Friday, October 3, 2008

The Progression of Democracy

From Bondage to Spiritual Faith
From Spiritual Faith to Great Courage
From Great Courage to Liberty
From Liberty to Abundance
From Abundance to Complacency
From Complacency to Apathy
From Apathy to Dependency
From Dependency back to Bondage

-Anon.

[Guess that means we're about due for another period of Spiritual Faith.]

7 comments:

CyberKitten said...

As an American - which I presume you are - aren't you already *in* a period of Spiritual Faith?

It certainly seems that way from *this* side of the Atlantic... [grin]

Laughing Boy said...

From your side of the Atlantic it probably does, but then nobody on your side of the Atlantic remembers what Spiritual Faith actually looks like. ;-)

On second thought we're probably in Dependency mode, so next up is Bondage. Spiritual Faith will be for my grandchildren.

CyberKitten said...

LB said: From your side of the Atlantic it probably does, but then nobody on your side of the Atlantic remembers what Spiritual Faith actually looks like.

Oh, I think we do. In the history books its normally known as The Hundred Years War....

Then there's The Burning Times.....

...and not forgetting The Inquisition.

I think we all know about a period of 'Spiritual Faith'....

LB said: On second thought we're probably in Dependency mode, so next up is Bondage. Spiritual Faith will be for my grandchildren.

Fortunately I'll be dead long before then. I can only hope that not too many million people get killed in the process - though if the death toll is high enough maybe people with finally turn their backs on that particular fantasy....... [muses]

Karla said...

I saw your comment on another blog. I enjoyed reading it.

Laughing Boy said...

CK: Oh, I think we do. In the history books its normally known as The Hundred Years War...

Either your history books are highly selective, or you are highly selective in what you choose to remember from them.

Karla: I saw your comment on another blog. I enjoyed reading it.

Thanks. I write so few things that are enjoyable to read. I'm glad you found one!

CyberKitten said...

LB said: Either your history books are highly selective, or you are highly selective in what you choose to remember from them.

Times of pronounced religious fervour in Europe are not exactly happy times for all concerned. Indeed it would appear that religious times and turbulent times go together. A case in point is the Elizabethan age where the Protestant majority oppressed the Catholic minority to such an extent that wearing a cross would get you a prison sentence, importing religious icons would result in you hanging from the end of a rope and priests caught perfoming Mass where hung, drawn & quatered.

When religion is strong (particularly Christian religion as Islam used to be far more tolerant of diversity than Christianity ever has been) its *really* not a good idea to be in a disenting minority. After all if you are of the 'one true faith' everyone else is either a heretic or worse.

I can only hope that such times never return though I try never to underestimate the power of human stupidity.

Karla said...

Seriously, I just read more of your comments on the Atheists and Christian Community Blog and they are outstanding thoughts well articulated.