This whole thing about "race" is just so typical, and so disappointing. AND - I know none of you boneheads are reading my posts of wisdom on this topic - except Frogger - but he's an amphibian.
The modern construct of "race," as in "There are three races of man on the planet - the Black race from darkest Africa, the Yellow or Mongoloid race of the Orient and the great White race preserved by God's grace..." is simply a bunch of Victorian ignorance. The same kind of ignorance that gave us woolen suits for tropical wear and the Penny-Farthing bicycle.
Who's to say that "Black Africans" from 'sub-Saharan Africa' constitute a separate race at all? Consider the Australian aboriginals...
"Ah!" you unlearned will say, "The Australian aborigines ARE 'Black Africans' - they just exported themselves some how." Are they really?
Genetically, the closest populations to the Australian aborigines are the... get this... "Caucasian" Ainu peoples who were the "original" inhabitants of Japan - AND - the Tierre del Fuego Indians of Chile and Argentina. "Black Africans" are much further distant "cousins." Here is a "race" of people who exist within three distinct "color phases" or adaptations. "Black" in Australia and New Guinea, "white" in Japan, Manchuria and Russia, and "red(?)" in the Americas. Yet genetically, all one "race."
How many other "races" of people have come and gone? How many still exist among us but are hidden by our prejudices? The Neanderthals actually had larger brains than homo sapiens, but they were "low browed cavemen;" but then again, so are my neighbors down the street. Neanderthals clearly lived in close proximity with our ancestors and may even have intermarried (that's been "disproved" and then "reproved" - but remains uncertain, however we do share a common ancestor with them). Where did the Neanderthals go? And why? Or did they "go?"
The notions of "Afro-Centricism" that seekerman appears to have been trying to react against are false. The Hebrews were not "Black." The ancient Egyptians were not Black, most of the time, but they were sometimes, and now the modern ones can have all sorts of traits - just like everybody else and probably just like the ancients as well.
The assertions that any particular "race" has not made any "contributions to civilizations" betrays an ignorance of both "race" and civilization.
Great post Pel!
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You are correct Prax. The qualifications for Pharaoh stipulated nothing about the color of his skin. He just had to be able to run this crazy obstacle course once every few years (true story).
That, and he had to be the most powerful dude (or dudette!) in the Nile Valley. Over the long course of Egyptian history people of so many different "races" sat on the throne that modern folk have even begun to add "space aliens" to the list. The Twenty-Fifth Dynasty was the Nubian Dynasty, though the "race mixing" had been rife since at least 30,000 BC.
Quote:
Originally Posted by pelathais
This whole thing about "race" is just so typical, and so disappointing. AND - I know none of you boneheads are reading my posts of wisdom on this topic - except Frogger - but he's an amphibian.
The modern construct of "race," as in "There are three races of man on the planet - the Black race from darkest Africa, the Yellow or Mongoloid race of the Orient and the great White race preserved by God's grace..." is simply a bunch of Victorian ignorance. The same kind of ignorance that gave us woolen suits for tropical wear and the Penny-Farthing bicycle.
Who's to say that "Black Africans" from 'sub-Saharan Africa' constitute a separate race at all? Consider the Australian aboriginals...
"Ah!" you unlearned will say, "The Australian aborigines ARE 'Black Africans' - they just exported themselves some how." Are they really?
Genetically, the closest populations to the Australian aborigines are the... get this... "Caucasian" Ainu peoples who were the "original" inhabitants of Japan - AND - the Tierre del Fuego Indians of Chile and Argentina. "Black Africans" are much further distant "cousins." Here is a "race" of people who exist within three distinct "color phases" or adaptations. "Black" in Australia and New Guinea, "white" in Japan, Manchuria and Russia, and "red(?)" in the Americas. Yet genetically, all one "race."
How many other "races" of people have come and gone? How many still exist among us but are hidden by our prejudices? The Neanderthals actually had larger brains than homo sapiens, but they were "low browed cavemen;" but then again, so are my neighbors down the street. Neanderthals clearly lived in close proximity with our ancestors and may even have intermarried (that's been "disproved" and then "reproved" - but remains uncertain, however we do share a common ancestor with them). Where did the Neanderthals go? And why? Or did they "go?"
The notions of "Afro-Centricism" that seekerman appears to have been trying to react against are false. The Hebrews were not "Black." The ancient Egyptians were not Black, most of the time, but they were sometimes, and now the modern ones can have all sorts of traits - just like everybody else and probably just like the ancients as well.
The assertions that any particular "race" has not made any "contributions to civilizations" betrays an ignorance of both "race" and civilization.
According to what I have read....it seems the so called "black Africans" contributed to the civilization of Africa.
I still want to know what this dude means by what "black Africans" contributed to civilization....who's civilization? Europes?
__________________ Let it be understood that Apostolic Friends Forum is an Apostolic Forum.
Apostolic is defined on AFF as:
There is One God. This one God reveals Himself distinctly as Father, Son and Holy Ghost.
The Son is God himself in a human form or "God manifested in the flesh" (1Tim 3:16)
Every sinner must repent of their sins.
That Jesus name baptism is the only biblical mode of water baptism.
That the Holy Ghost is for today and is received by faith with the initial evidence of speaking in tongues.
The saint will go on to strive to live a holy life, pleasing to God.
Oh..and though this is a little different, let's not forget that the descendants of those black Africans contributed MUCH to this great nation we all America
__________________ Let it be understood that Apostolic Friends Forum is an Apostolic Forum.
Apostolic is defined on AFF as:
There is One God. This one God reveals Himself distinctly as Father, Son and Holy Ghost.
The Son is God himself in a human form or "God manifested in the flesh" (1Tim 3:16)
Every sinner must repent of their sins.
That Jesus name baptism is the only biblical mode of water baptism.
That the Holy Ghost is for today and is received by faith with the initial evidence of speaking in tongues.
The saint will go on to strive to live a holy life, pleasing to God.
Guess some topics are off limits and since this isn't my forum, I have to live by the powers that control the forum. No more posting by me on this particular topic.