The first affirmation of the church I belong to is an affirmation of the worth and dignity of all people.

This is one of those things that is a lot easier to say than it is to live out in everyday intents and actions.

We have been discussing this issue extensively and when I read MindTravels blog this morning, I was reminded again of the soul-searching and, in some cases, emotionally charged interchanges that have occurred in our discussion group.

For me, I have resolved it by my belief that all souls are reincarnated, as the Wheel turns, from one life into another, into particular times, places and circumstances, until all the lessons that soul needs to learn have been accomplished.

From that, one can say that no person is worthless, lacking in dignity, to be reviled or tortured or killed. He or she must live out this life, to learn whatever lesson that is his to learn in this life. And then the Wheel turns again....

That is the one kind of acceptance to say the person is as he or she is. If he is the kind of person who is a danger to others, he must be restrained from that kind of action.

The other kind of acceptance that says that this person is good or acceptable or worthy of emulation is not what I'm advocating--just the acceptance to say this is who the person is at this time, in this place. He be as he be.

Every person is accorded his worth and his dignity: he is another soul seeking the truth and self-realization, but I reserve the right to associate with him, be friends, approve of his actions--or not.