It’s amazing how many things that we argue are progress – moving forward – are actually regress – moving backwards – because we don’t know history.
PROGRESSIVE? Paul Clark says what appears to be taking us forward is often, in fact, a step back to the past. PICTURE: Jake Hills/Unsplash
Extended trading/working hours seem progressive, but take us back before the 38 hour week and penalty rates were fought for.
Bare knuckle fighting was banned in the 1800s as way too brutal – but it’s back in cage fighting.
The move away from the personal God of Christianity towards an impersonal spirit, or nature force, seems enlightened. But this is exactly the pantheism Christianity replaced.
Pantheism had society bound up in fatalism, and produced a culture that did not care about their fellow person. Everyone was left to their own fate; poverty, sickness, disability was your lot.
Christianity came with care, compassion, good news. Progress! Let’s not go back!
Paul Clark’s musings can be heard on radio across Australia and at atthetop.org.au.
