Time Machine

[Jimmyeatworld]

This came up during a recent discussion among some friends of mine. I wanted to see what some of the people here would come up with.

You have a time machine. You can go back to any point in history and video tape a 15 minute conversation with any person you choose. Who do you talk to and what would be the subject?

Now, before we get started, let me ask that you save the heartfelt stuff. If you would like to go back and talk to your grandmother before she passed away, that's very nice and very sweet, but that's not what I'm looking for. Historical figures. Think about the way you might change the world today, just by talking to someone from the past. Something along those lines.

I chose to go back to the early 1800s and talk to President Thomas Jefferson. I would ask him to explain what the term "separation of church and state" meant, since so many people today seem to have a twisted view of what it is. If I had time (which I'm sure I would), I would give him some current examples of what people call violations of the Constitution, and ask for his opinion. I would then come back and put the video on the internet, free of charge, as well as sending a copy to every media outlet I could think of, except Newsweek, the New York Times, and CBS, because they suck. :usa:

 

[5stringJeff]

I'd talk to Jesus, post-resurrection. 15 minutes of theology, straight from Christ's mouth. And I would include modern questions about Christian theology.

 

[no1tovote4]

Siddhartha Gautama Buddha

 

[Dan]

I'd talk to Jesus, post-resurrection. 15 minutes of theology, straight from Christ's mouth. And I would include modern questions about Christian theology.

Me, too. Post or pre resurrection has no bearing on it though, I'd just want to talk to him. I'd imagine that he wouldn't come across as being theological or anything, I always think of him as talking on the level of the average person of his time, y'know, he hung out in the streets, not the churches and all that. But, I think he'd be interesting, even though 15 minutes would not be nearly enough. Honestly, I'd be most interested in hearing him talk about his internal conflicts, being the son of God versus being a man succeptible to temptation.

 

[freeandfun1]

Adam. And I would spend 15 minutes talking about pleasing God!

 

[Nienna]

I chose to go back to the early 1800s and talk to President Thomas Jefferson. I would ask him to explain what the term "separation of church and state" meant, since so many people today seem to have a twisted view of what it is. If I had time (which I'm sure I would), I would give him some current examples of what people call violations of the Constitution, and ask for his opinion. I would then come back and put the video on the internet, free of charge, as well as sending a copy to every media outlet I could think of, except Newsweek, the New York Times, and CBS, because they suck. :usa:

Actually, Jefferson completely explained "separation of church and state" in his letter to the Dabury Baptists. The way it has been twisted is this: "church" meant a state-mandated religion. But in 1962, judges ruled, against dozens of legal precedents, that "church" meant any religious activity.

Thomas Jefferson wrote many times of his fear that the judicial branch would take over the government. It's like the guy was psychic.

Of course Jesus, but I look forward to seeing Him some day, anyway!

Thomas Jefferson was my first thought, too. It's just fascinating to look at some of the things he wrote and see how they are twisted out of context.

I think it would be interesting to talk to the Rev. Samuel Parris right before the Salem witch hunts began, like January 19, 1692. I would strongly recommend a sound spanking for his daughter, Elizabeth, and a course on logic.

 

[Nienna]

Adam. And I would spend 15 minutes talking about pleasing God!

Oh yeah!

 

[gaffer]

There are a lot of historical figures to chose from. But other than Americans and English you would have a difficult time communicating with any of them. Jesus would have to perform a miracle for you to talk to him. Unless you already speak ancient hebrew. If your unable to communicate where does that leave you? Things that make you go hmmmmm.

One of the things I hate about time travel shows is that everyone always speaks English.

 

[JOKER96BRAVO]

Lee Harvy Oswald.
(and maybe George Lucas)

 

[dilloduck]

Adam. And I would spend 15 minutes talking about pleasing God!

Awesome---I guess you would fix this problem we have with evil and religion would be unnecessary ?

 

[Annie]

Hmmm, Alexander Hamilton and either Samuel Johnson or his sidekick, Boswell.

Hamilton on how he could be so enlightened in his thinking, yet so abrasive in dealing with others. (personal self-improvement should be ignored! )

Johnson and Boswell, well I think I'd just like talking with them in the pub!

 

[freeandfun1]

Awesome---I guess you would fix this problem we have with evil and religion would be unnecessary ?

Well, in a sense you would be right. If they had never eaten of the forbidden fruit, all this stuff would be a mute point...

 

[dilloduck]

Well, in a sense you would be right. If they had never eaten of the forbidden fruit, all this stuff would be a mute point...

Plus it would be cool to win a duke out with the Devil himself!

 

[Jimmyeatworld]

Actually, Jefferson completely explained "separation of church and state" in his letter to the Dabury Baptists. The way it has been twisted is this: "church" meant a state-mandated religion. But in 1962, judges ruled, against dozens of legal precedents, that "church" meant any religious activity.

Exactly, that's where the term actually stems from, but try to tell some people that today. I think if people actually saw the man explaining it, and showing his disappointment in what it had become, maybe it would change some peoples minds. Then again....

Of course Jesus, but I look forward to seeing Him some day, anyway!

Thomas Jefferson was my first thought, too. It's just fascinating to look at some of the things he wrote and see how they are twisted out of context.

I think it would be interesting to talk to the Rev. Samuel Parris right before the Salem witch hunts began, like January 19, 1692. I would strongly recommend a sound spanking for his daughter, Elizabeth, and a course on logic.

A few others are on my list too. Lee Harvey Oswald, Franklin Roosevelt, Martin Luther King Jr., to name a few. As far as somebody just to chat with, Babe Ruth might be interesting for me. And, of course, if it were all real, the temptation to go back and talk to Lincoln about the benefits of ducking or Michael Moore's mother about birth control would be hard to fight off. However, I am one of those people that wouldn't want to change the past, for fear that it might screw up the present.

 

[Jimmyeatworld]

There are a lot of historical figures to chose from. But other than Americans and English you would have a difficult time communicating with any of them. Jesus would have to perform a miracle for you to talk to him. Unless you already speak ancient hebrew. If your unable to communicate where does that leave you? Things that make you go hmmmmm.

One of the things I hate about time travel shows is that everyone always speaks English.

Space shows too. Odd how people from planets 10 light years away always speak English. For this, I'm assuming there is some way to communicate. If you can time travel, surely you can have a bablefish.

 

[no1tovote4]

Space shows too. Odd how people from planets 10 light years away always speak English. For this, I'm assuming there is some way to communicate. If you can time travel, surely you can have a bablefish.

That is the work of the Universal Translator in Star Trek. It is able to translate everywhere and amazingly sink up their mouths with the words...

 

[no1tovote4]

I'm just thankful that in a Galaxy Far, Far Away they spoke english. Otherwise it would be hard to follow the Star Wars movies.