new church life: september/october 2017
An argument could be
made that this blending
of cultures and peoples
is the most important
thing happening
on this planet.
This says that the world is growing
up. Its changes are like the development
of an individual.
I see these two messages as saying
that we can expect the interactions
between nations and cultures at first
to be immature and difficult, and only
gradually to become more peaceful
and positive, as the world progresses,
and as the spread of the Word takes
effect.
The process of development is a core aspect of the New Church
An argument could be made that this blending of cultures and peoples is
the most important thing happening on this planet. To support that idea we
only need to look at the daily headlines, the actions of governments, and the
comments we hear on social media. A large percentage of these things revolve
around the conflict between nations, cultures and peoples.
Our constantly changing world brings peoples of differing race, culture,
language and nationality into closer contact than ever before. The world
is shrinking, due to the inexorable progress of knowledge, technology,
communication and transportation. Together with an increasing global
population, these forces expose individuals in every part of the world to
peoples, traditions and ideas that they were never in contact with in the past.
The exposure has a significant and continual impact on every part of the world.
In the long run most people would agree that this contact is a good thing.
Good ideas spread, the opportunities for international cooperation increase,
and people help each other. From a New Church point of view, globalization
inevitably spreads the Word, and the effect of this is greater than most people
can appreciate.
In the short run, however, the global rubbing of shoulders poses threats
and causes reactions that often lead to conflict and violence.
There has been a long history of conflict
From a global historical perspective, there are offenders and victims in these
conflicts. The offenders have often been the European nations and peoples.
Since the 15 th century we Europeans have extended our reach worldwide,
seeking trade, empire, wealth, emigration and control. The evidence of
history, and the testimony of the Writings, points to our long-term culpability.
From appropriating whole continents, to genocide, enslavement and theft, to
the routine mistreatment of virtually every population group that they ever
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