One of the prime lessons highlighted in The Evolution of God by Robert Wright is that ANY belief system evolves. It starts with the seed of an idea borne out of already established belief systems. It incorporates ideas from competing systems of belief into its orthodoxy and its conception continues to grow by starts and stops. Most such systems are not monolithic; there are competing schools of thought within its wide umbrella. In time, particular schools of thought win out, while others fall from favor.
The rationale of this type of chronology is lost on the fundamentalist or orthodox believers at later stages of the belief system's evolution. Conservative zealots zero in on some self-defined fixed point along the spectrum of the growing religion or ideology. For them, that fixed point represents the belief system in its purest state and any suggestion -- externally OR internally -- of moving beyond this fixed point is met with consternation or worse.
This problem of trying to defy the inherent evolutionary process has been committed by such diverse figures as Karl Marx or today's fundamentalist Christian. In Marx's theory of communism, the evolutionary process of thought ceased when the proletariat took control of the state. For today's Christian evangelicals, they applaud the first Christian adherents, while fixating on a point several centuries later!!
Life itself is an undeniable evolutionary process. Each form is born, lives and dies. As we move along the spectrum, we relate to the world around us in different ways based on our accumulation of knowledge and experience.
Ideas are no different.
The rationale of this type of chronology is lost on the fundamentalist or orthodox believers at later stages of the belief system's evolution. Conservative zealots zero in on some self-defined fixed point along the spectrum of the growing religion or ideology. For them, that fixed point represents the belief system in its purest state and any suggestion -- externally OR internally -- of moving beyond this fixed point is met with consternation or worse.
This problem of trying to defy the inherent evolutionary process has been committed by such diverse figures as Karl Marx or today's fundamentalist Christian. In Marx's theory of communism, the evolutionary process of thought ceased when the proletariat took control of the state. For today's Christian evangelicals, they applaud the first Christian adherents, while fixating on a point several centuries later!!
Life itself is an undeniable evolutionary process. Each form is born, lives and dies. As we move along the spectrum, we relate to the world around us in different ways based on our accumulation of knowledge and experience.
Ideas are no different.
What do you think Christianity will look like in a hundred years?
ReplyDeleteSame thing has happened in Buddhism.
ReplyDeleteyep, it shows an inflexible mind to fixate at a certain point in time/place/culture and say "things were the best here." each age and culture has its own flaws and benefits.
ReplyDelete