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originally posted by: beyondknowledge
a reply to: American-philosopher
Should I consult my doctor before voting next time?
History studies in schools and universities often seem to amount to little more than learning about events, battles, documents and personalities. H. G. Wells said that the “narrow history teaching” of our school days was mainly “an uninspiring and partially forgotten list of national kings or presidents.”
Yet, for thinking people, history should be a lantern to cast light on the pitfalls of the past and the present. It should give some hope for the future. Consider, now, some notable lessons from history and what mankind has failed to learn from them.
LESSON 1—Changes of government: As in the days of the French Revolution, the tendency is for like to succeed like, the “change” being more apparent than it is real. Thus, tyranny may well succeed tyranny. In Western democratic societies, like that of the United States or Great Britain, party succeeds party by election. But fundamental changes do not really occur.
Interestingly, noted writer Paul Valery observed: “All politicians have read history; but one might say that they read it only in order to learn from it how to repeat the same calamities all over again.” But why is this so? Basically because what the Bible says is true: “It does not belong to man who is walking even to direct his step.”—Jeremiah 10:23.
What is the lesson in this? “Do not put your trust in nobles, nor in the son of earthling man, to whom no salvation belongs.” (Psalm 146:3) The promises of men are usually unreliable. Though they may conscientiously try, do not expect men to bring about a totally satisfying rule. Only Jehovah God can and will do that by means of his Kingdom with Jesus Christ as King.—Matthew 6:9, 10; Isaiah 9:6, 7; Daniel 2:44.
LESSON 2—Religion in politics: History indicates that the priesthood of organized religion in any age, when wielding political clout over the populace, functions as a tool to maintain the status quo, often for the benefit of the ruling element. A case in point is the role played by the Roman Catholic hierarchy in Europe and elsewhere in the perpetuation of the feudal system after the fall of the Roman Empire in the fifth century C.E. For a millennium or more, the Church in both West and East worked closely with kings, czars and lords to maintain the privileges and preserves of the few at the top of the social pyramid.
In return the Church was given land (the basis of power in the feudal system), and its members were addressed as “my lord Abbot” or “my lord Bishop.” The pope himself was, possibly, the most powerful monarch in Christendom. Such power can be seen in a list of papal prerogatives published by Pope Gregory VII in the 11th century. These included “the power to depose emperors” and to “annul the decrees of anyone.”
The rulers of ancient Babylon, Egypt, Aztec America, Hindu India—indeed, perhaps all societies of the past—have used the religious system to entrench their own interests. And for selfish advantage worldly religion has ever sought to promote close ties with the State. But what is the lesson in all of this? It is that when religion mixes with politics and becomes involved in the world and its political affairs, the masses suffer and confusion results. Such spiritual fornication contributes to its being disgusting to God. (Revelation 17:3-5) Moreover, from the Bible we learn that one requirement of God-approved worship is ‘keeping oneself without spot from the world.’—James 1:27.
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Nationalism
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Too, as the story of the chapel in Scotland shows, nationalism and religion often go together. Wrote Dr. Robert L. Kahn, a rabbi: “Religion and Nationalism always tend to go hand in hand. In times of war, particularly, . . . ‘For God and Country’ becomes a sort of battle cry. This has always been so. [In World War II] one of the popular songs was the war-whoop of a chaplain, ‘Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition.”’
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