Your Monthly Morality

In the past weeks we've hear much about the morality of waterboarding. Recently, the CIA’s Gina Haspel was pounded by members of the morals-of-the-month club.

By the great historian, Will Durant*, morality changes from generation to generation, depending on current conditions, greatest desires, and acceptable sins. He proved this with countless examples over all recorded history.

Examples:

a. Waterboarding - In the past there was no morality issues at all. It didn’t maim anyone, but it scared the victim into confessing revelations. Now its torture.

b. Abortion - In the past it was abhorrent, not it's just plain ok, indeed encouraged.

c. Spanking children - In the past considered a necessary tool of parental discipline, now questioned by sociologists on moral and many other grounds.

d. Homosexuality - Has flip-flopped in moral acceptance for millennia.

e. Pedophilia – Remarkably it has the same history as the above, and by historical leaders, clergy, and more! Now, it’s morally repulsive.

f. Celibacy - For priests exemptions were automatic for centuries until Luther's Reformation. Then new morals replaced the old ones. It is immoral now, so the practice must be secret.

g. Slavery - For most of human history, slavery was considered necessary and even humane, hence hardly a moral issue. Now it is the immoral, great evil. But still practiced.

h. Abortion – For almost all of history, abortion was considered immoral, though some cultures accepted the outright murder of infants. Now, it’s OK.

We currently see some wishing to revise history and eliminate historical heroes by today's morals. Risky business.

*The Story of Civilization, 11 volumes.

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