduced, or perverted 
("I always think there's a band, kid.") And something finally moves him to 
tell little Winthrop (Ron Howard) the truth: yes, he's a liar, and no, he 
can't read music (a very BIG hint!).

So what's this got to do with US? With Town Meetings all over Iowa 
(hint!) and our global Band of Human Development Projects?

Well, we did borrow from this movie a song for the Gibson HDP, a rewrite 
of 'Lyda Rose' (HUGE hint!). And when the school board stopped squabbling, 
learned to harmonize, and sang 'Lyda Rose'...sheer Spirit began to break 
loose and transform everything.

So you could say that miracles happened despite Professor Hill's very 
shady version of Secondary Integrity.

Roman Catholic theology has a very interesting view of this. Even the 
Pope understands   
that he doesn't have to be a "good guy" to be the 
Pope--that is, to be an effective mediator of divine grace. A "bad" 
priest--a pederast, for example--is just as effective as a saint in bringing 
people into communion with the divine in the Mass.

OK, so I'm not lettin' anybody off the hook here. Pederasts in the O:E 
included.

But when we critique our crumminess, shortcomings, ethical lapses, and 
shady integrity, let's not forget that Professor Harold Hill got used by the 
Mystery, despite all his bad intentions.

And in that sense, you could put on your theological glasses and see in 
him a Christ figure. Go figure.

Marshall Jones

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