The Tower of Babel and the Nimrod Effect
The Tower of Babel and the Nimrod Effect which ensued are powerful
reminders of the sovereignty of God. All too often, however, man's innate desire
to be recognized as a god gives rise to a despot; a ruler who condones and
advocates the dehumanization and enslavement of mankind. This common
occurrence is referred to as the Nimrod Effect, with the ruler titled an Oriental
Despot. Nimrod, the Babylonian monarch who commissioned the construction of
the Tower of Babel, was the prototypical Oriental Despot. This threatened the
sovereign power of God the Creator, so in retribution he caused the confusion of
language and the dispersion of peoples. Although the populace no longer
shared the communal bond of speech, they had one common attribute: the
presence of an Oriental despot. The Nimrod Effect, although part of man's fallen
nature, is an affront to God the Creator. The crumbling of the social strata, which
an Oriental Despot invariably causes, and leads to the inhumane treatment and
abject humiliation of his subjects, and a perpetual disposition towards an
authoritarian system of administration.
The procedure which will be followed will include an analysis of why a
confusion of languages produced social breakdown. These analyses will include
those of various sociologists and theorists. Other scholars will lend his or her
opinion as to why the Nimrod Effect repetitively occurs. This will lead into
extreme cases throughout history where an Oriental despot appeared.
The confusion of the languages of the earth produced obvious
complications in daily routines. G. C. Homans' examination of the steps in social
disintegration give a systematic analysis of...
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...nd as a mediator between the people and the gods, or even to be a god
himself, it leads to the attempt to be recognized by other human beings as a
God, hence to the dehumanization and enslavement of mankind. The human
desire to as gods is direct resistance to the God the Creator, creating a
permanent tendency towards tyrannical government.
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The innate human tendency to subject others to his authority and his desires
invariably gives rise to a despot. When the Oriental Despot claims to stand as a
mediator between the people and the gods, or even to be a god himself, it leads
to the attempt to be recognized by other human beings as a God, hence to the
dehumanization and enslavement of mankind. The human desire to as gods is
direct resistance to the God the Creator, creating a permanent tendency towards
tyrannical government.
To please this god, the priests convince the people of the tribe to make sacrifices. The Powhatan also told about the creator gods. A major god known as ahone was recognized. Ahone created the gods, who helped him make and care for the earth.
The first story of the divine ruling was Gilgamesh a demi-god that was created from two-thirds god and one third man. This is what made mankind believe in Gilgamesh because he was part god (their beliefs) and part human (like them). His leadership was unmatched displaying superior acts like building great walls by himself, so of course men would follow his lead because he could back up his words with actions. “He walks out in front, the leader, and walks at the rear, trusted by his companions.”
In Emerson’s “Nature” nature is referred to as “plantations of god” meaning that nature is sacred. Also mentioned, is that “In the woods is perpetual youth”(#) conveying that nature keeps people young. Therefore, these excerpts show that nature is greatly valued by these transcendentalists. Transcendentalists would likely care significantly about the environment. In contrast, nowadays nature is often and afterthought. Natures’ resources are being depleted for human use, and the beauty of nature is also not as appreciated by modern people as it was by transcendentalists. The threat to nature in modern times contrasts to the great appreciation of nature held by authors like Emerson and
Man has destroyed nature, and for years now, man has not been living in nature. Instead, only little portions of nature are left in the world
The myths which prove the contradictory behavior of the gods, acting as both benefactors and tormentors of man, can readily be explained when viewed in light of the prime directive for man, to worship the gods and not “overstep,” and the ensuing “Deus ex Mahina” which served to coerce man to fulfill his destiny as evidenced by the myths: “Pandora,” “Arachne, and “Odysseus.” Humankind and it’s range of vision over the gods beauty and power portrayed them to be benefactors but unseemingly it depicted their affliction towards humans.
People of the ancient world often had questions about their existence and how life and people came to be on earth. Most ancient people answered these questions through religion. The Sumerians were the first important group of people to inhabit Mesopotamia and they were known to practice a form of worship called polytheism, which is the worship of several gods. Mesopotamians associated different gods with natural events, emotions, and other occurrences. Their main deities included An (the god of the heavens), Enlil (Lord Storm), Enki (god of wisdom), and Nihursaga (the mother of all living things)(p.22). The Mesopotamians believed that the gods controlled all of the events and occurrences in life. An ancient text called “Creation of Man by the Mother Goddess” (p.34) helps us understand how the M...
In the Discworld, there are a numerous amount of gods, powerful and weak. Small Gods takes a look into the realm of Ominia, a vast empire devoted to the Greater Glory of their god Om. The Gods of Discworld have a very unique power source. Their power depends upon having believers; a god with no believers fades into a powerless, wandering spirit or dies. The Great God Om has a powerful church, yet has only one real believer, a novice monk named Brutha. Drained of supportive power, he finds himself trapped in the body of an ordinary tortoise. Imagine the discomfiture a god might experience if confronted with some of the beliefs taught in his name -- and some of the "divinely inspired" actions taken by his followers as a result. Om, in his little tortoise shell, also comes to the disconcerting realization that, while his religion is vast and has many zealous worshippers, he has very few actual honest-to-Om believers. One, actually (Knapp n.pag.).
In conclusion, through the remained literatures of the ancient Greeks, one can see that the Greeks believed that they were created to glorify their gods and that the exchange between human beings and gods are obvious. Hence, one should please the gods to be blessed.
The problem in society today is human activity and their lack of effort to conserve nature and it’s natural habitats The addition of this new scene in the movie is supposed to convey how significant nature should be to humans. It’s supposed to send a message to viewers that because nature comes from a holy source, it’s human right to preserve it, let it thrive, and respect
Humans bring meaning to nature in the form of imaginative thought. Self-imposed social and intellectual restrictions deprive humans of experiencing nature and the true human spirit.
Humanity seems to sanctify nature because it exists in a pure form that is separated from the technological world of modern civilization. Nature is often seen as a haven for peace and for organic beauty. It is consecrated as being simply present before humanities introduction to nature as well as designated to exist after humanity’s demise. This transcendent quality of nature that extends over the reach of humanity invokes a sense of spirituality, known as the sublime, that connects humanity to nature without the influence of the corrupt material world found in civilization. The sublime is so excellent that it inspires awe in those who experience it.
When considering nature many people think of valleys filled with tulips and squirrels scurrying around. When a person thinks of wilderness he or she make think of overgrown forests filled with wolves prowling around and mountain cats ready to attack. Then, that person may discuss how he or she would react to his or her surroundings as if the person were a foreign object thrown into unfamiliar territory. That the wilderness and nature are two places filled with beauty and amazement that can strike most people speechless can be proved by climbing a mountain or just standing in the sun and feeling it’s warmth flood throughout the body, but there is apart of nature that is often times overlooked or just right out ignored. Human beings while may be disconnected from nature are not separate from it, but in actuality are a part of nature.
To understand the nature-society relationship means that humans must also understand the benefits as well as problems that arise within the formation of this relationship. Nature as an essence and natural limits are just two of the ways in which this relationship can be broken down in order to further get an understanding of the ways nature and society both shape one another. These concepts provide useful approaches in defining what nature is and how individuals perceive and treat
The power of nature is all around us and can be found almost anywhere. One is able to study nature through experiencing it firsthand, looking at a picture, watching a movie, or even reading a familiar children’s story. I believe that by learning more about nature we can grow closer to God. Emerson states, “Nature is so pervaded in human life, that there is something of humanity in all, and in every particular” (Emerson 508). Like Emerson, I believe that humanity and nature were created by God and we can learn more about the Spirit of God by studying nature. I also see that nature has the power to influence our emotions and actions. I see evidence of this through various landscapes such as the desert, the beach, the mountains and the jungle. I thought about the vastness of the desert during a recent trip to the desert with my class. I think about nature and my love for it when I am scanning through my photo album and see pictures that capture me enjoying the mountains of Utah. When I watched the movie The Beach I was struck out how nature, specifically the beautiful beaches of Thailand, influenced the actions of every character in the movie. Of course it is hard to read a legendary story such as “Jungle Book” and not see what a powerful effect nature and its’ animals can have over humans.