Original Research

The 1960s – long hair, flowers and morality mash: ethical appraisal of the clash that helped shape today’s Western society

H. J.G. Zandman
In die Skriflig/In Luce Verbi | Vol 43, No 1 | a215 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/ids.v43i1.215 | © 2009 H. J.G. Zandman | This work is licensed under CC Attribution 4.0
Submitted: 26 July 2009 | Published: 26 July 2009

About the author(s)

H. J.G. Zandman, School of Ecclesiastical Science, Potchefstroom Campus, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa

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Abstract

The 1960s will be remembered as a major clash that helped shape today’s Western society. Young people were breaking out of the moulds that had been cast by their parents’ post-war era. The conflict brought about significant social change all over Western society. Western man searched frantically for a new world, willing to risk the hardship of revolution.

 

In a world full of confusing and conflicting approaches in terms of how to view man, the Bible has the clear answer: man is created in the image of God, and is, in this capacity, God’s vice- regent and image-bearer. However, the Christian church is by- and-large remarkably indecisive as the social conscience of Western society.

 

The main thrust of the sixties was anti-status quo, anti-esta- blishment, anti-materialist. In the process of man’s self-deter- mination on either side of the conflict, great erosion of man’s greatest gift occurred: ethical distinction. The spiritual vacuum created by anti-establishment forces led to confusion and self- destruction.

Keywords

1960s; Ethical Distinction; Indecisive Church; Spiritual Vacuum

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