Well…
I’d go back to September 1970 and prevent Jimi Hendrix from choking on his own vomit (probably boiling down to reminding the medics to not strap him down while he’s trying to breath…)
Hopefully, this would completely revitalize '70’s rock and jazz, lead to a Miles/Jimi collaboration, and prevent the worst of disco and rap. Also, we wouldn’t have all these shameless digitized re-releases.
Ahem.
Nov. 22, 1963: I’d try to point Zapruder’s camera in the right direction(s).
Circa 25-30 A.D.: “on tour” the last two weeks before the Big Event, to hear what he really preached to the masses. The day of the Big Event itself to see how he coped, what his thoughts were as the final hour was approaching. Three days later, just to see.
Circa 4,000,000,000 B.C.: To see how it really all began…the “primordial ooze”.
Circa 2050 A.D.: To see how the pace of progress in the first fifty years of the 21st century compared with that in the last 50 years of the previous one.
??? A.D.: The day the Earth died.
as stupid as this might sound I would go forward only about 2 years. By then I would be with my baby. and I would know things were going to work out.
First of all, I love the OP. “Forget physics and all that stuff.” 
Ok, I’m totally surprised that more people don’t want to go see Biblical personalities, or the great minds/artists of history.
Wouldn’t any of you want to sit and chat with Plato, Da Vinci, Gallileo, Frued, Einstein…etc…etc?? Or how about watching Michealangelo, or Mozart in action.
You all know who I want to see. I’ve often dreamed of sitting on a hillside watching Jesus speak to the crowds. Ahhh, to see Him. It gives me goosebumps just thinking about it. Wouldn’t some of you non-religious folks want to see Jesus, just to see what all the fuss is about? (A few of you have mentioned it, but I’m surprised that more haven’t)
1960’s? Nah, you guys go ahead. I want to see the good stuff.
Adam
“Life is hard…but God is good”
If I could travel back in time, I would wisk myself away to the period where the European settlers decided to come to North America. I would then proceed to stop them from destroying the people who already lived here. =Only if it were possible=
“What it is, is what it is. And what it should be is a lie someone gave to the people a long time ago.” No one said it better then Lenny Bruce.
Well, yes, Arg, I would be curious to see how Christianity really started–but in my scenerio, you have to find a time to LIVE in for the rest of your life, which is why I chose New York about 100 years ago. The Middle East in the year 0 does NOT strike me as a place I’d like to hang out (I don’t know how weisenheimer dames were treated back then, but I’ll bet not so good!).
Glad you liked my OP!
I’d have to stay in the post-antibiotics era. The thought of losing my children to a disease which I am completely helpless to combat would supercede any appeal of a “simpler” life.
ARG220 wrote:
Problem is, if I travelled back to Jesus’ time, I don’t think I’d actually see Jesus. I’d see this guy named Paul running around yakking about a supernatural being named Jesus that fit within the 2nd or 3rd layer of supernatural beings in the standard Platonic divinity model. Forty years later, I’d see this evolve into a myth about how this Jesus fellow once walked among us in the flesh, and an attempt to link it to Jewish messianic prophecy via these stories called the “gospels” – which, ironically, would go out of their way to paint those same Jews in a bad light.
So I think I’d rather go back and chat with Thomas Edison instead.
I’m not flying fast, just orbiting low.
Actually, I believe there’s empirical evidence that a man named Jesus DID exist during that time. There’s also historical evidence that he was crucified. Whether or not you believe he’s the son of God is, of course, completely up to you.
Even if you were in Israel in the year 0, I wonder how easy it would be to book time with him, or even track him down? No phone! No lights! No motorcar! Not a single luxury! It’s not like you could call him up and arrange to meet him after work for drinks . . .
I would stay right here. I’ve lived since 1948, and read extensively on what life was like at various times in the past. I’ve found the door into summer, and I’m staying where the weather suits my clothes…
how 'bout muslim spain in the 1300’s. seems like a pretty enlightened time period (from what i’ve read [bio on ibn tufayl] they tolerated other religions, were big into philosophy, and centuries ahead of europe in the sciences), and it has a nice climate.
so…decent life span, and fun in the sun.
ellis
PunditLisa wrote:
If you’re talking about the histories written by Josephus, there is also empirical evidence that the story of Jesus was slipped into one of Josephus’s texts by one of his scribes, and that Josephus didn’t catch this little addition in the final edit.
I’ve always wanted to see Moses (or rather, God) part the Red Sea, but not the jello version.
Realm505: While you’re there, knock that apple out of Eve’s mouth before she takes a bite! (j/k)
I’m just curious as to what GOD and Satan might post to this topic!