Soren wrote on Apr 15
th, 2012 at 9:30pm:
How have we learned about the 'good'? In every society and every history, it is some sort of ancestral, revelatory gift.
On the other hand, when we make up what's good in each generation (coz we wants to be 'relevant'), without reference to millennial wisdom, as it were, we introduce gay adoption and all the other crazy stuff dreamt up in the last 5 minutes under the rubric of 'hey, kids. let's be, like, progressive!!, Yay!!' (ie going downhill)
Going downhill is being stuck in the Medieval Period. Can you honestly put your hand on your heart and say that Christianity is absolute, in as much that it has not changed in its mainstream interpretation/ implementation since the first Century AD?
The status quo of today is not the same status quo of 50 years ago or 150 years ago. The status quo is evanescent. Human beings made the status quo, and human beings will continue to change it.
In that most Christian of countries, the USA, marriage of 12 year old girls to 50 year old men was common about 150 years ago. (and you talk about the crazy stuff of today) Clearly this fundamental standard of decency is not the rock of ages that you claim.
The status quo is dynamic. It will change as it has always done through the forces of an ever changing society- and religion will change with it as it has always done - or it will subliminate into irrelevance.
The only thing that has not changed is tired old men like Cicero who bleat their disapproval of the tempores and mores throughout the centuries.
MInd you, he did come up with some gems.
Quidem concessum est rhetoribus ementiri in historiis ut aliquid dicere possint argutius.You can Google that one.