from Verse One Hundred Fifty-NineTherefore the laws of sages change with the times, and their manners evolve with customs. Their clothing and machinery are each made conveniently to functional, their laws and regulations are based on what is appropriate. Therefore to repudiate changing the ancient is not quite appropriate; to go along with customs is not enough to consider superior.~ Wen-tzu: Understanding the Mysteries ~
I get so sick of hearing that certain people hundreds or thousands of years ago thought homosexuality was unnatural and an abomination on their religious beliefs and that, because of this, today's laws and mores must be the same!! Times change. People back then thought slavery was a-ok and we're not bound by their notions today.
While there's no question that we can learn lessons from those who came before us, our predecessors lived in another time. Their understanding of the world and technology are different than ours. It is the very same thing for we adults who were once children. Things that made little sense to us when very young, now make far more sense...well, sometimes. :>)
How we live and relate today needs to be appropriate for the time. More and more -- to the chagrin of fundamentalists of most religions -- people have become accepting of the idea that consenting adults should be allowed to establish domestic partnerships without fear of hatemongering, discrimination or legal sanction. Those who keep quoting the words of a few ancient individuals need to get with the program.
This post is part of a series. For an introduction, go here.
While there's no question that we can learn lessons from those who came before us, our predecessors lived in another time. Their understanding of the world and technology are different than ours. It is the very same thing for we adults who were once children. Things that made little sense to us when very young, now make far more sense...well, sometimes. :>)
How we live and relate today needs to be appropriate for the time. More and more -- to the chagrin of fundamentalists of most religions -- people have become accepting of the idea that consenting adults should be allowed to establish domestic partnerships without fear of hatemongering, discrimination or legal sanction. Those who keep quoting the words of a few ancient individuals need to get with the program.
This post is part of a series. For an introduction, go here.
Homosexual relationships were always acceptable to native Hawaiian culture (probably another thorn in the side of those pesky missionaries).
ReplyDeleteInteresting though, traditional Taoist theory is more accepting of yin-yin relationships than yang-yang...having to do with the energy expenditures in those activities.
But i agree with your comment.