If you went back in time, would you be a god?

Simon

We just finished watching Outlander which is about a woman who goes back in time ~200 years from the end of WWII. She ends up in the Scottish highlands in the middle of the Jacobite uprising. It's a great show although the last episodes were a little graphic (they make Game of Thrones seem like Sesame Street).

But it got me thinking ... if you went back in time would you in fact be the 'god' you may imagine because of your knowledge of modern technology and the future?

We like to think we're advanced because we have lots of technology but besides putting batteries in a remote and plugging things in are we really that knowledgable? Would skills such as making fires and catching game be more useful to have?

How about the history - we tend to learn about the "big" events but how would that help us in day-to-day life and is there a chance, as in the show, that we could be mistaken for a witch?

The reality is that our society is advanced but we are mostly just along for the ride. We think we're advanced but if we went back in time would we struggle?

freemindfade

If we met a civilization from another place in the universe that has been around far longer than us, they would likely seem very god-like to us.

LevelThePlayingField

Just think of the stuff you could pull off in the congregation. You could say you were anointed and you would know all the new light before anyone else and everyone would follow you around...

And by the time we got to 2015, well, everyone knows now what a time 2015 was for the org, wow, everything went on in 2015, you could have predicted the Royal Commission, the construction halts, WT and awakes being stopped printed in Italy, the list goes on. You WOULD be a god.

slimboyfat

If I went back in time to the 1860s I could tell Russell about the gentile times ending in 1914 before he figured it out himself. He'd think I'm a genius or anointed or something.

LoveUniHateExams

Would skills such as making fires and catching game be more useful to have? - good point. Knowledge of Microsoft Word or Excel would be totally useless. Learning to hunt or forage might be much more useful.

It depends how far back in time and to which geographical area, but there's a danger of me being executed for heresy or something similar.

A fat, balding gobsh1te who claims to have a university degree telling possibly illiterate folk that God didn't create us because we share a common ancestor with primates.

Also telling them that sex outside of marriage is ok between consenting adults - even between consenting adults of the same sex.

If they didn't burn me at the stake, they'd put me in an asylum.

Miss Worldly

Ooh,ooh, not seen the movie, I don't want to spoil the books, I've read all 8 of them, now waiting for the ninth one! Brilliant. Very sadly ( for most other people) I've read the first one probably, about. . . .erm. . 10 times. . . (Shhhh!)

i think, much like Clare, we would be seen as someone to be wary of, a witch, a healer. But as she came from the 1940's today's technology would be a damn sight more frightening to 18c highlanders!!

As for our knowledge, I don't think we particularly have much more knowledge than we did then. Our basic knowledge comes from past generations, the vast majority of other things we know, come from our technology.

Ha! Just read this back, it makes no sense whatsoever! Sorry! I know what I mean.

it was the Jamie & Clare that did it!

Finkelstein

We think we're advanced but if we went back in time would we struggle?

It all depends on singular basis or as a greater society and other variables toward knowledge we

previously acquired.

Just finishing watching Outlander myself and I enjoyed the series.

It should be noted that living in the past was a lot harder than what is seen or depicted in most movie or Television stories.

Looking forward to the second season in March.

On a day to day basis living today is a lot easier that it ever was in the past, that you can be sure of.

Finkelstein

If you went back in time to lets say the time of the ancient Hebrews and stated to spout off trying to explain what causes earthquakes, thunder and lighting, you would most likely be killed for apostasy against their perceived understanding relating to their appearance as spiritual Seers to their god(s) of worship.

The only time in human history that I would want to live in, is the time right now.

stan livedeath

i already am a god.

dont need to travel nowhere

SafeAtHome

Mark Twain had this covered, amusingly, in "Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court". Even though written over 100 years ago with the technology of that era, the character becomes as a god as he goes back in time. The movie with Bing Crosby in the title role is pretty funny.

If you went back in time, would you be a god?

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