The Ignorant Lady at the King Tut Exhibit

Jay, Andy and I went with a friend's cub scout pack to see King Tut when the exhibit came to Dallas. It was very impressive and very well done! I was dissappointed not to see the actual mummy in the last room of the exhibit, but understand that it is fragile. The artifacts are simply amazing. It's amazing to think that people in a civilization over 3 thousand years ago lived much like we do, in fact, probably better than we did here in America until only a century or two ago. Everything from culture, art, and government to daily life and personal affects are eerily similar to life as we know it today, or at least, not too long ago.

While we were making our way through the various rooms, it became apparent that a woman in our tour group was more knowledgeable than the guide. Her information and anecdotes were more informative and more colorful. The guide seemed irritated and told her that our group was taking too long in each room because we were all flocking to listen to her. Anyways, the woman pointed out that the ancient Egyptians had believed in multiple gods, but Tutankhamun's predecessor had legislated that there would be only one god, which was very unpopular. King Tut made the switch back to many gods. (I suppose that God will just go on being, or not, regardless of what humans legislate, but that's another thread.)

One woman in the audience made this comment: "Wow, it's amazing that their civilization could be so ADVANCED yet so STUPID AND IGNORANT at the same time!"

Wow indeed. One day I expect future civilizations to say that about us. I mean, wow, look at us. With our modern technology and our advanced education and our ability to tame the globe and beyond...yet...there are still people among us who believe in the immaculate conception. Or that priests can turn crackers and grape juice into flesh and blood. Or that the Earth is only a few thousand years old. And flat. Or that we all decended from a man in a garden and a woman made from the man's rib. Or that someone can die on a cross 2000 years ago and that for this reason people can make mistakes without fear of going to the "bad place." Or, hell, no pun intended, even that the "good place" and "bad place" are real.

Yes, so advanced, but so stupid and ignorant. But maybe we, like the ancient Egyptians, are not stupid and ignorant so much as we are not yet capable, or privy to, the ability to wrap our minds around the vastness of all that is.