tropple

agriculture.

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Coppertop

If?

If god exists as the bible says he does, I would wager Eve had more influence than Jesus did.

Or Noah.

Or Lucifer.

Rdr4evr

I would have to agree. I believe Jesus is the greatest hoax in the history of mankind, followed by the moon landing.

Lebell

This explains much

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Publius

Hmm ... I’ve had time to rethink me earlier response and a few thing have occurred to me. First, if we are so assume everything said about Jesus is true (and lets for the sake of argument here) then I would have to maintain that as wonderful as his birth may have been, and outstanding as his life and teachings were, the greatest event (and this is really what we remember him for) was Jesus’ death and resurrection. Without this final event, then, Jesus would have been just another profit no different from the rest. But if we believe that this final event in Jesus’ life actually took place, then this single event is the most important in human history (that is if we are most concerned with events and not merely people).

Now if we are talking about the most influential person in history then the answer may well be different. If we want to continue focusing on biblical figures, Paul is arguably much more influential then Jesus was. Paul shaped the early church in his own image and wrote most of the new testament. We see probably more church doctrine passed off of Paul’s writings then any off Jesus’ teachings (because obviously he never wrote anything).

However, if we are looking for someone who has had an even greater impact on world history, in my mind Aristotle is the man. Not only was he the teacher of Alexander the Great, but Aristotelian ideals are what shaped western culture, including much of early church doctrine.

powerclown

June 5, 2004 A.D.
NBA Finals, Game 5: Detroit Pistons def. Los Angeles Lakers, 100-87
or
July 10, 1980 A.D.
The birth of Jessica Ann Simpson
or
1227 A.D.
The Fall of Genghis Khan and the Mongol Empire, aka The Golden Horde.

It's close.

Brooke

Techoya, that was most awsome - I have never heard the "invention of sex" described so eloquently.
*clapps for you*

but I will just say it.
the greatest human event IS the invention of Sex.
--or possible the orgasim, but I see them as being connected concepts for the most part.

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lom

Sex was hardly invented though, ok so there must have been the first time it ever happened but at that stage we wouldn't have been human. It has always happened since nature evolved two separate sexes, and of course the dinosaurs were doing it long before us!

Lebell

*kids these days, they think they invented it...*

__________________
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Grasshopper Green

CSFilm: Sorry it took so long to respond

Anyway, I feel written language because it is the first step of the rise of advanced civilization (in my humble opinion). Humans and hominids had been communicating for long long before this, whether through speech or gestures or whatever....but with the advent of the written word humans could begin to convey and share their thoughts, ideas, etc to others. There would be no Bible to tell the birth of Jesus without the ability to write, would there? Or the birth of Mohammad or Buddha or whoever. Just my opinion though!

alansmithee

But you seem to be forgetting that Jesus is also an important figure in Islam. Also, there should be some weight given to Western countries because of the great impact they have had on the world in general. Much of the advanced Asian cultures were very isolationist, and had relatively small areas of impact. Western colonialism brought Western culture around the world (for good or bad is a whole different discussion)

Mojo_PeiPei

Wars were fought on the behalf of Christianity. Remember the Battle of Tours? That was certainly a major battle in history, which was basically Islam vs. Christianity. Had Martel not won that battle, it is safe to assume none of us would exist, along with this thing we recognize as Western Civilization.

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hiredgun

The West has had "great impact'" in the last 200-400 years. During the Abbasid period, Islamic civilization was much more advanced than Europe, and cultivated many of the sciences and branches of knowledge that were later transmitted to and continued by the West after the Crusader and Mongol invasions brought the Muslim world into decline. The Arabic language was spread from a small peninsula to a huge swath of the Near East and Africa that was once composed of a variety of ethnicities and cultures but now has formed its own identity.

That's just one example. Nearly three times as many people are native speakers of Mandarin than English. Your West-centric assertion is a little short-sighted.

tecoyah

None taken.......and of course, to each thier own.

However, should you decide to look into the science, the Data is there. Then again, there are those who believe the Moon landings were a hoax.

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jonjon42

the greatest event in history...is my birth....

just feeling a bit narcissistic right now

on a more serious note:
the beginning of agricultural society

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Coppertop

Not as important as Mohammad I'd wager. Sure enough. But that weight should probably rest on someone like Aristotle, Socrates or perhaps even Romulus and Remus.

tropple

You're all a bunch of whackos determined to make religion the most important thing going on.

Well, you are incorrect.

The most important thing in history is the advent of agriculture. Period. End of story. All of the cultural who-ha shit that came afterwards was made possible becasue of agrticulture. Yes, all of it.

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slimshaydee

As a non-believer, like a few others in this thread, the birth of jesus is not the greatest event in history although it is rather significant. The invention of the wheel would be the greatest event in my eyes.

paulskinback

I think the greatest event in history would be the creation or harnessing of electricity.

If it weren't for that we wouldn't be having this debate.

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roachboy

fine, but the harnessing of electricity was a process, not an event.....

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a gramophone its corrugated trumpet silver handle
spinning dog. such faithfulness it hear

it make you sick.

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Coppertop

Hmm, going back far enough I suppose I could say the first time one of our primitive ancestors picked up a rock or stick and hit something with it.

Then fire, then agriculture, then the wheel, etc. - all to be trumped when we make contact.

Hooray for speculation!

tropple

Sorry, no.

Tool use and hunting gathering didn't bring about anything except more hunting and gathering. Fire was nice, but nothing spectacular. Even the wheel is nothing special.

Nothing significant happens in any culture until they begin farming. Only agriculture gifts a people with the time to spend on anything besides food production. Consider it for a bit....

Can you think of any culture that progressed without it? Agriculture freed man to think about something besides where his next meal was coming from.

Civilization was kick-started when people began to farm. Farming let people create surplus food. That had never happened before. Family groupings and tribes were able with other groups for different foods, or perhaps for some finished good such as tanned skins or better arrows. Markets sprang up at confluences of waterways or other easily traveled routes. Population centers grew from markets. Architecture began when people needed larger structures, religions formed (not everything was good) as people dawdled away their free time. Commerce began with traders bringing goods from one market to another. Small government evolved to deal with traders. Toolmaking became a group activity instead of an individual effort. Craft guilds were born to form single marketing entities to deal with the towns and traders.

Nothing happens until agriculture creates a way to make food in excess of the daily requirements.

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Coppertop

I agree with what you said about agriculture being important for advancing man and society, but it wasn't the first step.

It's not the using of the tool itself, but the realization that primitive man can accomplish more than other animals with the use of his opposable thumb and his mind. No longer was he a scared little rabbit, hiding from all the other animals. This allowed him to become a hunter as opposed to a gatherer, which allowed him to kill large mammals, wear thir skin for warmth, which allows migration, etc.

Please tell me what agriculture can accomplish without tools.

Suave

The greatest event in history was obviously my birth.
Nah, I think it's a bit tough (if not impossible) to discern what the "greatest" event in history is at this point, and the majority of goodness comes in small bits rather than large chunks. Now if you wanted the most awesomely devesating event in history, that would be a little easier to discern.

kinsaj

I was gonna say the first mutant that became the modern human.. but I think yours tops mine.

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boom

Ishmal

aahhhh...

but today isn't history yet!!!

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scott_p_1

If you want to go the whole Jesus route, I'd say his death was more significant than his life.
Kind of like how if a rock star dies before he starts to suck, he'll be remembered at his prime forever. But if he dies after he starts to suck, people will remember him, but not quite the same way. (ie. Hendrix vs. Elvis)
I know it might seem like a wierd analogy, but it's apt I say, apt!

FngKestrel

I suppose it's fortunate that they didn't find Jesus dead while on the can. That probably would have tainted the whole burgeoning religion thing.

The Prophet

But if we are talking about influential events, I still would weigh the life of Jesus very heavily, even if you aren't Christian. Europe and the America's are predominately Christian, and if you ain't one of us, we have been trying to kick your ass ever since.

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FngKestrel

I think the fact that Christians have been trying to kick everyone's ass is what caused the influence. I won't dispute that it's a great event, but whether it's a positive event or not depends on where you stand religiously.

The Prophet

I would say something less than positive, for the majority anyhow.

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"The death-knell of the republic had rung as soon as the active power became lodged in the hands of those who sought, not to do justice to all citizens, rich and poor alike, but to stand for one special class and for its interests as opposed to the interests of others. " - Theodore Roosevelt

The Prophet

Why keep us waiting?

Atom Bomb? Extinction of the dinosaurs (obviously not from our perspective, but from the worlds. . .)? Or more recent perhaps - the election of Bush?

I say the death of Jerry Garcia.

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"The death-knell of the republic had rung as soon as the active power became lodged in the hands of those who sought, not to do justice to all citizens, rich and poor alike, but to stand for one special class and for its interests as opposed to the interests of others. " - Theodore Roosevelt

ScottKuma

John Lennon marrying Yoko Ono?

OFKU0

That's funny because the other day me and a bud were enjoying some fine single malt scotch and got onto the topic of: If a meteor hit the earth and wiped everything out except for one single copy of Harry Potter, would in a billion years when the human race resursurfaced, would they think of that book as our spiritual guide just like the bible.

Anyways we laughed and drank more. Talisker will do that from time to time.

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Drayab

Whether or not Jesus was who the Bible says he is doesn't change the answer to me. Creation, whether natural or by God, was the most important event.

cyrnel

In my history it has to be open source.

When it grew from a hobbyist mentality to a philosophy and movement it got legs.

From the pioneering of Stallman to Torvalds' breakout and the descendent accomplishments of countless contributors, the number of enabling technolgies, technical and commercial obstacles overcome, open source will touch every form of life on Earth. (and beyond, should we find any)

Of course, water eventually touches every form of life on Earth but long nights leave me feeling dramatic.

(ducking)
---
SkyNet will begin on sourceforge.

Stiltzkin

To me, the greatest event in history is my birth.

Without that, I would be nowhere, so how can it not be the greatest event in history (for me) ?

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The most important thing in this world is love.

hoosier52

I say Jesus Christ because whether you believe he was divine or not, or whether he has been a positive influence or not, he nevertheless has had a tremendous impact on major portions of the world for the last 2000 years. I can't say that about anyone else. Look at this forum where we've argued pro and con about the significance of Jesus life for days and not just this thread but many others as well.

To all those that think their birthday is the greatest event in history; maybe everyone is just trying to be funny but you're not really adressing the question. Your births may be most signigicant to you or your family but hardly has been much impact on the rest of the world. Of course one of you may turn out to be the much awaited Jewish messiah or maybe even the anti-christ from the Bible, at which time we will have to debate anew.

Cowman

I just wanted to say, that im not a big fan of the whole "asking questions" to answer a question.

Just state your opinion dammit.

none of this

that?
who?
when???
what?
but what if..??

haha

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john_713

Well i was born on christmas day so i guess it is the most important

Ok less funny....for me it would have to be the Ending of the second world. Ok so many events have had alot more significance to the world and civilisation in general. But imagine if Hitler had taken over europe and possibly more? My life at least would be very different. If that conflict had been allowed to continue and Hitler emerged victorious all that we had built on over our thousands of years of civilation would be lost. We would have gone back to the dark ages where people were ruled by oppressive kings. The Jews would be all but erradicated and a possible nuclear conflict might have occurred with the US.