What is the one historical occurrence that you think, if changed in some way, would change society today the most, what do you think we’d be like now? (Please note: Use any religious reference you want, let’s pretend every religion’s beliefs are true)
Here are my ideas:
Cause: The Romans getting wiped out by a plague before they even started their empire. Effect: We’d be set at least a few hundred years back. And I just KNOW that people would be worried about Y2K causing armageddon in one way or another.
Cause: Jesus having really bad gas during his sermon on the mound. Effect: Smelly society.
Cause: Hitler being hit by a car as a kid. Effect: This would be very bad. Something like his attempted genocide was inevitable (look at Kosovo). At least he didn’t have nukes.
Cause: 1984 coming true. Effect: Think about it…Ray Bradbury scares me sometimes.
Cause: Me never being born. Effect: Everyone on the planet wandering about, with nobody to worship, lay down their lives for, wait on hand and foot, make sacrifices to…
"No job’s too small, we bomb them all."
-Ace Wrecking Company
Never heard of him? He’s the one who put together “The Miracle of the Marne” in WWI, spotting the weakness in the German advance, screaming at Joffre to attack, and mobilizing the Paris taxicabs to help supply troops. Without him, the French lose WWI by the end of 1914, Germany dominates Europe, and Hitler doesn’t rise to power. A short WWI also could have made a big difference in Russian history.
Event: Burning of the Shaolin temples in ancient China. Effect: No development of various forms of Kung Fu (gung fu). Delayed expansion of Kung Fu to other areas, resulting in delayed development of other martial arts. Maybe no or less Okinawan martial arts. Maybe no martial arts at all (unlikely, it would have to be in conjunction with other events below for their to be no full development of many of the modern day martial styles)!
Event: Japanese occupation of Korea. Japanese suppression of Korean culture. Effect: No Tae Kwon Do. No Tang Soo Do. But other Korean arts would have flourished, like Hwrang-Do (hope I spelled that right). Maybe no Tae Bo!!!
Event: American occupation of Okinawa. Effect: No Shotokhan karate. Delayed expansion of Okinawan arts to the West. There would certainly be less watered down martial arts. No Kyokushin karate.
Event: No rise of samauri ruling caste in Japan. Effect: No jujutsu (jujitsu). No kendo.
Event: No Kano. Effect: No colored belts in martial arts.
Event: No Masutatsu Oyama. Effect: I probably wouldn’t be doing martial arts today. OSU!
[bold]Event:[/bold] The library of Constantinople does not burn
[bold]Effect:[/bold] Medicine has available much more information, leading to better quality of life.
The reason gentlemen prefer blondes is that there are not enough redheads to go around.
cause: Christ had never been born.
effect:well, obviously, no Christianity, no Holy Roman Empire, No major religion to stop the Muslims from invading Europe.
effect:While Monotheism was around long before Christ, polytheism would have flourished more in any of the areas where the Europians “converted” the locals. I think the Mayans, Incas and Aztecs would have a much better chance of surviving long enough to worry about the Y2K bug.
effect:If you are Christian, then you would probably believe everyone would be doomed to burn in hell for the crimes of the Roman empire and mankind in genereal. Probably another flood or plague something would be in order.
effect:If you are another religion, esp. Pagan, you would probably be somewhat happier right about now
While some of these effects are a little tongue in cheek(duh), I really do believe that Christ’s birth and life has changed history more than any other event. Weither you’re a Christian or not, Christianity has had a major effect on your life, for good or ill.
