Humans have designed computers, etc. We drive cars instead of horse-drawn wagons. We can call our parents in Wherever, whenever we feel like it. But are we smarter than we were 200 years ago?

Invention is fantastic and 200 years ago there was "nothing" that was dependent on electricity. Now we can watch the news and see what's new. Does that mean that we are more inventive?

Before electricity became commonplace, 90% of women menstruated together when the moon was new. Is this change positive or negative? Is it careful or smart?

Are we more intelligent or simply more able to tell each other how great we are? I live comfortably with both electricity and the rest of today's world. Am I just accustomed to these or would I be better off, living off the land with candles and fat-burning lamps?

lobrobster

It's not our intelligence that has increased so much (although it probably has), it is our 'knowledge' which has increased with every passing year.

Are we better off? I don't know about you, but I kind of like not having to go outside in sub-zero temperature every time to use the bathroom. Now sure how much you enjoy this modern luxury.

I do think our own technology might do us in if we aren't careful. So if that's what you're getting at, I agree.

savedsinner7

I don't see how this relates to religious discussions?


How would you be able to quantify smart?

lobrobster

Maybe he wants to know if god ever meant for us to have electricity and indoor plumbing? What do you think? And why didn't god ever mention the coming of the internet? Or space exploration, or quantum mechanics? I think he does mention the value of pi in the bible, but got it wrong.

There... I turned it into a religious discussion for you!

savedsinner7

if God told you everything that would ever happen your mind would explode. You can't handle it. That's why He is God.

lobrobster

But on a serious note...

Don' you find it odd that the bible, which is supposed to be the word of god, makes no mention of manned flight, landing on the moon, cancer, the internet, AIDS, etc.? In fact, there isn't a single mention of anything beyond bronze age knowledge. That doesn't strike you as strange coming from an all-knowing, all-powerful, supernatural being? He had a lot to say about worshiping other gods and stoning non-virgin women to death, but nothing about how man should cope in the 21st century.

Then again, it's even stranger still that he hasn't made a cameo in over 2000 years. Do you think bronze age people needed to hear the voice of god more than we do? Did they have more problems in their time than we do? Why did god favor them with all those miracles and leave people like me to doubt, because there isn't a single shred of evidence for me to go on, so now I'll have to spend eternity in hell? Doesn't seem fair to me.

firmbeliever

Even though man has invented many inventions did you know that there are so many who do without any of the modern conveniences we take for granted.
Poverty Facts and Stats - Global Issues

I dont know about being smart, even though we have information available to us of the negative effects of alcohol,smoking etc some of us still choose to continue down a path that destroys our physical selves from within.

We have information that by destroying the natural environments around us unneccessarily leads to changes in the eco systems and in turn affect our daily lives,yet we continue to feed our greed and need for money by destroying the very forests,oceans,water resources we depend on.

Yes we have computer,Tv,phone etc,but isnt this also leading to so many health problems too?Some of us spend so much time using these devices that we forget to take care of our bodies,our kids put on weight ,they lose interest in real social interactions and do not realise that there is a world outside virtual reality.

Maybe we need to rethink how we define smart.Maybe we need to find the right balance regarding our dependence on technology.

Credendovidis

Sorry but I enjoyed savedsinner7's "if God told you everything that would ever happen your mind would explode. You can't handle it. That's why He is God" more.

savedsinner7's post is loaded with mysticism, wild claims, explosions, and unsupported suggestions.
Your reply was only based on logic, reasoning, factual support, actuality, and even archeology.
But if fails completely in the humor department ...

Ok back to the topic : you are smarter than SS7 because I think so !



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simoneaugie

Sorry, this post was not supposed to be on the religious forum. Just be glad you're not like me, twice I have tried to brew coffee by putting unground beans straight into the coffeemaker, once I accidentally put fresh grounds in the carafe. Stuff like that just happens all the time. If I got upset I'd die from stress. Forgive and forget...What?

firmbeliever had some very thought-provoking thoughts. How do we define smart?

I got frustrated reading something on the religious forum about how smart we are today.

The Bible hasn't been updated lately has it? If there is a God she definitely knows how to answer prayers about the internet, or something covers for screw-ups. Maybe we are Gods too. There is evidence of something helping me.

Wondergirl

Are we smarter? I don't think so. There are many more opportunities in 2008 to show off our smarts. Hundreds of years ago, musicians composed "pop music"--symphonies and cantatas and oratorios that we still listen to today. (How many people 100s of years from now will be humming "Viva la Vida"?) Thousands of years ago, people built pyramids that we still aren't quite sure about how they did it. Being smart is relative to what one needs to accomplish using available tools.