Is cross generational guilt relevant? Are we permenantly marred with the crimes of our ancestors? What if they did something great, are we then better ourselves? Should caucasians be held guilty for slavery and Jim Crow? Are Americans and Australians guilty for the subjugation of the indiginous peoples? Are the French permenantly indebted to Americans or the Germans indebted to the Jews? If so when does it stop, after all you don't hear the Greeks complaining about the Roman conquest.
2006-12-04 14:50:45 · 17 answers · asked by Brandon 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Just for the sake of discussion, shouldwe consider the fact that our ancestors shaped the current world. What if your family's fortune was gained through the sins of your ancestors, should you try to right it? Like the Nazis expropriating the properties of Jews or the British taking Africa's resources...
2006-12-04 15:00:19 · update #1
As the bible would have us believe. Yes. With the whole Adam and Eve sinned so we are all suddenly sinners. It's like saying this black guy broke into a store, so all blacks break into stores. It's purely ridiculous. The answer is no. The person or generation of persons that committed a specific crime/war crime would be guilty...not their children. Not future generations.
While they should not be responsible for the crime itself, they should be responsible (in the case of Germany) for remembering and never allowing it to happen in their country again.
2006-12-04 14:55:02 · answer #1 · answered by mesen256 2 · 2⤊ 1⤋
I agree! We have nothing to do with what our ancestors did! Its very frustrating to me when people bring up past events and say that things haven't changed! Well YES IT HAS! It is a free society for everyone who abides by the law! Now; on the other hand things like the Rodney King Beating do not help! But, you know those where crooked cops! And deserved to be punished! Racism should be punished! Its a crime against humanity! And I have black friends and they do not desire special treatment for being black! They desire to be equal. And I respect that! Its all about respect for the individual. For who they are! Not their race. Racist Blacks are no different than racist whites! Its an equal senario.
2006-12-04 14:59:11 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes we are responsible for a lot of what people do before us. It call karma, what goes around come around The very thing countries or nations do always come back to people who had nothing to do with it. If your going to use history to support your claim, name me one group or nation that ever committed a crime and there descendants wasn't punished?
Did not Egypt make wars with other nations and took over other nations? Did not this same country get defeated by the nations whom they oppressed? They completely lost their land to the Arabs in the 7 century, before that it was the Nubian's,Persians, Greeks, Roman etc. Those people hundreds of years latter had nothing to do with what Egypt did in the past.
Remember that, You should be concern with all that America did in the past. Look at the nations that hate America, These people can see and remember America past and present. America can forget the nations they bomb wrongfully but someone will do it to them.
2006-12-04 14:58:20 · answer #3 · answered by justme 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
We should not and confidently because the generations development they turn out to be extra tolerant and purpose as a substitute than ignorant and slender-minded. We are meant to be taught from the errors our ancestors made in an effort to no longer cause them to once more; absolutely from time to time this doesn't paintings.
2016-09-03 12:30:36 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, I don't think we are responsible for the actions of our ancestors. They were in a different time and they reacted appropriatly or inappropriatly depending on their teachings, understands and beliefs during that time. How can you be responsible for something that your ancestor did in 1820. We don't have the capability to understand what was going on at the time. We only know what history tells us.
2006-12-04 14:55:28 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Many caucasions were held as slaves as well, but generally the answer is no. But many of the same attitudes of our ancestors are still present today. And that is not good.
2006-12-04 14:54:41 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes
2006-12-04 14:52:53 · answer #7 · answered by I give you the Glory Father ! 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think blaming people for what their ancestors did is pointless. The blame should be placed on the people that are directly responsible, not their descendants. Likewise, someones fame shouldn't carry over to their descendants either...but it does anyway.
2006-12-04 14:55:03 · answer #8 · answered by i luv teh fishes 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I don't believe we are. That is also why I have a big problem with original sin. It even says in the bible that the sins of the father shall not be visited on the sons. So, if that's the case, original sin is null and void.
2006-12-04 14:54:03 · answer #9 · answered by Becca 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
We are accountable for our own sins. Not our ancestors or our children. May God Bless
2006-12-04 14:58:49 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋