keithprosser3 wrote:
If we compared today to Noah's time, I'd say we are at the stage where the boat was all done and Noah was stocking up with food for the animals and his family.
I think the modern world is probably a more 'genteel' and civilised place than it has ever been.
Sex, alcohol and violent crime aren't new inventions - they have always been part of normal life. The behaviour we expect of our Popes, presidents and royalty is positively saintly compared to what they got up to in the past (even if we ignore what many Roman Emperors thought was a good time), and if drug and drinks is a problem today, it pales compared to the scale of the social problems portrayed by
Hogarth.
Elizabeth I was considered fastidious bather - once a quarter or so. We don't dispose of toilet waste by throwing it in street any more. Mugging is nothing new, but muggers used to be called 'footpads'. London used to be known as the prostitution capital of the world at a time we erroneously imagine was dominated by Victorian prudeness.
Until recently, life for most people was 'nasty, brutal and short' and 'civilisation' did not reach far down the social scale. If God did not bring down his wrath on the past, he has little reason to do so now.
All we did was a 'face-lift' on corruption. We created, like you said
"a more 'genteel' and civilised place than it has ever been". Back then it was the filthy Ol' pub in town, now it is called the 'Gentleman's Club'.
Back then you may have been robbed after you got paid and staggering out of the Pub on you way home, but even that, it happened seldom.
Today we don't even see getting robbed, it comes right out of our checks, then the marble tiled Bank takes the rest of our money. OK, so they do offer a variety of choices in specialized credit-lines to fit your, and your families needs.
Back then you could shoot anyone steps on your land/property, today you'll have to wait 30 years before you can claim it yours, and even after that if you don't pay your taxes, your aSSociation fees, basic water and electric bills, they'l take your house.
With Agenda 21, now you are an enemy of the State if you own your property, use electricity, air-conditioning, a car to go to work with, if you eat meat, if your cholesterol is high, consume salt etc. and so on. Now if you even own a gun you are a terrorist until proven innocent.
As for the artist rendering of
Beer Street and Gin Lane, today we have our children to imitate prostitutes and then get an abortion. We name cities that are lit up with lights
Sin Cities to whore around in and to gamble in. The difference between now and then is, we put all that filth going on
'indoors', .. there is no difference, only today it's more accepted, and everyone gets 'rolled', .. politely, .. genteel like.
