– by Kenneth Foster Jr –
In the human pursuit to know God, a Higher Source and Creator you would think that Journey would have pulled the many entities of humans together, but the results have been just the opposite and has separated them even further. The forms of religion today are so abundant and diverse that it almost puts one in awe at sight of it. So many questions of, “How do we know what to follow? – How do we know what is Truth?” comes to mind! With some religions we find parallels with others, some have disagreements, while some are just in a world of their own. Throughout all of them we’ve come to see two religions stand out quite paramount among the rest and they are Christianity and Islam. With both of these “I” think it’s safe to say that it’s actually more similarities (of how we seek to live our lives on a daily basis) than contradictions, but of course that would depend on “who” you asked. Still, it seems that mans carrot on the stick has always been the pursuit TO KNOW and to gain answers of the universe. Perhaps many of them we will never find out, however we still seek them and argue them to the masses.
I think it is unarguable that the value of life is something that each religion respects and holds in high esteem. For many of the acient religions, death was just as important as birth, perhaps for the simple fact they understood life better back then than we do now. I do think that at the beginning of time when man was just a new creation on the earth our thoughts and actions were more pure, then through evolution in our societies and technologies the path we should have been on was deviated from. In the 21st century we are bombarded with so many things that it’s hard to know what is what. We are in a world of fast technology and even faster talking politicians. I’ve viewed these politicians guilefully learn to weave the power of religion into their speeches and of course they have learned this through the repetition of this skill being used throughout time, especially in America. It seemed that religion was suppose to be the bridge to the spiritual. I think that what happened was we lost touch with – the Spiritual lies beyond “religion” and in the process of people seeking that spiritualness they’ve become too attached to that “bridge” (religion) instead of the true goal – Freedom for the Soul!
In todays society we see many topics being discussed and undoubtedly every topic chosen by the world demagogues are issues that control the well being of the human on this earth. I want to stress that my belief is that the earth was given to ALL human beings to enjoy the wealth and prosperity of it. We were given a planet of lush resources, enough that if fairly distributed would have nurtured the human entities for years upon years. But, out of the lust for greed and control (which are actions displayed by the world capitalist and imperialist) we’ve seen our planet raped and ravished for its worth.
What subjects can we say greatly effect the well being of the people the most? We can look at the distribution of money, equal health care to combat illnesses (physical and mental), equal opportunity for all, the right of choosing ones own destiny and peace among all people. As we know, the power of the world is centered in the hands of a very small ruling circle. This didn’t just happen over night, it has taken a nefarious strategy by these individuals to spawn into the power structure they are today and to keep themselves in power they direct the above subjects in ways to uplift themselves and oppress the masses. The wealth of the world is channeled into a few hands, thus rendering poverty and starvation upon millions! Without the proper funds to battle diseases, death ravishes the masses! With a racist mentally (not just towards skin color, but simply being bias against those not in the ruling circle) equal opportunity cannot be achieved and when ones cannot choose their own destiny and their destinies are being chosen by others usually those choices are going to be what is suitable for them and not for you! Through all those collective schemes, humans are always at each others throats fighting each other over what they don’t even have!
The Laws that were created by man were created to serve man. However, the ruling circle has manipulated the peoples mind to think that we are here to serve the Laws. This seems like the ultimate obverse ideology ever. How does it sound that man is suppose to worship his own creation, a creation that was made to give service to him! It seems that man can’t keep from implicating death and destruction upon himself. Now we’ve gotten to a point where death is being administered in an acceptable way that soothes the confused and guilty consciousness of the people in the public. Systematic eradication is now a very popular tool among the demagogues to keep control in their grasp and they have mastered the skill of weaving religion into their political regimens to where the public thinks it is right. The subjects vary from Wars, Abortions to the Death Penalty. I think that I have a very valuable lesson for the people of America’s society right now and hopefully it’s something that will allow you to STOP CONTEMPLATE and ANALYZE what is being fed to you. The strongest subject that has been used as a centerpiece to the religion/politics has been the death penalty. This tool to kill the masses is being implicated in America while the same ruling circle takes battle against and ridicules other countries for doing the same things! It seems very hypocritical for a set of people to ridicule another set of people when they themselves suffer from the same ailments.
This empire of America has taken on the notion that it was founded on Christianity and that its ways are that of a Christian society. Some of the people think this is true, but now many are starting to “accept” the truths of this countries foundation. I think it is fair to say that it’s always been “seen”, but the powers of Illusion, Fabrication and Mind manipulation are very hard diseases to shake off. The people of this country have suffered the most vile cases of brain washing and with this countries most recent event (the Sept. 11th attacks) peoples minds are becoming clear through the confusion. It’s almost like a waking up after a long deep sleep, the fogginess has to be shaken off. Keep shaking people your almost there!
During the Sept. 11th attacks an obvious strike against Islam was administered by the American capitalist and imperialist. Not even I can deny the horror of the events and nor do I condone them (although the motives were fully understood) thus I think it’s fair to agree with the fact that terrorism is not the ways of Islam. But what happened shortly after the attacks by the American government was appalling. It could easily be seen that they began to play on the emotions of the American people. Not only the politicians, but the capitalist minded people of America (the businessmen etc.) began to target the hearts and emotions of the people in their advertisements such as “Hello and God Bless America,” “We are concerned about your family,” “I saw an American flag in front of your store today,” than proceeded by, if you want to purchase such and such items! I thought to myself how sick these people were trying to capitalize on their business at a time like this. But this is the mind frame the capitalist ruling circle has instilled in the American people; go for self, build your own needs. In every speech by the serial killer president Bush he quoted bible verses and he spoke heavily of Freedom (which has never been equally manifested in this country ever.) I wondered what the people felt about this. It’s understood that lives lost created anger and sadness and these are emotions that usually start the spark to the forest fire of hate and retaliation (actually, it’s already begun with the people cheering it on). The attacks were horrible, but not unprovoked. I think the people now see this.
Leading to my point, one of the most disturbing statements given by the American politicians was how these Muslim men had “corrupted,” and “twisted” Islam to defend their actions. The American government thoroughly bashed those actions and even sought to make it look good by using the Islamic representatives to confirm this. I applaud the Islamic people for speaking against such acts and my heart goes out to their communities who are being targeted in hate crimes by the racist people, but also stress over how the American manipulators are good at corrupting visuals. This country was built through murderous acts and still is continuing the process through the death penalty and even hired assassinations that have been carried out. This country was also built through vile acts of slavery and yes, even that is still being carried out through the regimen of wage slavery. Still today these things are being carried out in very subtle and devious ways. Let us look at the Truth and the Truth states this.
It cannot honestly be said that this country was even founded on Christianity. They seek to use this religion as a means of control over people when in fact Isa (Jesus) taught this religion to uplift the people and free their Minds, Bodies and Souls. “As the British sought sovereignty over the north American land we all know that the war of independence finalized the separation between the U.S. colonist and the British. It seems that the U.S. colonist began to think on their own terms, a new sort of community formed. This western European civilization had broken free from the clamps of Christendom; it had not a vestige of monarchy left and no state religion. It tried to claim unity as its defense and freedom and political organization became the theme of this place, it was void of any binding religious ties.
Let it strongly be noted that a state document of 1769 explicity declared. The government of the United States is not in any sense founded on the Christian religion.” (these facts can be thoroughly studied in H.G. Wells book, “The Outline of History” chapter 35).
We are dealing with a country that has altered the religion of Christianity from the roots of its creation. For those of us that are suffering from the horrific conditions that this government is implicating upon us, we should have been the first ones to give this countries government and blind followers of its regimen a reality check. This way they’d go from Denial to Certainty. That reality check is that this country has “corrupted” and “twisted” their religion (Christianity) to kill people since the beginning of America’s establishment. (we don’t have to review the slaughter of the native Americans in the crusades to know the truths). Through time the uncivilized thinking man has used religion as a tool for control and it were these same people that eventually layed the path for destruction for most of the world. Christendom took a turn when it was introduced to Rome and at the time Rome was a den of corruption and uncleanness. A citation from H.G. Wells “Outline and History” says:
“the Popes were always raging against the slightest reflection upon the intellectual sufficiency of the church. And the intolerance of the church was not confined to religious matters. The shrewd, pompous, irascible and rather malignant old men who manifestly contributed a dominant majority in the councils of the church resented any knowledge but their own knowledge and distrusted any thought at all that they did not correct and control. They set themselves to restrain science, of which they were evidently jealous.” (p. 545)
The founders of America eventually sought to utilize religion as an oppressing weapon instead of the ultimate answers to life. In seeking power and control you learn to use whatever tools help you get there and undoubtedly it was seen that religion had masses of followers and followers are needed to establish communities.
It seems unavoidable that man always seek to change things to suit his needs. In normal circumstances, as far as advancing his surrounding things to better his living, that’s acceptable. As our environment changes, we also must adjust to survive. In both of these circumstances of religion, we have the Word of God being manipulated by man. For devot followers of both of these religions much heart ache come, division and confusion is thrust even further into the essence of the human being! For the masses of people in the American society, especially those of us from the American decent, we need to take hold of our destinies and directions. We can’t allow lies and illusions to continue to run our lives. We have found ourselves through the years fighting for a country that truly does not share the same love for us. Outside of the wars being fought over seas, the same wars are being battled in our own cities. As the death penalty strikes blows to our community, we fall blind to its realities and that is it’s not just judicial law, but it’s a confusing weapon used to kill our people.
I think the people get confused and weary because this country has “twisted” and “confused” the bible to back up their use of the death penalty. I think the bible is a very powerful, poetic, mystical and fabulous book. It teaches us so much, yet it takes study to understand it. Am I a theologist? No! Do I know the bible back and forth? No! But, I do have a basic and compassionate understanding to the Word of God, which is something that we all should seek. There are thousands of people who can cite the bible back and forth and then argue with other person who knows the bible back and forth over minute issues. What is accomplishing by this, what is the purpose if solutions and understandings aren’t being sought? Our passiveness towards the bible makes us turn our cheek even when we’re suppose to be looking. Prince Allah Cuba in his book “Before Adam: The Original Man” states:
“The Jesus today who is worshipped and prayed to in the Christian church is the same man who taught the masses, “Ye are gods” and subsequently met his death (*by execution/the death penalty) as a “REVOLUTIONARY” found his message to the masses deflected by his own apostles upon his death.”
Jesus was put to death behind sedition, which is a conduct of acting inciting rebellion. Now, it seems for such a passive man (as they claim he was) sure faced a radical charge. The same man that taught the people to stand up for themselves and what is right in God’s eye back then, is the same spirit that we must use today.
Supporters of the death penalty always cite the Old Testiment to justify the use of the Death Penalty, but none of these people have grasped the reason of Old Testiment allowed the use of the death penalty. In the Old Testiment Justice and Righteousness was sought first. Unequal wealth and power were just as much a sin as was a crime. Thus, the injustices and targeting of the poor nowadays is in contrast to the Old Testament. Back then capital punishment was not so much a device for maintaining social order as these politicians nowadays say it is. They say it deters crime, when in actuality all facts and statistics say it doesn’t. The killing of people by the people in the Old Testiment was a way to right a moral wrong, it was more sacrificial and ceremonial than a legal function. So, right off the back this government has lost the moral value of why it was used in the Old Testiment. When parallels are drawn between the death penalty now and the use of it then, todays system is a shame und curse. Then, retribution was possible, but as a strict limitation, not as a command, mercy was preferred. In the sights of wanting people to live in righteousness with each other chances of restitution was give, why do you think cities of refuge was given. Back then it had to be a certainty of an accused guilt, today people have been executed by the account of one witness, in the eyes of much doubt and in some cases blatant murder. So, this government cannot cite the decrees of the Old Testiment in any way because they do not follow those principles at all.
When we look at this, do you not wonder why if this government is so adamant in citing the Old Testiment why they do not hold EVERY Law that God decreed as worthy of capital punishment in todays society? You see, man has no right to change God’s law, thus if the Old Testiment was to be followed correctly people who indulge in Adultery, Accidental, Manslaughter and rebellious teenagers would qualify. So, for all of you Old Testiment citers, what happened!?! I think we all know exactly what it is… many of our world leaders and politicians would qualify under these laws. The bourgeoisie crowd that supports these politicians and puts them in office, plus the politicians themselves that indulge in being alcoholics and cause accidents (manslaughter) would qualify. And tell me, how many movie stars in Hollywood have done drugs as teenagers and their children do today (ie, were once rebellious teenagers)? They would qualify. And of course the many politicians who allow the luxury of their power to engulf them and indulge in adultery, they would qualify as well. So, adjustments had to be made. The power of the world being centered in their hands they annul themselves from the Law, yet they still cite it as God’s Law!
But, the excuse of being Christians always surface. To be Christian is to be of CHRIST! Christ came to fulfill the Law and yes he did consciously build on the Old Testiment traditions, yet Christ came to institute a NEW order, a NEW creation, thus the Old Testiment is SUBORDINATE to and interpreted in the light of the New Testiment. For any true Christian, he will know that the sacrificial aspect of taking a life was fulfilled once and for all by the sacrifice of Jesus for Mankind … Christ died so that others may live and he became the living testiment of life being sacred. We know the teachings of Christ, no matter how “WHO” he was is argued by the religions. Yes, these issues are very important to us, however these issues are purposely inflated to distract us from what our common goal should be and that’s Equality and Peace for the Humans on this earth. We know Christ lived a wise and perfect life and taught compassion and forgiveness. So, who does these politicians follow? They can’t be CHRISTians, perhaps they are MOSIACians, because what they cite as God’s Law was evolved into the life that Christ led! Thus, one cannot fence ride on such a sealed issue. If we were living strictly by the Old Testiment, we’d still be sacrificing animals like in the case of when a murder went unsolved (see Deuteronomy 21:1:9). So, how has God’s Law and decree been so altered by man?
There are things that our people must look at deeply, these are the things that you must analyze when this government tries to point fingers at others and say they “twist” and “corrupt” their religions. When the state takes the life of a man he also kills the chance for reconciliation, forgiveness and the chance for a man to change his life. This doesn’t sound like Christ ways to me. When people sought to have Jesus rule on a death penalty case in John 8 Jesus stated, “let one without sin cast the first stone.” Apparently Jesus taught that if our lives and judgments are so falliable how can we make the decision to take a life. As long as the death penalty is active, chance is a wrong man may be killed and also he is denied his God given right … his right to life.
It is a very sad thing that the first thing the murdering American government will do is cite religion to back up their actions. A true Christian has a responsibility to call the state to higher standards of behavior. Jesus demanded us to solve our problems by analyzation, compassion and understanding, and for those of us that are conscious we know that if the deep root of the problem was rebelled against it’d be these American capitalist and imperialist that would be thrown into the depths of the dungeon. They’ve been the roots of the problem in this country and their behaviors have tainted the world.
This country has always made up the rules as they went along. It is obvious, even today through what the serial killer president says about those not supporting their attacks, that this country is the big bully and when its stood up against it uses tactics to take the victims complaints and turn them into vicious attacks. The African in America has been the strongest victim of it and we can look towards almost every African leader in time who has been assassinated by this government as proof! There is a fight going on over the control of your minds, because to control your mind is to control your actions. We have to begin to be able to make the differences between man’s law and God’s law, because man will always seek to control, while the true essence of God will seek to free us through our sacrifices and disciplines… not oppression and murder! The American excuse of the death penalty is wanted by the bible is just as sick as when the Charlemagne (around 840 AD) issued death to those that rejected baptism or retracted after baptism.
People of the public please wake up! Do not allow your lives to be controlled and channeled by the hate embedded in this country’s ways. Do not allow yourselves to be used as sacrifices for bloodshed; the ultimate blood has already been shed through God’s Prophets.
Many times when ones truth does not prevail over others they lose faith in the power of Truth. Thus, this has been the downfall of the American government. They have struck out in hate and seek to inflict mental and spiritual pain into the people. We see that as this country’s people became more liberal in thought (Green party, pro-choice, gay support groups, anti-death penalty groups, Social groups denouncing capitalist to name a few). When a movement is seen, one of the best plots is to turn the people against each other and outcast the ones that wont worship their self-righteous empire.
Stay aware my people, thoroughly seek in your Spirit what is right. The religion that this country preaches is not the true Christianity that was practiced by Christ. After all, religion is something that every person must work out for himself and we cannot call ourselves religious until we prove through our daily living that the reality of God is in our Souls. For those that seek a murderous and vengeful God, let them carry that vileness with them. Do you want to be classified in that category? I know you don’t!
As we widen our visions and understanding let us seek to only destroy what is negative and build what is positive. Let us put the power back into the hands of the people and not be controlled by these demented people. All things are possible for us when we Believe, Hope and Love. Remember that and manifest it in your daily lives. So be it!!!
