What do you really know?

When did Sherlock Holmes move into Baker Street?

 
Some readers will try to answer that one! (Are you amused?)
Mr Holmes, as you probably know, is a fictitious character. Unfortunately not everybody realises this but the lack of knowing the truth is unlikely to have much effect on their lives.
Holmes was first written about over 111 years ago, (what a nice number). If some people can be so mistaken about history after such a short time what chance have we got of knowing the truth about a person who lived 2000 years ago?      Read on.

Did George Washington ever live?

 
(Tricky one?). - Yes!     How do you know that?     You never met him.    Have you seen him on TV?     Do you have a friend who knows a man who's Great Grandpa used to service his video-recorder?
George Washington was born 22nd Feb 1732, died 14th Dec 1799. This is recorded history.
You can very quickly obtain more factual information about George than you will ever know about your immediate neighbours, friends and even some members of your living family. This information is brought to us by the written word.
Writing has been used in the Middle East for about 5000 years (gasp). 
I wonder how we know that?

What do you know about Genghis Khan (1162 - 1227)?

 
My goodness, this is a long time ago! Never fear, if you really want to know about him you'll find him recorded in the history books.

--- Look at these ---
Claudius, Roman Emperor, in AD 43 he invaded Britannia 
(that was most of the good old uk), it was a pushover!
--- ---
Girl Power (Boadicea) took her best shot at retaliation in AD 61 but failed.
--- ---
Caligula the nutter (AD 12-41)
Did you know his real name was Gaius Caesar Augustus Germanicus.
--- ---
Hannibal the elephant man (247-183BC)
Crossed the Pyrenees, France, and the Alps,  well done there sir!
--- ---
Euclid (c'mon, you must remember Euclid?) 300BC
He wrote his famous book "Elements".  You should see the video.

 
--- and these ---
Peronius Tertius,
in 360BC legged it from Rome to Judea with the lovely Brevis.
--- ---
Aristotle (384-322 B.C.) , one of many well-quoted Greek philosophers.
--- ---
Pythagoras of square hippopotamus fame (about 580BC)
Contrary to many others, believed the Earth to be spherical.
--- ---
Aesop, a Greek slave, wrote great moral stories, eg. 
The tortoise and the hare. He died 565BC

 
Are you happy with the above facts?

 
You will have heard of most of these people and you have probably scanned this little list and thought Yes - well, so what?

Engage thinking mode.  If you've got this far don't stop now.

 
Look at those dates spanning from 111 years ago to almost 2550 years ago. We accept them as accurate (or as near as makes no difference) because they are documented history. A multitude of facts available to us because of the written word. We can accurately account for people, events, accomplishments, etc. of two and a half thousand years ago.
Are you getting this?

 
Still thinking?   Consider this.

 
What about Aesop? We don't (I don't) know when he was born. Why should we, he was only a slave for goodness sake! 
Yet because he told a few stories about animals, some of which we know he did not even originate, he made a difference to the world and it was thought important enough to make note of his demise.

 
Well done.   Now you need to find some answers.

Name (yes, you do the work) the singularly most important person who ever lived who I have omitted from the lists.
Hint: Born in the year 0000.

 
Ask yourself;
Had his mother thought to herself that 0000 had a nice ring to it and so planned her baby for then?

 
Ask yourself;
Why does the calender for much of the world start from the year that baby was born?

 
Ask yourself;
How could anything be considered so significant as to warrant restarting the recording of time as before or after that particular event?

Now relax from intense concentration!     Take note...

 
Peronius Tertius and Peronius Brevis are muscles, not people. You may not have known that! Did you assume my whole list was the truth?
While reading it had you a lack of interest in details?
In looking at any information think about it. Question it, look for evidence. You are capable of weighing evidence and making
your own reasoned judgement.

 
The truth is ...

 
It is a fact that Jesus was born, lived as a man and was executed by the Romans. This is not speculation or storybook stuff, this is a matter of recorded history.

Note.                                   183BC means 183 years Before Christ 

AD 43 means 43 years Anno Domini =   in the year of the Lord

  There is this guy from Nazareth - heals people.       Hah ... I can't see that!       Yeh - its true - even raised someone from being dead.       Nah ... I can't see that!       And he fed thousands of people with a few bits of food.       Never!... I can't see that!       He gives sight to the blind.       Nah ... I can't see that!            Maybe you should talk to him.

            Think some more ... Was Jesus ...             

                                 

Last updated - February 2002   This is a Christian site.