Search this site
IRONSTRIKES
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Beliefs
  • Formation
  • For Women
  • Meetings & Events

Why the wrong side of history may be the right side (sometimes)

7/30/2017

0 Comments

 
Picture
“History,” as the saying goes, “is written by the victors.”

Of course, the claim is hardly true in every instance. Still, it does bring up a problem with the progressive meme that those holding certain views on, say, morality or sexual ethics will invariably find themselves “on the wrong side of history.” But more on that in a moment.

The gist of the “wrong side” argument is that in past centuries, great evils were defended in the name of God and tradition—slavery, subjugation of women, and the ill treatment of minorities. Yet in time, we have come to see the vileness of such positions. Thus, the traditionalists find themselves “on the wrong side of history.”

There is some truth in this of course. Great wrongs were, and continue to be, defended under the guise of “God’s will” and the oppressive cloak of tradition. Yet the meme is hardly absolute. And in many cases, it is simply wrong.  Here’s why:


1. “History” Does Not Render Moral Judgments

First, as should be obvious, history itself does not render moral judgments. Only persons do that. Thus, the word “history” (in the “wrong side” argument) is merely a placeholder for “widespread public opinion.” Or as is sometimes the case: “widespread public opinion in mostly white, reasonably affluent western cultures, with an emphasis on Hollywood and academia.”

And that sounds less impressive.

While the current drift of cultural belief may be right, it may be wrong as well.

As some clever person recently observed on Twitter: when Paul was bit by a serpent the crowd assumed he was a murderer. When he did not die, they said he was a god (Acts 28). Beware of the emerging consensus.


2. History Haunts Progressives, Too

A second problem with the argument (in its most common form) is the idea that later centuries invariably chastise orthodox Christians, while secular progressives are vindicated in their moral foresight. This is pure baloney.

Take slavery for example. My own conservative denomination, The Wesleyan Church, was started by abolitionists. And the practice of slavery was condemned by papal decree as far back as the 15th century(!), with a string of denunciations from 1462–1839. Samuel Sewall, a devout Puritan, penned the first American abolitionist pamphlet in 1700. And all of this while Enlightenment luminaries like Hobbes, Voltaire, and Montesquieu defended slavery on “rational” grounds.

While every tradition has its skeletons, let’s not pretend that so-called “progressive” or secular ideas have, in general, faired better. History is more complex than that.


3. History Does Not Always Move Toward Perfection

A third problem with the “wrong side” argument is the faulty assumption that the passing of time invariably moves human culture toward wisdom and justice. This too is false.

While racism, sexism, and bullying are increasingly (and rightly!) condemned, other maladies grow untended in the modern garden. Two hundred years from now, perhaps a more advanced society will find it barbaric that we slaughtered babies in the womb. Or they may not. History is hardly an uninterrupted march from evil to good, darkness to light, ignorance to insight. The notion that it is such is what C.S. Lewis called “chronological snobbery.”

A further irony of this overly optimistic eschatology of ethics is that it is nothing new. The Enlightenment and the rise of science also promised “progress” toward a peaceful utopia.  What came instead was the bloodiest century in human history. Beware the myth of progress.


4. History’s Precise Future is Unknowable

Fourthly, the “wrong side” argument proceeds on the false assumption that the speakers actually know the future, which of course they do not. In short, it presumes omniscience.  This, however, is the gambit of psychics and soothsayers, not that of serious argument.

In fact, the meme is not an argument at all, but a predictive threat that hinges on the possibility that “a hundred years from now, you’ll look really silly.” Perhaps so; but we need evidence, not mere assertions from a non-existent crystal ball.


5. History Will Be Judged by History’s Lord

Fifth, and by far the greatest problem with “wrong side” threat is the omission of key player: history’s Lord. For Christians, we believe that God alone occupies the judgment seat of history. And this should make us both confident and humble.

We must be humble enough to recognize our own fallibility, and to resist the temptation to do God’s job of judging the world (1 Cor. 5). Yet we must also be confident in the light given to the church in Christ, the Spirit, the Scriptures, and yes (albeit secondarily), in tradition.

But what of our introductory statement about a history written by the victors?

This too is a common claim that is meant to challenge the validity of historical pronouncements on past events. Indeed, as the movie Braveheart claimed: “History is written by men who have hanged heroes.”

Once again, it is hardly true in any absolute sense. (I work down the hall from an historian who assures me he has hanged no one. I believe him, cautiously.)

Still, few have seemed to notice that this postmodern argument (of history being written by the victors) sits ill at ease with its common compatriot: the “wrong side of history” threat.

Here’s the problem: If history’s moral judgments are the unjust product of the victors’ power plays, then why trust them? If history is written by “those who have hanged heroes,” then perhaps the “wrong” side is actually closer to being right! Perhaps, as some suggest, justice lies more on history’s underside.

If this is so, then Christians have yet one more reason to discard the moral shaming of the “wrong side” argument.

For in a bit of beautiful irony, we believe that history’s crucified victim is also its great victor. The Lamb who was slain is seated on the throne, and his word is weightier than the shifting sands of public opinion. His verdict (not that of “history”) matters most.

This post was written by  Josh McNall of Seedbed.  You can find his original post here: www.seedbed.com/why-the-wrong-side-of-history-may-be-right-sometimes/



0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Rules for commenting:

    1.  Be respectful  
    2.  Refer to rule #1

    All comments may not be approved.

    Note that many identifying details about individuals in these posts are not accurate.  Their identity is protected, except for those individuals who are being honored or are public figures.

    RSS Feed

    Enter your email address:

    Delivered by FeedBurner

    Categories

    All
    Abortion
    Abraham
    Abstinence
    Abuse
    Accountability
    Adam
    Adam Yauch
    Addictions
    Admiration
    Adultery
    Affair
    Amos
    Angels
    Anger
    Anniversary
    Anoint
    Anonymous
    Anxiety
    Atheism
    Avoidant
    Bad Boy
    Battle
    Beastie Boys
    Beautiful
    Bestiality
    Betrayal
    Bird
    Blame
    Bobby Petrino
    Bondage
    Book Review
    Brian Head Welch
    Brothel
    B.T. Roberts
    Camping
    Cancer
    Challenge
    Change
    Chaotic
    Character
    Children
    Choice
    Christmas
    Church
    Church Camp
    Closed Door
    Compulsions
    Confession
    Confident
    Control
    Courage
    Covenant
    Creator
    Crown
    Crucifixion
    Darkness
    Death
    Deception
    Decision
    Demons
    Depression
    Detachment
    Devotions
    Dez Bryant
    Differences
    Dilemma
    Dirty
    Discipleship
    Disgusting
    Divorce
    Domestic Violence
    Domination
    Doubt
    Dreams
    Dr Hart8bb80a7b00
    Dwayne Allen
    Dysfunction
    Easter
    Eden
    Ego
    Eleazar
    Elitism
    Empty
    Envy
    Ephesians
    Equality
    Erectile Dysfunction
    Esau
    Eternity
    Euthanasia
    Evil
    Exhibitionism
    Eyes
    Facebook
    Faithfulness
    Fantasy
    Fasting
    Father
    Favorites
    Fear
    Fellatio
    Fighting
    Fishing
    Flashing
    Flattery
    Flesh
    Force
    Forgiveness
    Gentleman
    Girls Gone Wild
    G.K. Chesteron
    Goals
    God
    Good Friday
    Grace
    Gratitude
    Greek
    Guard
    Guilt
    Heart
    Heaven
    Hebrew
    Hell
    Henri Nouwen
    Histrionic
    Hogging
    Holiness
    Hollow
    Honesty
    Honor
    Hope
    Humility
    Humor
    Ichabod
    Idols
    Impurity
    Individuality
    Input
    Insane Clown Posse
    Integrity
    Intent
    Intimacy
    Isaac
    Islam
    Jack Schaap
    Jamaica
    Jealousy
    Jimmy Needham
    Job
    Joy
    J.R.R. Tolkien
    Judgmentalism
    Justice
    Kindness
    King David
    Kittens
    Komboloib7e292a311
    Korn
    Larry Norman
    Leave It To Beaver
    Lies
    Light
    Listening
    Loneliness
    Love
    Lust
    Lying
    Macho
    Manners
    Marriage
    Masculinity
    Masturbation
    Maturity
    Mca
    Meditation
    Messianic
    Meticulous
    Mighty
    Missions
    Money
    Monogamy
    Moses
    Motivations
    Movies
    Music
    Normal
    Obedience
    Obscenity
    Open Door
    Parenting
    Passiveaggressive2ed940c88b
    Pastor
    Path
    Perfection
    Personality Disorders
    P.O.D.
    Politics
    Pornography
    Pornograpy
    Power
    Practical
    Prayer
    Predator
    Prejudice
    Premature Ejaculaton
    Preparation
    Pride
    Problems
    Promises
    Protection
    Providence
    Purity
    Quechua
    Quiz
    Racism
    Regret
    Religious
    Repentance
    Reputation
    Research
    Respect
    Responsibility
    Rest
    Resurrection
    Revival
    Righteousness
    Robots
    Roughhousing
    Routine
    Rules
    Rut
    Sabbath
    Sacrifice
    Sadism
    Salvation
    Sanctification
    Satisfaction
    Selfishness
    Self Love
    Self-love
    Service
    Sex
    Sexism
    Sexuality
    Sexual Response
    Sexual Response
    Shame
    Sin
    Singing
    Snobbery
    Soldier
    Sovereignty
    Stalking
    Stephen Hawking
    Step-parenting
    Strong
    Success
    Succubus
    Suicide
    Swearing
    Sword
    Teenagers
    Temper
    Temptation
    Tenth Ave North
    Testing
    Theology
    Thinking
    Thomas Cogswell Upham
    Tim Tebow
    Tournament Male
    Tradition
    Trafficking
    Trapped
    Trauma
    Triggers
    Trust
    Truth
    U2
    Uncle Buddy
    Unity
    Violence
    Virtue
    Vulnerability
    Warrior
    Watchman Nee
    Waywardness
    What Is A Man
    Women
    Worry
    Worship
    Wussification
    Year In Review
    Zombies

    Archives

    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012

IRONSTRIKES

Men Forging Men