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Origins

Origins Ep. 6 – The Importance of Shelter

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(photo credit: National Geographic)

Humans are quite good at building things. During the last century or so, we’ve created numerous machines and devices that allow modern life to prosper—and even thrive.  We’ve constructed massive skyscrapers, allowing people to live and work closer together than ever before.  We’ve even created incredibly small devices that may, in the future, revolutionize how we take care of individuals who are sick.  And yet, at the end of the day, we all want to go somewhere that has a roof to protect us from the elements, allows us to spend quality family time, and offers us security from intruders while we sleep.

In short, we want shelter.  In the sixth episode of Origins (NatGeo, 9 PM/8PM CT), the discussion centers around this basic aspect of life many take for granted. You see, the spaces we exist in are reflections of who we are and windows into what our culture holds dear.

The early days of humanity were challenging to live in. Hunter-gatherers found caves or created their own spaces out of animal bones covered in furs to protect not only their close families, but other members of their community. It seems that once people are comfortable in their surroundings, they begin to develop a sense of identity—and the hearth was one place this occurred.  Dwellings later allowed for individual privacy—something unheard of. Again, people didn’t have to merely attempt to survive hour by hour; they could explore other options for their lives.  Glass windows allowed natural light to penetrate a house, eliminated the need for candles during the daytime, and helped to regulate temperature (thanks, Rome!). Faith communities saw the potential for larger buildings and natural light to help draw attention to themselves—a great example of this is the Durham Cathedral in England.

Advances continued to be made over the centuries, none bigger than the Otis safety elevator in the 19th century.  Now buildings could be taller than ever while still offering safe spaces to live (and as a bonus, the most prized location in a building moved from the bottom floor to the top).  In the outlying areas of New York, a pair of brothers in 1947 created plans for Levittown, the precursor to modern-day suburbia.  The keys to these shelters were safety and community—something we will end up treasuring and coveting well into the future.

(photo credit: National Geographic)

I personally found this episode of Origins to be intriguing, as I never considered the effect just having a consistent form of shelter could have on an individual.  If you’re not having to worry about surviving, your pursuits of life can vary.  Those pursuits can be beneficial not only to one family, but people around the world. Imagine how different life might be if Thomas Edison had to go from place to place attempting to kill animals for food or figure out how to get his clothes clean daily.  Jesus told us not to worry about the intricacies of life, but seek the Kingdom of God first (see Matthew 6:33). To do that, however, one should be in a safe place where they can be silent and listen to God’s voice—consider the cave experience of Elijah as an example (see 1 Kings 19).  It goes to show the importance of shelter.  Protection and community allow us to become the people God wants us to be.

Origins Ep. 5 – The Blood of War

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(photo credit: National Geographic)

Conflict is something that most people find unenjoyable.  In many cases, we do our absolute best to avoid it at all costs.  But at some point in our lives, we will all have to deal with some aspect of conflict, whether it’s against another person, an aspect of society, or even ourselves.  Yet no matter how we feel about conflict in our lives, most of these situations do not involve going to war. However, war has done more to shape the history of the world than one might be willing to consider. In tonight’s fifth episode of Origins (NatGeo, 9 PM/8 CT), the topic involves fighting (and killing) other people (it’s a bit gory, so be advised, parents).  The episode starts off a little slow, but picks up in the middle, providing a challenging look at our past—and a hope for our future that, sadly, will not come to pass.

Tribal groups grew crops and killed animals for food.  But when food was difficult to find, fear took over and the people resorted to taking it from other tribes by any means necessary.  Stealing was one option, but eventually people found it more effective to just beat up and kill members of the other group. It seems war is a symptom of our humanity, showcasing our worst attributes.  But it has also given rise to civilizations, such as Genghis Khan’s massive Mongolian empire in the 13th century (aided by an important military item known as the stirrup). As a result, people became loyal to beliefs (such as the Crusades) and nationalistic creeds—and yet fighting continued over large and small issues.

(photo credit: National Geographic)

More changes came with modern warfare, as World War I proved. As part of the terms of peace, boundaries were created in the Middle East, creating countries that had never seen a specific form of government before.  This led to anarchy within those areas and gave rise to something called terrorism, seen in the US in 1993 when the World Trade Center was bombed and eight years later when it was destroyed by two airplanes. One commentator in the episode likened it to David versus Goliath in that ‘David’ is willing to do anything to keep himself alive in the eyes of the general public.  Think about it: do we still talk about terrorism today? Are we a bit fearful of what could eventually happen if terrorists go unchecked?  If so, ‘David’ has done his job.

Host Jason Silva introduces the concept of cyber warfare at the end of the show, noting that people have the ability of using 0s and 1s to take down physical objects, thus controlling society through their monitors.  If the power goes out with no way to turn it on in a city, what would happen?  No ATMs, no shopping, no internet (once the batteries on the smartphone are dead), and no ability to perform daily tasks that people take from granted.  It wouldn’t be pretty.

Of course, humanity can do lots of good, but we also have the propensity to be quite evil.  In the Bible, Cain didn’t like that God rejected his sacrifice but accepted the one his brother Abel gave.  His way of resolving the situation involved killing his brother, then having to deal with the consequences of his actions (see Genesis 4:1-16). War is simply an example of humanity not getting along with each other for reasons such as fear, power, money. I was struck that Silva asked, at the end of the episode, “Can we find the will to destroy war?” We’ve tried to give peace numerous times in the past, but eventually, something happens and the killing begins anew (sorry, John Lennon).  The Bible says specifically that war isn’t going to go away, as man becomes more corrupt and power-hungry leaders seek to impose their will on the whole world (you know, the whole mark of the beast thing in Revelation 13). But in the end, God’s plan is to bring peace back—not through the doings of humanity, but through Jesus, who’s already battled death and won. Only then will war truly be over.

Origins Ep. 4 – Making Sense Of It All

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(photo credit: National Geographic/Gavin Hodge)

One of the neatest things about human beings is their ability to communicate with each other.  Over time, we’ve moved on from drawings painted on the sides of caves to texting in the form on digital 0s and 1s. In fact, communication is the lifeblood of today’s society, helping to make sense of life—yet many of us don’t know the history of how it came to be.  In the fourth part of Origins (NatGeo, 9 PM/8 CT Mondays), host Jason Silva seeks to provide illumination on the subject.  In my opinion, it’s not the best episode in the series (the second one holds that title thus far), but it makes a strong statement about the importance of symbols, drawings, and their comprehension in regards to the global society we’re a part of.

Silva begins the discussion of communication in the caves of France and Spain, where hunter-gatherers would tell stories in the form of pictographs scrawled (and drawn) on the rock walls. Strangely, the Egyptian use of cuneiform is only given a passing mention, as the focus quickly turns to rhythm and rhyme and their power in African customs—and in fact, society in general. All you need to do to experience this is think of your favorite song and sing/tap along to the beat.

The story turns to 16th century Europe and a discussion about books written in one’s own language.  There’s a reason why the ruling class wanted tomes of this nature out of the hands of commoners—knowledge is power, and keeping people in the dark prolonged the length of their rule. People who didn’t comply faced punishment including death. But, over time, the masses learned to read and communicate in forms we still access today (Shakespeare, anyone?).

(photo credit: National Geographic)

Of course, everything these days revolves around the internet and the use of binary switches. It just happens so fast that we rarely consider how things got the way they are.  Silva brings the viewer back to the Civil War and the invention of the telegraph to explain.  It was not only a quick way to find out what was going on the front lines, but it became a real-time way for President Lincoln to direct battles, such as the second Battle of Bull Run.  Eventually, Alan Turing pushed us to computing while Arthur C. Clarke helped to bring about the idea of satellite communication. The end result?  Humanity in the 21st century drinks daily from the firehose of data disseminated through their smartphones, tablets, computers, or television sets.

(photo credit: National Geographic)

Rudyard Kipling once wrote, “Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind.” Words matter.  Sure, there are numerous forms of communication available, but it’s words that help bring about lasting change in societies—and people’s lives, for that matter. One surprising example mentioned in this episode of Origins involved a Christian by the name of William Tyndale. His goal was to create a translation of the Bible people could read and understand. In doing so, he helped decode a language of Greek and Hebrew, adding about 30,000 words to the English language and giving rise to the King James Version of the Bible (still the bestselling book of all time). He paid a hefty price for his vision, but we should be thankful each time we open a book—including the Bible—and learn a little bit more about life, who we are, and where we fit in the grand scheme of things.

Origins Ep. 3 – What Is Something Worth?

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(photo credit: National Geographic)

In a world filled with technology, innovations, and services for nearly every conceivable situation, there is one thing uniting them all.  We place a value on each, and that value is manifest in the form of money. The more we think something is worth, the more we’re willing to spend to make it our own.  In the third episode of Origins (Nat Geo, Mondays 9 PM/8 CT), host Jason Silva discusses this subject and brings to light the importance of value over the centuries.

At first, when no money existed, there had to be a form of communication whereby groups of people could find common ground; otherwise, there would always be tension and bloodshed. Value was placed on certain goods and trades began to occur.  Eventually, the Greeks came up with a marketplace where people could trade goods with each other—smart idea, guys!  But corruption did occur, as people soon realized the concept of trading could also mean turning people into commodities via slavery.

(photo credit: National Geographic)

At some point (in this case, Turkey in 500 BC), the idea that coins of metal could be used in exchange for payment began to become a reality. Countries used different types of coins, but the purpose was the same: to impart physical value to something people desired.  It was in the 13th century that Kublai Khan made paper currency work—and it still exists today.  However, physical paper is quickly giving way to a cashless society where digital numbers representing money are stored on a plastic card or bank account.  We’re also beginning to get to the point where information in real life or online is being valued in the same way as goods (think of all those microtransactions for smartphone apps).
The biggest takeaway of the episode, for me, is that value is incredibly important in society.  The cost of something isn’t necessarily the price tag; it’s simply what a person believes it is. Just stop by an auction house to experience it for yourself. And yet there are some things in life that cannot be purchased (such as more time; we all get the same 24 hours each day).  In the Bible, Simon the sorcerer saw Peter place his hands on new followers of Jesus, whereby they received the Holy Spirit.  Simon saw this as extremely valuable and attempted to use money to buy the ability.  Peter’s response was swift and poignant: “May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God. Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord in the hope that he may forgive you for having such a thought in your heart” (Acts 8:20-22 NIV). In the case of Jesus, the value of a person was worth dying on a cross for.  The gift he offers—forgiveness of sin and eternity with him—is one that cannot be purchased—it must simply be claimed.

The question of money is simply one of value.  As economist Adam Smith noted, “All money is a matter of belief.”  So where will your beliefs take you in the upcoming weeks and years?

Origins Ep. 2: Take Your Medicine

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(photo credit: National Geographic)

“Humanity is cursed by the knowledge of our own mortality,” narrator Jason Silva notes during the second episode of Origins (NatGeo, 9 PM/8 CT Monday).  It’s sobering to know that life will eventually end at some point—probably in a painful manner. But in the 21st century, we should be incredibly thankful that science has helped people avoid cheating death—at least for a little while. Up until a century ago, a bite from a mosquito or getting the common cold could cause a person to die.  And this says nothing about infected wounds or even certain mental disorders.  Instead, the advent of medicine has helped to bring about longer, more fruitful lives.

But what can we trace the rise in medicinal science to? How has medicine helped make us modern? Silva takes the viewer on a journey through the past, starting with older generations who used whatever they could from the earth to gain relief from an affliction.  When something was found to work (bark, berries, or something else), the word spread and people began to see an increase in their life spans.  But it wasn’t until 160 AD that the genesis of today’s medicine was found—in the form of Greek doctor Galen of Pergamon (below), who helped take care of wounded gladiatorial combatants using unconventional techniques for the time, such as cauterizing a wound to help it heal.  The temples of healing in Greece led to many of the priests becoming doctors.

 (photo credit: National Geographic)

That was a good start, but people still got sick, and diseases such as the plague threatened to kill entire countries.  Nostradamus (16th century France) is mentioned here—not for his prognostications, but indirectly bringing the concept of sanitation to the forefront of people’s minds by having people boil water and bury their dead instead of keeping them inside their residences.  Robert Koch would later do research on bacteria that would lead to the germ theory of disease, prompting medicines and vaccinations to help heal and protect people from the things they couldn’t see that could kill them. As a result, people of today are living significantly longer lives than their predecessors.  It could get even better, as genetics companies are working on personalized medicines that use a person’s DNA for healing.

I found this particular episode of Origins to be incredibly fascinating.  Too often, we take pain for granted, like Jonas did in the book The Giver.  Two tablets cause a headache to disappear.  A little ointment on an infected cut and it heals with no noticeable scar.  Chemotherapy may cause a patient to lose his/her hair, but can prolong their life by killing cancer cells.  To say we would be in a world of hurt without medicine is not hyperbole.

Yet with all the progress science has make in keeping people healthy and well, it still hasn’t discovered the elixir to eternal life.  Physical death still is an absolute.

Back in biblical times, the Roman soldiers knew wine mixed with gall served to deaden pain for those who were being crucified.  They offered it to Jesus (see Matthew 27:34), but he refused to drink it.  Instead, he died a horrifically painful physical death—but returned to life three days later, ready to grant eternal life for those who call upon his name (see Acts 10:43).  Jesus doesn’t remove physical death (even with the medical discoveries that prolong life), but gives the people he died for hope and courage to face it.

Of course, it’s very important to take medicine and see the doctor when you’re sick—and we should be incredibly thankful for people like Galen, Koch, and even Nostradamus.  Taking in the second episode of Origins can help remind us that things could be significantly worse without medicine.  In fact, it should help us appreciate every breath we breathe a little bit more.

Origins Ep 1 — Fire is Life

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If you try to play with fire, you get burned.  Or your city burns down, as London learned in 1666. (photo credit: National Geographic)

It’s quite difficult to imagine living life without fire.

Go on; give it a try.

Staying warm would be an issue on cold evenings.  Food would have to be consumed in its natural form—raw (okay; fruits and veggies might not be that bad, but carnivores would probably not like the idea). There wouldn’t be any steel for buildings or even weaponry to protect oneself. In a lot of ways, humankind would become primitive.  The saying on the show Survivor is true—fire is life.  Lose it, and the game is over.

But over the centuries, people have learned to harness the power of the red flower (quoting Kipling’s Jungle Book) for good. As a result, we are able to live the modern lives we so enjoy, with our towering skyscrapers, gleaming knives for cooking over stoves, and even the creation of the cell phones we use to communicate with others.  A new series on National Geographic Channel is set to explore the important innovations and moments that helped to bring modernity to our society. Called Origins: The Journey of Humankind, it will air on Monday nights at 9 PM (8 CT).  It’s hosted by Jason Silva (Brain Games) and is a fast-paced journey that is worth a look if you’re into science and how things came to be.

Guess what this led to. (photo credit: National Geographic)

The first episode is on the aforementioned fire and is fascinating in both its scope and context. John Boswell (known as Melodysheep) handled the audiovisual sequences, which are rapid-fire and bring immediate clarity to the topic at hand.  Silva’s narration is interspersed with various dramatic portions, such as when London learned the hard way that fire can be difficult to control—as a result, there was a huge fire in 1666 that destroyed much of the city.  But we learned to harness it (somewhat), when Robert Goddard created the first rocket.  Overall, the show is fairly well conceived and presents numerous opportunities to consider how we got to where we are today.  I think Silva repeats himself too much, but that may just be a matter of personal taste.

Just as Silva notes that fire plays a role in the modernization of mankind, we can see similar ‘moments’ in the Bible. Moses saw a burning bush where he first encountered God (see Exodus 3). The Israelites were led by a pillar of fire on their journey to the Promised Land (see Exodus 13:2-22).  The fire on the Temple altar was never to go out (see Leviticus 6:12-14). Peter began the process of denying he was a follower of Jesus while staying warm at a fire (see Luke 22:54-56). Jesus cooked a meal over fire, after his return to life, before he restored Peter after the above-mentioned denial (see John 21). The Spirit passed over the new believers in Jerusalem, granting them the ability to speak in other languages when tongues of flame landed on them (see Acts 2:1-12). James even likened the tongue to a fire—it can start forest fires of problems if not checked consistently (he also notes that no man can tame it, but we should certainly give it our best try—see James 3:5-7). And there are plenty more to consider.

Fire is life.  Without it, we cease to be what we are.  It would be wise to consider that as we go through our day—and as we think about God.