A Biblical Account
According to the Bible in Genesis 11:1-9, the whole world had only one language, a common language. That all changed when men decided to attempt to build a “tower to heaven” and make their own name great. This unfinished tower became known as the tower of babel. In essence, the men building this tower were competing with God. They wanted to be successful in their own eyes. This was pushing them away from God, rather than bringing them closer. God saw what they were doing and stopped the process by confusing their language. Because God made them all speak in different languages from that point on, they no longer could understand one another, which meant they could not continue building successfully. That one event changed the course of their future and how the world communicates today.
What If...
If I had the power to go back in time and change any event in history, it would be that one. Having changed that event; today, we would all be on the same page, speaking the same language. Over the past few weeks I have been pondering this idea. What if the world had only one language? What would it be like today? I feel that it would be a much better place than it is now. It seems as though different languages in this world has lead to separation, and I think that we as a globe should be unified.
“Separation Anxiety”
About a month ago, my mom told me that an exchange student from Venezuela was staying with a family she knew from church. The family said he had done theater and drama before, and they would like him to join in on the dance team that would perform during the Easter drama. You see, my mom is the drama department head, she felt like this would be wonderful to get him involved in the church a little bit. Alex didn’t know much English when he arrived, but he seems to be adjusting a little bit more now.
Last weekend our youth group met and we had our regular service in the sanctuary. Working in the sound booth I could almost see everyone. As I put up music videos for praise and worship, I noticed that Alex wasn’t really moving as much as everyone else. After praise and worship, Pastor Ford started a lesson on ‘winning your faith fight’. I was listening attentively and soon noticed that Alex was looking around as if he seemed uninterested. About five minutes into the lesson He got up and left, looking kind of frustrated. It was only then that I realized that he probably didn’t understand much of what pastor was saying. It seems to me, that in having many different languages, there can be a barrier. For example, even though the teaching that night was great and I got a lot out of it, Alex couldn’t because he couldn’t really understand it.
The Solution
Though it is utterly impossible for anyone to go back and change history, it is possible to affect a future generations’ history. I think it would be great for everyone in the world to either speak the same language, or have another language they could speak with anyone. Doing this would enable barriers to be broken within the communication of people from different cultures and different nations.
Why are you so set on bringing the end that is set forth in your religions belief system?
Not that I believe it, but I find it funny how much Christians actually bring the dreaded end times on themselves.
For me, Christianity is not merely a religion. It's a lifestyle...
Hope that answered your question, although I didn't totally understand it..probably because I'm tired..
-Amanda-
No, it avoids it entirely, but I chalk it up to you being tired. :)
I wonder about this as well. If you really want to make a point, try making an argument that is not religion-based, so everyone can learn something.
cheers
F*** Religion. Read more here:
http://www.progressiveu.org/020528-f-religion
Well, This was an English class essay, the question was "If you could change one event in history, what would it be and how would today be different?"
It's not really religion-based. More based on my personal thoughts and experience...
-Amanda-
Check out my blog
"If you could change one event in history, what would it be and how would today be different?"
I believe that Christians believe that God is all knowing and perfect.
I think it is interesting that a Christian would choose as his one event in history to undo, something that was done by his perfect GOD. Does that not imply that you think God made a mistake and is therefore less than perfect?
I would think that a Christian would choose to change something in History that was done by imperfect humans. Maybe, it would make more sense to undo the human decision to build the Tower of Babel in the first place. Then God would not have gotten angry and spiteful and screwed up human's ability to communicate with each other. Hey, what is this angry spiteful stuff anyway? I thought he was a loving God?
"Maybe, it would make more sense to undo the human decision to build the Tower of Babel in the first place."
I guess I didn't make that clear, that's kind of where I was coming from on this issue.
The event was caused by imperfect humans in the first place and corrected by God.
I just wish that they would not have done what they had done...then we'd all be speaking the same language.
Make more sense now?
-Amanda-
Check out my blog
Well God could have stopped them since he knew it was going to happen. You can then say that we have freewill, but when our life is already determined, then you don't actually have freewill.
I have never been able to reconcile the possibility of an "all knowing" omnificent God who knows the future before it happens with the concept of free-will. If when presented with the opportunity to make a choice, God knew long before you were even born what choice you would make then that seems pretty deterministic and scripted to me. I can't see how such a God would ever be angry with humans or their behavior because after all he created them and he knew even before he started squeezing the clay exactly what they would do in the future. If he wanted them to make different choices he should have made them differently. Why would a perfect God make such an imperfect sinfull creation as Man?
It seems like the perfect all knowing God would have saved himself the trouble of getting angry about the Tower of Babel and just gone a head and anticipated the problem and given man different languages right from the git go.
It is one of those paradoxes that causes me to be a non-believer.
If God is all knowing he could have stopped Adam and Eve from eating the fruit. Thus another paradox.
That is why I am skeptical of all religions, they have so many paradoxes and they all chaulk it up to our inability to understand God. Which is a paradox in and of itself.
"If I had the power to go back in time and change any event in history, it would be that one."
The Bible isn't a historical document and it isn't varifiable by anything other than the Bible itself. I think it's great that you have your faith and all, but it isn't exactly a historical source full of proven events.
I think that the ramifications of having one language is amazing. It wont happen but this blog really caused me to think.
Could happen...
Glad to spark some thought.
-Amanda-
Check out my blog
She wrote "Dream of a Common Language." It's the most amazing poetry. She was a powerful mind, may she rest in peace.
Here's a sample:
http://www.nortonpoets.com/ex/richadream.htm
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/ediblewoman
Without multiple languages our worlds cultures would take a punch in the stomach. Language is beautiful and diverse, it is something we should all take into appreciation. I beleive if the world had one language, it would create something we don't want. I am not exactly sure what that would be, but I don't see one worldly language bein a good thing.
Après la pluie le beau temps. ♥