I was reading a book last night and read this: “The implication is that this crisis should be of concern not only to theologians and clerics, but also to intelligent lay folk, and indeed to all who cherish the Western cultural tradition, which in large part derives from values enshrined in the Bible (emphasis mine).”
So, the nature of the crisis aside, have you read something like the italicizes part before? I have many, many times. But right now it seems a sop thrown to the Christians who often form the majority of citizens in Western countries.
So, our cherished “Western cultural tradition” is. . . ? We favor democracies as our governing models. Would a democracy be supported by anything in the Bible? Not at all. In the Bible it is Yahweh or the highway. The only allowed form of government supported by the Bible is a theocracy and a Christian (or Jewish) theocracy at that.
How about . . .
The separation of church and state in the U.S. and elsewhere? Nope.
No religion tests allowed in elections? Nope.
The elimination of blasphemy laws? Nope.
The elimination of anti-abortion laws (on going)? Nope.
The government refusing to support Christian schools? Nope.
Allowing people to get a divorce on their own recognizance? Nope.
Legal same sex marriage? Nope.
Anti-discrimination laws base upon gender? Nope.
Allowing people of different faiths to marry? Nope.
Anti-discrimination laws base upon race? Nope.
Trial by a jury of one’s peers? Nope
Local control of various government functions? Nope
Anti-slavery laws? Nope.
So, what are these “cherished” values “enshrined” in the Bible that are still part of our Western traditions? It seems that we have, step-by-step, weeded out all of those influences as being unenlightened. (Pun intended.)
Uncommon Sense 
I’ll take Hate, Tribalism, and Faux Persecution for a 1000 Alex.
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Comment by shelldigger — May 29, 2020 @ 7:03 pm |
LOL! Be sure to answer with a question … ;o)
On Fri, May 29, 2020 at 7:03 PM Class Warfare Blog wrote:
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Comment by Steve Ruis — May 30, 2020 @ 8:24 am |
I’m something of a student of history and I would argue that virtually all social reforms that have taken place in the last 2,000 years didn’t occur because of religion, they happened *despite* religion. Most religions fought tooth and nail to prevent social reforms and to preserve things like slavery, torture, child labor, racism, misogyny, etc.
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Comment by grouchyfarmer — May 29, 2020 @ 10:18 pm |
Two things. The immigrants came here and formed a republic, not a monarchy. Why, if they truly believe the universe and the best form of government is a monarchy?
Second, America is open for all religions to do business here. The Bible says you shall have no other gods before me. Some Christian principles are better left in the Bible where they failed there as well.
However, Christian philosophy permeates western culture in two ways. At first it was the self deprecating model that man is nothing, and is only existing by the grace and tolerance of god. When we could no longer believe in that god, we switched to the mechanical universe where man is still an accident of nature and in the end is dead of all collective experience and memory. There is a better option, but for two thousand + years this way of thinking about who we are has not allowed us to truly develop our potential. By the time we swim out of it we’re old and dying.
The third option is the livening earth. Whether true or not it is a philosophy that garners respect and conservation instead of blatant domination.
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Comment by jim- — May 29, 2020 @ 10:56 pm |
Jim, can you expand upon “The third option is the livening earth. Whether true or not it is a philosophy that garners respect and conservation instead of blatant domination.” I did a quick Google search for the “livening earth” and only got “living earth” references (restaurants, groceries, etc.).
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Comment by Steve Ruis — May 30, 2020 @ 8:27 am |
That would be a typo. Living earth is correct. Think of it this way; in our current western culture (whether science or religion) our goal is to subdue the earth and be lord and master over it. Now we apply fixes and simultaneously continent to interfere with nature. Now take some older culture that taught their children that they came out of the earth, not into it, but from it? It harbors an existence of flow, like the Tao for instance, or the Kogi of Columbia who taught their children to be caretakers. It absolutely matters how you view the world. I grew up in a logging community where we were taught the value of the mountains was in the ore and board feet of timber. That was its value. While the Kogi were taught as children that the earth was their mother and the forest gives them life. Which worldview would pace our consumption and sustain us indefinitely?
The twist in philosophy that now dominates every culture, now in competition for those resources cause war and the destruction of our planet. They teach humility and restraint to please god while simultaneously having no restraint nor respect for creation, or even the life that’s on it.
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Comment by jim- — May 30, 2020 @ 8:44 am |
Absolutely. We can’t even get to a “Good Steward” position let alone understanding that we are part of nature and not in opposition to it.
On Sat, May 30, 2020 at 8:44 AM Class Warfare Blog wrote:
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Comment by Steve Ruis — May 30, 2020 @ 10:07 am |
It’s such BS. Anyone with any notion of ancient history knows that Western Civilization owes more to Rome than to The Bible. In fact, the NT owes more to Rome than anyone imagines. & as far as Western Civilization is concerned, there are so many other influences … Greece, Egypt, Mesopotamia, India & China, for Chrissake … the list goes on. But it’s only THE BIBLE that gets credited. Such tunnel vision is stupid. But here we are in the 21st century … unable to see beyond one stupid book.
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Comment by silverapplequeen — May 30, 2020 @ 4:20 am |