What binds civilizations, race or religion?
Most civilizations have been based on racial or religious cohesion, mainly both, and those that haven't, such as early western civilization under the liberal rule of the Roman Empire, fell apart at the seams.
After its demise, the Roman Empire in the year 395 was split into the East and the West under two forms of the new religion of Christianity, itself a split from Judaism, which in 395 years had swept throughout the known world wiping out most other forms of worship. Christian Orthodoxy dominated in the East, and Roman Catholicism dominated in the West.
The two separate and distinct civilizations that developed from this religious split were also distinguished by race and this fact, of course, was far more compelling than religion.
Western civilization underwent yet another religious split when Protestantism emerged in the early 16th century in Northern Europe -- separating the Germanic race from the Latin race -- but it was only in relatively recent times that the West changed from being predominantly 'white' to being multi-cultural, embracing other races and the religions they brought with them.
If the liberal West, in Europe especially, is heading for a similar demise as the early western civilization of the Roman Empire, then it is interesting to ponder what force is at work -- like early Christianity -- to hasten its demise, take over the reigns of power and unite all peoples under its banner?
Let's face it, without racial or religious cohesion, what holds people together?
The USA has forged a unique African-American-Latino racial identity, and while it is true that this unique identity and prized citizenship of the most powerful nation on Earth today has been achieved at the expense of indigenous Americans, it is nevertheless an identity that is recognized throughout the world and is proudly upheld by its peoples.
However, being a proud Roman citizen -- of many races and religions -- was no guarantee for the continuation of one's cohesive identity with fellow citizens in the face of a powerful and uniting force like early Christianity; and this fact bodes ill for both the USA and the expanding EU.
Interestingly, at the same time as post-WWII European nations were divesting themselves of colonial rule and rolling out multi-cultural policies designed to dilute the racial, religious and cultural cohesiveness of their citizens, the displaced Jews of Europe were beginning to assert their religious, racial and cultural uniqueness and demanding a homeland of their own.
Although outwardly 'western', Isreal is, in effect, resurrecting the ancient civilization from which its peoples came. It was a new nation forged on the same religious cohesion that kept its peoples together, albeit spirtually, throughout a Diaspora lasting 1,816 years (from 132 to 1948).
Israel was created in 1948 within the old British protectorate of Palestine as an exclusive state for displaced Jews from all over the world. Within a short time, however, strife erupted between the new settlers and the displaced Islamic Palestinians and has continued ever since.
The Jews may be ethnically related to the Semitic Arabs -- and their religions are similar, both Abrahamic, yet divided as to whom holds the Covenant -- but it was the type of European culture the Jews planted within the Islamic world that was totally foreign and abhorrent to the existing culture.
Bearing in mind the lessons of colonization -- and the lessons of the Hitler regime -- creating a 'superior' European, albeit Jewish, western community in the middle of the Arab world was like planting a time bomb in the area and yet the Israelis persist in their determination to form a new nation (or resurrect their old one) as a separate and distinct nation and civilization from their neighbors.
While there still exist many nations that proclaim themselves exclusively and proudly black, brown or yellow and are held together largely by racial similarity -- outstandingly, the two great civilizations of India and China -- there are no nations today that are held together by the exclusive and proud distinction of being 'white'.
Also, while many nations claim to be held together by certain religions, in most cases -- especially in Christian nations -- this claim is notional, simply lip service.
There are only two nations that proclaim themselves to be exclusively and proudly faithful to a certain religion - and one of them is Israel and the other, of course, is the Islamic nation.
Because the two great civilizations of India and China have survived for thousands of years -- long before Islam came into being in 622, and long after the Jews were dispersed in 132 -- it would appear that race holds people together far more strongly than religion or anything else.
People can be converted from one religion to another -- and religions come and go -- but nobody can be converted from their race no matter how hard they try to do so.
For this reason, those civilizations that were based on unique racial characteristics -- such as those of India, China and Japan -- will be everlasting.
After its demise, the Roman Empire in the year 395 was split into the East and the West under two forms of the new religion of Christianity, itself a split from Judaism, which in 395 years had swept throughout the known world wiping out most other forms of worship. Christian Orthodoxy dominated in the East, and Roman Catholicism dominated in the West.
The two separate and distinct civilizations that developed from this religious split were also distinguished by race and this fact, of course, was far more compelling than religion.
Western civilization underwent yet another religious split when Protestantism emerged in the early 16th century in Northern Europe -- separating the Germanic race from the Latin race -- but it was only in relatively recent times that the West changed from being predominantly 'white' to being multi-cultural, embracing other races and the religions they brought with them.
If the liberal West, in Europe especially, is heading for a similar demise as the early western civilization of the Roman Empire, then it is interesting to ponder what force is at work -- like early Christianity -- to hasten its demise, take over the reigns of power and unite all peoples under its banner?
Let's face it, without racial or religious cohesion, what holds people together?
The USA has forged a unique African-American-Latino racial identity, and while it is true that this unique identity and prized citizenship of the most powerful nation on Earth today has been achieved at the expense of indigenous Americans, it is nevertheless an identity that is recognized throughout the world and is proudly upheld by its peoples.
However, being a proud Roman citizen -- of many races and religions -- was no guarantee for the continuation of one's cohesive identity with fellow citizens in the face of a powerful and uniting force like early Christianity; and this fact bodes ill for both the USA and the expanding EU.
Interestingly, at the same time as post-WWII European nations were divesting themselves of colonial rule and rolling out multi-cultural policies designed to dilute the racial, religious and cultural cohesiveness of their citizens, the displaced Jews of Europe were beginning to assert their religious, racial and cultural uniqueness and demanding a homeland of their own.
Although outwardly 'western', Isreal is, in effect, resurrecting the ancient civilization from which its peoples came. It was a new nation forged on the same religious cohesion that kept its peoples together, albeit spirtually, throughout a Diaspora lasting 1,816 years (from 132 to 1948).
Israel was created in 1948 within the old British protectorate of Palestine as an exclusive state for displaced Jews from all over the world. Within a short time, however, strife erupted between the new settlers and the displaced Islamic Palestinians and has continued ever since.
The Jews may be ethnically related to the Semitic Arabs -- and their religions are similar, both Abrahamic, yet divided as to whom holds the Covenant -- but it was the type of European culture the Jews planted within the Islamic world that was totally foreign and abhorrent to the existing culture.
Bearing in mind the lessons of colonization -- and the lessons of the Hitler regime -- creating a 'superior' European, albeit Jewish, western community in the middle of the Arab world was like planting a time bomb in the area and yet the Israelis persist in their determination to form a new nation (or resurrect their old one) as a separate and distinct nation and civilization from their neighbors.
While there still exist many nations that proclaim themselves exclusively and proudly black, brown or yellow and are held together largely by racial similarity -- outstandingly, the two great civilizations of India and China -- there are no nations today that are held together by the exclusive and proud distinction of being 'white'.
Also, while many nations claim to be held together by certain religions, in most cases -- especially in Christian nations -- this claim is notional, simply lip service.
There are only two nations that proclaim themselves to be exclusively and proudly faithful to a certain religion - and one of them is Israel and the other, of course, is the Islamic nation.
Because the two great civilizations of India and China have survived for thousands of years -- long before Islam came into being in 622, and long after the Jews were dispersed in 132 -- it would appear that race holds people together far more strongly than religion or anything else.
People can be converted from one religion to another -- and religions come and go -- but nobody can be converted from their race no matter how hard they try to do so.
For this reason, those civilizations that were based on unique racial characteristics -- such as those of India, China and Japan -- will be everlasting.
Labels: christian orthodoxy, civilization, germanic rage, latin race, protestantism, race, religion, roman catholicism, roman empire
