The world needs these kinds of conversations and perspectives. As a person who values intelligence, I am confident this is the best interview Spiderman has ever given.
I often think that the roman slave system and crucifixion created Christianity. Christianity is a result of treating a portion of your society so cruelly and brutal.
I have a degree in history and was fascinated by antiquity however I am a devout Christian trying to explain to my agnostic daughter these very ideas. I have not read his book but I am going to. Ordered 3 copies 😆 Tom you express so eloquently the ideas I was trying to express. Thank you.
It's a fantastic book! Like yourself, my degree is in history (and now later on, theology): what he is saying is infinitely important for Western nations in these changing times. We must resist calls to secularism and erase the very thing that brought us to where we are at.
Its good to just let these people talk without being interrupted. You get totally absorbed into what he is saying without being distracted by constant interruption of the interviewer like I’m so many other types of these videos. Well done Dan
What a clever, balanced and incredibly intelligent man. His mind and words are so amazingly correlated. His logic and delivery are absolutely gripping. Thank you. Even rattled Dan Snow I reckon.
Tom Holland's book, which is being discussed here, called "Dominion," is a very eye-opening read. I highly recommend it if you want to go deeper into what he's touching on here.
@dellwright1407 Hi Dell ~ You are certainly correct. I knew our society was founded on Christian ethos, but it’s refreshing to hear scholars offer such insight via historical context. I know Christianity and religion in general is a personal and sensitive topic. Yet, my hope is that scholarship will make it less contentious. It would be interesting to investigate the societal similarities and differences between eastern and western Christianity. Perhaps, Tom or another equally proficient historian will tackle such a topic in the future…one can hope. I had to laugh at your WEIRD acronym - LOL!😉 Wish I had thought of that! It’s definitely true…Christianity was and still is foreign to certain cultures…hence…WEIRD is certainly befitting…as Tom and others have stated. The next time I have a discussion with someone regarding Christianity, I will remember your acronym, as it’s truly befitting. Thanks for sharing!😊 Cheers!🇨🇦
Always a pleasure to listen to Mr Holland. Having been raised in a completely secular environment in Uruguay, it took me a bit of travelling to appreciate inner values that come from Christianity. I've heard a psychologist explain the effects of confession in a trusted environment, as a way to admit you've done wrong to someone or yourself, and try to fix or improve it instead of hiding it. Not to mention that, for hundreds of thousands of native Amerindians, Christianity literally saved their lives after generations of unimaginable terror before 1492. I'll leave it there.
Of course they’re inseparable. We’re all indebted to Christendom, institutionally and historically, and to the Christian modus mentis. We may not *like* that inheritance, we may not *approve* of how our forefathers were confessing Christians, we may not *share* their beliefs - we may even wish our ancestry played out differently. But that our inheritance is Christian, and our western world for the most part the result of Christianity, is undeniable. The question is whether it’s (a) desirable or (b) possible to forge a new inheritance for our descendants. I’m convinced of (b), but (a) is far from obvious.
The only thing In find Deplorable is the fact that we did force our faith on others, when we should've learned about their ways, and educated them about our lifestyle, therefore giving them the choice.
Which Christianity; Christianity ranges from folks who stone gays to death in Africa and oppress the poor and people of color in the alleged Land of the Free, right over to pretty liberal congregations where gay people can be pastors. And it's just as difficult to pin down 'modern Western values': some of those are very well represented in many non-Western cultures.
@@jennybates That's a very 21st century culturally Christian assumption. Back then of course we believed we were saving their souls and to give them a choice would be an almighty sin that would condemn them to Hell for all eternity. That would have been the cruel thing to do.
The values are entirely separable. Try comparing modern values to those held in this country in 1611, when the King James Bible was first published. The values are very different, but the words in the bible are the same, showing that Western morals have evolved, not because of, but despite religion.
What an incredible exposion of the fundamental truth of Christian morality. That all humanity is endowed with fundamental dignity and the powerful have a duty to the weak should be universal values as Christ shows us.
I always thought the great influence of Christianity on the West - especially concerning morals and ethics - was common sense. 1,500 years of Christianity in Europe, more than half of that with the Church being at the center of education starting with the cathedral schools and ending with the university, not to mention the power the church had over the European state, and it being at the center of people’s lives with a church at the center of practically every town…how could it not have an enormous impact?!
That is a funny claim. Christianity doesn't offer a unified ethical theory, many of its prescriptions are internally inconsistent and contradictory, and they are seldom applied - luckily for us. If Westerners behave in an unchristian way most of the time (not giving alms, not turning the other cheek, not selling their possessions, not to mention breaking the commandments), how can you claim their behavior is under a great Christian influence? It seems people do what they please.
Excellent!! I so appreciate Tom Holland’s intellectual honesty, his accurate scholarship, and his balanced treatment of these issues. I am also appreciative of Dan’s bringing these issues before the public in such a collegial disposition. Outstanding broadcast and why I am a subscriber of HistoryHit!!!!
@@GeoPePeTtoEven Islam is of Christian origin. The Hindu nation is even changing as the caste system is slowly being done away with. The Shinto system of the emperor as a god has been abandoned. Most nations are following a western system of law and government which is Christian in nature. Bit by bit the world is adopting a Christian moral framework and not even knowing it. Although now in western Europe and the Americas, there seems to be an increase in Marxist- Leninist philosophy.
@@den8863 By name maybe. But by influence, it’s Greek and Jewish. Christianity is build on Jewish myths by Greek people influenced by their mythology , culture and philosophy. Jews didn’t have a hell, they took that from the Greeks. And so on you can go however long in the past you can go. But almost nothing in the present still resemble anything Christian.
@@GeoPePeTto yet the morals are so very different between them. The discarding of unwanted infants, the derision of those who were poor and the celebration of the conquests of war and the proud boasting of the number of enemies killed in those cultures up until the Roman empire right before the rise of Christianity. And since then those morals would be considered horrible.
Wow. This was a fantastic, enlightening, and thought-provoking experience. I am set on reading this book. That's saying a lot; I am a fiction person. Other than school books decades ago, I really can't remember the last time that I read a nonfiction book. Thank you for this fascinating look at a unique topic.
Anyone who would take issue with Tom's assertions here should read "The Book that Made Your World: How the Bible Created the Soul of Western Civilization" by the Indian philosopher Vishal Mangalwadi. He looks at the same questions and assertions from the viewpoint of a native Indian, immersed in Indian culture.
🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation: 00:00 📚 *Tom Holland's Evolution of Thought* - Tom Holland's fascination with ancient empires and identification with strong figures. - Evolution of Holland's perspective from admiration for ancient empires to questioning their moral values. - Introduction to the exploration of the evolution of Western morality shaped by Christianity. 03:37 🌍 *Christianity as a Civilization Matrix* - Holland's realization that he is essentially Christian in his cultural background. - Viewing Christianity not just as a religion but as a civilization, shaping Western society. - The argument that the past 2000 years of Western history, despite changes, are grounded in Christian impulses. 05:48 🔄 *Tracing Christian Influence Through Time* - Excitement about tracing the influence of Christianity from antiquity to the present. - Holland's ability to write about periods beyond antiquity due to the broad scope of the book. - The personal touch in the book, reflecting Holland's journey in understanding his moral, ethical, and cultural roots. 06:31 🔍 *Revolutionary Ideas in Early Christianity* - Paul's radical ideas about the Messiah's humiliating death and its revolutionary impact. - The subversive nature of Paul's teachings challenging established norms. - The emergence of a new doctrine of charity and the transformation of the church in the Roman Empire. 12:10 🌐 *Church's Emancipation in the Early Middle Ages* - The church gaining a sense of dignity independent of emperors in the early Middle Ages. - Augustine's distinction between the City of Man and the City of God. - The separation of the church from the fabric of the state and its survival beyond the fall of the Roman Empire. 17:30 🔄 *Continuous Cycle of Reformation* - The idea of religio as a binding force counterpointing the cyclical nature of the secular world. - The weaponization of religio in the 11th century and the birth of radical nations. - The continuous cycle of reformation and revolution within European history, shaping cultural evolution. 21:33 🌏 *British Construction of Hinduism in India* - The British, encountering the diversity of beliefs in India, constructed the idea of Hinduism as a religion, drawing parallels with their own understanding. - The process involved imposing Christian-like categories such as temples, priests, and scriptures onto Hindu practices. - India later gained independence as a secular state, reflecting a borrowed notion of secularism shaped by British education. 23:15 🕊️ *Christianization in India: Conversion and Secularization* - The process of Christianization in India occurred not only through conversion but also through secularization. - Indian scholars highlight that the notion of the secular and the categorization of Hinduism as a religion are seen as foreign impositions. - The rise of Hindu nationalism in contemporary India can be understood as a reaction against the perceived alien concept of secularism. 24:56 🤔 *Atheism and Humanism: Christian Roots of Human Dignity* - Tom Holland, an atheist, acknowledges the Christian roots of the humanist concept of universal human dignity. - Humanism is viewed as an attempt to abstract this notion from Christian beliefs, providing a secular framework for the inherent dignity of humanity. - The discussion explores how various ideologies, including Marxism and science, attempt to justify moral positions rooted in Christian morality without necessarily embracing Christian belief. 29:22 🔬 *Science as a Construct and Its Relation to Religion* - The concept of science, constructed in the 19th century, is presented as a conceptualization emerging in response to evolving notions of religion. - The construction of science as a counterpart to religion reflects Protestant assumptions and a desire to distinguish it from superstition. - Individuals promoting science often see it as a means to banish superstition, portraying themselves as moral arbiters, rooted in Protestant ideals. 32:09 ⚖️ *Nietzsche's Critique: Loss of Christian Belief and Morality* - Nietzsche's parable of the "death of God" and the subsequent challenges to sustaining Christian morality without belief are discussed. - The critique explores how ideologies like humanism, Marxism, and science attempt to retain Christian morality without the religious foundation. - The historical context post-World War II, with the shock of the Holocaust, led to the preservation of Christian ideals as a response to Nazi atrocities. 35:13 🌐 *Christian Values vs. Post-Christian Challenges* - Post-World War II, the preservation of Christian ideals is seen as a response to Nazi atrocities and the rejection of core Christian teachings. - The discussion questions the sustainability of these Christian values without the theological and cultural framework that gave them birth. - The impact of the rejection of Christian beliefs on the ability to upholdideals like the equality of all humans and the responsibility of the strong toward the weak is examined. Made with HARPA AI
The principle that Holland is pointing out is Hegel's idea of the assimilation of the historical into the historical process itself. Christianity is indelible to Western culture and, as such, to the world. It can be rejected and denied at particular times and in particular places, but it can never be expunged from culture. Of course, the fact that Christianity is true, is also one reason for that indelibility.
I love how people assume science was always around. Science as we understand it is a modern idea. If you were to go back before the 1700s, people would have thought they were studying natural philosophy, largely as part of faith - a study of understanding God's creation.
This is an astonishingly intelligent, interesting and intellectually demanding conversation which everyone, whether they're Christian, of another faith or of none, should watch. I've also seen the one with Dan Jones and Dan Snow about the Crusades. These videos and the people in them are streets ahead intellectually and informatively compared with what broadcast TV notably the BBC churns out at huge costs. There are other similar You Tube Channels about geography, physics, various other sciences, politics, philosophy etc with fantastic content. I've actually started to learn things again in my old age.
Really? I took the history of Christianity at San Jose State University in Northern California and we discussed these topics in great detail, argued and wrote papers.
I am sure this rattled Dan as an ⚛️ atheist . Agnostic. I respect both these historians so much . Love love all history. Is my go to relaxation read any time !! And podcast ! As a Christian I love this conversation. Amen and amen We need more calm beautiful conversations like this
Very thought-provocative! Just now I placed an order for 'Dominion' along with several of Tom Hollands other books. I've have previously read 'In The Shadow Of The Sword' which was an excellent book.
@@dm-gq5uj Just to jump in here: "Dynasty" was the most fun of his books (I've read maybe half of them). The subject matter is already incredible, and Holland is a great storyteller. While I already knew a fair amount of the Julio-Claudians, I appreciated how in-depth he was about the transformations of the Roman state by Augustus, and he helped place my knowledge of Tiberius and Nero in a very different context.
A breathtaking, hugely impressive account of the forces that shaped the Western mind. Thank you to Dan for allowing Tom space to develop his argument. Fabulous interview.
Thank you Tom Holland. You gave a similar address at the BBC History Week in Chester in 2019 on this subject - one which every intelligent person in the West needs to understand. It ought to be taught in every school and university.
incredibly interesting conversation and representation of both how Christianity has shaped the modern world but also meat of what his book is tackling. Thoroughly engrossing for religious and Atheist alike.
It was interesting to hear Tom Holland present this aspect of our history in western civilization. I have listened to various philosophers and scholars who agree with Tom…including well known psychologist Jordan Peterson. I find it interesting that Neuroscience is exploring this avenue in an attempt to unravel the mystery of transcendence. It will be fascinating to witness scholarship tackle this subject in the coming years. Thank you for another fascinating and insightful episode. Cheers!🇨🇦
Im not a christian. But sometimes it amazed me how the atheist failed to believe that christianity heavily influenced today morality. Let the atheist spread their own "morality" then humanity will be in chaos in a few decades.
@@GeoPePeTtoThey got us to this point and life was better from a modern western moral perspective in Christian Europe than it was anywhere else in the world in the late medieval and Renaissance period. Sure you could say places in East Asia, the Muslim world, and the Inca empire later down the line had better standards of living in some places but Christian Europe gave us the truth seeking mode of thought that birthed modern science with some help of many Greek and Arab texts, as well as ideas that lessening human suffering should be perused by the whole civilisation. Christian countries have done terrible things but have also done exceptional things than no other civilisations have done. I think the west is bored of it and it’s trendy to disparage it but if it didn’t come about we could easily be living in a society in the west where gladiatorial games still happen, where a man’s family is seen as his property, where slavery being wrong is seen as a minority opinion. Honestly I have studied European history from the classical era to the 20th century, I have studied many of the world’s great empires. Without Christianity we would be in a very different moral framework. When you look back into history and say “look how much worse things where!” You should be asking the question “why are they better today?”
@@mugluvin3300 I would say that the Greek world had more impact, seeing as even early Christianity borrowed heavily from them. But even if it wasn’t so, if Christianity would still rule today in Europe, I’m 100% sure that it would be worse than it is now.
@andihia2890 Democracy, philosophy, trial by a jury of your peers and more. Through philosophy they were the first people in the western world to try to explain the whole cosmos in a rational way, and not only through mysticism and religion. How people should act, how to arrive at knowledge, and what the nature of morality and mind is. All started in the 6th century bce. Ofc they were not atheists and still believed in gods and supernatural events. It was to common in those days. But some tried to divorce philosophy from religion, but some theories still have some mumbo jumbo in them. And as Christianity was mainly spreading in Greece, where the testaments were written, it was heavily influenced by Greek philosophy and mythology. The idea of hell if from them, the omniscience and omnipresent came from platonic and Aristotelian theology. Greek has influenced the Roman world too. And they influenced most of Europe. Their calendars, laws and the justice system.
Tom is a pure soul with an impressive understanding of humanity which informs his ability to give meaning to history. To Christian history,....... which has shaped the world.
Chris Hedges is a man of conviction, as the old saying goes; There is no bigger crime than seeing and witnessing the horrors of daily servitude but being unable to avert the disasters that unfold towards the helpless and weak, for the most wretched and deceitful have always had the upper hand to manipulate and navigate the eventual fate of all that stand in their way'.
Supper dialogue, as below thanks to the interviewer for not interrupting. Truth is uncompromising, all who truly desire it will receive it and so be drawn to its ultimate source, that of true 'Religio' which we call God.
I can’t believe that Tom Holland is also a Hollywood star. You’d never know from the way he presents here. Such an intellect as well as an amazing actor.
It's almost certain that at this point, that Tom won't discuss with Jordan Peterson. He must've been invited. Most likely for what he incorrectly perceives as political reasons.
As an atheist I came to the same conclusion, humanism would be without foundation in other cultural contexts. You cannot understand Western society without understanding Christianity.
That started very intrestingly, but then it started sounding like a sermon. The guest seems to believe that if a belief is similar to Christian beliefs then it must stem from them. i was hoping Dan would dig into it, because the way it went the interview basically concluded that we can't have morality and inherent human dignity without Christianity, without giving or accepting a single argument to the contrary.
You’ll love Vishal Mangalwadi’s “The Book That Made Your World” which explains the Bible’s impact on India ( and the world) told from his eastern POV. absolutely riveting
Wonderful programme. Reminds me of John Romer’s book and TV series “Testament” which talks about the history of the bible and its affects on Christianity in fantastic detail.
The success of the Western World, based as it is firmly on Christian values, speaks for itself. It's evident to everyone. Both in terms of human happiness, and the resulting material wealth that comes through co-operation. Particularly the value of the recognition of the inherent value every individual and the notion of the soul, is essential to this. In contrast, other parts of the world, based on different value systems, haven't experienced such good fortune. It's an important point to bang home.
I read Dominion as soon as I heard about it. Along with The Black Swan, it was one of the most fascinating and mind re-ordering books I can recall. I think maybe Plato's Dialogues is in the mix too.
On the one hand Tom Holland radically changed my world view, I became a Christian and no longer regarded Christians as flat-earthers. On the other hand my world view was so deeply shaped by Christianity all along, I just chose to reject it or couldn't see it.
Extraordinary that Dan is not more curious about the Christian faith. To base his disbelief on the book of Genesis is to disregard the entire new testament and the Acts of the Apostles. How and more importantly why does he think the Church came into being in the first place?
Why is it a crazy book or subject That train of thought opens up more questions than the Dan might not like. It certainly gives an insight into he’s opinion and thoughts.
While I’m generally a fan of Holland, I feel he dismisses Dan’s point at 38:40 a bit too quickly. Confucian thought on the State influenced the French Revolution through Montesquieu; T. S. Eliot’s thoughts on the ephemeral and the eternal were combining Christian notions with the Bhagavad Gita; the 1960’s counterculture’s rejection of competitive egoism was explicitly influenced by Buddhist and Taoist ideas of selflessness, etc. I think Holland’s right that the Christian influence gets downplayed because it’s so ubiquitous as to be invisible, but the things it’s getting mixed with at each turn are still pivotal. Great interview either way!
Lol. I can tell you we not comfortable with Tom's assertion that Western culture is largely Christian to the bones. None the less his perspective for the future is sobering.
This debate was quite fascinating, and many of the points the author makes are thought-provoking. That said, his assertion that western culture hasn't been stamped by influences from other cultures makes it sounds like "The West" existed in some silo that opened its doors to send out invading armies now and then. Cultures blend and mix where they touch. I'm from the U.S., and one example that came to my mind was the influence that exposure to indigineous governing systems had on the formation of the U.S. government. Catholicism in South America isn't even wholly European; it's a distinctive mix of Catholic teachings and indigenous practices. Many American forms of Christianity are influenced by the cultures of former enslaved populations from Africa. I buy that we're goldfish swimming in a Christian sea, at least in the part of the world I'm from. I don't buy that that sea doesn't have Buddhist, Confucian, Islamic, and many other non-western rivers flowing into it.
A good point. I like to look at what appear to be celtic people and manfufactured objects which have been found in the tekkla makan and whosepresence have never been explained. I believe that there has been A LOT more cross fertilization of civilizations than has been discovered. Will Durant and others state that Chiristianity was actually the orientalization of the West, and if you look at Christ's teachings it's hard to believe that they were not taken from Buddhist thought.
“…hasn’t been stamped by … other cultures …” Holland makes no such claim. Of course there are many influences. His main point is that the *foundation* of the West is Christianity, which enables everything else. One can add or take many other influences, but take that away and there is no West, but a reversion to the tyrant in Ozymandias, Stalin, Hitler, Mao, where there are no rights of the individual.
@@Nill757 And the writers of the new testament were greatly influenced by Greek philosophy. Nothing lives in a vacuum and they didn’t come up with anything new. The majority of the NT was writer in greek by greek learned people.
I'm reading Tom Holland's book and I confess that even though these ideas are present in the text, the attachment to the details of the historiography takes up a lot of space, which could be better discussed as a macro vision. It is clear that the book goes far beyond just a thesis and it seems that it proposes to be the object of studies on the history of Christianity. But, what I mean is that I'm 70% through the book and those great ideas brilliantly dealt with in the video aren't as evident as they seem, even though you can get to them while reading. About the interview, Tom Holland really has a talent for rhetoric and oratory, defending his main thesis very well: even if we don't want to, we are Christians in philosophical terms. I confess that I felt a little lack of correlation in some passages of the interview, mainly the association between "trying to deny Christian values" and what came later, such as "Nazism and fascism". It seems that it was a way found by the author to "tie" his thesis, even because totalitarian regimes were laden with Christian symbols and ideas, despite their way of interpreting them.
You present an appealing summary of Christianity moving morality in a good direction. I think this is consistent with the way we are taught Jesus wanted people to live. However, Christian churches became political, hierarchical bureaucracies that abandoned the idea that everyone is equal and operated in the opposite way. Women were treated as inferior. Jews were persecuted. Thousands of people were killed by the Catholics because they did not submit to the power of the church. Terrible wars were fought over dogma and the political power of the church. The moral principles that Jesus taught were replaced by political and bureaucratic power. Many people who thought of themselves as Christian were racists and owned slaves. I'm glad things have evolved to a degree in the direction Jesus advocated, but I don't think Christianity was responsible for it. Look at what churches have done since the time of Jesus, including the violence in the Reformation. I think Jesus would have been disappointed by the people who operated organizations called Christian. I know there are some wonderful, moral Christians who live admirable lives. I think it's great that they are emphasizing Jesus' teachings about the way people should live, but I don't think most Christians try to live their lives in accordance with those teachings. I don't think most Christians do more than pay lip service to those values. What they really want is to feel less anxiety about their continued existence after their bodies die. Otherwise, they don't want anyone telling them how to live. Many Christian ministers preach that you assured of an afterlife in heaven if you simply believe that God killed Jesus for your benefit. They use different language to express that idea. They talk as thought God reluctantly required Jesus to be tortured to death so that you can go to heaven--as though God cannot do whatever God wants. I've heard ministers who simply repeat this over and over; that's their entire message. People find it comforting to think it might be true, and that's all they care about. Real equality and compassion for all men and women of all races is largely missing because people want to believe they are superior to others. They do believe this, and they act accordingly, which is contrary to Jesus' egalitarian message.
The earliest sources, according to the 'fathers' and traditional are the gospels, not Paul. Although Luke (a wonderfully beautiful book) is supposed to have been written under his influence as Mark's under Peters. Matthew wrote a book about Jesus for his people which has been later translate to Greeg
Chesterton has the great story (he didn't write it) about the yachtsman who set sail to found a new England and landed in England (Orthodoxy). What, the traditional religion is relatively true? Because it is. This is the problem for the modern man. Christianity is the branch you are sawing until the moment you realise you are standing on it. I honestly believe Voltaire called for a priest on his deathbed and Nietzsche went mad because they realised it.
The problem is that there are two questions here. One of ideology, and one of superstition. Clement Attlee said it best when asked his views on Christianity. "I like some of the ideas, not so keen on all the mumbo jumbo". Which just about sums the whole thing up. There is a lot to be said about many of the views that Christianity pioneered. Alas, a lot less to be said about how it sought to justify them.
A good rule to remember: All homes have different rules. Don't tell your guests to feel at home until you've seen what their own home looks like and what rules they have there in the home they comes from.
Thomas C. Leonard's book _Illiberal Reformers: Race, Eugenics and American Economics in the Progressive Era_ (2016) describes the concrete steps with which liberal Protestantism transformed itself into civic action and government policy and sought to make science their religion.and ultimately remake the US entirely.
The world needs these kinds of conversations and perspectives. As a person who values intelligence, I am confident this is the best interview Spiderman has ever given.
Totally agree 👍😂
There it is, this is what I came for. I am now satisfied
For someone who values intelligence you make really dumb jokes
The world needs these kinds of conversations and perspectives.
which would exclude the DM and Express readers.
I often think that the roman slave system and crucifixion created Christianity. Christianity is a result of treating a portion of your society so cruelly and brutal.
I have a degree in history and was fascinated by antiquity however I am a devout Christian trying to explain to my agnostic daughter these very ideas. I have not read his book but I am going to. Ordered 3 copies 😆 Tom you express so eloquently the ideas I was trying to express. Thank you.
It's a fantastic book! Like yourself, my degree is in history (and now later on, theology): what he is saying is infinitely important for Western nations in these changing times. We must resist calls to secularism and erase the very thing that brought us to where we are at.
Its good to just let these people talk without being interrupted. You get totally absorbed into what he is saying without being distracted by constant interruption of the interviewer like I’m so many other types of these videos. Well done Dan
Dan Snow couldn't interupt because he couldn't disagree,
@@johnmulvey5121😂
What a clever, balanced and incredibly intelligent man. His mind and words are so amazingly correlated. His logic and delivery are absolutely gripping. Thank you. Even rattled Dan Snow I reckon.
Watch his documentary on channel 4 about Islam
It's a hyper banned video: But the Islam analysis he did was next level.
ruclips.net/video/JUhQSQcUZZY/видео.html
@@con_boy thx..will dig it out.
That's not hard to do.
I think Dan was at pains to be polite and let the man talk.
I have been thinking about the effect of Christianity on Western morality a lot lately, even as a non-Christian.
What are you thinking now, one year down the line?
Tom Holland's book, which is being discussed here, called "Dominion," is a very eye-opening read. I highly recommend it if you want to go deeper into what he's touching on here.
@dellwright1407 Thank you for this excellent recommendation.
@dellwright1407 Sounds like a fascinating book!
@dellwright1407 Hi Dell ~ You are certainly correct. I knew our society was founded on Christian ethos, but it’s refreshing to hear scholars offer such insight via historical context.
I know Christianity and religion in general is a personal and sensitive topic. Yet, my hope is that scholarship will make it less contentious.
It would be interesting to investigate the societal similarities and differences between eastern and western Christianity. Perhaps, Tom or another equally proficient historian will tackle such a topic in the future…one can hope.
I had to laugh at your WEIRD acronym - LOL!😉 Wish I had thought of that! It’s definitely true…Christianity was and still is foreign to certain cultures…hence…WEIRD is certainly befitting…as Tom and others have stated.
The next time I have a discussion with someone regarding Christianity, I will remember your acronym, as it’s truly befitting. Thanks for
sharing!😊
Cheers!🇨🇦
Always a pleasure to listen to Mr Holland. Having been raised in a completely secular environment in Uruguay, it took me a bit of travelling to appreciate inner values that come from Christianity. I've heard a psychologist explain the effects of confession in a trusted environment, as a way to admit you've done wrong to someone or yourself, and try to fix or improve it instead of hiding it.
Not to mention that, for hundreds of thousands of native Amerindians, Christianity literally saved their lives after generations of unimaginable terror before 1492. I'll leave it there.
It's a big topic, but tell us if you agree with Tom here? Are modern Western values inseparable from Christianity?
Of course they’re inseparable. We’re all indebted to Christendom, institutionally and historically, and to the Christian modus mentis. We may not *like* that inheritance, we may not *approve* of how our forefathers were confessing Christians, we may not *share* their beliefs - we may even wish our ancestry played out differently.
But that our inheritance is Christian, and our western world for the most part the result of Christianity, is undeniable.
The question is whether it’s (a) desirable or (b) possible to forge a new inheritance for our descendants. I’m convinced of (b), but (a) is far from obvious.
The only thing In find Deplorable is the fact that we did force our faith on others, when we should've learned about their ways, and educated them about our lifestyle, therefore giving them the choice.
Which Christianity; Christianity ranges from folks who stone gays to death in Africa and oppress the poor and people of color in the alleged Land of the Free, right over to pretty liberal congregations where gay people can be pastors. And it's just as difficult to pin down 'modern Western values': some of those are very well represented in many non-Western cultures.
@@jennybates That's a very 21st century culturally Christian assumption. Back then of course we believed we were saving their souls and to give them a choice would be an almighty sin that would condemn them to Hell for all eternity. That would have been the cruel thing to do.
The values are entirely separable. Try comparing modern values to those held in this country in 1611, when the King James Bible was first published. The values are very different, but the words in the bible are the same, showing that Western morals have evolved, not because of, but despite religion.
What an incredible exposion of the fundamental truth of Christian morality. That all humanity is endowed with fundamental dignity and the powerful have a duty to the weak should be universal values as Christ shows us.
Honestly one of the most fascinating interviews I've ever seen. Stumbled onto it but now I'm gripped. Hope to see more brilliant content like this.
Should check out the rest of Tom's stuff on the Unbelievable? podcast. V good stuff
@@isaacbeynon5739 Checked it out literally the next day after posting this. Were also really good discussions.
@@isaacbeynon5739 What does the podcast cover? topics and what not
I always thought the great influence of Christianity on the West - especially concerning morals and ethics - was common sense. 1,500 years of Christianity in Europe, more than half of that with the Church being at the center of education starting with the cathedral schools and ending with the university, not to mention the power the church had over the European state, and it being at the center of people’s lives with a church at the center of practically every town…how could it not have an enormous impact?!
Yep. And yet, there are many people who think all of that is rubbish.
That is a funny claim. Christianity doesn't offer a unified ethical theory, many of its prescriptions are internally inconsistent and contradictory, and they are seldom applied - luckily for us. If Westerners behave in an unchristian way most of the time (not giving alms, not turning the other cheek, not selling their possessions, not to mention breaking the commandments), how can you claim their behavior is under a great Christian influence? It seems people do what they please.
Excellent!! I so appreciate Tom Holland’s intellectual honesty, his accurate scholarship, and his balanced treatment of these issues. I am also appreciative of Dan’s bringing these issues before the public in such a collegial disposition. Outstanding broadcast and why I am a subscriber of HistoryHit!!!!
No there are no spoilers here. You're safe.
Its so true I'm an agnostic, but I can only be an agnostic in a Christian world .
Like others are agnostics in Hindu, Islam and other religions.
@@GeoPePeTtoEven Islam is of Christian origin. The Hindu nation is even changing as the caste system is slowly being done away with. The Shinto system of the emperor as a god has been abandoned. Most nations are following a western system of law and government which is Christian in nature. Bit by bit the world is adopting a Christian moral framework and not even knowing it. Although now in western Europe and the Americas, there seems to be an increase in Marxist- Leninist philosophy.
@@GeoPePeTtoAs Tom claims in this interview, even they are in a Christian world, whether they know it or not.
@@den8863 By name maybe. But by influence, it’s Greek and Jewish. Christianity is build on Jewish myths by Greek people influenced by their mythology , culture and philosophy. Jews didn’t have a hell, they took that from the Greeks. And so on you can go however long in the past you can go. But almost nothing in the present still resemble anything Christian.
@@GeoPePeTto yet the morals are so very different between them. The discarding of unwanted infants, the derision of those who were poor and the celebration of the conquests of war and the proud boasting of the number of enemies killed in those cultures up until the Roman empire right before the rise of Christianity. And since then those morals would be considered horrible.
Wow. This was a fantastic, enlightening, and thought-provoking experience. I am set on reading this book. That's saying a lot; I am a fiction person. Other than school books decades ago, I really can't remember the last time that I read a nonfiction book. Thank you for this fascinating look at a unique topic.
Spoiler: He is also in the new Spider-Man movie.
😂
I love listening to Tom Holland. He explains his book Dominion always in a different and profound way, so that you can get a deep understanding of it.
I absolutely love these personal interviews with historians, Dan, please keep up the great work! Thank you :)
Dan isn’t a historian, he’s a Tv presenter with a history degree
For real history I recommend
In our time with real academic historians!
Melvin bragg is good.. definitely
how about tom Holland's "the rest is history" podcast
been getting right into it this last week (just found it)
Anyone who would take issue with Tom's assertions here should read "The Book that Made Your World: How the Bible Created the Soul of Western Civilization" by the Indian philosopher Vishal Mangalwadi. He looks at the same questions and assertions from the viewpoint of a native Indian, immersed in Indian culture.
Whose work is more convincing, in your opinion?
Agreed! I've read all of Vishal Mangalwadi's writings and watched many of his videos. His work has changed me.
🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation:
00:00 📚 *Tom Holland's Evolution of Thought*
- Tom Holland's fascination with ancient empires and identification with strong figures.
- Evolution of Holland's perspective from admiration for ancient empires to questioning their moral values.
- Introduction to the exploration of the evolution of Western morality shaped by Christianity.
03:37 🌍 *Christianity as a Civilization Matrix*
- Holland's realization that he is essentially Christian in his cultural background.
- Viewing Christianity not just as a religion but as a civilization, shaping Western society.
- The argument that the past 2000 years of Western history, despite changes, are grounded in Christian impulses.
05:48 🔄 *Tracing Christian Influence Through Time*
- Excitement about tracing the influence of Christianity from antiquity to the present.
- Holland's ability to write about periods beyond antiquity due to the broad scope of the book.
- The personal touch in the book, reflecting Holland's journey in understanding his moral, ethical, and cultural roots.
06:31 🔍 *Revolutionary Ideas in Early Christianity*
- Paul's radical ideas about the Messiah's humiliating death and its revolutionary impact.
- The subversive nature of Paul's teachings challenging established norms.
- The emergence of a new doctrine of charity and the transformation of the church in the Roman Empire.
12:10 🌐 *Church's Emancipation in the Early Middle Ages*
- The church gaining a sense of dignity independent of emperors in the early Middle Ages.
- Augustine's distinction between the City of Man and the City of God.
- The separation of the church from the fabric of the state and its survival beyond the fall of the Roman Empire.
17:30 🔄 *Continuous Cycle of Reformation*
- The idea of religio as a binding force counterpointing the cyclical nature of the secular world.
- The weaponization of religio in the 11th century and the birth of radical nations.
- The continuous cycle of reformation and revolution within European history, shaping cultural evolution.
21:33 🌏 *British Construction of Hinduism in India*
- The British, encountering the diversity of beliefs in India, constructed the idea of Hinduism as a religion, drawing parallels with their own understanding.
- The process involved imposing Christian-like categories such as temples, priests, and scriptures onto Hindu practices.
- India later gained independence as a secular state, reflecting a borrowed notion of secularism shaped by British education.
23:15 🕊️ *Christianization in India: Conversion and Secularization*
- The process of Christianization in India occurred not only through conversion but also through secularization.
- Indian scholars highlight that the notion of the secular and the categorization of Hinduism as a religion are seen as foreign impositions.
- The rise of Hindu nationalism in contemporary India can be understood as a reaction against the perceived alien concept of secularism.
24:56 🤔 *Atheism and Humanism: Christian Roots of Human Dignity*
- Tom Holland, an atheist, acknowledges the Christian roots of the humanist concept of universal human dignity.
- Humanism is viewed as an attempt to abstract this notion from Christian beliefs, providing a secular framework for the inherent dignity of humanity.
- The discussion explores how various ideologies, including Marxism and science, attempt to justify moral positions rooted in Christian morality without necessarily embracing Christian belief.
29:22 🔬 *Science as a Construct and Its Relation to Religion*
- The concept of science, constructed in the 19th century, is presented as a conceptualization emerging in response to evolving notions of religion.
- The construction of science as a counterpart to religion reflects Protestant assumptions and a desire to distinguish it from superstition.
- Individuals promoting science often see it as a means to banish superstition, portraying themselves as moral arbiters, rooted in Protestant ideals.
32:09 ⚖️ *Nietzsche's Critique: Loss of Christian Belief and Morality*
- Nietzsche's parable of the "death of God" and the subsequent challenges to sustaining Christian morality without belief are discussed.
- The critique explores how ideologies like humanism, Marxism, and science attempt to retain Christian morality without the religious foundation.
- The historical context post-World War II, with the shock of the Holocaust, led to the preservation of Christian ideals as a response to Nazi atrocities.
35:13 🌐 *Christian Values vs. Post-Christian Challenges*
- Post-World War II, the preservation of Christian ideals is seen as a response to Nazi atrocities and the rejection of core Christian teachings.
- The discussion questions the sustainability of these Christian values without the theological and cultural framework that gave them birth.
- The impact of the rejection of Christian beliefs on the ability to upholdideals like the equality of all humans and the responsibility of the strong toward the weak is examined.
Made with HARPA AI
Good bot 🤖 .
@@tedtalksrock I'm not a bot
The principle that Holland is pointing out is Hegel's idea of the assimilation of the historical into the historical process itself. Christianity is indelible to Western culture and, as such, to the world. It can be rejected and denied at particular times and in particular places, but it can never be expunged from culture. Of course, the fact that Christianity is true, is also one reason for that indelibility.
Dan is a great interviewer! Great interview. I got to see exactly what Tom believes and studied without interruption
he is not christian in the sense that he believes in risen Christ. But he seem to love the Truth so he loves Jesus, yea!
I love how people assume science was always around. Science as we understand it is a modern idea. If you were to go back before the 1700s, people would have thought they were studying natural philosophy, largely as part of faith - a study of understanding God's creation.
This is an astonishingly intelligent, interesting and intellectually demanding conversation which everyone, whether they're Christian, of another faith or of none, should watch.
I've also seen the one with Dan Jones and Dan Snow about the Crusades. These videos and the people in them are streets ahead intellectually and informatively compared with what broadcast TV notably the BBC churns out at huge costs.
There are other similar You Tube Channels about geography, physics, various other sciences, politics, philosophy etc with fantastic content. I've actually started to learn things again in my old age.
Very few universities in America would tolerate this topic. I love learning what other countries have to say about, anything and everything
Really? I took the history of Christianity at San Jose State University in Northern California and we discussed these topics in great detail, argued and wrote papers.
I am sure this rattled Dan as an ⚛️ atheist . Agnostic. I respect both these historians so much . Love love all history. Is my go to relaxation read any time !! And podcast ! As a Christian I love this conversation. Amen and amen
We need more calm beautiful conversations like this
Why on earth would it rattle Dan? I think you might be more rattled when you realise neither of them believe in god.
@mynameisweevil that's not exactly true in relation to Tom...
What an excellent discussion, he proposes a powerful argument
Very thought-provocative! Just now I placed an order for 'Dominion' along with several of Tom Hollands other books. I've have previously read 'In The Shadow Of The Sword' which was an excellent book.
You won't regret it. "Dominion" is a great book. And since then, I've gone on to read all of Holland's other histories.
@@dm-gq5uj Just to jump in here: "Dynasty" was the most fun of his books (I've read maybe half of them). The subject matter is already incredible, and Holland is a great storyteller. While I already knew a fair amount of the Julio-Claudians, I appreciated how in-depth he was about the transformations of the Roman state by Augustus, and he helped place my knowledge of Tiberius and Nero in a very different context.
A breathtaking, hugely impressive account of the forces that shaped the Western mind. Thank you to Dan for allowing Tom space to develop his argument. Fabulous interview.
I could listen to Tom Holland all day..
Thank you Tom Holland. You gave a similar address at the BBC History Week in Chester in 2019 on this subject - one which every intelligent person in the West needs to understand. It ought to be taught in every school and university.
Such a thought provoking interview. Fascinating! I'm off to get the book.
I don’t always agree with Tom Holland, but I’m always willing to listen to what he has to say.
Very insightful for me. Makes complete sense.
I would pay big money to see Tom Holland and Sam Harris have a discussion the impact that Christianity has had on Western culture and morality.
I read Harris's book on religion a long time ago and he's a bit of a fraud.
@@harrybartok Then Tom and himself would get along tremendously.
Stop giving money to polemicist charlatans (Harris) or opportunistic apologists (Holland) and they will go away.
I love Tom's books. This is amazing
incredibly interesting conversation and representation of both how Christianity has shaped the modern world but also meat of what his book is tackling. Thoroughly engrossing for religious and Atheist alike.
It was interesting to hear Tom Holland present this aspect of our history in western civilization. I have listened to various philosophers and scholars who agree with Tom…including well known psychologist Jordan Peterson. I find it interesting that Neuroscience is exploring this avenue in an attempt to unravel the mystery of transcendence. It will be fascinating to witness scholarship tackle this subject in the coming years.
Thank you for another fascinating and insightful episode.
Cheers!🇨🇦
Im not a christian. But sometimes it amazed me how the atheist failed to believe that christianity heavily influenced today morality. Let the atheist spread their own "morality" then humanity will be in chaos in a few decades.
Christians had the power in Europe for a while. It wasn’t great times for the people.
@@GeoPePeTtoThey got us to this point and life was better from a modern western moral perspective in Christian Europe than it was anywhere else in the world in the late medieval and Renaissance period. Sure you could say places in East Asia, the Muslim world, and the Inca empire later down the line had better standards of living in some places but Christian Europe gave us the truth seeking mode of thought that birthed modern science with some help of many Greek and Arab texts, as well as ideas that lessening human suffering should be perused by the whole civilisation.
Christian countries have done terrible things but have also done exceptional things than no other civilisations have done.
I think the west is bored of it and it’s trendy to disparage it but if it didn’t come about we could easily be living in a society in the west where gladiatorial games still happen, where a man’s family is seen as his property, where slavery being wrong is seen as a minority opinion. Honestly I have studied European history from the classical era to the 20th century, I have studied many of the world’s great empires. Without Christianity we would be in a very different moral framework. When you look back into history and say “look how much worse things where!” You should be asking the question “why are they better today?”
@@mugluvin3300 I would say that the Greek world had more impact, seeing as even early Christianity borrowed heavily from them. But even if it wasn’t so, if Christianity would still rule today in Europe, I’m 100% sure that it would be worse than it is now.
@andihia2890 Democracy, philosophy, trial by a jury of your peers and more. Through philosophy they were the first people in the western world to try to explain the whole cosmos in a rational way, and not only through mysticism and religion. How people should act, how to arrive at knowledge, and what the nature of morality and mind is. All started in the 6th century bce.
Ofc they were not atheists and still believed in gods and supernatural events. It was to common in those days. But some tried to divorce philosophy from religion, but some theories still have some mumbo jumbo in them. And as Christianity was mainly spreading in Greece, where the testaments were written, it was heavily influenced by Greek philosophy and mythology. The idea of hell if from them, the omniscience and omnipresent came from platonic and Aristotelian theology.
Greek has influenced the Roman world too. And they influenced most of Europe. Their calendars, laws and the justice system.
Tom is a pure soul with an impressive understanding of humanity which informs his ability to give meaning to history. To Christian history,....... which has shaped the world.
Amazing - more Tom Holland please History Hit!
loved this interview
Chris Hedges is a man of conviction, as the old saying goes; There is no bigger crime than seeing and witnessing the horrors of daily servitude but being unable to avert the disasters that unfold towards the helpless and weak, for the most wretched and deceitful have always had the upper hand to manipulate and navigate the eventual fate of all that stand in their way'.
This was throughly enjoyable, really never thought about it much.
Supper dialogue, as below thanks to the interviewer for not interrupting. Truth is uncompromising, all who truly desire it will receive it and so be drawn to its ultimate source, that of true 'Religio' which we call God.
A healthy conversation. Cheers.... ex-atheist.
Hallelujah
Ive heard some atheists saying " you were never real atheist" :) same as with some muslim and christian saying. shows the religious fervor .
you aren't an atheist then. A real atheist isn't even an atheist. real atheists are agnostic but value science
Could listen to Tom all day..
Praise be to God, whose seed has no boundaries
Amazing interview! I learned so much.
I can’t believe that Tom Holland is also a Hollywood star. You’d never know from the way he presents here. Such an intellect as well as an amazing actor.
Really good interview. Would be good to see tom on the Jordan peterson podcast.
That would be very interesting
It's almost certain that at this point, that Tom won't discuss with Jordan Peterson. He must've been invited. Most likely for what he incorrectly perceives as political reasons.
As an atheist I came to the same conclusion, humanism would be without foundation in other cultural contexts. You cannot understand Western society without understanding Christianity.
you can still turn to Christ my friend.. He loves everyone 💕
That started very intrestingly, but then it started sounding like a sermon. The guest seems to believe that if a belief is similar to Christian beliefs then it must stem from them. i was hoping Dan would dig into it, because the way it went the interview basically concluded that we can't have morality and inherent human dignity without Christianity, without giving or accepting a single argument to the contrary.
Splendid! Really very interesting that Tom Holland
That developed wonderfully 👌👏👏👏
wish this conversation was longer
You’ll love Vishal Mangalwadi’s “The Book That Made Your World” which explains the Bible’s impact on India ( and the world) told from his eastern POV. absolutely riveting
Wonderful programme. Reminds me of John Romer’s book and TV series “Testament” which talks about the history of the bible and its affects on Christianity in fantastic detail.
That was so interesting. I’m going to buy that book.
Love this discourse. Great amount of self awareness
Do you think Spiderman ever considers how Christianity shaped Western morality?
with great power comes great responsibility
The success of the Western World, based as it is firmly on Christian values, speaks for itself. It's evident to everyone. Both in terms of human happiness, and the resulting material wealth that comes through co-operation. Particularly the value of the recognition of the inherent value every individual and the notion of the soul, is essential to this.
In contrast, other parts of the world, based on different value systems, haven't experienced such good fortune. It's an important point to bang home.
Love the interview!
Which of his books are we talking about?
Can’t believe the new Spider-Man talks so well on history and faith
I read Dominion as soon as I heard about it. Along with The Black Swan, it was one of the most fascinating and mind re-ordering books I can recall. I think maybe Plato's Dialogues is in the mix too.
On the one hand Tom Holland radically changed my world view, I became a Christian and no longer regarded Christians as flat-earthers. On the other hand my world view was so deeply shaped by Christianity all along, I just chose to reject it or couldn't see it.
Extraordinary that Dan is not more curious about the Christian faith. To base his disbelief on the book of Genesis is to disregard the entire new testament and the Acts of the Apostles. How and more importantly why does he think the Church came into being in the first place?
this is amazing and I learned so much
Not only Western Christianity, Islam has also repeatedly experienced waves of revolutionary reformation.
Ya that's the reason most worst place on this world is Muslim middle East
I gotta get this guy's books
Why is it a crazy book or subject
That train of thought opens up more questions than the Dan might not like.
It certainly gives an insight into he’s opinion and thoughts.
Wow, from Spider-man to History Hit. What a man!
Turn up the volume!
Tom is spitting facts. He is obviously a genius. Look at his perfect hands
While I’m generally a fan of Holland, I feel he dismisses Dan’s point at 38:40 a bit too quickly. Confucian thought on the State influenced the French Revolution through Montesquieu; T. S. Eliot’s thoughts on the ephemeral and the eternal were combining Christian notions with the Bhagavad Gita; the 1960’s counterculture’s rejection of competitive egoism was explicitly influenced by Buddhist and Taoist ideas of selflessness, etc. I think Holland’s right that the Christian influence gets downplayed because it’s so ubiquitous as to be invisible, but the things it’s getting mixed with at each turn are still pivotal.
Great interview either way!
A true intellectual combined with a active listener makes for a really enlightening discussion
incredible thank you
For a sec I thought spider man was on the show.
Jokes aside, this fascinating idea was what Jordon Peterson was exploring
You know when you can just see God calling someone out of themselves. It’s beautiful.
the funny thing of the whole thesis of tom holland is that people disagreeing with him often just by disagreeing, prove his point to be right.
Excellent excellent excellent
Lol. I can tell you we not comfortable with Tom's assertion that Western culture is largely Christian to the bones. None the less his perspective for the future is sobering.
Mr. Chuckleteth and David Duvetknee in PHANTOM.
tom holland is fantastic. amazing book too
Fantastic.
Brilliant scholar
This debate was quite fascinating, and many of the points the author makes are thought-provoking. That said, his assertion that western culture hasn't been stamped by influences from other cultures makes it sounds like "The West" existed in some silo that opened its doors to send out invading armies now and then. Cultures blend and mix where they touch. I'm from the U.S., and one example that came to my mind was the influence that exposure to indigineous governing systems had on the formation of the U.S. government. Catholicism in South America isn't even wholly European; it's a distinctive mix of Catholic teachings and indigenous practices. Many American forms of Christianity are influenced by the cultures of former enslaved populations from Africa. I buy that we're goldfish swimming in a Christian sea, at least in the part of the world I'm from. I don't buy that that sea doesn't have Buddhist, Confucian, Islamic, and many other non-western rivers flowing into it.
So it was the Indians?
A good point. I like to look at what appear to be celtic people and manfufactured objects which have been found in the tekkla makan and whosepresence have never been explained. I believe that there has been A LOT more cross fertilization of civilizations than has been discovered. Will Durant and others state that Chiristianity was actually the orientalization of the West, and if you look at Christ's teachings it's hard to believe that they were not taken from Buddhist thought.
“…hasn’t been stamped by … other cultures …”
Holland makes no such claim. Of course there are many influences. His main point is that the *foundation* of the West is Christianity, which enables everything else. One can add or take many other influences, but take that away and there is no West, but a reversion to the tyrant in Ozymandias, Stalin, Hitler, Mao, where there are no rights of the individual.
@@Nill757 And the writers of the new testament were greatly influenced by Greek philosophy. Nothing lives in a vacuum and they didn’t come up with anything new. The majority of the NT was writer in greek by greek learned people.
@@GeoPePeTto “nothing new”
Then it must have somehow been the return of Greek philosophy after 600 years that spread throughout the late Roman Empire.
I want to see historian Tom Holland be interviewed by actor Tom Holland. With the latter man in costume as Spidey.
I'm reading Tom Holland's book and I confess that even though these ideas are present in the text, the attachment to the details of the historiography takes up a lot of space, which could be better discussed as a macro vision. It is clear that the book goes far beyond just a thesis and it seems that it proposes to be the object of studies on the history of Christianity. But, what I mean is that I'm 70% through the book and those great ideas brilliantly dealt with in the video aren't as evident as they seem, even though you can get to them while reading. About the interview, Tom Holland really has a talent for rhetoric and oratory, defending his main thesis very well: even if we don't want to, we are Christians in philosophical terms. I confess that I felt a little lack of correlation in some passages of the interview, mainly the association between "trying to deny Christian values" and what came later, such as "Nazism and fascism". It seems that it was a way found by the author to "tie" his thesis, even because totalitarian regimes were laden with Christian symbols and ideas, despite their way of interpreting them.
Ohhh not that Tom holland… lol
You present an appealing summary of Christianity moving morality in a good direction. I think this is consistent with the way we are taught Jesus wanted people to live. However, Christian churches became political, hierarchical bureaucracies that abandoned the idea that everyone is equal and operated in the opposite way. Women were treated as inferior. Jews were persecuted. Thousands of people were killed by the Catholics because they did not submit to the power of the church. Terrible wars were fought over dogma and the political power of the church. The moral principles that Jesus taught were replaced by political and bureaucratic power. Many people who thought of themselves as Christian were racists and owned slaves. I'm glad things have evolved to a degree in the direction Jesus advocated, but I don't think Christianity was responsible for it. Look at what churches have done since the time of Jesus, including the violence in the Reformation. I think Jesus would have been disappointed by the people who operated organizations called Christian. I know there are some wonderful, moral Christians who live admirable lives. I think it's great that they are emphasizing Jesus' teachings about the way people should live, but I don't think most Christians try to live their lives in accordance with those teachings. I don't think most Christians do more than pay lip service to those values. What they really want is to feel less anxiety about their continued existence after their bodies die. Otherwise, they don't want anyone telling them how to live. Many Christian ministers preach that you assured of an afterlife in heaven if you simply believe that God killed Jesus for your benefit. They use different language to express that idea. They talk as thought God reluctantly required Jesus to be tortured to death so that you can go to heaven--as though God cannot do whatever God wants. I've heard ministers who simply repeat this over and over; that's their entire message. People find it comforting to think it might be true, and that's all they care about. Real equality and compassion for all men and women of all races is largely missing because people want to believe they are superior to others. They do believe this, and they act accordingly, which is contrary to Jesus' egalitarian message.
Brilliant
JESUS BLESS US AMEN
You should actually mention the book name in the video description.
“ Unbelievers illuminate by contrast “ Kierkegaard
Christianity isn't a drop in a petri dish that makes up what we view as the Western world, it's the petri dish itself.
The earliest sources, according to the 'fathers' and traditional are the gospels, not Paul. Although Luke (a wonderfully beautiful book) is supposed to have been written under his influence as Mark's under Peters. Matthew wrote a book about Jesus for his people which has been later translate to Greeg
Chesterton has the great story (he didn't write it) about the yachtsman who set sail to found a new England and landed in England (Orthodoxy). What, the traditional religion is relatively true? Because it is. This is the problem for the modern man. Christianity is the branch you are sawing until the moment you realise you are standing on it. I honestly believe Voltaire called for a priest on his deathbed and Nietzsche went mad because they realised it.
The problem is that there are two questions here. One of ideology, and one of superstition. Clement Attlee said it best when asked his views on Christianity. "I like some of the ideas, not so keen on all the mumbo jumbo". Which just about sums the whole thing up. There is a lot to be said about many of the views that Christianity pioneered. Alas, a lot less to be said about how it sought to justify them.
A good rule to remember: All homes have different rules. Don't tell your guests to feel at home until you've seen what their own home looks like and what rules they have there in the home they comes from.
Where's the rest? That was definitely not the end of that conversation.
Thomas C. Leonard's book _Illiberal Reformers: Race, Eugenics and American Economics in the Progressive Era_ (2016) describes the concrete steps with which liberal Protestantism transformed itself into civic action and government policy and sought to make science their religion.and ultimately remake the US entirely.
Umm, how is this thesis ground breaking? Nietzsche and others wrote long ago about Christianity's role in shaping Western morals and thought.
Thousands have witnessed His miracles.. it’s up to mankind to make the choice whether to believe. He gave you a free will to decide.