My apology for how long it's been since I last posted. I've been a bit preoccupied - a lot is in the news these days, especially with the 2012 Presidential election looming ever closer. Much piques my interest, and it's hard to focus in on what my goals are.Continuing my History of Humankind is one of those goals.
"The mosaic history informs us that of the descendants of Noah, were three peoples..."
History is forever in the making... forever being formed, and forever investigated, disputed, explained, espoused and exploited/used everyday, often.
Our history is who we are, where we've been, what we're to become. History is both immutable and in flux, depending. It's in flux because much of history is not fixed, and open to human interpretation. On the other hand it's immutable as certain facets of history are fact, established fact; they are indisputable, immutable.
The picture to the upper-left there is Charles Darwin, 1809-1882.
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In 1859 Charles Darwin, stunned the world with the publication of his book - "On The Origin of the Species". On that day the "theory" of evolution was born... a "theory" that's not so much a theory as it is presently, but rather a science subject to continual scrutiny and reform. It is also science that is disputed by so called "Creationist", who believe not only that "evolution" is simply a theory, but that the science behind evolution is unnecessary, and flawed.
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It is governed by a higher power, that of the Bible, and of God who created the Earth and all living things. A God who placed man as the supreme being on earth, and a companion called woman. This God created two human beings, according to the Bible, one man, called Adam, and the other woman, called Eve. They lived in a garden, called Eden. And as long as they abided by God's rules, they could continue to live in Eden. Eden, was God's paradise...
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In history it is noted that it was Eve who screwed things up. Eve who was twice cursed, suffered twice the guilt and shame, who at least until the 1920's AD, had little in the way of person rights or equality. They'd been pretty much viewed as men's concubines. Eve's first sin was to eat of the fruit of the "Tree of Good and Evil". The second sin was turning Adam onto the consumption of the fruit. Together they donned fig-leaf's to cover their nakedness, to flee Eden, their idyllic home, a home they could have remained at for eternity, if only Eve hadn't sinned.
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It's quite the story. And what we've made of it as a society is even more amazing. Adam and Eve weren't created to live out life in Eden. Rather, it's a profound story of how we became who we are today, suffering feelings of guilt and shame. Of course the Tree of Knowledge was forbidden... as it was undiscovered. The story of Eden is one of self-awakening, of how Eve discovered a "fruit" that brought about enlightenment. How she shared it with Adam. How they became aware of themselves/self-aware.
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That is "CREATIONISM". The "science" originating from the Book of Genesis, from the Christian Bible. That man and women did not evolve, but rather, were "created in God's image". As such, those who believe in creationism, believe history is immutable, and that all humankind needs to know about evolution is what is described in the Bible. And that the "theory of evolution" is just that, "a theory", and for the most part a myth, or deviation from the truth, embraced by atheists and non-believers. That we could have ascended from a linage of apes and monkeys is blasphemy.
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A history derived from the Bible, in which Eve was tempted by an apple, from the tree of Good and Evil, and though the Bible does not specifically mention her being seduced by a serpent, to eat of the fruit, our history has it as such, that Eve was dared by a serpent to eat the fruit God forbade her to eat, thus discovering the truth. Having discovered the truth of "good and evil", Eve convinced Adam to experience the same fate, and thus they broke God's law, and were evicted from paradise.
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It is a this point in time that "God's curse on humans" is pronounced. Man, Adam, must live by the sweat of his brow", tilling the fields, and women, Eve, are cursed to become subservient to man, and to bear children. Humankind will grow old and die. Their offspring will populate the earth and based on God's law rule the animal and plants. Catholics therefore believe it is a man's place to dominate, and a woman's place to be his slave, and to bear children. Sex is for procreation only, and no pleasure is to derived from sex except for the man, for whom his duty is to impregnant his woman, and thus fulfill the curse.
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That is Creationism.
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The state of Texas is on top of the list of states wanting to teach Creationism, and distance itself from teaching the science of evolution in schools. At the top of the list of proponents to abandon teaching the science of evolution in favor of creationism, is Governor Rick Perry, a current contender in the 2012 presidential elections.
In 2009, Gov. Rick Perry picked Gail Lowe, an outspoken supporter of Creationism to head the Texas Board of Education. Gail Lowe: thinks evolution should be taught and "kids ought to be able to hold religious beliefs and still study science without any conflict." But in 2008, she took the position that "biology textbooks which do not teach both the scientific strengths and weaknesses of the theory of evolution must be rejected by the board." She has voted against new textbooks that do not contain those "weaknesses."
During a recent campaign visit to New Hampshire, at his mother's urging, a young boy asked Gov. Perry how old the world is? His answer: "I hear your mom was asking about evolution and, you know, it's a theory that's out there," Perry told the boy. "It's got some gaps in it, but in Texas we teach both creationism and evolution in our public schools, because I figure you're smart enough to figure out which one is right."
So, how smart are we as Americans? And which is right?
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According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the earth is 4.54 billion years old. According to creationists, the earth is 6015 years old - the origin of the world as we know it today occurred at 4004 BC. That Gov. Perry doesn't know that surprises me.
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How do I know that? "A UNIVERSAL HISTORY", published in 1855 by Emma Willard.
That's 4 years prior to Darwin's publication of the "Origin of Species". At the time, the author acknowledges that history and the age of the world, and it's history, is limited to one's understanding and the "science" derived from the Bible. In 1855 this was the textbook used by teachers to teach the history of mankind and of the world.
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Let's explore:
Index, from the beginning, 4004 BC to 2085BC, the "Shepherd Kings", with much more to follow, obviously.
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The facts derived from the Universal History are that little of the world is unknown by 2000 BC, that it is fact that Adam and Eve were driven out of the Garden of Eden, which is thought to be located in the area of the Mediterranean.
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By 2348 BC, Mankind is out-of-control, and the sins of man force God to bring on the Great Flood that wipes out all of humankind, plant and animal, other than those safe in Noah's Ark. It is God's hope that mankind will exit the ark and live a life of obedience to God's rules, abstain from sin, and the women will bear children, and stop causing trouble. That those children born of Noah's sons will grow up obedient to God's laws.
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Okay, great in theory, but hardly realistic. I also note a obvious disregard for the children of "the mother of Noah's children"... at least this author disregards them completely, but it should be noted, this is a textbook, this is what you learned at a "good Christian school".
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Rather naive, if you ask me, and shortly thereafter, the Tower of Babel happened, 2300BC and rather confirms my suspicions mankind has an affinity towards vice and sin. What surprised me however, even more than that obvious fact, was how mankind was divided up after the waters of the Great deluge (Flood) receded, and humankind once again inhabited the earth.
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This from the book "Universal history":
"The mosaic history informs us that of the descendants of Noah, were three peoples..."1) The children of Japheth: the Caucasians, from the Isles of the gentiles," Children of Eden..
2) The children of Shem; moved west to Eastern and Southern Asia. The Mongols.
3) The children of Ham, Western Asia and Africa. The Blacks.
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"Scientists of the time classified the human species by using logic based on these three distinct races":
The Mongol, the Negro, and the Caucasian.
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The Negro race without explanation, as far as I was able to find, was "held to servitude by their brethren". But for what reason - things didn't go well in the Ark? Did Noah have more than one "wife"? And maybe he had his favorites? Ham apparently had done something to destine his children into servitude.
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Such was the world in 1855AD, during the height of, and the unquestionable period of Creationism. Evolution at the time was if not unknown, it was scorned. And the only source of the history of humankind was extracted from the Bible.
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It is no wonder that in the year 2011 there are those who long to go back to those simpler times... simpler in that one relied on the Bible for facts, and for reality.
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The following are reprints from that early history from A "Universal History" by Emma Willard.
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To Be Continued...
