Nothing, not Christianity as brummy thinks brought that sea change in the western world but when the schools & universities started break away to teach the classic art, law, civics, science, engineering & humanities (again) . When the Church lost control of strict religious curriculums only, then gates of inquiry were thrown open. We all see what followed which is devoid of the slightest inkling of supernatural involvement these last 2000yrs, but that same classical education that a Marcus Aurelius received thru Greek tutors.
When Islam gave way back to the fundmentalists 1200CE approx and started that heavy censorship of their own Neo-Platonist & Aristotelian philosophers, the entire golden age of Islam starts to decline until it finally collapses into the dark age tribal medievalism we saw circa 1900. Just about the time we see the final ending of centuries of religious sanctioned royal dynastic monarchies across Europe.
Next 50yrs are really going to be the test, if not the next 25yrs when India over takes China in population, more than gay marriage this continued Catholic ban on cheap contraceptives in the Philipines is particularly odious. |
