Chapter 6 Online Commentary
I'm trudging along, finally finished Chapter 6 and it wasn't easy. I don't know why this chapter was difficult for me to complete. I had my momentum going from the beginning of the readings and then Chapter 6 came along and stumped me.
The three main civilizations that were discussed were Africa, the Americas, and Pacific Oceania which, by the way, I have never even heard about. I honestly didn't know of a region known as Pacific Oceania in any of my studies growing up. I'm still learning new things, I guess.
After reading about 35 pages in this lesson, the theme that emerged from the pages for me was the fact that no matter how simple or complex a civilization was formed or even how long it lasted in the world's span of time, they always came to an end. People that were once so vibrant and full of life were wiped off the face of this earth with almost no trace whatsoever. These were people that had families of their own, day-to-day struggles and happiness like I enjoy now, and yet they cease to be along with their memories of long ago.
What makes me think that this current age will not have the same outcome? Why would it be different now if history proves a different conclusion? I never gave it any thought before, but after reading this chapter in particular, I have a very different view of this era.
Africa and its many civilizations were examined. There were Nubian Kingdoms of Kush, Meroe, and Axum to name a few. They all were lively places of activity and growth and generations of people lived to prosper there. But it ended when I'm sure they believed their world would continue on forever. They built homes and grew crops to sustain their ever-increasing populations, and formed methods of order within their cities just to have it all fade away.
There were Mesoamerican civilizations discussed with pretty much the same ending. The Mayans with their developments of mathematical concepts and refined writing system gives us clues as to the lives these people led, but yet it too passed away. We have artifacts, writings, and paintings of those that came before us that form a sort of window for us to glimpse through to connect the pieces of these ancient civilizations.
Although the rising and falling of civilizations seams to the the correlating thread that keeps us all bound together in history, I can't help but wonder, theologically speaking, what pattern is generated in His Story, the story of our Creator (for those who believe in Him). His plan for mankind suggests that we must learn from those from our past so that we can continue to strive forward in our own everlasting quest to our eternal home. We each have a specific mission that we need to accomplish along our own journeys that will be the continuing thread that will tie our lives with the ones that come after us.
The three main civilizations that were discussed were Africa, the Americas, and Pacific Oceania which, by the way, I have never even heard about. I honestly didn't know of a region known as Pacific Oceania in any of my studies growing up. I'm still learning new things, I guess.
After reading about 35 pages in this lesson, the theme that emerged from the pages for me was the fact that no matter how simple or complex a civilization was formed or even how long it lasted in the world's span of time, they always came to an end. People that were once so vibrant and full of life were wiped off the face of this earth with almost no trace whatsoever. These were people that had families of their own, day-to-day struggles and happiness like I enjoy now, and yet they cease to be along with their memories of long ago.
What makes me think that this current age will not have the same outcome? Why would it be different now if history proves a different conclusion? I never gave it any thought before, but after reading this chapter in particular, I have a very different view of this era.
Africa and its many civilizations were examined. There were Nubian Kingdoms of Kush, Meroe, and Axum to name a few. They all were lively places of activity and growth and generations of people lived to prosper there. But it ended when I'm sure they believed their world would continue on forever. They built homes and grew crops to sustain their ever-increasing populations, and formed methods of order within their cities just to have it all fade away.
There were Mesoamerican civilizations discussed with pretty much the same ending. The Mayans with their developments of mathematical concepts and refined writing system gives us clues as to the lives these people led, but yet it too passed away. We have artifacts, writings, and paintings of those that came before us that form a sort of window for us to glimpse through to connect the pieces of these ancient civilizations.
Although the rising and falling of civilizations seams to the the correlating thread that keeps us all bound together in history, I can't help but wonder, theologically speaking, what pattern is generated in His Story, the story of our Creator (for those who believe in Him). His plan for mankind suggests that we must learn from those from our past so that we can continue to strive forward in our own everlasting quest to our eternal home. We each have a specific mission that we need to accomplish along our own journeys that will be the continuing thread that will tie our lives with the ones that come after us.
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