I don't know where you live but 30-40 years ago it was NOT accepted in society to beat one's wife. Clerics in the Northeast in the 1960s were NOT openly advocating wife beating in any form as an acceptable behaviour. Don't be deliberately disingenuous, we are talking about the publicly open position of the religion and society. I will stipulate that covert behaviour was and is hypocritically different in many cases (i.e. Catholic Church's buggering of altar boys for recreation).

I find it quite interesting that the left feels compelled to diss our society every time rather than address the absolutely evil behaviours of certain Third Worlders. "But, but, but WE did X once" Anything to disavow the monstrous behaviour and consequent risks to our society. I for one think that our society has advanced over the last few decades in treating females, blacks and recently, homos. Still a ways to go.