Sunday, February 26, 2006

The Decline and Fall of the West

In their book Biblical Democracy, Edward and Miriam Cain (2nd Edition, p96) list the characteristics which led to the fall of the Roman Empire:
 
"In his book Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Edward Gibbon (1737-1794), lists the following characteristics:
  • A mounting love of show and luxury (that is, affluence);
  • A widening gap between the very rich and the very poor;
  • An obsession with sex; the rapid increase of divorce, the undermining of the dignity and the sanctity of the home, the basis of human society;
  • A mad craze for pleasure, with sport becoming more exciting and brutal every year. Crowds flocked to the Coliseum and Circus Maximus;
  • Within the arts, a freakishness developed, which masqueraded as originality of expression;
  • Higher and higher taxes, with the spending of public monies on free bread and circuses;
  • An increased desire to live off the state;
  • Religion decayed, fading into mere form and losing touch with everyday life;
  • Gigantic armaments were built, but the real enemy was within - the decadence of the people."
I am not going to bore you with commentary on this, save that when one looks at this list, it would not be all too strange to wonder when the west is going to finalize its own collapse! That is true of both the great U.S.A. and Europe, while it also includes the small and almost insignificant country of South Africa!
 
Just thinking...
 

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