Western Europeans and Liberalism

[arapahoepark]

Hey I was just wondering how did Western Europe starting becoming so liberal in such areas like religion and morality. What was the cause to shape it into what it is today and is settling happening with Canada and the US as well? Where has the church been in all of this?

 

[Peairtach]

Go back to the eighteenth century Enlightenment.

 

[Miss Marple]

I am under the impression that they lost too many good men in WW1 and never fully recovered, with WW2 being a crippling body blow.

I base this solely on random things I've read and seen, not on any serious study of any kind. But I'd be interested in friends from the UK's response to that idea.

 

[PhilA]

I would agree with Richard. The "West" was long down the path way before WWI.

 

[Somerset]

I too would agree with Richard.

 

[Peairtach]

Socially and politically, and even economically, speaking the Enlightenment branched into a number of streams in the twentieth century: Marxist Humanism (Communism), Nationalistic Humanism (Fascism), and Liberal Humanism i.e. the secular humanistic liberal democracies of which Britain and the US are a part.

Too much faith and hope being put in Man rather than God is what all these above ways have in common:

I will praise the LORD as long as I live; I will sing praises to my God while I have my being. Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation. When his breath departs, he returns to the earth; on that very day his plans perish. Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God. (Ps 146:2-5, ESV)

 

[VictorBravo]

Read Dabney's Sensualistic-Philosophy and you will find a pretty thorough answer.