Quote:
Originally Posted by HomeInMyShoes
I also am disturbed by how much bad was done when the church tried to replace generations of moral obligations with their own version of morality. While one may not agree with the obligations of one group it is those customs and beliefs that make for a strong community. When we replace those traditions we are left on shaky ground that is not built on hisotorical trust within the groups. I am saddened by the outcomes.
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I think the book did an admirable job of illustrating the murkiness inherent in civilizations and moral systems at odds with each other. While some aspects of each culture are merely different, each has some that are intrinsically evil as best as one judge while trying to maintain a stance of impartiality. That of course is impossible since we can't ever entirely transcend our conditioning, but there are some easy calls. Was it necessary for a strong community to expose infants? Or allow men to beat their wives at will? It was just those inherent weaknesses of a strong community that allowed an alien religion to take root. It was already vulnerable, containing the seeds of its own destruction. Moreover, I'd argue that as with any mature, established culture, one reason it sustained itself was because it supported the existing power structure at the expense of the weakest members of that society. The way of the world, unfortunately.
This is why I found this such a terrific book. It explored such complexities with such a deceptively simple style and story.