DID SPLIT ENZ GET IT WRONG?

On what planet were the writers of the Split Enz hit song, “History Never Repeats”? No matter how catchy the tune or how they incorporate the word Aotearoa, it’s simply untrue.

Right off the bat, the song was great, and as history shows, it was another modest hit from an exceptionally talented group. But I’m not here to discuss Split Enz or delve into music anthologies. I want to talk about the concept of history.

Let me ask you, how do you think we got our history? For Māori, history is shared and passed down orally from generation to generation. For others, like me, we rely on historical records from newspapers, documentation, diaries, photographs, and even film archives. I worked as a journalist for many years, reporting on events, people, and providing a factual, concise record of what was happening on any given day. I told stories about the people involved and gave insights into the culture of the country at that time.

When I displeased my editor, I was often assigned to write historical features, working with old newspaper copies to write about past events and people. Those newspapers, though they might have been tomorrow’s fish-and-chip wrappers, were historical documents, records of what had transpired before my time. Many people have written books using this method, incorporating diaries and stories handed down from the past, sometimes even eyewitness testimony.

Split Enz claimed, “History Never Repeats,” while others say we should learn from history to ensure it doesn’t repeat. But what is history, really? It is an account of one person’s understanding or version of events, which can be manipulated to fit their beliefs. History is essentially a version of someone’s belief at the time, which may change as they reflect and reconsider.

For example, the interpretation of the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Centre was recorded from many perspectives. There are numerous accounts from the West about the murder of over 3,000 innocents, and equally, there are accounts from Islamic nations about the deaths of infidels and the martyrdom of those who executed the event. Today, our news and historical reports are so diverse and influenced by agendas—political, religious, racial, environmental, gender-related, and more.

Even stories handed down from previous generations can be inaccurate, shaped by the perspectives of those who told them. My own family didn’t speak to an aunt for years over a long-past incident. We missed out on the richness of knowing her because of an inaccurate historical fact.

So, why does history repeat itself? It’s a flawed assumption, but we should learn from history, even if it’s imperfect, to prevent dreadful things from happening again. However, in today’s culture, individuals and groups often want history rewritten to suit their current narratives. The New Zealand Government, like many others, has held inquiries and apologized for past abuses in government and faith-based care facilities, saying such things should never have happened.

The world has said similar things about war, apartheid, slavery, and genocide. Knowing the history of these atrocities, were Split Enz right that “History Never Repeats,” or were those who said we should learn from history correct? The fact that history repeats itself time and again proves them both wrong.

Two centuries ago, the Roman Empire, on its path to glory, seized areas including Judea. Early history was documented by Josephus, whose accounts are considered independent records of the players and politics of his time. Josephus wrote about a man who was the victim of racial and religious hatred, sentenced to death, tortured, and crucified. You know who I’m talking about—Jesus Christ, whose story is at the heart of the Bible, based on eyewitness interpretations.

While no Christian has been killed in the exact manner of Christ, many followers have suffered brutal deaths. History, in this case and others, continues to repeat itself, sometimes more brutally and unimaginably. We often forget the past, despite agreeing with our lips that we won’t repeat these actions, and the notion that one person’s terrorist is another’s freedom fighter complicates things further.0

In conclusion, humanity has a rich tapestry of history, recorded in newspapers, preserved on film, and from firsthand accounts. Yes, we can learn from it. I mentioned Josephus earlier, whose accounts were backed by other sources, whether they were a doctor, fisherman, tax collector, or even someone who fell off a horse. The history of God’s word has remained intact. It’s true we can learn from history and even rewrite it, but at the end of the day, we need to learn from the truth. Building our lives on a foundation of truth is essential.

At Christian Voice New Zealand, we view today’s culture through the lens of the Bible because we believe its historical accou0nt of humankind is accurate, and therefore, we accept its prophecy for the future of mankind as accurate.