Do You Know What You Are Smoking, Man?

With so many voices and opinions out there, sometimes all you need is the knowledge to make your own decisions. -Go to link: Above The Influence

Say No

I was never one to fully engage in smoking weed as a teen, I just got high of contact *(Smile :-)!  Seriously, the older dudes I hung out with in my hood made me put the joint down because they said it wasn't me--even though they were straight up "weed heads"!  They may not be aware of what they did for me, but I am deeply indebted to those brothers because since that day I have never picked up a joint again!

This is just an observation:

Today's youth are becoming more an more engaged and are not as lucky as I once was to have guys I looked up to guide me on the right path.  The marijuana the youth are smoking today is not like the ganja folk had access to back in the day.  It doesn't even smell the same.  Today, the marijuana they have is being spiked with a variety of chemicals or as the teens it is being "stepped on."  The chemicals they are putting on the weed is causing a type of "slow death" to sort of speak and they are getting addicted to it--something unheard of in my day.

Purple Kush

Young people today have become so addicted to marijuana and in order to just function on a daily bases they have to do what is called a "wake & bake."  They have come up with all type of interesting names for the marijuana according to the affect it has or high it makes them "Kush," "Reggie," "Loud," and "Purple" to name a few.  This trend will eventually lead them to much harder drugs causing an even deeper problem and epidemic.

The so called "War On Drugs," has decimated both Black and Brown communities through mass incarceration in particularly young males.  The "War On Drugs," was the pretext to take young Black and Brown men off the streets at an alarming rate.  Many of the arrests and jail time given have been unjust.  However so, we have been responsible for our own demise by continuing to engage in such behaviors that are adverse to our productivity.  We cannot continue to tread down this destructive path or else we will surely continue to pay a devastating price.

Tragedy at State College

'This is a tragedy,' Paterno says. 'It is one of the great sorrows of my life. With the benefit of hindsight, I wish I had done more.'  (Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2059268/Penn-State-scandal-Matt-Millen-breaks-air-number-victims-DOUBLES.html#ixzz1d4Gw7D)

As a former collegiate football player and currently a HS football coach, I have nothing but respect and admiration for Coach Joe Paterno affectionately known as "Joe Pa."  For his impeccable 46 year coaching career to come to an abrupt halt like this is totally unthinkable.  Joe Pa has been a model coach known as a father figure and philanthropist by many he often garnered due honor and respect.  Now the question is raised whether or not this inexcusably repulsive act allegedly committed by former defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky will tarnish his legacy.  The question is raised rightful so amidst the current climate.  I believe to an extent it will publicly but on an individual bases I believe not.  I will still hold the same respect and admiration I had before for Coach Joe Pa  as a football coach even though from a moral stand point he should have done more.  Which is why ultimately the school board had to make the very tough decision to fire him.  Some critics like Stephen A. Smith suggest that he should have went months ago but it appears the powers that be conveniently waited until he passed Eddie Robinson's coaching record for most wins.

However so, the elephant in the room is the abomination allegedly committed on his watch, which raises public concern of could he have done more than just reporting it to school's AD at the time.  Because this alleged crime involves sodomizing young boys is the part that one cannot stomach.  Like former Penn State stand out and current ESPN analyst Matt Millen put it "'I get mad,' Millen said as he broke down in tears. 'It's pretty disturbing. It makes you sick to see that this could happen to this level.'" Sure coach could have taken it further but I'm sure he felt he did the right thing by going to his AD, as it was the AD's job to take it further.  In my humble opinion that is who dropped the ball here and he was rightfully let go, as well as the school's President.  The former grad assistant Mike McQueary who supposedly reported the infraction also thought he did the right thing by following the chain of command.  I respect chain of command no doubt but I as a full grown man witnessing an act of the sort would have done more than follow chain of command.  My moral obligation radar would have caused me to take action into my on hand.

The other elephant in the room, that plays a major role is the fact that most of the young boys allegedly assaulted were African American.  I do not want to play the race card here but one must pose the question is this why, this story was not broken much sooner.  I'm sure the chain of command knew that the majority of the boys were African American. This incident was swept under the rug initially an it implied that young African American males are not valued in this country.   At the end of the day as my mother would always say "what ever is in the dark will come to the light, you just watch, wait and see."  Her words are forever true and as time goes all the information about this case will come to the light.  

My thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families because they are going through a very difficult time to say the lease.  I pray justice is served justly and that all parties involved are held accountable.  We just have to sit back and watch as this thing unfolds and not let emotions take over good common sense and decency.  As for Joe Pa, I know he will be able to move forth and find a way to be of service to all involved for the benefit of the common good--a trait that he has exemplified throughout his long coaching career.  It is indeed a tragedy but time heals all wounds.

It's Not About You or Me...

If we want an increase of God & His Christ, there must be a decrease of self. -The Brotha & ODB (Our Daily Bread)

The duty of a true believer is to know the difference between God's interests and one's own personal (self) interests so that we do not confuse the task(s) that The Creator has charged us with.  Moreover so that we do not block or hinder our blessings and be of no use to God as witnesses of His love, glory, and omnipresence to mankind.  The believer has to get to a place along the journey where he/she becomes totally selfless.  As the great contemporary public intellectual Cornel West suggests "You cannot serve the people unless you love the people."  Thus denoting we must all become servant leaders.  God puts us in certain circumstances by His will and we must act accordingly.  Acting accordingly means that it is all about Him and not us, if we approach it in the opposite, we are hindering the Spirit of God from doing the work through us in the most effective and proper manner. 

"An attitude of humility should also characterize us.  Rather than desiring attention for ourselves, everything we do should bring glory to our God."  “He must increase, but I must decrease.”  It is all about God as suggested above when we realize that "He is using you now for His purposes throughout the world as He used His Son for the purpose of our salvation."  We have to be good stewards over our respective purpose(s) that The Creator has given us.  "If you seek great things for yourself, thinking, 'God has called me for this and for that, you barricade God from using you.'  As long as you maintain your own personal interests and ambitions, you cannot be completely aligned or identified with God’s interests..." -(Paraphrased from Our Daily Bread 11/10/11 & My Utmost for His Highest 11/10/11)

God uses us from His great personal perspective and we must be spiritually open and aware to willingly trust Him and Him alone.  Christ gave us a great example of this when he took to the desert for 40 days and 40 nights.  Jesus relied not on his own admission but on the omnipotent admission of The Father by totally trusting Him and by being in accord with Him as his guide and aide when devil tried to tempt him.  As Jesus so profoundly put it "One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of God."  "The Lord, your God, shall you worship and him alone shall you serve." (Duet 10:20)

Our duty is to follow and abide by the same source that Jesus so aptly did.  When we continuously allow God to do His work within us through His Holy Spirit then and only then are we truly being the dutiful servants that we should be.  We are then able to be the representatives on earth that are needed for the time.  We resist the various temptations and moral repugnance that permeate the current climate.  We thus put on the whole armor of God and stand against the wiles of Satan.   -Peace (Shalom or Salaam alaikum) Be with You, or Unto to You

Not I but The Creator (God) using us as His servants be honored, loved, exalted;
Not I but The Creator be seen, be known, be heard and be obeyed;
Not I but The Creator in every interaction or endeavor;
Not I but The Creator in every thought, word, and deed. —The Brotha

Do You Have Focused Eyes?

"When you keep your eyes on God and His Christ,

everything will come into focus." -The Brotha

Focused Eyes

 If we focus on God and His Christ, we will plow a straight path and accomplish God's purpose in our lives. When you keep your eyes on God and His Christ, everything will come into focus. In the life of the Believer, we focus on Christ because he was the best example and when we do so, it allows us to be true disciples (followers) of Jesus Christ.  When we do this we become more like the Master.  In fact Christ never taught us to worship him but he did teach us to follow him.  Of course he is worthy of praise and honor because of what he did for us while he was on the scene and when he left us to be with The Father.  However praise and honor does not denote worship, an act of error in which many of us fall into because we have not been properly taught.  We have been primarily taught to worship Jesus versus solely praise and honor him.  By worshiping him, it prevents us from completely focusing on God as the source and sort of down plays God's role in the entire process.   Furthermore it represses us to some degree from being able to completely witness to Jesus' ultimate power and purpose--which came by God's permission.  We focus and anguish over the circumstances he faced and experienced thus the reasons and lessons of those circumstances. 

Follow The Leader

 Furthermore, as true followers of God and His Christ we understand that there is no such thing as chance or accidental circumstances whether challenging or positive.  "All your circumstances are in the hand of God, and therefore you don’t ever have to think they are unnatural or unique."   If God brings you to it, it is for a reason(s) and lesson(s).   Moreover it is our duty to be witnesses to what God is doing in our lives combined with learning to praise and give thanks to Him "In The Middle of It," and not agonize over what we are up against.  We must realize and understand that it is only a test or trail that we are facing and experiencing.   We must then keep our eyes focused on the source which is God.  By doing such, we recognize that the trial(s) and test(s) are necessary for our spiritual growth and development.  It develops our complete trust and frees us from stress and worry because we allow the Spirit of God to bear our burdens.  Through this process we develop a deeper spiritual discernment and we learn to get our of the way and let go and let God, do what he does.  I'm reminded of the old gospel tune "Jesus Can Work It Out," the reason Jesus can work it out is because he understood and practiced the art of focus within its proper context and purpose.  He focused on The Father like none other which allowed him to completely trust God and be free!  This is why he had and has a great effect on the world for over 2000 years.  Might I respectfully assert and suggest, If we understand The Christ in this light, we will began to erase the half trues we have been taught about him and his time among us over 2000 years ago.  We will become true and proper followers of The Christ, then and only then, will we become true fishermen of men, free the captives from oppression, care for the orphan, the widow, and the stranger, advocate for and feed the poor, heal the sick, speak truth to the powerful and change the world.  

Follow his Footsteps

May God continue to grow and develop us and give us deeper spiritual discernment and understanding.  Peace be unto you! Many Blessings! Thank God! Amen! -Selah 

-The Spiritual Institute of Divine Teachings

"I am His beloved child, comforted in sad times and wise and strong in times of change.  There is nothing to fear from the events of my life, no outer condition is forever." -Joel Hicks

Scriptural and Literary Support:

and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills... -Exodus 3:31

Submit to God and be at peace with him; in this way prosperity will come to you.  -Job 22:21

Teach me your way, LORD; lead me in a straight path because of my oppressors.  -Psalm 27:11

  

As the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the Lord our God, until he has mercy upon us.  -Psalm 123:2

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and He will make your paths straight. -Proverbs 3:5,6

Then I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will lead you with knowledge and understanding. -Jeremiah 3:15

Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers. -Luke 2:47

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.  -Romans 8:26

We know that all things work together for good to those who love God . . . -Romans 8:28

And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. -Romans 13:11

So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my understanding; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my understanding. -1 Corinthians 14:15 

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,[a] whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. 6 But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7 That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8 Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do. -James 1:2-8

We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true by being in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.  -1 John 5:20

Nay! were you witnesses when death visited Yaqoub (Jacob), when he said to his sons: What will you serve after me? They said: We will serve your God and the God of your fathers, Ibrahim (Abraham) and Ismail (Ishmael) and Ishaq (Isaac), one God only, and to Him do we submit.  -Surah 2:221

He it is Who has revealed the Book to you; some of its verses are decisive, they are the basis of the Book, and others are allegorical; then as for those in whose hearts there is perversity they follow the part of it which is allegorical, seeking to mislead and seeking to give it (their own) interpretation. but none knows its interpretation except Allah, and those who are firmly rooted in knowledge say: We believe in it, it is all from our Lord; and none do mind except those having understanding. -Surah 3:7

When Allah will say: O Isa (Jesus) son of Marium (Mary)! Remember My favor on you and on your mother, when I strengthened you I with the holy Spirit, you spoke to the people in the cradle and I when of old age, and when I taught you the Book and the wisdom and the Taurat (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel); and when you determined out of clay a thing like the form of a bird by My permission, then you breathed into it and it became a bird by My permission, and you healed the blind and the leprous by My permission; and when you brought forth the dead by My permission; and when I withheld the children of Israel from you when you came to them with clear arguments, but those who disbelieved among them said: This is nothing but clear enchantment. -Surah 5:110

And when I revealed to the disciples, saying, Believe in Me and My apostle, they said: We believe and bear witness that we submit (ourselves). -Surah 5:111

When the disciples said: O Isa son of Marium! will your Lord consent to send down to us food from heaven? He said: Be careful of (your duty to) Allah if you are believers. -Surah 5:112

They said: We desire that we should eat of it and that our hearts should be at rest, and that we may know that you have indeed spoken the truth to us and that we may be of the witnesses to it. -Surah 5:113

O you who believe! do not take My enemy and your enemy for friends: would you offer them love while they deny what has come to you of the truth, driving out the Apostle and yourselves because you believe in Allah (God), your Lord? If you go forth struggling hard in My path and seeking My pleasure, would you manifest love to them? And I know what you conceal and what you manifest; and whoever of you does this, he indeed has gone astray from the straight path. -Surah 60:1

Notes from MLK Jr. "Letter from Birmingham Jail" by Dr. Charles Ess, Philosophy and Religion, Drury University

The Letter consciously appeals to both prophetic  religious impulses (that part of the Judeo-Christian tradition stressing liberation of the oppressed, as exemplified in the Exodus event and the subsequent ethos of care for "the widow, the orphan, and the stranger") and the rationalist/revolutionary  arguments for democratic rights and freedoms developed especially in the Enlightenment, and familiar to us from Locke and Jefferson. Dr. King makes this conjunction explicit towards the end of the Letter when he says

One day the South will know that when these disinherited children of God sat down at lunch counters, they were in reality standing up for what is best in the American dream and for the most sacred values in our Judaeo-Christian heritage, thereby bringing our nation back to those great wells of democracy which were dug deep by the founding fathers in their formulation of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence.

"Somebody has to follow the Messiah, it is not just talking about him, it's not just about praising him, it's about walking behind him as true disciple..."  -Excerpt from Bro. HMin. Farrakhan remarks at Congwm Juila Carson's funeral service

Hard trails are necessary to establish truth. -Farrakhan

Truth & Widsdom : The Shock of the Hour, Katrina & Rita

"I don't serve some milquetoast God... He is a God of ultimate power." -Farrakhan

Cogitate this... Peeps all over the country brace as we get ready for another hurricane to hit... This time it's Rita (another sista)!!! But seriously, peeps have different opinions about why this devastation is happening--some say it's to get rid of evil, some say God is not happy w/ America, Kayne says "Bush don't like Black people." There are a number of factors that play a role in the reasoning of why but we as people have to be wise and seek truth when in doubt. In order to do this, we must carefully examine from an unadulterated historical, factual, and spiritual perspective in order to get answers. This is just a thought... What do you feel???

-L aka The Brotha

Chew on this spiritual perspective... I thought this was interesting!!!

***The element of surprise comes upon us when we are not prepared to deal with truth! Truth is the foundation of life as discipline has been said to be the foundation of wisdom. When we seek The Creator as we should without hesitance we will receive all that he has for us!!! The Creator has many attributes and we as believers whether of traditional or non-traditional faiths tend to focus on The Creator's non-threatening attributes (in which we should rightfully so), i.e., mercy, grace, or love... And forget about his attributes of wrath, anger, & destruction. Let us be wise and ponder what has been shared w/ us through scripture...

Then the LORD said, "My Spirit will not contend with man forever, for he is mortal; his days will be a hundred and twenty years."
Genesis 6:3 NIV

The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities his eternal power and divine nature have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. Romans 1:18-20 NIV

Those who disbelieve -- it being alike to them whether thou warn them or warn them not -- they will not believe.
Surah (Chap) 2:6 Holy Quran

Comments on the blog:

T writes:

I've been tripping off all of the devastation that is going on in our own backyard for weeks now.. And the question does present itself- Why is this happening here??? On our soil?? The problem is we as Americans are so immune to things happening to us because we always see them when they occur halfway around the world.. I think that's why so many people felt either connected because they do have half a heart or they have people down there or they felt disconnected because they don't understand the magnitude of these occurrences and the effect they have on our country emotionally and fiscally for years to come..I think some people treated it like it was happening in another country. I had someone tell me "Why do you care about something that happened in some other state?" I had to brush it off because it was a young white male who obviously has no sense of the world around him and I can only blame his parents for his stupidity.

As I watched the situation unfold Down South, and I saw all of the things that occurred after the hurricane @ the Superdome and the Convention Center.. I was sick, frustrated, and down right pissed. I can't even tell you how many angry emails went out to these new stations for calling citizens "refugees" like they've never payed taxes in this country. But those responsible for things that could have been controlled will be dealt with in due time- on this planet or in the afterlife. And then you're left with the questions- many questions that we'll never know the true answer to because people are so clever and strategic at the blame game. At times like this, the only thing you can lean on is Faith.

As far as the spiritual aspect of the situation, I don't think that the "Powers that Be" would place anything on our doorsteps that we can't handle. I think every few years or decades, there has to be a spiritual shock-wave sent through our society so that people don't forget that no matter what your religious beliefs are, we do have a Creator and this time on earth will soon come to an end.. Be kind to your fellow man and take nothing for granted.


- Copyright Sept 2005 Spiritual Institute of Divine Teachings

The Spiritual Institute of Divine Teachings is an organization of Believers of the Universal Divine Creator/One God of the Universe who are students of Divine scriptural teachings who cross generational, religious, and cultural gaps to promote healing and to reveal the linkages between all Believers of the Universal Divine Creator/One God of the Universe... by whatever name you call Him, He is the same Universal Divine Creator/One God of the entire Universe.

The Good Fight...

 I am not interested in power for power's sake, but I'm interested in power that is moral, that is right and that is good. -MLK Jr.

Some of my friends ask why have I taken up the mantle of becoming a minister and working with our inner city teens especially during these times of joblessness, hopelessness, economic downturn, moral degradation, uncertainty, violence, and mayhem.  They say things like "If they do not care why should you care," "They do not want to do better--so Fu&k'em," "All your gonna do is get disappointed," or "We do not want you to get hurt dealing with that BS."  They feel I should be seeking a life of wealth through much so-called safer, realistic, less stressful and secure means, that will shield me from all of the ills of this world.  I have to be honest--sometimes I ask myself the same darn question(s)!  But when I think about that it is not about me or my personal interests.  Moreover, I realize why The Creator has put me on this mission.  I know that my blood will be required by God for not warning the wicked of their iniquities (wickedness, evil, wrong doings) and furthermore by not serving or raising up and teaching (the orphan, the widow, the stranger. the poor, and the down trodden) whom do not know Him.  I have come to know I do not want that kind of chastisement on my life--so I choose to fight the good fight!

From Jefferson's Notes on the State of Virginia, Query 18.

The richest of this world's way are not my riches but the riches of God's way are my riches and I will not only experience them on earth but in the hereafter.  God is real man!  See when you understand and accept that it is not about you and what you can gain through the false security of this world like money, power, and status--you are in line with God's way.  Sure we all need money, clothing, and shelter in this current system of things but what good is a house (foundation) that is not build on solid ground and rooted in righteousness.  The illusion of this world is that the "mammon of wickedness," will make one whole, secure, and relevant.  We see the power players of this world with access and control that they have gained through a variety of nefarious means.  And we question God, as to why He would allow such wicked person(s) of these practices to gain power and come to be, and it seems as if they will not be punished for their actions.  The idea of people being allowed to do what they want to do and cause evil, destruction, and chaos but still have a lavish or plush life is apparent, while many of the good folk suffer through a life of poverty, or of just getting by.  This way of life will not remain mark my words!  This current world is enmity with God!

My security comes from the Holy Spirit, The Comforter. and the knowledge of God and Self that is within me.  My security comes from the fact that the evil one's rule is up and is coming to a swift end.  All one has to do is watch and acknowledge the signs.

It is very obvious that The Creator is angry with this current way of things and that His wrath will come down in an even greater and more powerful manner than we have ever seen.  We have seen hail, rain, snow, and earthquakes--some devastating calamities no doubt.   However there is more to come as fore-told and fore-seen by the prophets, warners, and messengers of old.  Also of those among us whom foretell and foresee like Public Enemy, KRS-One, Mos Def, and Lupe Fisaco.  God is a just God and if He be that, and I believe in my heart that He is that--He will do away with this world as we know it.  The time has come for us to stand up not stand down!  We are at war and if we do not act accordingly then we will continue to be casualties of war and face the chastisement of God.  False security and material possessions will not save you and I.  Only the submission of one's will to do the will of Almighty God will save us and allow us to be free and be His friend along with keeping agape love, knowledge, and righteousness in your mind, body, and soul.

Scriptural & Literary References:


1 Samuel 8:9 Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know what the king who will reign over them will do."

Psalm 7:6 Arise, LORD, in your anger; rise up against the rage of my enemies.
Awake, my God; decree justice.

Ezekiel 3:18When I say to a wicked man, 'You will surely die,' and you do not warn him or speak out to dissuade him from his evil ways in order to save his life, that wicked man will die for his sin, and I will hold you accountable for his blood.

Ezekiel 3:20 "Again, when a righteous man turns from his righteousness and does evil, and I put a stumbling block before him, he will die. Since you did not warn him, he will die for his sin. The righteous things he did will not be remembered, and I will hold you accountable for his blood.

Ezekiel 33:6 But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet to warn the people and the sword comes and takes the life of one of them, that man will be taken away because of his sin, but I will hold the watchman accountable for his blood.'

Ezekiel 33:8 When I say to the wicked, 'O wicked man, you will surely die,' and you do not speak out to dissuade him from his ways, that wicked man will die for his sin, and I will hold you accountable for his blood.

Ezekiel 33:12 "Therefore, son of man, say to your countrymen, 'The righteousness of the righteous man will not save him when he disobeys, and the wickedness of the wicked man will not cause him to fall when he turns from it. The righteous man, if he sins, will not be allowed to live because of his former righteousness." New International Version ©1984 by Biblica

Luke 18: 6, 7 And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8 I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”

Holy Quran 2:220 On this world and the hereafter. And they ask you concerning the orphans Say: To set right for them (their affairs) is good, and if you become co-partners with them, they are your brethren; and Allah knows the mischief-maker and the pacemaker, and if Allah had pleased, He would certainly have caused you to fall into a difficulty; surely Allah is Mighty, Wise.

Holy Quran 2:277 Surely they who believe and do good deeds and keep up prayer and pay the poor-rate they shall have their reward from their Lord, and they shall have no fear, nor shall they grieve.

Holy Quran 4:10 (As for) those who swallow the property of the orphans unjustly, surely they only swallow fire into their bellies and they shall enter burning fire.

Holy Quran 4:85 Whoever joins himself (to another) in a good cause shall have a share of it, and whoever joins himself (to another) in an evil cause shall have the responsibility of it, and Allah controls all things.

Holy Quran 4:135 O you who believe! be maintainers of justice, bearers of witness of Allah's sake, though it may be against your own selves or (your) parents or near relatives; if he be rich or poor, Allah is nearer to them both in compassion; therefore do not follow (your) low desires, lest you deviate; and if you swerve or turn aside, then surely Allah is aware of what you do.

Holy Quran 16:90 Surely Allah enjoins the doing of justice and the doing of good (to others) and the giving to the kindred, and He forbids indecency and evil and rebellion; He admonishes you that you may be mindful.

Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly. -MLK Jr.

We know through painful experience that freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed. -MLK Jr.

Power in defense of freedom is greater than power in behalf of tyranny and oppression. -El-Hajj Malik El Shabazz aka B.M. Malcolm X

Time is on the side of the oppressed today, it's against the oppressor. Truth is on the side of the oppressed today, it's against the oppressor. You don't need anything else. -El-Hajj Malik El Shabazz aka B.M. Malcolm X

No other offense has ever been visited with such severe penalties as seeking to help the oppressed. -Clarance Darrow 

Subject opinion to coercion: whom will you make your inquisitors? Fallible men; men governed by bad passions, by private as well as public reasons.  -Thomas Jefferson

Is uniformity attainable? Millions of innocent men, women and children, since the introduction of Christianity, have been burnt, tortured, fined, imprisoned: yet we have not advanced one inch towards uniformity. What has been the effect of coercion? To make one half the world fools, and the other half hypocrites. To support roguery and error all over the earth.  -Thomas Jefferson

"We are at WAR"

 The richest people on earth are those who invest their lives in God's way. -The Brotha

"Thee Lion of Judah will not sleep forever." -Unknown

 

We as Believers of the Abrahamic faiths and those of us that are righteous and moral people of the planet regardless of religious title, creed, color, race, sex, or gender have allowed this current system of things to overtake our "moral courage" and "moral aptitude," to say the least and have conceded with the trends and fads of our time.  We are too busy trying to be politically correct or not to offend versus having the moral grit to say "Thus said the Lord or simply say "That just ain't right!."  We must get rooted in God's Kingdom, we must get rooted back in moral righteousness and moral human decency, which is not of this current system of things. "We must get rid of the plague of the spirit of this religious age in which we live."  Also, we must get rid of the plague of the spirit of this age that allows us to tolerate behaviors and ways that are immoral and indecent in all of it's forms--things that we know that just do not sit well with The Creator or universal order of things.  The fiery biblical writer James said it best "don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God?  Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God."

The masses of the worlds peoples are crying out and the time has come--for we are truly at war to save ourselves and help usher in God's New World Order.  A New World Order of moral righteousness and moral human decency that all people can enjoy and thrive under.  Yes, as individual communities of race, creed, gender, sex and color we have similarities, differences and issues that are unique to our individual groups.  For example the mass incarceration of the proverbial Black male, aka "Predator," or as Michelle Alexander puts it being labeled with a "stigma of criminality," which means "young + black + male" has torn the African American community apart almost
single-handedly over the past twenty years.  If we as Black people do not realize the ills of society that plague us individually then we will never understand collectively how these things affect and effect the entire planet and universe as a whole.  Of course there are problems that we can only solve among ourselves but we must never loose site that we also share this planet and universe because there is a universal order of things.  So we must respect and obey its order.  Our role as the original and future standard bearers of this planet and universe must not come to fruition like those among us whom have ruled, controlled, dominated, and destroyed the planet and its peoples.  We must never repeat the shameful offensive history and invoke the same disgraceful, deceptive, and degrading tactics of control and domination.  In order to achieve the standard of living that is due we must take off the old man and put on the new man and be made new in the attitude of our minds which will change our condition overnight!

As the great apostle and Scriptural writer Paul said to the Romans "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind."  We can sleep no longer as the time has come for us as a people to awaken because the current context of this world is out of order and we are the chosen one's whom can set it back on its proper course.  We must separate the ways of God and righteous morals and decent behaviors from the evil and corrupt ways of this world.  However we seem to get fearful of separation because it means we have to give up the things and ways we are accustom to.  We have gotten accustomed to or have integrated into the evil and corrupt ways of this world, not on the bases of making something whole or unified but under the guise of rule, control, and domination by those whom have been in power.  And although we as Black people are out of the bondage of chattel slavery and have made great strides as a people--the slavery of our minds, reigns today.  The time for integration through separation has come "Black people are the only group in America trying to force themselves on others.  Other ethnicities such as the Chinese, the Irish, the Mexicans, the Greeks, the Italians, the Koreans and the Jewish people all have enclaves where they live together and provide goods and services to one another and outsiders."  All of these groups are segregated among themselves but have integrated with the universe on the bases of brotherhood, sisterhood, family-hood and nationhood which has promoted a high standard of living and ensures their survival as a people.  They have earned and gained the respect, business acumen, and moral compass that all people should have and it is not looked upon as a bad or divisive, that they "Do for self," "Accept their Own" and "Be themselves!"

“We have got to do it ourselves and if we don't have the mind and the spirit to bring ourselves out of the condition that we are in, then we deserve whatever chastisement Allah (God) will bring upon us for our refusal to accept our responsibility.” -H.M. Farrakhan