6.1.3 |
UNDER THE DENOMINATION OF THE NORM |
In view of
truth,
relevance and
neutrality the adherents of
the DNI cannot rely on any deus ex
machina or other contrived 'solution' offered to them by theocrats or
technocrats. While keeping in mind the three good ends, they must
perforce rely on their own realization. This means that they should
personally try to live as much as possible in accordance with the
principles of the DNI, and that they should avoid as much as
possible situations in which these principles might conflict.
They should especially not threaten other people, unless this is
needed for very urgent reasons, or unless the context concerned
is metadoctrinal rather than doctrinal. When individual adherents
of the DNI or a group of adherents of the DNI do succeed in
living in accordance with the principles of the doctrine, they
must not advertise their
anafactiveness and truthfulness.
For the genuine inclusivist does not attempt to call other people's
attention to
'er wholeness or 'holiness'.
Those with a supernaturalist, exclusivist or extremist belief
or attitude may endeavor to refute and ridicule the doctrine put
forward in this Model in all possible ways. If so, they will
demonstrate again that supernaturalism, exclusivism and extremism
do exist, and that it remains a matter of all-encompassing
necessity to unremittingly fight against such ideologies. Where,
and to the extent that, the DNI is indeed imperfect, the
neutral-inclusivist shall help to improve, to further and to
refine it. The choice which people have in the actual world of
denominationalism is not a choice between one completely certain
and perfect doctrine on the one hand and all lesser doctrines on
the other --such a choice they do not even have in the world of
science--; the choice they have is one between the most
plausible, least imperfect doctrine on the one hand and all less
plausible, more imperfect ones on the other. The imperfection or
incompleteness of the doctrine which is to become the new
denominational paradigm is then not different from that of a new
scientific paradigm.
When supernaturalists, or people who say that they adhere to
the DNI, indulge in flights of fancy and flagrantly violate
the requirement of truth, or when
exclusivists, or people who say that they adhere to the DNI, draw
unjust distinctions and flagrantly violate
the requirement of inclusivity,
or when extremists, or people who say that they adhere to the DNI,
strive for the most unneutral and flagrantly violate the
requirement of neutrality, they may be told
that it is wrong according to what we believe to be the most plausible,
least imperfect of denominational doctrines. And it may always be
pointed out to them that
the Norm does not require,
but that the Norm requires.
6.1.3.0
THE NORM DOES NOT REQUIRE; THE NORM REQUIRES
The Norm does not require
that we speak,
but if we speak,
we should tell the truth.
And if we are not sure what is the truth,
we shall carefully avoid telling a falsehood.
For the Norm requires
that we intend and try to tell the truth only.
The Norm does not require
that we make distinctions,
but if we make a distinction,
we should make a relevant one.
And if we are not sure what distinction is relevant,
we shall carefully avoid making an irrelevant one.
For the Norm requires
that we intend and try to make relevant distinctions only.
The Norm does not require
that we aim at something,
but if we aim at something,
we should ultimately aim at neutrality.
And if we are not sure what serves neutrality ultimately,
we shall carefully avoid serving an unneutral purpose.
For the Norm requires
that we intend and try to aim at neutrality only.
(For the Ananorm requires
that we intend and try to aim at perfect neutrality only.)*
*: |
the last two lines may be deleted |
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