“Integrity gives you real freedom because you have nothing to fear, since you have nothing to hide.” - Zig Ziglar (American author and motivational speaker).
In the book Becoming a Person of Integrity (by Nelson Foendoe), we dealt with 10 Principles of Integrity. One of them is that a person of integrity is accountable. In this Newsletter, however, we want to study this accountability on a deeper philosophical level. In general terms, the question arises: For whose sake do you display integrity? Basically, there are three possibilities. Integrity can be lived out for yourself, for another person/group of persons, or for a Supreme Being.
Some people feel they must act with integrity because their reputation is at stake. They don’t show integrity for someone else’s benefit. Being a person of integrity makes them feel good about themselves. Living by principles is admirable. However, in this case, danger lurks because this person sets his own standards. In Dutch, they say: “This butcher is inspecting his own meat.” This is like marking your own homework, which creates a conflict of interest and can lead to an integrity breach.
Some believe they must be people of integrity because of their family or even society as a whole. In this case, you might say they are accountable to the group they are connected to. Not everyone agrees with this view because society’s standards change over time, leaving little room for personal convictions. You might end up bouncing around like a ping-pong ball in society.
Those who believe they are accountable to a Supreme Being see their integrity as a spiritual quality. Usually, they are convinced that Someone is watching them wherever they are. This might be a matter of your conscience, either accusing you or confirming your actions. For those who believe this Supreme Being to be the Creator of heaven and earth, it’s not just a matter of conscience but an omnipresent and omniscient Person to Whom they submit. In the book La Integridad según el Código Original (by Nelson Foendoe) (which will soon be published as Integrity according to the Original Code), this theme is explored in depth under the question “Do I have to be a believer to be a person of integrity?”.
Does this analysis offer any added value? Absolutely. It categorizes the relativity of the integrity concept, highlights your goal, and reveals the worldview you live by. Lastly, it clarifies the confusion that arises when the term 'integrity' is used from different worldviews.
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“Integridat ta duna bo libertat real pasobra bo n’ tin nada di teme komo ku bo n’ tin nada di skonde” - Zig Ziglar (Outor i oradó motivashonal Merikano).
Den e buki Becoming a Person of Integrity (skirbí dor di Nelson Foendoe), nos a trata 10 Prinsipio di Integridat. Un di nan ta ku un persona íntegro ta duna kuenta (di su hasí). Pero den e Newsletter aki, nos ke studia e dunamentu di kuenta aki na un nivel filosófiko mas profundo. Den términonan general, e pregunta ta surgi: pa kara di ken bo ta mustra integridat? Básikamente tin tres posibilidat. Bo por mustra integridat pa bo mes, pa un otro persona/grupo di persona òf pa Ser Supremo.
Tin hende ta haña ku nan mester aktua ku integridat pa motibu di nan reputashon. Nan no ta mustra integridat pa benefisio di otro hende. Siendo íntegro ta pone nan sinti nan mes bon.
Biba a base di prinsipio ta algu atmirabel. Pero den e kaso aki tin un peliger ta lur pasobra e persona aki mes ta pone su kriterionan. Den Hulandes nan ta bisa: “E karnisero aki ta kontrolá su mes karni”. Esaki ta meskos ku ora abo tin ku pone un sifra pa bo mes trabou loke ta krea un konflikto di interes ku por kondusí na un infrakshon di integridat.
Tin ta kere ku nan mester ta íntegro pa motibu di nan famia òf asta henter komunidat. Den e kaso aki, bo por bisa ku nan ta duna kuenta na e grupo ku nan tin un relashon kuné. No ta tur hende ta di akuerdo ku e punto di bista aki pasobra normanan di komunidat ta kambia den transkurso di tempu loke ta laga poko espasio pa konvikshonnan personal. Bo por bin haña bo bentá p’aki i p’aya den komunidat manera un bala di ping-pong.
Esnan ku ta kere ku nan tin ku duna kuenta na Ser Supremo ta mira nan integridat komo un kalidat spiritual. Normalmente nan ta konvensí ku un Persona ta wak nan unda ku nan bai. Esaki por ta un asuntu di bo konsenshi ku sea ta akusá bo òf konfirmá bo akshonnan. Pa esnan ku ta kere ku e Ser Supremo aki ta e Kreador di shelu i tera, no ta djis un asuntu di konsenshi sino un Persona omnipresente i omnisiente ku nan ta someté na djE. Den e buki La Integridad según el Código Original (skirbí dor di Nelson Foendoe) (loke lo keda publiká pronto komo Integrity according to the Original Code), e tema aki ta keda eksplorá na un manera mas profundo bou di e pregunta “Mi mester ta un kreyente pa ta un persona íntegro?”.
E análisis aki tin balor agregá? Apsolutamente ku si. E ta kategorisá e relatividat di e konsepto integridat, suprayá bo meta i ta revelá segun kua ‘worldview’ bo ta biba. Por último, e ta klarifiká e konfushon ku ta surgi ora e palabra “integridat” wòrdu usá den konteksto di diferente ‘worldview’.
