HANDS OFF THE KNOW BOOK STORE: ONE OF THE LAST STANDING BLACK BOOK STORES IN THE SOUTHEAST
By FAHIM A. KNIGHT-EL
This article is about one of the few and last standing black book stores in the southeast named the Know Book Store; located at 2520 Fayetteville Street in Durham, North Carolina, which is being threatened by deceptive forces to close its doors. I have not written on a local issue relative to Durham, North Carolina in any of my Blogs/articles because I had become extremely bored with local politics and the political stagnation associated with trying to decipher which agency—the county commissioners or the city council have more power to continue stealing the taxpayers money.
Durham has two legal govern bodies—county commissioners (county manger) and city council, where the mayor functions as the chief executive officer of the city, sought of because you also have a city manager (appointed position and serve as a nonelected official on the city council) who oversees the bureaucratic governing of the city.
Perhaps it is this confusion and ineffective political structuring that has turned me completely off from covering local politics. Yes, quite as it is kept the city is run by Duke University and powerful land developers and in realty, none of the governing entities have any power other than what Duke gives these political puppets.
But I did write an article on November 15, 2008, titled, “REVISITING THE DUKE UNIVERSITY LACROSSE CASE: THE REAL DEAL” and this was perhaps the first blog/article that have done in some time, which had a local connection with Durham. However, I could not resist the controversy swirling around the Know Book Store and this alone caused me to weigh in on this subject.
This dispute between the Know Book Store and the McLaughlin Group has somewhat divided Durham’s African American community. I am of the opinion, no amount of grant money could justify how much the Know Book Store has meant to the community. Some of the black bourgeoisie who are opposing this black book store, is more concern with so-called economic development and getting some economic crumbs from the master and others like myself feel a sense of obligation to protect this viable cultural institution. Many of these handkerchief head Negroes in this reactionary sector desire to play politics as usual—some of them are the same ones who sold us out in the 1960s and 1970s with the concept of Urban Renewal and now they are covertly pushing re-gentrification. They are known to cut backroom deals for themselves and we all are considered expendable in the game of politics.
I truly do not know what to say about Durham. Durham is a very conservative city disguised in liberal clothing and our race relations are shrouded in a good ole boy and good ole girl network that consist of African Americans and Caucasians. It is a nicely interwoven click that has the power to reward and punish. I still live in Durham, but I must admit that I am guilty of not following Durham's political or local issues as I once did. However, I do understand and accept that all politics are local.
Black book stores across this country have always served at the center of black activism and community based organizing; In addition, they have served as venues for black intellectuals, activist, educators, revolutionaries, etc., always having the unmitigated opportunity to speak directly to the black community, which this access provided many of them with platforms throughout black America. The large corporate book chains like Barnes and Nobles and Borders Book did not because they catered to the larger sector of society. These large corporate book chains in the last fifteen years have forced a sizable amount of small local book stores out of business and of course, Amazon books and the internet e-commerce have dramatically changed and altered the traditional book industry.
Thus, it even impacted small black book stores more, who found it difficult to compete and to be competitive with this new book business economic trends. This along with the influence of technology—Kindle 2, cell phones and the entire Internet culture and how information is being disseminated has proven to be far challenging for the traditional book industry and the print news industry (even book publishing has been revolutionized by this new computer age). Thus, many small print mediums have fallen by the waste side because they were not able to keep up with the advancing technological trends, which has impacted the market and many did not have the vision or the capital to remain competitive and/or to diversify their book businesses.
For example, Barnes and Nobles gives you that Internet Café persona with coffee and pastry shop inside the store (the full service effect). The Internet Café trends are big in Europe and it is starting to make huge inroads within the United States. I heard someone recently say that there used to be over five hundred (500) black book stores located throughout the United States and now there are less than twenty (20) left. This is alarming because when I published my first book, I could not get a major publishing house deal nor was I looking for one, but my work was carried and distributed by small African American book stores. So I will always be grateful to this medium.
This writer is not naïve to the fact and knows that some of reasons black book stores have gone out of business is directly tied to the recent economic depression that we are experiencing inside the United States, but black book stores had been experiencing financial and economic problems long before this economic depression. The Know Book store has been in operation for over twenty-five years founded by Dr. Bruce Bridges, a former college professor of Saint Augustine College (Raleigh, NC) and who also taught at North Carolina Central University in Durham, North Carolina.
Bridges, professor turned entrepreneur had a vision of establishing an intellectual hub where ideals and theories could be debated that weren’t being covered by the mainstream media. The Know Book is in a city where education and intellectualism is big—the store is ten minutes away from the campus of the prestigious Duke University and twenty minutes away from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and two minutes away from one of the best historical black universities and colleges in American—North Carolina Central University. Last but not least, it is thirty minutes from North Carolina State University in Raleigh, North Carolina.
These centers of learning are mentioned in order to give my readers a small glimpse into Durham being not just an up and coming city, but it stands as a citadel of learning in the southeast. The Know Book Store formally began at its old location of 306 South Dillard Street and in last fifteen years it relocated to 2552 Fayetteville Street its present location and home, where Dr. Bridges has leased this space from the McLaughlin Group since that time. The location is in the heart of the black community, sandwiched between a Church’s Chicken and strip mall consisting of a string of mom and pops type black businesses.
Bridges having an innovative business mind, perhaps nine years ago saved his business by establishing a restaurant inside the bookstore based on having the square footage to do so and without a doubt this part of his business has been more profitable than the selling of books. He continued to improvise with the establishment of a jazz club where on Friday’s local Jazz musicians can be heard on the restaurant side of the business; thus, unlike many black book stores Dr. Bridges was able to diversify and revive his book store from going under.
The McLaughlin Group, the property owners of Know Book Store applied in March 2009 for a grant pursuant to a Request for Proposal (RFP) for neighborhood development that was being solicited by the city and would come under the Economic and Workforce Development office, which was designed to stimulate economic development in various depressed areas of the city and the grant in question had a target area of town known today as the Fayetteville Street Corridor where the book store is presently located.
The McLaughlin Group met all the RFP requirements with the potential of receiving a hundred seventy five thousand dollar grant which would assist in renovating the existing structure and would allow them to submit their business proposal to a private lending source which to request an additional four hundred seventy five thousand ($475.00) dollars in order to expand the square footage of the building, as well as make other physical improvements to the building.
The McLaughlin Group claimed to have already spent over twenty-five thousand ($25,000) in hiring architects and engineers, and construction consultants and planners in order to submit blue prints and other engineered based specifications to city officials. The McLaughlin Group proposed establishing three to four commercial establishments—book store, restaurant, museum, Jazz Club, etc. This is how the McLaughlin Group characterized their business venture.
Ms. McLaughlin is seeking funding ($ 175,000) from the City of Durham to add a second story and additional space to 2520 Fayetteville Street. Once completed, the 2-story building will be home to 4 businesses -- a restaurant, bookstore, boutique and a neighborhood arts center (The Mok’e Jazz & Cultural Center). Some of the exciting new features of the building will include roof-top garden and outdoor patio seating for the restaurant. The Mok’e Center will offer a variety of cultural activities and events, including but not limited to visual, musical and performing arts, for the enjoyment, creative expression and enrichment of the surrounding community. The bookstore and the boutique will provide retail products and services to the area. It is envisioned that the new development will become a cultural destination, promote tourism to the historic Fayetteville Street corridor and give a much-needed boost to the area’s economy.
This somewhat infuriated me, because the Know Book Store already has a restaurant, jazz club and is a book store—let me interpreted this even further. Why would the city of Durham even consider such proposal when it will bring displacement and possible economic hardship on an already proven and established business? But not only that, this project appears to be quite risky and proposed to use taxpayers’ money for such a project is outright reckless and irresponsible to ask the citizens of Durham to finance an unproven establishment.
Durham City Councilman, Eugene Brown who is white, was the only councilperson that came straight out at the last city council meeting held on September 21, 2009 and said that the project did not make good fiscal sense, in particular during these hard economic times. This writer commends Brown’s courage and honesty in questioning the economic feasibility of the project and the so-called long term economic projections that is being lauded. Brown is a real estate man and I am relying on his expert opinion in this matter.
Councilman Brown just does not see the plausibility of contributing taxpayer’s dollars to a project that has more questions than answers. I agree with Brown. The project is a contingence project meaning the McLaughlin Group must first have $475.000 dollars in place from a private lending source before the city of Durham will release the $175.000 grant.
There is only one lending institution that is seriously looking at financing the project and that is Mechanics and Farmers (M&F) Bank, one of the oldest black banks in the United States. But supposed M&F Bank decide not to finance the McLaughlin project. How many man hours, tax dollars, public hearings and other city resources that we would have squandered away by not requiring the McLaughlin group to have more lending prospects on the table?
Thus, you would have thought that the Durham City Council and city manager and the Economic and Workforce Development director would have required the group to submit no less than ten lenders as part of their RFP portfolio. The Mayor, William “Bill” Bell sits on the board of directors of Mechanics and Farmers Bank and although it is only proper that he legally recues himself from playing any role in the bank decision relative to the McLaughlin Group. However, he must have some indication of which direction the bank is leaning (tell me Bill and I promise not to publically reveal the decision).
This writer is going on record to state that if Mechanics and Farmers decide to finance this project it’s going to be financially disastrous and I project foreclosure in less than five years. The Economic and Workforce Development Director, Kevin Dick appears to be highly incompetent and has not done the proper due diligence relative to this project and this was evident when Mayor Bell asked him was the McLaughlin project, a for profit or nonprofit venture.
Mr. Dick answered, that it was a for profit venture. But Mayor Bell pointed out that the submitted Performa did not have itemized federal and state income taxes included as expenditure to be incurred by the McLaughlin group and this could affect the projected profit margin. For this reason Mayor Bell postponed the vote until the next City Council meeting which is scheduled for October. It appears that Dick and some members of the city council have pushed this proposed grant along because of the property owner Ms. Mozella McLaughlin long time ties to the Durham Community as an educator and business women.
This writer too applauds her impeccable record of service to the community, but business is business and taxpayer’s monies should not be allocated to support a system of cronies and disguised nepotism in the name of community development. This woman is ninety-two years old (I could only pray that the Creator blesses me with that type of life longevity) and should this age variable be overlooked in the overall decision making process.
City Councilman Farad Ali, a freshmen councilman who has been the most vocal opposition against Dr. Bridges and based on his position of opposing the black book store, I am of the opinion that he is undeserving of a second term on the council. I am personally asking the black electorate of Durham to vote him out of office and not reward him a second term to violate the trust of his constituency. No one that opposes the legitimate political aspirations of our community deserve to serve as our representatives on any political level. Ali is being perceived by many in the black community as a traitor and a turncoat, but his leader, teacher and guide Imam Warith Deen Mohammed (the son of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad) betrayed political aspirations of black people in the name of kissing Arabs ass, why should we expect anymore or less from Councilman Ali?
Ali comes across as having a personal vendetta against the Know Book Store’s owner Dr. Bruce Bridges and his comments are divisive and subjective. This writer has always considered his father, Munir Ali as a friend, but on the issue of the book store both of the Alis’ are wrong. They have tried to oversimplify this issue to a tenant-landlord dispute (no it is much bigger than that) and want the community to overlook the deception and manipulation that is taking place on various levels. No Sir, the Know Book Store is an institution, it is even bigger than the owner and founder, Dr. Bruce Bridges and we should not allow the black proponents to dupe us into going along with this trickery. What’s in this deal for Councilman Farad Ali?
There are two more tricksters out there Larry and Denise Hester; thus in an email that I received from Denise Hester stated: “ regarding Ms. McLaughlin’s development, I would like to add that Bruce signed a letter of intent to remain in the building once the construction has been completed. His letter of intent was submitted as part of Ms. McLaughlin’s package to the city and is a part of the public record on this project if you want to check it out. The other questions involve matters between Ms. McLaughlin and Bruce as landlord and tenant which we cannot answer.”
The McLaughlin group in initially inviting Dr. Bridges to the table was more about bringing credibility and economic integrity to their project because the Know Book Store was a well established business and long standing tenant of the property. It stood as proof positive of success and as an example of a thriving business already at the said location. They were not doing Dr. Bridges and the Know Book Store any favors to include them in the proposal, it was about them putting on the best business face for their lenders and not necessarily working in the best interest of the Know Book Store.
Lets not fool ourselves without Bridges they would have been considered a startup group, but they were looking to divert this stigma in order to appear as a well established business entity at the said location. Dr. Bridges at the last city council meeting presented a counter plan in the form of a written letter asking the City Council to assist him financially as they are assisting the McLaughlin Group. I must say the following council persons Howard Clement, Cora McFadden and even Mayor Bell appeared partial to Bridges request. This article tells it just like it is, I do not know any other way to tell it. Please give Dr. Bridges a holler at 919.682.7223 and tell him you read Fahim A. Knight-EL article and you stand in support of the book store.
Fahim A. Knight-EL Chief Researcher for KEEPING IT REAL THINK TANK located in Durham, NC; our mission is to inform African Americans and all people of good will of the pending dangers that lie ahead; as well as decode the symbolisms and reinterpret the hidden meanings behind those who operate as invisible forces, but covertly rules the world. We are of the belief that an enlighten world will be better prepared to throw off the shackles of ignorance and not be willing participants for the slaughter. Our MOTTO is speaking truth to power. Fahim A. Knight can be reached at fahimknight@yahoo.com.
STAY AWAKE UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN,
Fahim A. Knight-EL
Friday, September 25, 2009
Saturday, September 12, 2009
CHILDREN NOT ALLOWED TO LISTEN TO PRESIDENT OBAMA: BUT AMERICAN EDUCATION IS ON A STEADY DECLINE
CHILDREN NOT ALLOWED TO LISTEN TO PRESIDENT OBAMA: BUT AMERICAN EDUCATION IS ON A STEADY DECLINE
By FAHIM A. KNIGHT-EL
This article is more about American education than the form of government that we live under as citizens of the United States of America. However, in order to do this topic any justice before this writer could assess and evaluate American education, it became necessary for me to lay the groundwork that led up to me delving a little into the meaning of our constitution and principles of our democracy. But on the surface the two topics might appear to have little correlation, after all this article’s primary focus was education and children learning. Perhaps if it was not for the controversy that was swirling around President Barack Obama desiring to speak to school age children, it would not have been necessary for me to approach this topic from the reference point of government and political science. This writer could have stuck to the discussion of the plight of American education minus the need to discuss politics. Nevertheless, this writer finds it totally appropriate to begin this topic by briefly discussing government and law.
The United Sates of America proud itself of being a democratic society where it is so-called governed by the masses, which is reflected in the will of the people, at least this is what my teachers taught me in eight grade civics class. We learnt how important the Declaration of Independence (1776) and the Constitutional Convention (1787) were to our present day nationhood and the freedoms that evolved from declaring the right to sovereignty. Thus, at the foundation of our democracy was the Thirteen Colonies right to sovereignty and independence, which led to formalizing the United States independence (expressed in the Declaration of Independence). That eventually manifest itself in the establishment of the legal and jurisprudence document—U.S. Constitution which to guide and govern this newly made Republic. These two documents by far represented the impetus and the foundation of Americanism and are endeared by all Americans and held in high esteemed within U.S. history.
The U.S. Constitution is no doubt one of the greatest documents ever written within the history of any modern Republic. The Framers defined what life liberty and the pursuit of happiness meant from the inception of our established Republic. It equally defined the rights of the individual and State and more so than that, the constitution was geared towards protecting those rights on every level. This has always afforded the citizens of the United States with certain legal and jurisprudence freedoms in which to approach our outlook on life without the threat of fear or intimidation from our government, if we criticized or disagreed with our government, at least in theory we are not put in front of a firing squad. Many foreigners would die to live under the U.S. form of government because of how it is structured (at the basis is supposed to be freedom, justice and equality for all) and the rights and privileges it afforded to its citizens.
But after this week of events, I became a little perplexed and somewhat a little less optimistic about the fundamental freedoms that I and others have come to enjoy while living in the United States. I have advocated the rights to maintain and expand civil liberties and have never been comfortable with government encroachment upon curtailing or lessening these rights which is spelled out in our constitution. Our right to dissent, is even protected under U.S. law and this is one of the beauties of our nation’s democracy. However, this past week of events relative to President Barack Obama desiring to speak to U.S. Students and the type of opposition that arose from right-wingers, it was appalling enough for me to question whether or not we are deserving of such freedoms to make certain choices. This writer also wonder were we headed for a Civil War or was this opposition to President Obama speaking to American school aged children rooted in a much older social dilemma—American style racism. What else could it have been? It absolutely made no sense when you objectively look at the state of American education. Our students are in dire need of someone to encourage and challenge their mediocrity. The students have more rights than the educators/teachers and this alone has destroyed the educational balance of power and created a negative paradigm shift that has reverberated throughout our society. This has somewhat fostered low expectations and mediocrity has become an acceptable standard inside the classroom.
The president after-all has school age children himself and this was no old cranky commander-in-chief who doesn’t have children in the educational process. But this issue of education has to be real even for the president and this writer do not think we can play political games with our children’s future. School districts and states are going to have changed the rules relative to curriculum—first order of business must be making learning applicable to a curriculum that is geared towards global projections. Women are running the schools from top to bottom and this has been an ineffective trend and has been partially responsible for placing American education in this predicament. This statement is not to suggest that women can not do an equally and effective job as men in the school systems, but here is the problem men are virtually invisible in most public school districts and we can not blame female educators for this dilemma.
We have to bear some of the responsibility for ignoring the educational crisis and not finding ways to engage this collapsing social order. Yes, there presences, physicality and their approach to the field of pedagogy would have a different social and psychological demands on learning expectations from male students, in particular and all children in general, more so than female teachers—nurturers by nature.
How do we make the National Teachers Exam (NTE) and the licensure process to expand beyond the limited and stringent requirements and allow men in the classrooms without all the bureaucratic red tape—this is a state of emergency? Men who work in the private and public sectors should be recruited and hired to teach on both the primary and secondary levels and offer their life and professional experiences in the school system. The financial compensation should be lucrative and competitive, if we can bailout some of the wealthiest crooks in the world Lehman Brothers, Merrill Lynch, Bear-Sterns, JP Morgan, AIG, Wachovia, etc., giving this den thieves over two trillion dollars. Thus, why can’t we compensate bankers, lawyers, scientist, computer scientist, medical doctors, engineers, writers, politicians, etc., for their professional expertise by bringing them in the classrooms of America; this would be a relative small price, which to save America’s education and work to put us back on track. American children have become lazy and un-discipline when it comes to learning.
There can not be a good learning environment, if educators and educational professionals have lost control over American educational institutions relative to discipline and there are no real initiatives in place of taking back the classroom and the school systems from unmanageable and young social deviants. This sector is smart enough to quote you the law and policies as it relates to what you can say and do in the realm of disciplinary procedures, but imposing enforcement relative to learning, is a limited option to the educational professionals.
In the 18th and 19th Century there was a religious obedience correlated to the educational process and the religious structure or sacred culture implored values, mores, folkways, morals, ethics, etc., tied behavior and discipline more to the obedience of God (this helped define right and wrong and we got more learning mileage from our children)—and in Europe the State and Religion wasn't always necessarily separated like our jurisprudence system is structured within the United States of America.
Teachers and educators are failing students because they do not know how to reach children and therefore, the educational process is more about going through the motions and receiving a paycheck, as opposed to demanding learning, which has to be the highest priority on all levels of teaching. Why do not we model our national school system after Japan and China which is highly successful in getting the most from their students when it comes academic performance? Surely tomorrow's American children will be competing with them for an equal share in the global market. There use to be this argument of private versus public education in which many maintained that children received a better quality education, if they were enrolled in private institutions from K-12. This may have been true yesterday, but American private schools are not fairing much better than there public counterparts.
But the track that American education is presently on, our children will not be prepared to take the lead as we move further into the 21st century and this will render our nation as being even more consumers and non-producers in the coming future—looking for other nations to be the next inventors, international bankers, aerospace scientist, to find the cure for cancer, etc. It is imperative that we act and declare war on this mindset of educational indifference; in fact our future depends on us doing this.
We are plagued with tremendous social issues of poverty, gang violence, different types of peer pressures, the politics of the military industrial complex and the prison industrial complex and in the middle is education which has not received the much needed attention. Something went wrong that our children are repeatedly scoring below grade levels in math and science, perhaps the two most essential subjects and/or disciplines needed in our new technological dynamics. America is rated number thirty-five (35) in math and twenty-nine (29) in science
We can no longer be imprudent, but we have to become proactive, in particular as the world becomes more global and as the political, social, and economic landscape continues to change based on technology. The global projections still have not been fully realized by American educators and when they finally wake up realized where the rest of the world is headed. It might be too late to shift gears and play catch up. We must understand that those who master technology will place themselves in a position of future ruler-ship because the age of information and our transition into a knowledge base economy is here to stay.
I believe education has to be viewed and received as any other living document, which should be constantly giving room to evolve, as it applies to the philosophy of education and the practical theories that have become acceptable to us. I also believe that historical time frames impacted the relevance of sociological and psychological theoretical models—the science (we can better measure and count) from an empirical perspective, we have acquired quantitative data and this has allowed our research theories to become more qualitative in scope and definition. This open approach allows us to accept in some areas that educational theories have evolved and improved and has become more defining, which allows us to reaffirm some of our past educational theories and debunk others based on new approaches (new information).
Thus, for the first time in my life this writer wished that the U.S. was not an egalitarian styled government but a totalitarian government—the people who were opposing President Obama and his desiring to speak to children about the importance of education and learning brought me to this decision; in my opinion, all these detractors had forfeited their right to exercise the principles that undergirds our democracy. This writer knows that the above statement crosses the line of perhaps everything he personally stands for and believes in (for the record I will always favor a democratic society over any form of a repressive government). But I must admit it angered me that those who were opposing President Obama had lost their damn minds and based on hate they were not taking into account that our educational system is failing dismally in comparison to Western Europe and Asian nations.
What shocked me the most, was that this was not Ho Chi Minh, Mao Se Tung, Adolph Hitler, Benito Mussolini, Joseph Stalin, Vladimir Lenin, Seso Mobutu, Fidel Castro or Hugo Chavez (let me clarify, these personalities are most associated in the west as being brutal dictators). This was the president of the so-called "free world" and the inferences was that to have your children listen to a speech being delivered my President Obama was a form of ideological indoctrination that you would associate with a country that is ruled by a dictator. I do not necessarily agree with everything that President Obama says and does, but speaking to American children about achievement and the importance of learning in my opinion was a timely message and topic.
American children can not afford to miss an opportunity to engage in a learning dialogue. Most national and international educational experts have maintained that the United States students’ academic achievement is not making the grade, in particular as this writer stated above in the areas of math and science (29th and 36) and the U.S. stand as one of the most industrialized nations in the world. These two statistics alone should shame us to be more proactive and innovative in our approach to resolve this predicament and the question still remains, why are American children missing the mark? Who do we blame—parents, students, teachers administrators, school districts, states, federal government, etc. all of the said entities have to bear responsibility in our children's educational failures and they all hold liability and culpability in what this writers deems as gross negligence. This writer is of the opinion, that someone should be held accountable for this mess and who is willing to take the responsibility to improve our children’s academic performances and demand that they become competitive in order to ensure our future on the world stage.
My wife shared with me essay that was written by an unknown author titled. “Common Sense” and this is what the author stated: "My parents told me about Mr. Common Sense early in my life and told me I would do well to call on him when making decisions. It seems he was always around in my early years but less and less as time passed by until today I read his obituary. Please join me in a moment of silence in remembrance. For Common Sense had served us all so well for so many generations."
Obituary
Common Sense
"Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape."
"He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as knowing when to come in out of the rain, why the early bird gets the worm, life isn't always fair, and maybe it was my fault."
"Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend more than you earn) and reliable parenting strategies (adults, not children are in charge)."
"His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a six-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a class mate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition."
"Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job they themselves failed to do in disciplining their unruly children. It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer Aspirin, sun lotion or a sticky plaster to a student; but could not inform the parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion."
"Common Sense lost the will to live as the Ten Commandments became contraband; churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims."
"Common Sense took a beating when you couldn't defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar can sue you for assault."
"Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement."
"Common Sense was preceded in death by his parents, Truth and Trust; his wife, Discretion; his daughter, Responsibility; and his son, Reason. He is survived by three stepbrothers; I Know My Rights, Someone Else is to Blame, and I'm a Victim."
"Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone. If you still remember him pass this on. If not, join the majority and do nothing."
The U.S. students are low performing academically across the board in every subject and no one seems to have a solution to this problem. I do not think U.S. students have an inherently low I.Q.s when it comes to learning relative to students from China, India, Japan, Korea, etc. But these nations’ children are out performing U.S. students in all areas and are soaring educationally in the academic disciplines that matters the most—the sciences. What will be the long term effect of this social and educational apathy?
The Asian nations are scoring leaps and bounds above us in this area; do we continue the course or do we begin to make changes perhaps starting with our early childhood development theories and our initial introduction to learning techniques? My argument would be very simple; it would not be totally based on discarding Lev Vygotsky (1896-1934), Marie Montessori (1870-1952), Jean Piaget, Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778), Jean Henri Pestalozzi (1745-1827). I just do not think these past great educational philosophers had the foresight to look that deep into the future and create social theories that could stand without the need of any new assessments and evaluations which to make them relevant to where we are in this space and time.
However, I just do not think the present day political, economic and social stages can be overlooked; thus, because many of these educational philosophers wrote and developed some of these theories over 300 years ago and could not have taking into account the modern day student and environment. I believe there must be an American educational reformation that is both socially and politically relevant and pragmatic; may be we should start as this writer stated above by studying the Asians (Japan, China, and India) models to see what they are doing different from us in the United States and begin to incorporate those principles into our curriculums of learning.
No doubt will the United States overt neglect cost our nation huge social, political and economic dividends in the future relative to the success and/or failure of our nation to continue being a one world superpower. The U.S has made a tremendous investment in war and this seems to be more of a national priority than American education. This alone stands as hypocrisy for President Obama—our government in which the bill is being footed by the American taxpayers which to finance two unjust wars in Iraq and Afghanistan where trillions of our hard earned dollars are being spent in the area of national defense and national security.
But education is viewed by our politicians has being less important. They all talking a good game when it comes to education, but they do not put their or better yet our money next to their mouths; what is more important than to render real stability of our children’s future. Yet, U.S. children are reading, writing and counting below grade levels and we continue to waste away value resources.
I live in the state of North Carolina and where I live it is considered part of the old southern Bible belt (I have always had problems with that Bible ever since them damn missionaries brought it to Africa). The conservative Bible toting Christians fought for many years against North Carolina acquiring the state lottery. North Carolina lawmakers eventually convinced the citizens of North Carolina that the lottery would be beneficiary to education and taxpayers—offsetting public education cost and expenditures. This even to me sounded like a win-win proposal. However, North Carolina public instruction still remains in shambles and out of 50 U.S. states it still ranked in the bottom half of nationwide educational performance. The NC taxpayers are still burden with high taxes and there is no evidence that the lottery is doing anything in support of public instruction.
The time requires and demands that we become more innovative and possessing a willingness to step outside the box to resolve the issues that confronts American education. Our future is in danger and it will not just be based on those who will acquire more military might, but it will be based on how prepared the next generation is to assume the reins of leadership. The question will be rooted in the quality of education that our children are acquiring today, which will dictate how we measure up the Asian and Western European nations tomorrow. It is imperative that we take proactive procedures, even if it means debunking past educational theories and methodologies for more practical theories based on where we are in time and space. Education in 21st Century and beyond has to be aggressively global.
Fahim A. Knight-EL Chief Researcher for KEEPING IT REAL THINK TANK located in Durham, NC; our mission is to inform African Americans and all people of goodwill, of the pending dangers that lie ahead; as well as decode the symbolisms and reinterpreted the hidden meanings behind those who operate as invisible forces, but covertly rules the world. We are of the belief that an enlightened world will be better prepared to throw off the shackles of ignorance and not be willing participants for the slaughter. Our MOTTO is speaking truth to power. Fahim A. Knight-EL can be reached at fahimknight@yahoo.com.
Stay Awake Until We Meet Again,
Fahim A. Knight-EL
By FAHIM A. KNIGHT-EL
This article is more about American education than the form of government that we live under as citizens of the United States of America. However, in order to do this topic any justice before this writer could assess and evaluate American education, it became necessary for me to lay the groundwork that led up to me delving a little into the meaning of our constitution and principles of our democracy. But on the surface the two topics might appear to have little correlation, after all this article’s primary focus was education and children learning. Perhaps if it was not for the controversy that was swirling around President Barack Obama desiring to speak to school age children, it would not have been necessary for me to approach this topic from the reference point of government and political science. This writer could have stuck to the discussion of the plight of American education minus the need to discuss politics. Nevertheless, this writer finds it totally appropriate to begin this topic by briefly discussing government and law.
The United Sates of America proud itself of being a democratic society where it is so-called governed by the masses, which is reflected in the will of the people, at least this is what my teachers taught me in eight grade civics class. We learnt how important the Declaration of Independence (1776) and the Constitutional Convention (1787) were to our present day nationhood and the freedoms that evolved from declaring the right to sovereignty. Thus, at the foundation of our democracy was the Thirteen Colonies right to sovereignty and independence, which led to formalizing the United States independence (expressed in the Declaration of Independence). That eventually manifest itself in the establishment of the legal and jurisprudence document—U.S. Constitution which to guide and govern this newly made Republic. These two documents by far represented the impetus and the foundation of Americanism and are endeared by all Americans and held in high esteemed within U.S. history.
The U.S. Constitution is no doubt one of the greatest documents ever written within the history of any modern Republic. The Framers defined what life liberty and the pursuit of happiness meant from the inception of our established Republic. It equally defined the rights of the individual and State and more so than that, the constitution was geared towards protecting those rights on every level. This has always afforded the citizens of the United States with certain legal and jurisprudence freedoms in which to approach our outlook on life without the threat of fear or intimidation from our government, if we criticized or disagreed with our government, at least in theory we are not put in front of a firing squad. Many foreigners would die to live under the U.S. form of government because of how it is structured (at the basis is supposed to be freedom, justice and equality for all) and the rights and privileges it afforded to its citizens.
But after this week of events, I became a little perplexed and somewhat a little less optimistic about the fundamental freedoms that I and others have come to enjoy while living in the United States. I have advocated the rights to maintain and expand civil liberties and have never been comfortable with government encroachment upon curtailing or lessening these rights which is spelled out in our constitution. Our right to dissent, is even protected under U.S. law and this is one of the beauties of our nation’s democracy. However, this past week of events relative to President Barack Obama desiring to speak to U.S. Students and the type of opposition that arose from right-wingers, it was appalling enough for me to question whether or not we are deserving of such freedoms to make certain choices. This writer also wonder were we headed for a Civil War or was this opposition to President Obama speaking to American school aged children rooted in a much older social dilemma—American style racism. What else could it have been? It absolutely made no sense when you objectively look at the state of American education. Our students are in dire need of someone to encourage and challenge their mediocrity. The students have more rights than the educators/teachers and this alone has destroyed the educational balance of power and created a negative paradigm shift that has reverberated throughout our society. This has somewhat fostered low expectations and mediocrity has become an acceptable standard inside the classroom.
The president after-all has school age children himself and this was no old cranky commander-in-chief who doesn’t have children in the educational process. But this issue of education has to be real even for the president and this writer do not think we can play political games with our children’s future. School districts and states are going to have changed the rules relative to curriculum—first order of business must be making learning applicable to a curriculum that is geared towards global projections. Women are running the schools from top to bottom and this has been an ineffective trend and has been partially responsible for placing American education in this predicament. This statement is not to suggest that women can not do an equally and effective job as men in the school systems, but here is the problem men are virtually invisible in most public school districts and we can not blame female educators for this dilemma.
We have to bear some of the responsibility for ignoring the educational crisis and not finding ways to engage this collapsing social order. Yes, there presences, physicality and their approach to the field of pedagogy would have a different social and psychological demands on learning expectations from male students, in particular and all children in general, more so than female teachers—nurturers by nature.
How do we make the National Teachers Exam (NTE) and the licensure process to expand beyond the limited and stringent requirements and allow men in the classrooms without all the bureaucratic red tape—this is a state of emergency? Men who work in the private and public sectors should be recruited and hired to teach on both the primary and secondary levels and offer their life and professional experiences in the school system. The financial compensation should be lucrative and competitive, if we can bailout some of the wealthiest crooks in the world Lehman Brothers, Merrill Lynch, Bear-Sterns, JP Morgan, AIG, Wachovia, etc., giving this den thieves over two trillion dollars. Thus, why can’t we compensate bankers, lawyers, scientist, computer scientist, medical doctors, engineers, writers, politicians, etc., for their professional expertise by bringing them in the classrooms of America; this would be a relative small price, which to save America’s education and work to put us back on track. American children have become lazy and un-discipline when it comes to learning.
There can not be a good learning environment, if educators and educational professionals have lost control over American educational institutions relative to discipline and there are no real initiatives in place of taking back the classroom and the school systems from unmanageable and young social deviants. This sector is smart enough to quote you the law and policies as it relates to what you can say and do in the realm of disciplinary procedures, but imposing enforcement relative to learning, is a limited option to the educational professionals.
In the 18th and 19th Century there was a religious obedience correlated to the educational process and the religious structure or sacred culture implored values, mores, folkways, morals, ethics, etc., tied behavior and discipline more to the obedience of God (this helped define right and wrong and we got more learning mileage from our children)—and in Europe the State and Religion wasn't always necessarily separated like our jurisprudence system is structured within the United States of America.
Teachers and educators are failing students because they do not know how to reach children and therefore, the educational process is more about going through the motions and receiving a paycheck, as opposed to demanding learning, which has to be the highest priority on all levels of teaching. Why do not we model our national school system after Japan and China which is highly successful in getting the most from their students when it comes academic performance? Surely tomorrow's American children will be competing with them for an equal share in the global market. There use to be this argument of private versus public education in which many maintained that children received a better quality education, if they were enrolled in private institutions from K-12. This may have been true yesterday, but American private schools are not fairing much better than there public counterparts.
But the track that American education is presently on, our children will not be prepared to take the lead as we move further into the 21st century and this will render our nation as being even more consumers and non-producers in the coming future—looking for other nations to be the next inventors, international bankers, aerospace scientist, to find the cure for cancer, etc. It is imperative that we act and declare war on this mindset of educational indifference; in fact our future depends on us doing this.
We are plagued with tremendous social issues of poverty, gang violence, different types of peer pressures, the politics of the military industrial complex and the prison industrial complex and in the middle is education which has not received the much needed attention. Something went wrong that our children are repeatedly scoring below grade levels in math and science, perhaps the two most essential subjects and/or disciplines needed in our new technological dynamics. America is rated number thirty-five (35) in math and twenty-nine (29) in science
We can no longer be imprudent, but we have to become proactive, in particular as the world becomes more global and as the political, social, and economic landscape continues to change based on technology. The global projections still have not been fully realized by American educators and when they finally wake up realized where the rest of the world is headed. It might be too late to shift gears and play catch up. We must understand that those who master technology will place themselves in a position of future ruler-ship because the age of information and our transition into a knowledge base economy is here to stay.
I believe education has to be viewed and received as any other living document, which should be constantly giving room to evolve, as it applies to the philosophy of education and the practical theories that have become acceptable to us. I also believe that historical time frames impacted the relevance of sociological and psychological theoretical models—the science (we can better measure and count) from an empirical perspective, we have acquired quantitative data and this has allowed our research theories to become more qualitative in scope and definition. This open approach allows us to accept in some areas that educational theories have evolved and improved and has become more defining, which allows us to reaffirm some of our past educational theories and debunk others based on new approaches (new information).
Thus, for the first time in my life this writer wished that the U.S. was not an egalitarian styled government but a totalitarian government—the people who were opposing President Obama and his desiring to speak to children about the importance of education and learning brought me to this decision; in my opinion, all these detractors had forfeited their right to exercise the principles that undergirds our democracy. This writer knows that the above statement crosses the line of perhaps everything he personally stands for and believes in (for the record I will always favor a democratic society over any form of a repressive government). But I must admit it angered me that those who were opposing President Obama had lost their damn minds and based on hate they were not taking into account that our educational system is failing dismally in comparison to Western Europe and Asian nations.
What shocked me the most, was that this was not Ho Chi Minh, Mao Se Tung, Adolph Hitler, Benito Mussolini, Joseph Stalin, Vladimir Lenin, Seso Mobutu, Fidel Castro or Hugo Chavez (let me clarify, these personalities are most associated in the west as being brutal dictators). This was the president of the so-called "free world" and the inferences was that to have your children listen to a speech being delivered my President Obama was a form of ideological indoctrination that you would associate with a country that is ruled by a dictator. I do not necessarily agree with everything that President Obama says and does, but speaking to American children about achievement and the importance of learning in my opinion was a timely message and topic.
American children can not afford to miss an opportunity to engage in a learning dialogue. Most national and international educational experts have maintained that the United States students’ academic achievement is not making the grade, in particular as this writer stated above in the areas of math and science (29th and 36) and the U.S. stand as one of the most industrialized nations in the world. These two statistics alone should shame us to be more proactive and innovative in our approach to resolve this predicament and the question still remains, why are American children missing the mark? Who do we blame—parents, students, teachers administrators, school districts, states, federal government, etc. all of the said entities have to bear responsibility in our children's educational failures and they all hold liability and culpability in what this writers deems as gross negligence. This writer is of the opinion, that someone should be held accountable for this mess and who is willing to take the responsibility to improve our children’s academic performances and demand that they become competitive in order to ensure our future on the world stage.
My wife shared with me essay that was written by an unknown author titled. “Common Sense” and this is what the author stated: "My parents told me about Mr. Common Sense early in my life and told me I would do well to call on him when making decisions. It seems he was always around in my early years but less and less as time passed by until today I read his obituary. Please join me in a moment of silence in remembrance. For Common Sense had served us all so well for so many generations."
Obituary
Common Sense
"Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape."
"He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as knowing when to come in out of the rain, why the early bird gets the worm, life isn't always fair, and maybe it was my fault."
"Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend more than you earn) and reliable parenting strategies (adults, not children are in charge)."
"His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a six-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a class mate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition."
"Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job they themselves failed to do in disciplining their unruly children. It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer Aspirin, sun lotion or a sticky plaster to a student; but could not inform the parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion."
"Common Sense lost the will to live as the Ten Commandments became contraband; churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims."
"Common Sense took a beating when you couldn't defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar can sue you for assault."
"Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement."
"Common Sense was preceded in death by his parents, Truth and Trust; his wife, Discretion; his daughter, Responsibility; and his son, Reason. He is survived by three stepbrothers; I Know My Rights, Someone Else is to Blame, and I'm a Victim."
"Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone. If you still remember him pass this on. If not, join the majority and do nothing."
The U.S. students are low performing academically across the board in every subject and no one seems to have a solution to this problem. I do not think U.S. students have an inherently low I.Q.s when it comes to learning relative to students from China, India, Japan, Korea, etc. But these nations’ children are out performing U.S. students in all areas and are soaring educationally in the academic disciplines that matters the most—the sciences. What will be the long term effect of this social and educational apathy?
The Asian nations are scoring leaps and bounds above us in this area; do we continue the course or do we begin to make changes perhaps starting with our early childhood development theories and our initial introduction to learning techniques? My argument would be very simple; it would not be totally based on discarding Lev Vygotsky (1896-1934), Marie Montessori (1870-1952), Jean Piaget, Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778), Jean Henri Pestalozzi (1745-1827). I just do not think these past great educational philosophers had the foresight to look that deep into the future and create social theories that could stand without the need of any new assessments and evaluations which to make them relevant to where we are in this space and time.
However, I just do not think the present day political, economic and social stages can be overlooked; thus, because many of these educational philosophers wrote and developed some of these theories over 300 years ago and could not have taking into account the modern day student and environment. I believe there must be an American educational reformation that is both socially and politically relevant and pragmatic; may be we should start as this writer stated above by studying the Asians (Japan, China, and India) models to see what they are doing different from us in the United States and begin to incorporate those principles into our curriculums of learning.
No doubt will the United States overt neglect cost our nation huge social, political and economic dividends in the future relative to the success and/or failure of our nation to continue being a one world superpower. The U.S has made a tremendous investment in war and this seems to be more of a national priority than American education. This alone stands as hypocrisy for President Obama—our government in which the bill is being footed by the American taxpayers which to finance two unjust wars in Iraq and Afghanistan where trillions of our hard earned dollars are being spent in the area of national defense and national security.
But education is viewed by our politicians has being less important. They all talking a good game when it comes to education, but they do not put their or better yet our money next to their mouths; what is more important than to render real stability of our children’s future. Yet, U.S. children are reading, writing and counting below grade levels and we continue to waste away value resources.
I live in the state of North Carolina and where I live it is considered part of the old southern Bible belt (I have always had problems with that Bible ever since them damn missionaries brought it to Africa). The conservative Bible toting Christians fought for many years against North Carolina acquiring the state lottery. North Carolina lawmakers eventually convinced the citizens of North Carolina that the lottery would be beneficiary to education and taxpayers—offsetting public education cost and expenditures. This even to me sounded like a win-win proposal. However, North Carolina public instruction still remains in shambles and out of 50 U.S. states it still ranked in the bottom half of nationwide educational performance. The NC taxpayers are still burden with high taxes and there is no evidence that the lottery is doing anything in support of public instruction.
The time requires and demands that we become more innovative and possessing a willingness to step outside the box to resolve the issues that confronts American education. Our future is in danger and it will not just be based on those who will acquire more military might, but it will be based on how prepared the next generation is to assume the reins of leadership. The question will be rooted in the quality of education that our children are acquiring today, which will dictate how we measure up the Asian and Western European nations tomorrow. It is imperative that we take proactive procedures, even if it means debunking past educational theories and methodologies for more practical theories based on where we are in time and space. Education in 21st Century and beyond has to be aggressively global.
Fahim A. Knight-EL Chief Researcher for KEEPING IT REAL THINK TANK located in Durham, NC; our mission is to inform African Americans and all people of goodwill, of the pending dangers that lie ahead; as well as decode the symbolisms and reinterpreted the hidden meanings behind those who operate as invisible forces, but covertly rules the world. We are of the belief that an enlightened world will be better prepared to throw off the shackles of ignorance and not be willing participants for the slaughter. Our MOTTO is speaking truth to power. Fahim A. Knight-EL can be reached at fahimknight@yahoo.com.
Stay Awake Until We Meet Again,
Fahim A. Knight-EL
Saturday, September 5, 2009
THE GREAT DEBATE: RELIGION VERSUS RATIONAL THINKING
THE GREAT DEBATE: RELIGION VERSUS RATIONAL THINKING
By Fahim A. Knight-EL
This writer had written an article entitled: Religion versus Cult: And Our Quest For Truth” that I web published on October 1, 2008. I knew from the outset that anytime you write or talk about religion, it is often a hypersensitive and emotional topic of discussion, in particular if you are attempting to give a critical assessment and evaluation. Thus, I have enjoyed engaging varying minds in an intellectual discussion relative to religion over some weeks and of course Logic and Rational thinking always win out. Religion is based on an emotional driven social science and it does not stand up under the rigors of intellectual and empirical proof and scrutiny. This has been a very good exchange between myself and others on the David Icke website and perhaps may be we all made some baby steps a long the way, but religion can always be a very sensitive discussion. I am always willing to succumb to any superior and/or logical reasoning and I do not want to come across of not being tolerable of others ideas and positions, but I know in any dialog it should always be based on a give and take exchange.
I am perhaps guilty at times of boring my audiences with lengthy citations and wordy content; however, I have always tried to present alternative viewpoints and to at least give the readers something else to think about, but in the truest sense what is more credible than citing your own personal experiences and expressing your opinions relative to a topic. Moreover, which is just as valuable as the next person giving theirs, surely after these many years, I have embraced a worldview as a primary objective witness to life, as opposed to relaying on what others may have uttered on this said topic. I took an entirely different approach in constructing and writing this article, I very seldom write in the first person tense and my professor and mentor Dr. Earl Thorpe is probably turning over in his grave.
I do enjoy reading Blogs and articles where people cite their own personal testimonies, which to me these type writing styles exemplify the highest form of artistic writing; when a writer can convey personal experiences in a narrative form, it speaks volumes of their skill level and the comfort level that they have with their intellect and experiences having the ability to standup under scrutiny and at the same time offering something to the scope of literary science. This is a literary art style that I truly envy because I have never been able to adopt it as my own, but I appreciate those that have the intellectual ability to do so. I was trained by a historian named Dr. Earlie Thorpe who is now decease, but historians write like private investigators; the most important thing to them is documentation and verification and making every attempt to be empirical in their research findings.
Religion is such a sensitive topic that it is often difficult to have a rational conversation relative to religion with those that adhere to organized religion. The original article came about due to some deep introspective and reflections that I was having about my own personal spiritual journey. I had taking a few philosophy courses in college some years ago and one of the courses was titled philosophy of religion taught by a professor named Dr. Clack, it reshaped my worldview.
I must admit as a young student, I enjoyed watching Dr. Clack’s analytical mind at work critically evaluating schools of thought that had not been fully tried and tested. So, I never told Dr. Clack, I really admired this man for his intellectual daring approach to take on "hot topics." But what I found to be most attractive, was his willingness to discuss topics that were considered off limits and he was not fearful of disagreeing with the popular view and tradition. I truly walked away from his class as a Free Thinker and over the years this position has gotten me in trouble. This experience led me to seek a deeper understanding of my own spirituality and I debunk organized religion in the formal sense years ago—Thus, I am tolerant of those that have chosen organized religion as their path.
Let me digress a bit and discuss what is differential between religion and spirituality. Spirituality does not answer to a set of agreed dogmas or does not need hierarchy clerics to determine their relationship as a microcosm entity or being, but fully understand their relevance to the macrocosm. This is purely internal development and has very little to do with the external. Spirituality can not be viewed from a corrupt perspective of Western lens.
HERE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT IS ACCEPT AS SPIRITUALITY
Spirituality encourages people to learn how to think. Spirituality invites everyone to trust themselves. Spirituality is led on guidance from within.
Spirituality teaches people to question everything. Spirituality is guided by the spirit of the human heart. Spirituality combines head and heart to form a conscious connection to The Source of All That Is. Spirituality welcomes challenges -- Challenges are food for growth and to tools with which to become stronger. Spirituality teaches that heaven is a state of being. Spirituality is reborn moment-by-moment right-here right-now. It is born out of one's own knowing that every person is a divine being having a human experience. Spirituality is all inclusive and teaches that every religion is its own pathway to God. Spirituality acknowledges that trying to stick God into a single religion is like trying to fit the universe into a shoe box. Spirituality teaches that humans are divine beings experiencing an earth-life in a human body. Spirituality teaches that personal behavior is a function of knowing in one's own heart what’s right and wrong and then following that inner guidance. Spirituality teaches that the mind must be brought into play--that there is no one else to blame for whatever is dysfunctional in the outside world or in one's own personal life. Spirituality acknowledges that every human being has his or her own direct connection to God by way of the God-Self within. (See Matthew 6:5-6 and Luke 17:21.Spirituality has only one weapon, the truth.
Spirituality is far beyond what many religious people can conceive. Thus, you can not adequately fit spirituality into one’s religious worldview, it just might not fit. However, one can be religious and spiritual, but also one can be spiritual without being religious (this dictum or axiom is often mindboggling to those that practice organized religion). The above represents some of the principles that I acknowledge relative to the concept of spirituality, it is in no way limited to this list nor does this list presents an exhaustive definition of spirituality. These are not my words but this is what I adhere to which differs in many ways from the western concept of religion.
I hope this explanation gives my readers some clarity, relative to how I see and view spirituality.
I had not fully realized the kind of impact that Dr. Clack’s intellectualism had on me and as I stated in the initial article it led me to become a Free thinker, It would be Dr. Clack's rational thinking approach to God and religion that led me to delve deeper into the realm of critical thinking, and eventually evolved into one who did not mind challenging ideas. Thus, as one grows and develops intellectually, it becomes difficult to allow any conscious and/or subconscious restraints to be placed on your mental capacity to think and explore ideals and concepts. There would be no topic or subject that would be considered off limits—this included religion.
Thus, as have stated above, I left organized religion along time ago, but it was once a big part of my personal experience and development and perhaps may be in some of my prior written articles those experiences come across in my thinking, as well as in some of the philosophical ideas being expressed. Life is about traveled paths and religion led me to spirituality, but I truly know that I would have come to that conclusion without religion. I became very uncomfortable with my personal faith tradition; based on the fact that you could not question the tenets or the theology (but deep down inside, I was always a rational thinker before I even met Dr. Clack; however, my thinking formalized itself a little better upon meeting Dr. Clack) this frustrated me because it prohibited me from having an outlet to debate, explore and weigh evidence and theories in order to satisfy my own inquisitiveness.
My wife is religious, but I must say she is truly my alter ego, because even in religion there are some principles that are irrefutable. I became exposed to logical and rational thinking and this process forced me to raise certain questions because I was searching for rational and logical answers not fairly tales, magic and superstitious concepts. Organized religion is not comfortable with analytical reasoning and I could have accepted a long time ago the cleric just telling me he just did not have the answers to certain questions, as opposed to telling me boogieman stories because I dared to question that which did not add up to being rational.
I am of the further opinion, that there is no defense for religion; it is all concocted magic designed to make people feel good and rob them blind. Religion is one of the biggest con and hoax that has ever been played on humanity. Somebody has a God complex. Let me give you an example, if you look at most global conflicts that are taking place around the world today, you will often find at the basis of these conflicts, is religion (which is systematically used by the Invisible Rulers to keep humanity divided and mentally and really physically enslaved). They use these so-called "Holy Books" as control mechanisms and slavish drive us in various political, economic and social directions. Many that were debating me had weak analytical arguments and were trying to hold on to the tradition of magic and superstitious beliefs—called religion. But in reality had no credible rational defense other than stating to me that “people have the right to practice their feel good faith tradition.” This point is valid, at least from the vanish point of us living inside the United States of America. Yes, I side more with rational theories and science (logic) and I am not willing to allow myself to be duped by the clerics of "tricknology".
What was there before organized religion and before these holy books arrived? Religion in my opinion was a mere concoction invented by man and therefore, the so-called perfection story (the creation and man's attempt to explain his reality) and absolute started out flawed. You can not place something as flawed as religion into a mathematical equation. The physics and math will only show that it’s even more flawed because of the root of its intellectual premises, if we can call it that. Science starts out from the premises of looking to solve the X factor that which is unknown and then it takes you through stringent processes of analyzing data—being tried and tested in order to ascertain a definitive value for X. Thus, this process of assessing and evaluating principles are forever evolving; the science keeps on validating itself. Religion just does not standup to the scientific method and logic is the antithesis to such unproven theories called religion (faith).
I have studied practically all world religions (and their theology) and have walked different paths in my life and those paths (and my acquired experiences) have brought me to this space and time where I am right now, as I write this article. Whatever one considers to be working for them that is their prerogative and however, one determines the benefits or non-benefits of their association with organized or non-organized belief structure, it is better for them to define their religious reality than for me to unfairly render a blanket conclusion about the concept of faith tradition. I have a problem with it all, because I feel for humanity and how these concepts of god and religion keeps us divided and foster human conflict, but this is being done systematically, often unknowing to the innocent one’s who practice organized religion.
I am of the belief that to have a serious conversation about religion, it can not start from the premise of emotionalism because to start from that premise will only compromise the possibility of objectivity. I had no other motive for writing this article other than looking to engage people in an honest and open debate about religion—not to criticize religion, although I am of the opinion that religion is not above critique. My critique is meant to evoke greater understanding, but not to be overly judgmental of people who find it necessary to embrace organized religion.
I know it is difficult for some to depart from tradition, but just look at man's inhumanity to man that is done in the name of God and religion. For example, Constantine and Church in 325 A.D. concocted the Christian creed (they built Christianity on lies and religious deception). Why do not the religious zealots begin a campaign to right (write) the religious historical wrongs? Plain and simple, give the people the truth, Isa Ben Yosef (Jesus the son of Joseph) did not teach the lies that is attributed to his ministry. Let’s start right there.
The paths we all choose depends upon one's understanding of reality—some will embrace the human struggle others will betray the human struggle, it has nothing to do with the criticism and mischaracterization of one’s educational level and assuming the higher level somehow this makes them more susceptible to become reactionary. The enemy has co-opted all types of people, some are part of academia and others are not. I do not have a problem with the pursuit of learning be it formal or be it outside the conventional four wall classroom settings that we in the Western World associate with learning. The question should be, what side are you on.
I think formalize education has its place; it dependents upon one's worldview whether or not they become part of the problem or part of the solution. Thus, I have met some highly trained people who were intellectually insane and I have met some laypersons who had not attained any academic letters, but I would consider them highly educated. I do not think its fair to pigeon hole somebody because of training and/or there lack of. We are at war for the hearts and minds of humanity and I am sorry, I just see organized religion as being an antagonistic contradiction in human development.
Thus, for daring to write about topics dealing with religion, I have been called atheist, agnostic, evil, devil, Satan, Benedict Arnold, etc., and various other derogatory names by people who profess to be believers. I am neither. I have a deep respect and appreciation for that which gives me a rational explanation about creation, the universe, human existence, and the system of universal laws that governs our existences.
This article came about due my involvement as a member of David Icke’s website where I posted the original article titled, “Religion versus Cult and Our Quest For Truth”. I had read or better yet studied Icke's book titled, "The Biggest Secret" and I found him to be an outside the box thinker and one of the few scholars that was willing to challenge conventional thinking. But I was starting to wonder that those who opposed me on the David Icke forum, perhaps had not really read or been listening to Icke (this was his official website) about his views on religious subliminal seduction (religion is some real mind control) which some of them were trying to defend; he meaning Icke, does a much better job of dismantling this magic than I.
I found most of his information credible and welled researched. Icke tackled subjects ranging from such topics as Freemasonry, New Age, Conspiracy, Paranormal topics, Reptilian, International Banking and Finance, religion, the Dynastic Family Cabal, New World Order, Illuminati, etc.
Thus, my article “Religion versus Cult and Our Quest For Truth” as I have stated above when I posted the article, it was immediately met with some opposition from members of the David Icke’s website, but most of those who opposed my views did it out of sheer emotionalism and many of their arguments were void of the practicality of rationalism. I took all of their comments and arguments and in my opinion deconstructed their arguments because they were arguing from the basis of "faith" and "belief."
But there was one gentlemen who went by the Internet handle of Mephibosheth, I suspect this was not his real name, but I found him and his argument interesting. Thus, unlike many of the others on the David Icke website who ventured into this debate this gentlemen Mr. Mephibosheth appeared to be a little more philosophical and he definitely was better read in philosophical theories than his constituents on the site. I suspected that he has had some formal training and education in the field of philosophy and he appeared very comfortable in opposing my theories.
I do not think even him or myself cared much for organized religion, but I believe he took the opposite position of me for the sake of debating the antithesis and perhaps both of us viewed this argument and debate more as a mental exercise in the area of ideas; more so than either of us holding onto immovable theoretical convictions. He was a formidable debater and he and I for a few days debated religion back and forth. I would like to share a portion of that debate with my readers because the argument that we were having in my opinion was much bigger than us.
There are perhaps many more beyond those who will access my Blog and David Icke’s website who could benefit from this discussion. So I have decided to expand this conversation to other audiences and forums beyond just the David Icke’s website.
Those who access this article via Internet have my permission to repost my article on your Blog pages and websites, if you find this conversation to be a necessary discussion as well as take this discussion to your preacher, priest, Imam, minister, Rabbi, elder and discuss it with them. I personally think this conversation is a much needed one, as humanity continues to make theological, religious, spiritual, social, political, and economic transitions.
We no longer can allow ignorance, emotionalism, fear, and unfound dogmas to continue to guide humanity's thinking because the results of this is evident by humanity's lack of spiritual development and it has adversely affected the state of humanity to live in peace and harmony with ourselves and the planet. However, I do think there are good people who practice organized religion and have benefitted from the principles and tenets and have used the various faith traditions and texts to personally better themselves, family and the community. Nevertheless, stated below is the discussion and debate between Mephibosheth and myself:
Mephibosheth stated: by logic. You realize, of course, that this is hopelessly circular, and by necessity.
Fahim A. Knight-EL: No. my man, rational thinking gives way to logical outcomes that are not hopeless; it connects the dots and gives us a reasonable probability and it is not based in unproven spook and mystery God teachings. Question: That you are avoiding, when are you going to produce that mystery God? Yes. I know it's "faith" and this is a reality that is personal? I deal in reality that can be counted and measured. Is this God physical or is it spirit being. Please give us the evidence. I am interested in verifying his/her existence; is it animated or inanimate object?
Mephibosheth stated: If such a God exists, it must be experiencable. If God can't be experienced, then God isn't real.
Fahim A. Knight-EL: Now! this is a good example, of spook teaching. What is the experience you are pertaining to? How do you know that experience is related to "God" but through deductive reason this relegates it-self down to faith (unproven inferences). This is magic at is best.
Mephibosheth stated:" I haven't experienced God personally, so I can't provide witness testimony for you. But I could lead you down the path to where one might attain such an experience. Basically, its the same path all the mystics take."
Fahim A. Knight-EL: This is one of the best rational points that you have made: "I haven't experienced God personally, so I can't provide witness testimony for you." I do accept this as a truth, but you can not lead me to no path where someone could produce that mystery God and verify his existence (this thought or theory only takes us back to "faith" the evidence of things unseen). I put no reliable credence in such non-rational and antagonistic theory." Do you know anyone that can provide via observation a testimony (primary source). I do not mean no damn so-called "Holy" book account of this mystery God?
Mephibosheth stated: "The greatest message from religion is one of self-empowerment. Jesus teaches this, Buddha teaches this, in their own way. That is, they encourage individuals to seek the truth and see reality as it really is, fully and clearly. And this is to see reality beyond words and symbols, concepts, and dualities. But this is difficult for someone to understand if they are stuck clinging to duality and polarity, stuck clinging to the construct of self and the narrative web of meaning built up by language, which does naught but separate us from the immediate and immanent facticity of our being."
Fahim A. Knight-EL: Please produce the evidence that the man called Jesus and other Sages ever walk this earth. I got it; you going to refer me to the Bible, a book that was written years after the so-called man (Jesus) was dead. I contend the man never existed. They gave us 66 books (to control the ignorant) and took out those books that truly would have empowered humanity. Why would these "divinely" inspired men do this?
Mephibosheth stated: "Yes, really."
Fahim A. Knight-EL: You have no defense for religion; you are only perhaps pulling from Wikipedia or some other spam site trying to pose and intellectual argument; the stuff that you are posing; you need to at least give credit and citation to source because I have seen this non-senses somewhere else; I just can not put my finger on it. You know it is illegal and against the law to plagiarize someone's intellectual property and not give the source proper credit. Yes, I have seen this somewhere just can not put my finger on it. My man, it is a nice cut and past job. Logic is independent of all the variables you cited and you can not equate something as emotional as religion and assess and evaluate these unproven theories and come up with an empirical and rational fact (truth). Yes, man and woman functioned and reasoned (determined right and wrong) understood the laws of relativity, understood the universal laws of cause and effect, etc., long before these so-called holy books corrupted and tried to redefine the natural order of things. My thoughts are original and I am not stealing other people's work to make my case (your last two responses was someone else’s work). You can not even talk about science and religion in the same breath (they are diametrically opposed) to each other. Logic and rational thought is not based on some unproven concoctions. You can not prove that mystery god exist. Somebody wrote these contradictory fairy tales and called it "divine" scriptures. They told us it was "inspired word" of God. Really!
Mephibosheth stated: you said, and I quote "you are only perhaps pulling from Wikipedia or some other spam site". I asked, 'where's the evidence'? I want to know what's your evidence that I am 'pulling from Wikipedia or some other spam site'? Now, for such a highly rational mind such as yours, this should pose no problem whatsoever, right?
Fahim A. Knight-EL: I accept your clarity and your point is valid.
Mephibosheth stated: "Besides which, your statement above is laughable. If there was no conjecture in science, no one would get anything done."
Fahim A. Knight-EL: Science is in the business of testing out; and conjecture is taking through the rigor process of ascertaining what is a highly probability (empirical processes). It seeks empirical conclusions and it has an openness to embrace better science, as we improve on theories and validates new tried and tested data.
Mephibosheth stated: "Meanwhile, your statement that religion is filled with "unscientific theories that stands outside the realm of logic" is utterly nonsensical. Again, this just goes to show that you don't know what logic is, or that you are using the term incorrectly. A religious system, as a system of values, as a system of politics, as a system of metaphysics, can be perfectly logical so long as it is internally coherent and consistent."
Fahim A. Knight-EL: Religion: Give me a rational formula that we can measure this theory; so we perhaps can come up with a logical base conclusion. Do not give me X=bible + N=God x R=Truth. This is pure non-senses and I believe deep down inside you know that I am right. You have given me enough (in your argument) to know that you have many questions about this snake oil practice. I think you are in this discussion for the mental exercise and nothing else."
Mephibosheth stated: "Again, where's the evidence that this is true?"
Fahim A. Knight-EL: The evidence is this: There is no Mystery God, he does not exist or unless you can prove me wrong.Mephibosheth stated: "This may surprise and shock you, my friend, but I didn't crack a single book nor surf a single website to post replies to this thread. As I said, nothing I wrote here is 'cut and pasted', despite whatever delusions you have about it."
Fahim A. Knight-EL: You have stated this earlier; I am just not convinced; no I am not working from a position of being delusionary. I do not know if you are using that as a noun, verb or adjective (I did fail English in school; for me it is the slave master’s language). Religion makes people mentally unstable and delusionary perhaps you were a bit confused about the characterization relative to practicing and pursuing rational out comes.
Mephibosheth stated: "Why indeed. Amusement only, I reckon. I merely waded in to make some remarks trying to set folk straight on what logic is and what it isnt--which is clearly necessary given some responses in this thread. Who says I practice 'magic'? Lol, what a comedian!!"
Fahim A. Knight-EL: Sorry! You are doing a poor job and you have left the religious sheep without a rational and logical defense. Mr. religious Savior; your arguments have lacked clarity and no magic believer can talk to me about the definitions of logic and rationality. Religion is irrational.
Mephibosheth stated: "I can say the same about your posts."
Fahim A. Knight-EL: Really! You can say that, but what I am talking about has processes that can be counted and measured. Not "SPOOKISM".
Mephibosheth stated: "Since you can't provide any evidence that my writing is plagarized, I'll kindly thank you to stop slandering my good name."
Fahim A. Knight-EL: I would like to respect your good name. I accept your clarity and position. I agree it is not ethical to slander a person, but I must say in my defense that was not my intention. But I accept how you feel about me making those statements.
Mephibosheth stated: "And you, meanwhile, are consistenly conflating logic and the empirical method. A science is any application of logic to a domain of discourse. That is, logic, as a tool of organising information, is applied to a field of study in order to organise the information known therein, and try to sort out the relations in a way that allow for a more effective and efficient analysis--and I stress analysis--of that information."
Fahim A. Knight-EL: How is this relative to religion? and can we use this process to derive at certain conclusions and can we discount certain theories based on the availability of the evidence or the lack of?
Mephibosheth stated: A science is first of all a logical discpline (sp.) An empirical science is a logical displine bounded by specific constraints, eg, that all the results of analysis must conform to some interpretation of empirical facts (which are, ultimately, only narratives dictated by some semiotic agent). This further constraint is what allows a science to move from being merely analytical to being interpretative, predictive, and connected to (what we suppose is) a common standard (ie, 'the world'). It allows science to become practical, and not merely formal. But both the formal and practical are still necessary components.
Fahim A. Knight-EL: No, doubt I will take my chances with "semiotic agent" over some cleric and using a so-called "holy" book trying to validate the story of creation from the book of Genesis. Science and rational theories gives us a lot more definitiveness about our earth and universe and man’s creation; than some contradictory fairy tale written in what the Honorable Elijah Muhammad called the poison book ("Holy" Bible).
Mephibosheth stated: "I don't think any sane person could read my posts and reasonably accuse me of being too 'emotional', LOL. But it takes all kinds."
Fahim A. Knight-EL: To make any defense on behalf of religion has to be emotional. Thus, even you stated: “I haven't experienced God personally, so I can't provide witness testimony for you.” This is a truth and the basis of my contentions and if you are still arguing. Yes. Sir at that point it is an emotional argument that you are making and it is outside of what is rational. Or unless at this point it is EGO.
Mephibosheth stated: "Rational thinkers produce run-on sentences. Must be 'thinking outside the box' eh?"
Fahim A. Knight-EL: Now! When one speaks three and four different languages and English might not be their first language. You need to be careful about making such an arrogant statement; this is an atypical Eurocentric perspective. No, just browse through your post (meaning this one and count the mis-spelled words you have made). Thus, ordinarily when a blogger began to make those types of statements they have nothing else to say. We are debating theories not language grammar. I am not trying to impress you in subject—verb agreement. But I do have a command of the English language when I choose. Now! Personally I do not think your misspelled words and poor sentence structures reflect your intelligence and I know if we both were engaged in a more formalized writing exercise those errors would be corrected. Lets not go there.
Mephibosheth stated: "Why don't you go and ask a scientist if anything--ever--has been 'proven', ie, certain, or whether the results of empirical investigation only yield a measure of probability. And here we come back to my first comment regarding Hume and causality. The scientific results you're talking about are a house of cards, waiting to be overturned by some future super-genius with a better idea."
Fahim A. Knight-EL: You are repeating the same argument. Will not dignify any more.
Mephibosheth stated: "When have I claimed a mystery God?"
Fahim A. Knight-EL: So are you in agreement with me, that the mystery God does not exist? Let me hear it from you straight and plain and at least we might get over that hurdle and do not have keep revisiting that point.
Mephibosheth stated: "Some let me get this straight. You're content to provide merely 'logical assessment' on the validity of religion, but insist that religion itself be empirically testable? You've got nothing but speculation. I'd love for you to prove this, empirically:"
Fahim A. Knight-EL: Simple are you saying that the holy books are divinely inspired (or did ordinary men write these books). Thus, the writers of Bible had no connection to God and there is not one shred of rational evidence to say that they did. If religion is partially validated based on theological books (interpretation) and we no right off the back this is flawed reasoning (I can not call that reasoning). This disproves it-self; I do not have to spend time on trying to disprove something that is outside the realm of a rational explanation. You admitted that "I haven't experienced God personally, so I can't provide witness testimony for you" I am completely satisfied with your response. Nothing else need to added.
Fahim A. Knight-EL: "man and woman functioned and reasoned (determined right and wrong) understood the laws of relativity, understood the universal laws of cause and effect, etc., long before these so-called holy books corrupted and tried to redefine the natural order of things."
Fahim A. Knight-EL: I stand by that point.
Mephibosheth stated: "No, its a request, which only goes to show your poor comprehension skills. You said, and I quote: "your last two responses was someone else’s work", and I said "Please provide evidence that this is the case." I'm waiting."
Fahim A. Knight-EL: Please go up a few paragraphs above; I answered the allegation and gave you the consideration that you were requesting.
Mephibosheth stated: "This is not true of all religion nor all religious thinking. Most religions are based on human experience, just as any scientific observation is. The difference is in how that experience is interpreted. And that depends on the worldview or paradigm one adopts to do the interpreting. Reality itself doesn't hand us 'the correct' paradigm. You ought to remember that we are just making it up as we go along, and fitting things together the best we can, because that's all we can do."
Fahim A. Knight-EL: Really! Most people I know gather those experiences from religious fairy tales called scripture and from clerics. Please explain to us what is a religious experience and how does that differs from a super natural experience? Bit curious. Sir. your above remarks is a perfect example of an emotional outlook and worldview.
Mephibosheth stated: "Meanwhile, you fail to recognize the fact that logic is not empirical, and hence, that all your empirical sciences are grounded in something that is non-empirical."
Fahim A. Knight-EL: The results of logic is empirical (can be counted and measured) and that is good enough for me and millions of others.
Mephibosheth stated: "Sort of like how you work in the realm of opinion, telling me that my writing is plagiarism."
Fahim A. Knight-EL: We have clarified that point. No need to revisit.
Mephibosheth stated: "LOL, what do you think, that scientists are some kind of robots or Vulcans? How ludicrous. We're all human beings, and we all construct opinions, and these lead us from one bit of narrative to the next. If scientists never had an opinion, very little innovation would ever happen."
Fahim A. Knight-EL: No, you are being a bit loose and condescending. Science use the human extraction (we are not oblivious to human shortcomings) this is why we do everything possible to let the results of data validates what is rational and from that we draw a logical conclusion and not the other way around. Science does not deal in "SPOOKISM" we deal in what can be proven.
Mephibosheth stated: "Well here's a few sources off the top of my head: Kant, Leibniz, Locke, Hegel, Hume, Berkeley, Cassirer, Hartman, Frege, Sartre, Husserl, Haack, Aristotle, Gardernfors, Priest, Suzuki, Buddha, Chinese ch'an masters (zen stories), and a couple of university degrees."
Fahim A. Knight-EL: Well respected intellectuals; I too admire and appreciate many of their philosophical works and the contribution they made to field of rational thinking.
Mephibosheth stated: You said. and I quote: "I have taken on the best intellectual minds and Logic and Rational thinking always win out." Which seems to imply that the either the 'best intellectual minds' are irrational, or that you, in particular, possess highly superior rationality to defeat the best intellectual minds. Surely, it's not hard to see how this might be construed as a form of bragging.
Fahim A. Knight-EL: Stand by the statement.
Mephibosheth stated: "Well, I personally am 'against' 'organised religion' if by that we mean a form of politics that enforces a value-paradigm on people. But I don't think it's useful to take a simplistic view of religion either. Religion is multifaceted. It's a politics, it's a metaphysics, it's an ethics. It has many dimensions. Indeed, Islam is instructive here, as it prescribes an entire lifestyle down to the smallest detail. Let's not forget the fact that religion in one form or another has permeated human reality since before the dawn of time. There is no point in known history that you can point to and say 'human beings weren't religious'."
Fahim A. Knight-EL: You are against organized religion. I am glad to hear you make that point and may be you will join us FREE THINKERS and began to advocate a rational approach to answering the six basic questions: Who, What, Where, When, How and Why. And not continue to dupe these people with this simple defense that you are trying to put up for religion. There is no rational defense that you can put up for religion.
Mephibosheth stated: "Meanwhile, what have secular systems gotten us? Communism, nihilism, atomic bombs, sexual degradation, moral corruption. So take a good hard look at the fruits of human nature, expressed in both the spiritual and secular domains. There's more of an argument for humans to reject science and technology because of the dangers it haphazardly throws upon the world than for humans to reject religion and spirituality that try to formulate a moral imperative to improve the quality of human life."
Fahim A. Knight-EL: Religion is more lethal than science because the damage it does mentally (this is the worst sought of lynching) to humanity. Many of my fellow human beings are intoxicated off this sedative and will commit all types of atrocities in its name. For example, murder, create mayhem, and behind every conflict on globe today; you will find religion lurking not to far behind. Yes, them damn missionaries are dangerous. The collapse of the social orders that you mentioned had more to do with the Invisible Rulers than some imperfection in the systems it-self. Yes. Someone has the power to induce human conflict and I do not mean God. True; technology has its shortcomings, but you and I perhaps would not be having this conversation if it was not for the benefit of science. I am not for scientific and intellectual stagnation (I see science as a good and important necessity in our human evolution). Now! I am saying that I am for responsible science that takes into account what is ethical and value the lives of humanity.
Mephibosheth stated: "Come come now, you know that Shakespeare was a front for Francis Bacon."
Fahim A. Knight-EL: Perhaps you think Sir Frances Bacon was divinely inspired. My point is King James (was a slave making pervert) and he authorized the Bible--King James Version and you expect me to see this flawed book as some sought of divine theological treatise. Please! I prefer a good novel
Mephibosheth stated: "No, its better if you hear it from the actual Muslims on this forum. Go have a peruse of the 'Islam--Ask you Questions' thread."
Fahim A. Knight-EL: Send them my way, I will gladly entertain their foolishness too.
Fahim A. Knight-EL: There is nothing you have given that deserves to be challenged. Your defense for religion is emotional, but you make a good attempt to disguise this magic and superstitious snake oil practice in intellectual terms. Religion has very little empirical properties and logic moves us away from thought processes that can not be validated. Please produce that mystery God and give us some defensiveness that he exist; other than in your illogical imagination. This one of the greatest con games they have played on humanity. Philosophy allows us to think outside the box. Tell me more about this mystery God that does not exist.
Mephibosheth stated: "Unfortunately, it's clear to me that you have no idea what logic is or how it works, otherwise you might be more careful when throwing the term around so casually, especially when there are philosophers about".
Fahim A. Knight-EL: Really!
Mephibosheth stated: "Where’s the evidence? Please demonstrate that this is anything BUT a baseless conjecture".
Fahim A. Knight-EL: Science and Rational thinking do not believe in nor accept conjecture, we prefer what can be counted and measured. Now! Religion is full of conjecture (along with unscientific theories that stands outside the realm of logic). Perhaps you a have rational equation for what translate as faith and belief. (I got a grandmother would called it the unexplainable) lol.
Mephibosheth stated: "And is it also illegal to slander people".
Fahim A. Knight-EL: Thus, perhaps I should have said it is unethical to use or paraphrase someone else work and not give them a citation. You pulled a lot of things that I have seen in the past and you are parroting other's work.
Mephibosheth stated: "This proves that you have no idea what I'm talking about, or what you're talking about. You are the one posing as an intellectual here, but there's no substance behind your words."
Fahim A. Knight-EL: This is a relative comment; coming from a person who practice magic. Why are you debating a person with no substance; thus, irrational statement and self fulfilling motive?
Mephibosheth stated: "Nothing from any of my posts here has been 'cut and pasted'. Everything I wrote was off the top of my head, from the tips of my fingers. I challenge you to prove otherwise".
Fahim A. Knight-EL: Really! I am not convinced; not that I am doubting your ability to think, but your argument has been repeated by many and the wording sounds often familiar.
Mephibosheth stated: "My influences in philosophy are broad, but its been years since I earnestly studied it. Although that in no way invalidates the content of my posts."
Fahim A. Knight-EL: Philosophers are rational thinkers who uses logic (correlated) as an external variable to produce an empirical fact; you are much to emotional and to caught up in theories that can not stand-up to the scientific method of being tried and tested; yielding a rational and logical conclusionMephibosheth stated: "Truth is a semantic relation, friend. It is entirely relative to context. The empirical world must first be interpreted before it can be communicated via symbols (representing concepts). Words don't really convey 'facts'; only a direct and immediate apprehension of the phenomenal manifold gives access to the facticity of being, such as it is."
Fahim A. Knight-EL: No, truth has been ascertained by the rigors of being proven based on being tested and giving proof to verify and it leaves little to no doubt that this hypotheses is reliable enough to determine it as a fact (can be counted and measured).
Mephibosheth stated: "More conjecture. Where's the evidence that this is 'true'? Please demonstrate".
Fahim A. Knight-EL: I have provided you with a rational and logical assessment. You have no defense for religion. When are you going to produce that mystery God?
Mephibosheth stated: "Please provide evidence that this is the case. I guarantee you are mistaken, which only makes you look foolish."
Fahim A. Knight-EL: This is an insult statement will not dignify.Mephibosheth stated: "You repeating this line again and again doesn't make it a 'fact' or a 'truth'". Fahim A. Knight-EL: Redounded teaching is a good method to get a student like yourself to retain the lesson.
Mephibosheth stated: "I can conceive of a way that a religious system can be a coherent rational system, which puts it on par with other domains of discourse. Its a simplification to say that they are 'diametrically opposed', especially when we consider that they aim at the same thing--understanding and describing reality. The real difference is the starting premises and axioms uncritically accepted. Religion, often, starts from a different place than empirical science. But empirical science itself is based on logic, which is NOT an empirical science."
Fahim A. Knight-EL: You are way off base, rational system through empirical process reaches the highest level of reliability and works to put forth tried and tested evidences that verify the highest possibility of an outcome. Religion is steeped in faith and determines its worldview to be rooted outside of rational and empirical findings and is not required to be even close to a fact base analysis.
Mephibosheth stated: "Well, that's your OPINION. Obviously, you can't prove that this is a 'fact' or a 'truth' so all you can do is try to convince us that your OPINION is attractive, hence, that we ought to share it. I think its possible that some religious texts are inspired by real mystical experiences. That, like poetry, religion trys to express the unexpressable, and, like science, it attempts to order the world of perceptions into a coherent picture."
Fahim A. Knight-EL: Rational and logic thinkers do no deal in "opinions" we prefer facts and empirical out comes. You see you are confusing the language and the two theories. Religion works in the realm of "opinion" and does not have to be based in a fact reality.
Mephibosheth stated: "Sure it is. I think you are confusing 'plagarism' with the expression of someone who actually LEARNED something from a text book or two and is able to express their own ideas in their own words. Nothing you've said is 'new', so I guess you're just plagarising everything you write."
Fahim A. Knight-EL: Please give us your source and even if you are paraphrasing. I will not snitch you out (lol).
Mephibosheth stated: "Really. I suggest you go back to 'academia' and hang around there for a while's while longer. Your vision is pretty poor."
Fahim A. Knight-EL: No, academia prepared me to think outside the box. I have acquired all that I need from classroom academics. My vision is not tied to emotional and flawed theories.
Mephibosheth stated: "Bragging now eh. OK, I'm beginning to understand your game. You're not a mature intellectal looking for honest debate and discussion. You're an immature demagogue. Dr. Clark would be soo disappointed!! Me, I actually spoke to my professors and challenged them on ideas, and wasn't afraid that they could 'see right through me'. LOL."
Fahim A. Knight-EL: No, not bragging just confident. To brag is a form of arrogance, but to be confident is a form of being self-assured; you can not compare the two.
Mephibosheth stated: "So now religion is a form of social science? Ok, well that's something."
Fahim A. Knight-EL: Better yet it is confused Magic.
Mephibosheth stated: "Somehow, I don't think you have the foggiest idea about what religion does and does not try to 'prove'. Anyway, I never said that a religious system was an empirical system, or that religious ideas were empirically valid, in general."
Fahim A. Knight-EL: I know what religion does; just look around you--past, present and future. It has devastated humanity politically, socially, and economically. They used it as an imperialistic tool to enslave, steal and corrupt. I do not want the God that religion proclaims. Magic, Magic, Magic, Magic!!!!!!! Oh. Lets not forget lies and deceptions.
Mephibosheth stated: "The bible was written by lots of different folk. But there's still lots of question about its validity as a historical document".
Fahim A. Knight-EL: Who King James and Shakespeare. I guess they were divinely inspired. Please!
Mephibosheth stated: "Now the Quraan, OTOH, there's a book that simply had to be written by God."
Fahim A. Knight-EL: I do no think you know what you are saying; your thoughts are unintelligible and your deductive reason is based in pseudo intellectualism with no real point of contention. I do consider myself halfway intelligent, but there was very little that I could discern from your argument that made much sense. You have no logical defense for organized religion: how about this sheer MAGIC AND SUPERSTITION and you can not present any logical argument to prove us Free Thinker wrong. Yes, I base all my positions in the realm of logic and rational thinking, free of "Holy Book" and "clerics". Thus, I do not accept that Mystery God and that Spook teaching that you are trying to intellectualize means absolutely nothing to me. What is your defense for this "SNAKE OIL" belief system? I gave you a 5000 word thesis; you in turn have giving me a weak religious defense that is rooted in outer space. You have no defense for religion, I know that and you know that.
Fahim A. Knight-EL Chief Researcher for KEEPING IT REAL THINK TANK located in Durham, NC; our mission is to inform African Americans and all people of goodwill, of the pending dangers that lie ahead; as well as decode the symbolisms and reinterpreted the hidden meanings behind those who operate as invisible forces, but covertly rules the world. We are of the belief that an enlightened world will be better prepared to throw off the shackles of ignorance and not be willing participants for the slaughter. Our MOTTO is speaking truth to power. Fahim A. Knight-EL can be reached at fahimknight@yahoo.com.Stay Awake Until We Meet Again,
Fahim A. Knight-EL
By Fahim A. Knight-EL
This writer had written an article entitled: Religion versus Cult: And Our Quest For Truth” that I web published on October 1, 2008. I knew from the outset that anytime you write or talk about religion, it is often a hypersensitive and emotional topic of discussion, in particular if you are attempting to give a critical assessment and evaluation. Thus, I have enjoyed engaging varying minds in an intellectual discussion relative to religion over some weeks and of course Logic and Rational thinking always win out. Religion is based on an emotional driven social science and it does not stand up under the rigors of intellectual and empirical proof and scrutiny. This has been a very good exchange between myself and others on the David Icke website and perhaps may be we all made some baby steps a long the way, but religion can always be a very sensitive discussion. I am always willing to succumb to any superior and/or logical reasoning and I do not want to come across of not being tolerable of others ideas and positions, but I know in any dialog it should always be based on a give and take exchange.
I am perhaps guilty at times of boring my audiences with lengthy citations and wordy content; however, I have always tried to present alternative viewpoints and to at least give the readers something else to think about, but in the truest sense what is more credible than citing your own personal experiences and expressing your opinions relative to a topic. Moreover, which is just as valuable as the next person giving theirs, surely after these many years, I have embraced a worldview as a primary objective witness to life, as opposed to relaying on what others may have uttered on this said topic. I took an entirely different approach in constructing and writing this article, I very seldom write in the first person tense and my professor and mentor Dr. Earl Thorpe is probably turning over in his grave.
I do enjoy reading Blogs and articles where people cite their own personal testimonies, which to me these type writing styles exemplify the highest form of artistic writing; when a writer can convey personal experiences in a narrative form, it speaks volumes of their skill level and the comfort level that they have with their intellect and experiences having the ability to standup under scrutiny and at the same time offering something to the scope of literary science. This is a literary art style that I truly envy because I have never been able to adopt it as my own, but I appreciate those that have the intellectual ability to do so. I was trained by a historian named Dr. Earlie Thorpe who is now decease, but historians write like private investigators; the most important thing to them is documentation and verification and making every attempt to be empirical in their research findings.
Religion is such a sensitive topic that it is often difficult to have a rational conversation relative to religion with those that adhere to organized religion. The original article came about due to some deep introspective and reflections that I was having about my own personal spiritual journey. I had taking a few philosophy courses in college some years ago and one of the courses was titled philosophy of religion taught by a professor named Dr. Clack, it reshaped my worldview.
I must admit as a young student, I enjoyed watching Dr. Clack’s analytical mind at work critically evaluating schools of thought that had not been fully tried and tested. So, I never told Dr. Clack, I really admired this man for his intellectual daring approach to take on "hot topics." But what I found to be most attractive, was his willingness to discuss topics that were considered off limits and he was not fearful of disagreeing with the popular view and tradition. I truly walked away from his class as a Free Thinker and over the years this position has gotten me in trouble. This experience led me to seek a deeper understanding of my own spirituality and I debunk organized religion in the formal sense years ago—Thus, I am tolerant of those that have chosen organized religion as their path.
Let me digress a bit and discuss what is differential between religion and spirituality. Spirituality does not answer to a set of agreed dogmas or does not need hierarchy clerics to determine their relationship as a microcosm entity or being, but fully understand their relevance to the macrocosm. This is purely internal development and has very little to do with the external. Spirituality can not be viewed from a corrupt perspective of Western lens.
HERE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT IS ACCEPT AS SPIRITUALITY
Spirituality encourages people to learn how to think. Spirituality invites everyone to trust themselves. Spirituality is led on guidance from within.
Spirituality teaches people to question everything. Spirituality is guided by the spirit of the human heart. Spirituality combines head and heart to form a conscious connection to The Source of All That Is. Spirituality welcomes challenges -- Challenges are food for growth and to tools with which to become stronger. Spirituality teaches that heaven is a state of being. Spirituality is reborn moment-by-moment right-here right-now. It is born out of one's own knowing that every person is a divine being having a human experience. Spirituality is all inclusive and teaches that every religion is its own pathway to God. Spirituality acknowledges that trying to stick God into a single religion is like trying to fit the universe into a shoe box. Spirituality teaches that humans are divine beings experiencing an earth-life in a human body. Spirituality teaches that personal behavior is a function of knowing in one's own heart what’s right and wrong and then following that inner guidance. Spirituality teaches that the mind must be brought into play--that there is no one else to blame for whatever is dysfunctional in the outside world or in one's own personal life. Spirituality acknowledges that every human being has his or her own direct connection to God by way of the God-Self within. (See Matthew 6:5-6 and Luke 17:21.Spirituality has only one weapon, the truth.
Spirituality is far beyond what many religious people can conceive. Thus, you can not adequately fit spirituality into one’s religious worldview, it just might not fit. However, one can be religious and spiritual, but also one can be spiritual without being religious (this dictum or axiom is often mindboggling to those that practice organized religion). The above represents some of the principles that I acknowledge relative to the concept of spirituality, it is in no way limited to this list nor does this list presents an exhaustive definition of spirituality. These are not my words but this is what I adhere to which differs in many ways from the western concept of religion.
I hope this explanation gives my readers some clarity, relative to how I see and view spirituality.
I had not fully realized the kind of impact that Dr. Clack’s intellectualism had on me and as I stated in the initial article it led me to become a Free thinker, It would be Dr. Clack's rational thinking approach to God and religion that led me to delve deeper into the realm of critical thinking, and eventually evolved into one who did not mind challenging ideas. Thus, as one grows and develops intellectually, it becomes difficult to allow any conscious and/or subconscious restraints to be placed on your mental capacity to think and explore ideals and concepts. There would be no topic or subject that would be considered off limits—this included religion.
Thus, as have stated above, I left organized religion along time ago, but it was once a big part of my personal experience and development and perhaps may be in some of my prior written articles those experiences come across in my thinking, as well as in some of the philosophical ideas being expressed. Life is about traveled paths and religion led me to spirituality, but I truly know that I would have come to that conclusion without religion. I became very uncomfortable with my personal faith tradition; based on the fact that you could not question the tenets or the theology (but deep down inside, I was always a rational thinker before I even met Dr. Clack; however, my thinking formalized itself a little better upon meeting Dr. Clack) this frustrated me because it prohibited me from having an outlet to debate, explore and weigh evidence and theories in order to satisfy my own inquisitiveness.
My wife is religious, but I must say she is truly my alter ego, because even in religion there are some principles that are irrefutable. I became exposed to logical and rational thinking and this process forced me to raise certain questions because I was searching for rational and logical answers not fairly tales, magic and superstitious concepts. Organized religion is not comfortable with analytical reasoning and I could have accepted a long time ago the cleric just telling me he just did not have the answers to certain questions, as opposed to telling me boogieman stories because I dared to question that which did not add up to being rational.
I am of the further opinion, that there is no defense for religion; it is all concocted magic designed to make people feel good and rob them blind. Religion is one of the biggest con and hoax that has ever been played on humanity. Somebody has a God complex. Let me give you an example, if you look at most global conflicts that are taking place around the world today, you will often find at the basis of these conflicts, is religion (which is systematically used by the Invisible Rulers to keep humanity divided and mentally and really physically enslaved). They use these so-called "Holy Books" as control mechanisms and slavish drive us in various political, economic and social directions. Many that were debating me had weak analytical arguments and were trying to hold on to the tradition of magic and superstitious beliefs—called religion. But in reality had no credible rational defense other than stating to me that “people have the right to practice their feel good faith tradition.” This point is valid, at least from the vanish point of us living inside the United States of America. Yes, I side more with rational theories and science (logic) and I am not willing to allow myself to be duped by the clerics of "tricknology".
What was there before organized religion and before these holy books arrived? Religion in my opinion was a mere concoction invented by man and therefore, the so-called perfection story (the creation and man's attempt to explain his reality) and absolute started out flawed. You can not place something as flawed as religion into a mathematical equation. The physics and math will only show that it’s even more flawed because of the root of its intellectual premises, if we can call it that. Science starts out from the premises of looking to solve the X factor that which is unknown and then it takes you through stringent processes of analyzing data—being tried and tested in order to ascertain a definitive value for X. Thus, this process of assessing and evaluating principles are forever evolving; the science keeps on validating itself. Religion just does not standup to the scientific method and logic is the antithesis to such unproven theories called religion (faith).
I have studied practically all world religions (and their theology) and have walked different paths in my life and those paths (and my acquired experiences) have brought me to this space and time where I am right now, as I write this article. Whatever one considers to be working for them that is their prerogative and however, one determines the benefits or non-benefits of their association with organized or non-organized belief structure, it is better for them to define their religious reality than for me to unfairly render a blanket conclusion about the concept of faith tradition. I have a problem with it all, because I feel for humanity and how these concepts of god and religion keeps us divided and foster human conflict, but this is being done systematically, often unknowing to the innocent one’s who practice organized religion.
I am of the belief that to have a serious conversation about religion, it can not start from the premise of emotionalism because to start from that premise will only compromise the possibility of objectivity. I had no other motive for writing this article other than looking to engage people in an honest and open debate about religion—not to criticize religion, although I am of the opinion that religion is not above critique. My critique is meant to evoke greater understanding, but not to be overly judgmental of people who find it necessary to embrace organized religion.
I know it is difficult for some to depart from tradition, but just look at man's inhumanity to man that is done in the name of God and religion. For example, Constantine and Church in 325 A.D. concocted the Christian creed (they built Christianity on lies and religious deception). Why do not the religious zealots begin a campaign to right (write) the religious historical wrongs? Plain and simple, give the people the truth, Isa Ben Yosef (Jesus the son of Joseph) did not teach the lies that is attributed to his ministry. Let’s start right there.
The paths we all choose depends upon one's understanding of reality—some will embrace the human struggle others will betray the human struggle, it has nothing to do with the criticism and mischaracterization of one’s educational level and assuming the higher level somehow this makes them more susceptible to become reactionary. The enemy has co-opted all types of people, some are part of academia and others are not. I do not have a problem with the pursuit of learning be it formal or be it outside the conventional four wall classroom settings that we in the Western World associate with learning. The question should be, what side are you on.
I think formalize education has its place; it dependents upon one's worldview whether or not they become part of the problem or part of the solution. Thus, I have met some highly trained people who were intellectually insane and I have met some laypersons who had not attained any academic letters, but I would consider them highly educated. I do not think its fair to pigeon hole somebody because of training and/or there lack of. We are at war for the hearts and minds of humanity and I am sorry, I just see organized religion as being an antagonistic contradiction in human development.
Thus, for daring to write about topics dealing with religion, I have been called atheist, agnostic, evil, devil, Satan, Benedict Arnold, etc., and various other derogatory names by people who profess to be believers. I am neither. I have a deep respect and appreciation for that which gives me a rational explanation about creation, the universe, human existence, and the system of universal laws that governs our existences.
This article came about due my involvement as a member of David Icke’s website where I posted the original article titled, “Religion versus Cult and Our Quest For Truth”. I had read or better yet studied Icke's book titled, "The Biggest Secret" and I found him to be an outside the box thinker and one of the few scholars that was willing to challenge conventional thinking. But I was starting to wonder that those who opposed me on the David Icke forum, perhaps had not really read or been listening to Icke (this was his official website) about his views on religious subliminal seduction (religion is some real mind control) which some of them were trying to defend; he meaning Icke, does a much better job of dismantling this magic than I.
I found most of his information credible and welled researched. Icke tackled subjects ranging from such topics as Freemasonry, New Age, Conspiracy, Paranormal topics, Reptilian, International Banking and Finance, religion, the Dynastic Family Cabal, New World Order, Illuminati, etc.
Thus, my article “Religion versus Cult and Our Quest For Truth” as I have stated above when I posted the article, it was immediately met with some opposition from members of the David Icke’s website, but most of those who opposed my views did it out of sheer emotionalism and many of their arguments were void of the practicality of rationalism. I took all of their comments and arguments and in my opinion deconstructed their arguments because they were arguing from the basis of "faith" and "belief."
But there was one gentlemen who went by the Internet handle of Mephibosheth, I suspect this was not his real name, but I found him and his argument interesting. Thus, unlike many of the others on the David Icke website who ventured into this debate this gentlemen Mr. Mephibosheth appeared to be a little more philosophical and he definitely was better read in philosophical theories than his constituents on the site. I suspected that he has had some formal training and education in the field of philosophy and he appeared very comfortable in opposing my theories.
I do not think even him or myself cared much for organized religion, but I believe he took the opposite position of me for the sake of debating the antithesis and perhaps both of us viewed this argument and debate more as a mental exercise in the area of ideas; more so than either of us holding onto immovable theoretical convictions. He was a formidable debater and he and I for a few days debated religion back and forth. I would like to share a portion of that debate with my readers because the argument that we were having in my opinion was much bigger than us.
There are perhaps many more beyond those who will access my Blog and David Icke’s website who could benefit from this discussion. So I have decided to expand this conversation to other audiences and forums beyond just the David Icke’s website.
Those who access this article via Internet have my permission to repost my article on your Blog pages and websites, if you find this conversation to be a necessary discussion as well as take this discussion to your preacher, priest, Imam, minister, Rabbi, elder and discuss it with them. I personally think this conversation is a much needed one, as humanity continues to make theological, religious, spiritual, social, political, and economic transitions.
We no longer can allow ignorance, emotionalism, fear, and unfound dogmas to continue to guide humanity's thinking because the results of this is evident by humanity's lack of spiritual development and it has adversely affected the state of humanity to live in peace and harmony with ourselves and the planet. However, I do think there are good people who practice organized religion and have benefitted from the principles and tenets and have used the various faith traditions and texts to personally better themselves, family and the community. Nevertheless, stated below is the discussion and debate between Mephibosheth and myself:
Mephibosheth stated: by logic. You realize, of course, that this is hopelessly circular, and by necessity.
Fahim A. Knight-EL: No. my man, rational thinking gives way to logical outcomes that are not hopeless; it connects the dots and gives us a reasonable probability and it is not based in unproven spook and mystery God teachings. Question: That you are avoiding, when are you going to produce that mystery God? Yes. I know it's "faith" and this is a reality that is personal? I deal in reality that can be counted and measured. Is this God physical or is it spirit being. Please give us the evidence. I am interested in verifying his/her existence; is it animated or inanimate object?
Mephibosheth stated: If such a God exists, it must be experiencable. If God can't be experienced, then God isn't real.
Fahim A. Knight-EL: Now! this is a good example, of spook teaching. What is the experience you are pertaining to? How do you know that experience is related to "God" but through deductive reason this relegates it-self down to faith (unproven inferences). This is magic at is best.
Mephibosheth stated:" I haven't experienced God personally, so I can't provide witness testimony for you. But I could lead you down the path to where one might attain such an experience. Basically, its the same path all the mystics take."
Fahim A. Knight-EL: This is one of the best rational points that you have made: "I haven't experienced God personally, so I can't provide witness testimony for you." I do accept this as a truth, but you can not lead me to no path where someone could produce that mystery God and verify his existence (this thought or theory only takes us back to "faith" the evidence of things unseen). I put no reliable credence in such non-rational and antagonistic theory." Do you know anyone that can provide via observation a testimony (primary source). I do not mean no damn so-called "Holy" book account of this mystery God?
Mephibosheth stated: "The greatest message from religion is one of self-empowerment. Jesus teaches this, Buddha teaches this, in their own way. That is, they encourage individuals to seek the truth and see reality as it really is, fully and clearly. And this is to see reality beyond words and symbols, concepts, and dualities. But this is difficult for someone to understand if they are stuck clinging to duality and polarity, stuck clinging to the construct of self and the narrative web of meaning built up by language, which does naught but separate us from the immediate and immanent facticity of our being."
Fahim A. Knight-EL: Please produce the evidence that the man called Jesus and other Sages ever walk this earth. I got it; you going to refer me to the Bible, a book that was written years after the so-called man (Jesus) was dead. I contend the man never existed. They gave us 66 books (to control the ignorant) and took out those books that truly would have empowered humanity. Why would these "divinely" inspired men do this?
Mephibosheth stated: "Yes, really."
Fahim A. Knight-EL: You have no defense for religion; you are only perhaps pulling from Wikipedia or some other spam site trying to pose and intellectual argument; the stuff that you are posing; you need to at least give credit and citation to source because I have seen this non-senses somewhere else; I just can not put my finger on it. You know it is illegal and against the law to plagiarize someone's intellectual property and not give the source proper credit. Yes, I have seen this somewhere just can not put my finger on it. My man, it is a nice cut and past job. Logic is independent of all the variables you cited and you can not equate something as emotional as religion and assess and evaluate these unproven theories and come up with an empirical and rational fact (truth). Yes, man and woman functioned and reasoned (determined right and wrong) understood the laws of relativity, understood the universal laws of cause and effect, etc., long before these so-called holy books corrupted and tried to redefine the natural order of things. My thoughts are original and I am not stealing other people's work to make my case (your last two responses was someone else’s work). You can not even talk about science and religion in the same breath (they are diametrically opposed) to each other. Logic and rational thought is not based on some unproven concoctions. You can not prove that mystery god exist. Somebody wrote these contradictory fairy tales and called it "divine" scriptures. They told us it was "inspired word" of God. Really!
Mephibosheth stated: you said, and I quote "you are only perhaps pulling from Wikipedia or some other spam site". I asked, 'where's the evidence'? I want to know what's your evidence that I am 'pulling from Wikipedia or some other spam site'? Now, for such a highly rational mind such as yours, this should pose no problem whatsoever, right?
Fahim A. Knight-EL: I accept your clarity and your point is valid.
Mephibosheth stated: "Besides which, your statement above is laughable. If there was no conjecture in science, no one would get anything done."
Fahim A. Knight-EL: Science is in the business of testing out; and conjecture is taking through the rigor process of ascertaining what is a highly probability (empirical processes). It seeks empirical conclusions and it has an openness to embrace better science, as we improve on theories and validates new tried and tested data.
Mephibosheth stated: "Meanwhile, your statement that religion is filled with "unscientific theories that stands outside the realm of logic" is utterly nonsensical. Again, this just goes to show that you don't know what logic is, or that you are using the term incorrectly. A religious system, as a system of values, as a system of politics, as a system of metaphysics, can be perfectly logical so long as it is internally coherent and consistent."
Fahim A. Knight-EL: Religion: Give me a rational formula that we can measure this theory; so we perhaps can come up with a logical base conclusion. Do not give me X=bible + N=God x R=Truth. This is pure non-senses and I believe deep down inside you know that I am right. You have given me enough (in your argument) to know that you have many questions about this snake oil practice. I think you are in this discussion for the mental exercise and nothing else."
Mephibosheth stated: "Again, where's the evidence that this is true?"
Fahim A. Knight-EL: The evidence is this: There is no Mystery God, he does not exist or unless you can prove me wrong.Mephibosheth stated: "This may surprise and shock you, my friend, but I didn't crack a single book nor surf a single website to post replies to this thread. As I said, nothing I wrote here is 'cut and pasted', despite whatever delusions you have about it."
Fahim A. Knight-EL: You have stated this earlier; I am just not convinced; no I am not working from a position of being delusionary. I do not know if you are using that as a noun, verb or adjective (I did fail English in school; for me it is the slave master’s language). Religion makes people mentally unstable and delusionary perhaps you were a bit confused about the characterization relative to practicing and pursuing rational out comes.
Mephibosheth stated: "Why indeed. Amusement only, I reckon. I merely waded in to make some remarks trying to set folk straight on what logic is and what it isnt--which is clearly necessary given some responses in this thread. Who says I practice 'magic'? Lol, what a comedian!!"
Fahim A. Knight-EL: Sorry! You are doing a poor job and you have left the religious sheep without a rational and logical defense. Mr. religious Savior; your arguments have lacked clarity and no magic believer can talk to me about the definitions of logic and rationality. Religion is irrational.
Mephibosheth stated: "I can say the same about your posts."
Fahim A. Knight-EL: Really! You can say that, but what I am talking about has processes that can be counted and measured. Not "SPOOKISM".
Mephibosheth stated: "Since you can't provide any evidence that my writing is plagarized, I'll kindly thank you to stop slandering my good name."
Fahim A. Knight-EL: I would like to respect your good name. I accept your clarity and position. I agree it is not ethical to slander a person, but I must say in my defense that was not my intention. But I accept how you feel about me making those statements.
Mephibosheth stated: "And you, meanwhile, are consistenly conflating logic and the empirical method. A science is any application of logic to a domain of discourse. That is, logic, as a tool of organising information, is applied to a field of study in order to organise the information known therein, and try to sort out the relations in a way that allow for a more effective and efficient analysis--and I stress analysis--of that information."
Fahim A. Knight-EL: How is this relative to religion? and can we use this process to derive at certain conclusions and can we discount certain theories based on the availability of the evidence or the lack of?
Mephibosheth stated: A science is first of all a logical discpline (sp.) An empirical science is a logical displine bounded by specific constraints, eg, that all the results of analysis must conform to some interpretation of empirical facts (which are, ultimately, only narratives dictated by some semiotic agent). This further constraint is what allows a science to move from being merely analytical to being interpretative, predictive, and connected to (what we suppose is) a common standard (ie, 'the world'). It allows science to become practical, and not merely formal. But both the formal and practical are still necessary components.
Fahim A. Knight-EL: No, doubt I will take my chances with "semiotic agent" over some cleric and using a so-called "holy" book trying to validate the story of creation from the book of Genesis. Science and rational theories gives us a lot more definitiveness about our earth and universe and man’s creation; than some contradictory fairy tale written in what the Honorable Elijah Muhammad called the poison book ("Holy" Bible).
Mephibosheth stated: "I don't think any sane person could read my posts and reasonably accuse me of being too 'emotional', LOL. But it takes all kinds."
Fahim A. Knight-EL: To make any defense on behalf of religion has to be emotional. Thus, even you stated: “I haven't experienced God personally, so I can't provide witness testimony for you.” This is a truth and the basis of my contentions and if you are still arguing. Yes. Sir at that point it is an emotional argument that you are making and it is outside of what is rational. Or unless at this point it is EGO.
Mephibosheth stated: "Rational thinkers produce run-on sentences. Must be 'thinking outside the box' eh?"
Fahim A. Knight-EL: Now! When one speaks three and four different languages and English might not be their first language. You need to be careful about making such an arrogant statement; this is an atypical Eurocentric perspective. No, just browse through your post (meaning this one and count the mis-spelled words you have made). Thus, ordinarily when a blogger began to make those types of statements they have nothing else to say. We are debating theories not language grammar. I am not trying to impress you in subject—verb agreement. But I do have a command of the English language when I choose. Now! Personally I do not think your misspelled words and poor sentence structures reflect your intelligence and I know if we both were engaged in a more formalized writing exercise those errors would be corrected. Lets not go there.
Mephibosheth stated: "Why don't you go and ask a scientist if anything--ever--has been 'proven', ie, certain, or whether the results of empirical investigation only yield a measure of probability. And here we come back to my first comment regarding Hume and causality. The scientific results you're talking about are a house of cards, waiting to be overturned by some future super-genius with a better idea."
Fahim A. Knight-EL: You are repeating the same argument. Will not dignify any more.
Mephibosheth stated: "When have I claimed a mystery God?"
Fahim A. Knight-EL: So are you in agreement with me, that the mystery God does not exist? Let me hear it from you straight and plain and at least we might get over that hurdle and do not have keep revisiting that point.
Mephibosheth stated: "Some let me get this straight. You're content to provide merely 'logical assessment' on the validity of religion, but insist that religion itself be empirically testable? You've got nothing but speculation. I'd love for you to prove this, empirically:"
Fahim A. Knight-EL: Simple are you saying that the holy books are divinely inspired (or did ordinary men write these books). Thus, the writers of Bible had no connection to God and there is not one shred of rational evidence to say that they did. If religion is partially validated based on theological books (interpretation) and we no right off the back this is flawed reasoning (I can not call that reasoning). This disproves it-self; I do not have to spend time on trying to disprove something that is outside the realm of a rational explanation. You admitted that "I haven't experienced God personally, so I can't provide witness testimony for you" I am completely satisfied with your response. Nothing else need to added.
Fahim A. Knight-EL: "man and woman functioned and reasoned (determined right and wrong) understood the laws of relativity, understood the universal laws of cause and effect, etc., long before these so-called holy books corrupted and tried to redefine the natural order of things."
Fahim A. Knight-EL: I stand by that point.
Mephibosheth stated: "No, its a request, which only goes to show your poor comprehension skills. You said, and I quote: "your last two responses was someone else’s work", and I said "Please provide evidence that this is the case." I'm waiting."
Fahim A. Knight-EL: Please go up a few paragraphs above; I answered the allegation and gave you the consideration that you were requesting.
Mephibosheth stated: "This is not true of all religion nor all religious thinking. Most religions are based on human experience, just as any scientific observation is. The difference is in how that experience is interpreted. And that depends on the worldview or paradigm one adopts to do the interpreting. Reality itself doesn't hand us 'the correct' paradigm. You ought to remember that we are just making it up as we go along, and fitting things together the best we can, because that's all we can do."
Fahim A. Knight-EL: Really! Most people I know gather those experiences from religious fairy tales called scripture and from clerics. Please explain to us what is a religious experience and how does that differs from a super natural experience? Bit curious. Sir. your above remarks is a perfect example of an emotional outlook and worldview.
Mephibosheth stated: "Meanwhile, you fail to recognize the fact that logic is not empirical, and hence, that all your empirical sciences are grounded in something that is non-empirical."
Fahim A. Knight-EL: The results of logic is empirical (can be counted and measured) and that is good enough for me and millions of others.
Mephibosheth stated: "Sort of like how you work in the realm of opinion, telling me that my writing is plagiarism."
Fahim A. Knight-EL: We have clarified that point. No need to revisit.
Mephibosheth stated: "LOL, what do you think, that scientists are some kind of robots or Vulcans? How ludicrous. We're all human beings, and we all construct opinions, and these lead us from one bit of narrative to the next. If scientists never had an opinion, very little innovation would ever happen."
Fahim A. Knight-EL: No, you are being a bit loose and condescending. Science use the human extraction (we are not oblivious to human shortcomings) this is why we do everything possible to let the results of data validates what is rational and from that we draw a logical conclusion and not the other way around. Science does not deal in "SPOOKISM" we deal in what can be proven.
Mephibosheth stated: "Well here's a few sources off the top of my head: Kant, Leibniz, Locke, Hegel, Hume, Berkeley, Cassirer, Hartman, Frege, Sartre, Husserl, Haack, Aristotle, Gardernfors, Priest, Suzuki, Buddha, Chinese ch'an masters (zen stories), and a couple of university degrees."
Fahim A. Knight-EL: Well respected intellectuals; I too admire and appreciate many of their philosophical works and the contribution they made to field of rational thinking.
Mephibosheth stated: You said. and I quote: "I have taken on the best intellectual minds and Logic and Rational thinking always win out." Which seems to imply that the either the 'best intellectual minds' are irrational, or that you, in particular, possess highly superior rationality to defeat the best intellectual minds. Surely, it's not hard to see how this might be construed as a form of bragging.
Fahim A. Knight-EL: Stand by the statement.
Mephibosheth stated: "Well, I personally am 'against' 'organised religion' if by that we mean a form of politics that enforces a value-paradigm on people. But I don't think it's useful to take a simplistic view of religion either. Religion is multifaceted. It's a politics, it's a metaphysics, it's an ethics. It has many dimensions. Indeed, Islam is instructive here, as it prescribes an entire lifestyle down to the smallest detail. Let's not forget the fact that religion in one form or another has permeated human reality since before the dawn of time. There is no point in known history that you can point to and say 'human beings weren't religious'."
Fahim A. Knight-EL: You are against organized religion. I am glad to hear you make that point and may be you will join us FREE THINKERS and began to advocate a rational approach to answering the six basic questions: Who, What, Where, When, How and Why. And not continue to dupe these people with this simple defense that you are trying to put up for religion. There is no rational defense that you can put up for religion.
Mephibosheth stated: "Meanwhile, what have secular systems gotten us? Communism, nihilism, atomic bombs, sexual degradation, moral corruption. So take a good hard look at the fruits of human nature, expressed in both the spiritual and secular domains. There's more of an argument for humans to reject science and technology because of the dangers it haphazardly throws upon the world than for humans to reject religion and spirituality that try to formulate a moral imperative to improve the quality of human life."
Fahim A. Knight-EL: Religion is more lethal than science because the damage it does mentally (this is the worst sought of lynching) to humanity. Many of my fellow human beings are intoxicated off this sedative and will commit all types of atrocities in its name. For example, murder, create mayhem, and behind every conflict on globe today; you will find religion lurking not to far behind. Yes, them damn missionaries are dangerous. The collapse of the social orders that you mentioned had more to do with the Invisible Rulers than some imperfection in the systems it-self. Yes. Someone has the power to induce human conflict and I do not mean God. True; technology has its shortcomings, but you and I perhaps would not be having this conversation if it was not for the benefit of science. I am not for scientific and intellectual stagnation (I see science as a good and important necessity in our human evolution). Now! I am saying that I am for responsible science that takes into account what is ethical and value the lives of humanity.
Mephibosheth stated: "Come come now, you know that Shakespeare was a front for Francis Bacon."
Fahim A. Knight-EL: Perhaps you think Sir Frances Bacon was divinely inspired. My point is King James (was a slave making pervert) and he authorized the Bible--King James Version and you expect me to see this flawed book as some sought of divine theological treatise. Please! I prefer a good novel
Mephibosheth stated: "No, its better if you hear it from the actual Muslims on this forum. Go have a peruse of the 'Islam--Ask you Questions' thread."
Fahim A. Knight-EL: Send them my way, I will gladly entertain their foolishness too.
Fahim A. Knight-EL: There is nothing you have given that deserves to be challenged. Your defense for religion is emotional, but you make a good attempt to disguise this magic and superstitious snake oil practice in intellectual terms. Religion has very little empirical properties and logic moves us away from thought processes that can not be validated. Please produce that mystery God and give us some defensiveness that he exist; other than in your illogical imagination. This one of the greatest con games they have played on humanity. Philosophy allows us to think outside the box. Tell me more about this mystery God that does not exist.
Mephibosheth stated: "Unfortunately, it's clear to me that you have no idea what logic is or how it works, otherwise you might be more careful when throwing the term around so casually, especially when there are philosophers about".
Fahim A. Knight-EL: Really!
Mephibosheth stated: "Where’s the evidence? Please demonstrate that this is anything BUT a baseless conjecture".
Fahim A. Knight-EL: Science and Rational thinking do not believe in nor accept conjecture, we prefer what can be counted and measured. Now! Religion is full of conjecture (along with unscientific theories that stands outside the realm of logic). Perhaps you a have rational equation for what translate as faith and belief. (I got a grandmother would called it the unexplainable) lol.
Mephibosheth stated: "And is it also illegal to slander people".
Fahim A. Knight-EL: Thus, perhaps I should have said it is unethical to use or paraphrase someone else work and not give them a citation. You pulled a lot of things that I have seen in the past and you are parroting other's work.
Mephibosheth stated: "This proves that you have no idea what I'm talking about, or what you're talking about. You are the one posing as an intellectual here, but there's no substance behind your words."
Fahim A. Knight-EL: This is a relative comment; coming from a person who practice magic. Why are you debating a person with no substance; thus, irrational statement and self fulfilling motive?
Mephibosheth stated: "Nothing from any of my posts here has been 'cut and pasted'. Everything I wrote was off the top of my head, from the tips of my fingers. I challenge you to prove otherwise".
Fahim A. Knight-EL: Really! I am not convinced; not that I am doubting your ability to think, but your argument has been repeated by many and the wording sounds often familiar.
Mephibosheth stated: "My influences in philosophy are broad, but its been years since I earnestly studied it. Although that in no way invalidates the content of my posts."
Fahim A. Knight-EL: Philosophers are rational thinkers who uses logic (correlated) as an external variable to produce an empirical fact; you are much to emotional and to caught up in theories that can not stand-up to the scientific method of being tried and tested; yielding a rational and logical conclusionMephibosheth stated: "Truth is a semantic relation, friend. It is entirely relative to context. The empirical world must first be interpreted before it can be communicated via symbols (representing concepts). Words don't really convey 'facts'; only a direct and immediate apprehension of the phenomenal manifold gives access to the facticity of being, such as it is."
Fahim A. Knight-EL: No, truth has been ascertained by the rigors of being proven based on being tested and giving proof to verify and it leaves little to no doubt that this hypotheses is reliable enough to determine it as a fact (can be counted and measured).
Mephibosheth stated: "More conjecture. Where's the evidence that this is 'true'? Please demonstrate".
Fahim A. Knight-EL: I have provided you with a rational and logical assessment. You have no defense for religion. When are you going to produce that mystery God?
Mephibosheth stated: "Please provide evidence that this is the case. I guarantee you are mistaken, which only makes you look foolish."
Fahim A. Knight-EL: This is an insult statement will not dignify.Mephibosheth stated: "You repeating this line again and again doesn't make it a 'fact' or a 'truth'". Fahim A. Knight-EL: Redounded teaching is a good method to get a student like yourself to retain the lesson.
Mephibosheth stated: "I can conceive of a way that a religious system can be a coherent rational system, which puts it on par with other domains of discourse. Its a simplification to say that they are 'diametrically opposed', especially when we consider that they aim at the same thing--understanding and describing reality. The real difference is the starting premises and axioms uncritically accepted. Religion, often, starts from a different place than empirical science. But empirical science itself is based on logic, which is NOT an empirical science."
Fahim A. Knight-EL: You are way off base, rational system through empirical process reaches the highest level of reliability and works to put forth tried and tested evidences that verify the highest possibility of an outcome. Religion is steeped in faith and determines its worldview to be rooted outside of rational and empirical findings and is not required to be even close to a fact base analysis.
Mephibosheth stated: "Well, that's your OPINION. Obviously, you can't prove that this is a 'fact' or a 'truth' so all you can do is try to convince us that your OPINION is attractive, hence, that we ought to share it. I think its possible that some religious texts are inspired by real mystical experiences. That, like poetry, religion trys to express the unexpressable, and, like science, it attempts to order the world of perceptions into a coherent picture."
Fahim A. Knight-EL: Rational and logic thinkers do no deal in "opinions" we prefer facts and empirical out comes. You see you are confusing the language and the two theories. Religion works in the realm of "opinion" and does not have to be based in a fact reality.
Mephibosheth stated: "Sure it is. I think you are confusing 'plagarism' with the expression of someone who actually LEARNED something from a text book or two and is able to express their own ideas in their own words. Nothing you've said is 'new', so I guess you're just plagarising everything you write."
Fahim A. Knight-EL: Please give us your source and even if you are paraphrasing. I will not snitch you out (lol).
Mephibosheth stated: "Really. I suggest you go back to 'academia' and hang around there for a while's while longer. Your vision is pretty poor."
Fahim A. Knight-EL: No, academia prepared me to think outside the box. I have acquired all that I need from classroom academics. My vision is not tied to emotional and flawed theories.
Mephibosheth stated: "Bragging now eh. OK, I'm beginning to understand your game. You're not a mature intellectal looking for honest debate and discussion. You're an immature demagogue. Dr. Clark would be soo disappointed!! Me, I actually spoke to my professors and challenged them on ideas, and wasn't afraid that they could 'see right through me'. LOL."
Fahim A. Knight-EL: No, not bragging just confident. To brag is a form of arrogance, but to be confident is a form of being self-assured; you can not compare the two.
Mephibosheth stated: "So now religion is a form of social science? Ok, well that's something."
Fahim A. Knight-EL: Better yet it is confused Magic.
Mephibosheth stated: "Somehow, I don't think you have the foggiest idea about what religion does and does not try to 'prove'. Anyway, I never said that a religious system was an empirical system, or that religious ideas were empirically valid, in general."
Fahim A. Knight-EL: I know what religion does; just look around you--past, present and future. It has devastated humanity politically, socially, and economically. They used it as an imperialistic tool to enslave, steal and corrupt. I do not want the God that religion proclaims. Magic, Magic, Magic, Magic!!!!!!! Oh. Lets not forget lies and deceptions.
Mephibosheth stated: "The bible was written by lots of different folk. But there's still lots of question about its validity as a historical document".
Fahim A. Knight-EL: Who King James and Shakespeare. I guess they were divinely inspired. Please!
Mephibosheth stated: "Now the Quraan, OTOH, there's a book that simply had to be written by God."
Fahim A. Knight-EL: I do no think you know what you are saying; your thoughts are unintelligible and your deductive reason is based in pseudo intellectualism with no real point of contention. I do consider myself halfway intelligent, but there was very little that I could discern from your argument that made much sense. You have no logical defense for organized religion: how about this sheer MAGIC AND SUPERSTITION and you can not present any logical argument to prove us Free Thinker wrong. Yes, I base all my positions in the realm of logic and rational thinking, free of "Holy Book" and "clerics". Thus, I do not accept that Mystery God and that Spook teaching that you are trying to intellectualize means absolutely nothing to me. What is your defense for this "SNAKE OIL" belief system? I gave you a 5000 word thesis; you in turn have giving me a weak religious defense that is rooted in outer space. You have no defense for religion, I know that and you know that.
Fahim A. Knight-EL Chief Researcher for KEEPING IT REAL THINK TANK located in Durham, NC; our mission is to inform African Americans and all people of goodwill, of the pending dangers that lie ahead; as well as decode the symbolisms and reinterpreted the hidden meanings behind those who operate as invisible forces, but covertly rules the world. We are of the belief that an enlightened world will be better prepared to throw off the shackles of ignorance and not be willing participants for the slaughter. Our MOTTO is speaking truth to power. Fahim A. Knight-EL can be reached at fahimknight@yahoo.com.Stay Awake Until We Meet Again,
Fahim A. Knight-EL
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
HISTORY IS BEST QUALIFIED TO REWARD ALL OUR RESEARCH AND STUDY
HISTORY IS BEST QUALIFIED TO REWARD ALL OUR RESEARCH AND STUDY
By Fahim A. Knight-EL
The study of history develops the springs and motives of human actions. History serves, as much more than the study of dates and past events, but as a bridging of generational legacies that is passed on to the next generation for safekeeping and cultural empowerment. The ability of a people to recall their history allows them to experience in some instances, perhaps the un-experienced, but lead us towards the recognition, understanding and acceptance of the importance of past cultures and societies having the need to leave a written record, which not only chronicle prior events, persons and dates. But layout a road map of how these variables of yesterday will come to help shape our present day traditions, values, mores, folkways, customs, etc., perhaps even has the unwritten ability tell us more about ourselves and the future. (Reference: Joel Kotkin; “Tribes: How Race, Religion and Identity Determine Success in the New Global Economy”).
Some cultures accomplish the same objective by relying on Griots who are responsible for memorizing huge amounts of historical data and in the form of oral traditions; serving as the village historian who has the esteemed honor of passing down valuable lessons of historical evidence to its people, which they may pass down to next generation. Every people have a history, culture and heritage and all people find it important to tell their story and make every effort to remind its people and world of the relevance of their past. To recall past accomplishment and failures, is to sought of set the tone for each proceeding generation to follow. Thus, not to tell their story is to create a historical vacuum and emptiness, as well as, an unconscious disconnect with a legacy of their past descendents; believe me history telling is serious cultural business in most societies, be it modern or antiquity. (Reference: Gunnar Myrdal; “An American Dilemma: The Negro Problem and Modern Democracy”).
Moreover, in a subtle and not so subtle way, it is the standard in which every present people and society are too be judged by—past societies and whatever perception they created yesterday will impact how the world view their descendents today. Surely, a people with no history have always been likening to a tree that has no roots—the tree will soon die. I as a child used to love good storing telling and even now as an adult, I still love good story telling. The practice of story telling in which I came to appreciate as child, I even use it with my ten year old daughter (I actually have been telling her stories since she was in the womb), whenever the opportunity permits itself for me to impart some necessary wisdom to her. I always do it in the form of a story in order to pass on historical family jewels—knowledge and at same time keep her short attention span interested in the folklore. (Reference: Rogers D. Abrahams; “African Folktales: Traditional Stories of the Black World”).
But what has bothered me the most being a person of African descent and living in the United States of America is the untold story of American racism. My personal story and the African American story can not be properly and adequately told outside of the historical lens of racism. Many whites and Europeans who read my articles and blogs are often shocked at times to find out that I am a so-called African American (for the record proud to be one). May be they do not think African Americans have the intellectual ability to assess and evaluate serious topics and issues. Nevertheless, perhaps subconsciously even their thinking and comments are shrouded within a racist intellectual paradigm. Some of my writings cut across race, class, religion, culture, gender, etc., and addresses who is truly behind the political, social and economic trends that affects all of humanity. They often, applaud me, for taking on these serious topics in which we share common ground. But the minute, I write on an issue or topic that is germane to blacks and Africans, I always receive at least five or six emails cautioning me to stay away from such topics and remain focused and do not allow myself to be diverted by the question of race in America. (Reference: C. Eric Lincoln; “Coming Through the Fire: Surviving Race and Place in America”).
I truly understand their sentiments and respect their contrary opinions, because many of these people, I would do battle with them in the same foxhole against the enemy and perhaps many feel same way about me. They and I understand to advocate race, it will ultimately create divisiveness and the real social agitator will continue to hide their dirty hand. But my history is tied inextricably to the question of race in America, in fact for 310 years Africans living in America was denied a history and the ability to recall their past. How can a nation of people do this and expect for black people to forget this tragic past and move on? Who will be responsible for compiling such a scattered and fragmented historical past which to offer to my great grandchildren? (Reference: Sultan A. Latif and Naimah Latif; “Slavery: The African American Psychic Trauma”).
My response, to my white allies is that the United States of America has never had a serious conversation and debate on race and racism, which I can not and will not overlook the historical pain and suffering, as well as the naked human cruelty and brutality that my people have suffered. No one should ask me to overlook this history and the inhumanness it has caused the African race. I am sorry, if that causes us to break alliances, then so be it. I will never stop telling the history and legacy of African people and their struggles; yet at the same time I will not ask nor impede any other people possessing the right to tell their people’s historical legacy. (Reference: Chip Smith; “The Cost of Privilege: Taking on the System of White Supremacy”).
I am of the opinion, to deny one’s history is an unpardonable act of betrayal and it boarders on cultural treason. Some of my critics have at times made attempts to deduce a portion of my writings and views to the category of Black Supremacist (whatever the hell that mean) and/or Black Nationalism). My story, black people’s story in America can not be told outside the boundaries of race, it is almost virtually impossible to write and talk about the black experience in America without putting it within the context of race. It is ludicrous to refer to the recalling of history or the evaluation and assessment of an historical era as being reverse racism and discrimination; this is outright hypocrisy and sinister, the truth, is what it is. Yes, to tell the history of the African experience in America is a painful commentary, but being in denial gets us nowhere. (Reference: Cornel West; “Race Matters”).
The president of the United States, Barack Obama recently visited Ghana and the west coast of Africa and sadly to say, the first black president of the U.S. did not have one piece of Kinta cloth on or didn't learn one word in the Akan and/or Fulani tongues, which to greet his own African ancestral descendents in their indigenous languages (yes I know his people originated in what is present day Kenya, but these nations were divided by artificial barriers drawn by European powers at the Berlin Conference 1884-1885) another subject for another time. This is the kind of historical disrespect and cultural insensitivity he and other black Americans have toward their own people and some whites have toward Africa. (Reference: John Henrik Clarke; “Notes For An African World Revolution: Africans at the Crossroads”).
This ‘Negro’ President Barack Obama could go to the sacred Jewish shrines and temples of Israel and pray, as well put a yarmulke on his head, but visiting Africa, he did not put on any garment that would reflect his own historical connection to the history, culture, legacy, etc., of Africa—this was insane. President Obama’s non-cultural identification with the people of Africa was at best insulting and he too is perhaps acting out of the perception of how Africa and African people are viewed by the west. Why President Barack Obama didn’t visit one of the local Islamic Mosque there in Accra, Ghana Africa, which to make Salat (prayer) with the Ghanaian Islamic community (Jamaat)? (Reference: J.C.deGraft-Johnson; “African Glory: The Story of Vanished Negro Civilizations”).
He doesn’t know his history and more so than that, was fearful of what the public perception would have been if he was seen in the company of black Muslims making the Islamic prayer inside of a Muslim Masjid. But he always seemed to be quite comfortable praying in Jewish Synagogues in Jerusalem and never seemed to be concerned about the perception of being politically correct. Although, over ninety percent of his wife, the first lady Michelle Obama’s ancestors who ventured across the Atlantic Ocean by way of the Middle Passage and Transatlantic slave trade were Muslims. The roots of Islam on the continent of Africa go back to the 8th Century. (Reference: Edward W. Blyden; “Christianity, Islam and the Negro Race”).
Why do most societies place so much emphasis in socializing their people to honor and respect from whence they have come? Is there a deeper value that is being imparted relative to how cultures, subcultures and societies will come to view themselves and the world, if they embrace or ignore the lessons of history? This writer is a frequent viewer of the History Channel and National Geographic and has always been intrigued by distance peoples and cultures. It is always stunning to see how different civilizations have various Rites of Passage practices and cultural methods of enculturation processes, which to teach and cement within the psychological and social development of its young members the importance of their past. (Reference: Asa G. Hilliard; “The Reawakening of the African Mind”).
There is perhaps no other discipline with such a cultural priority than a people working to preserve their historical legacy. Many societies have lavished sacred religious rituals. For example, Jewish children are required to read the Torah (Old Testament) Bible day in and day out and is exposed to Talmud while the Jewish Rabbis and high priest creates a mental paradigm by insisting that the ancient people of the Bible were part of their line of ethnic, racial and religious descendents. And for them the words of Abraham and Moses written in the Torah have more of a significant to the Jewish cultural model because to them Yahweh (God) allowed their people to be the recipients of his word, as well as being the religious benefactors of his divine plan. (Reference: Arthur Koestler; “The Thirteenth Tribe”).
This gave them a so-called special privilege with Yahweh (God) and the prophets of old. So the prophets of the Torah from their perspective belong to their religious and historical experience. These historical lessons are often non-negotiable and become the internal and external foundation of the Jewish people’s culture. The Bar Mitzvah (ritual and ceremony of young Jewish males) and the Bat Mitzvah (ritual and ceremony of young Jewish girls) these ritualistic practices have both a practical and symbolic meaning far beyond the ritual itself. The Jewish child is essentially crossing over from childhood into adulthood and is prepared to fully embrace and carry on the Jewish legacy, which is rooted in the Torah and the Talmud. The Jewish culture and historical survival rest upon how well the parents, schools and the Rabbis (this statement is germane to almost all cultures) have imparted the Jewish worldview. (Reference: Jose V. Malcioln; “The African Origins of Modern Judaism: From Hebrews to Jews”).
This writer got the chance to meet Ben Ammi Ben-Israel and Prince Asiel Ben Israel leaders of the Original Hebrew Israelite nation some years ago. They claim to be the original Hebrew/Jewish descendents of the Torah and this writer must admit that their religious, ethnic, racial and theological claim appears to be very convincing. They have traced the bloodline of the original people who occupied Jerusalem a lot further than those people who claim a Semitic origin and those who migrated to Jerusalem—Israel from eastern Europe and are kith and keen to the Ashkenazi and the Khazars. This much we know for sure, that the original people that occupied ancient Israel were not white and/or of a European ethnic descent. (Reference: Ella J. Hughley; “The Truth About Black Biblical Hebrew-Israelites (Jews): The World’s Best Kept Secret’).
The Original Hebrews have Biblical traced their ethnic lineage and have proving that the ancient Hebrews were African in ethnicity, how can two different and distinct people occupy the same space, at the same time; meaning both the Ashkenazi Jew and the Black Hebrew Israelite are both claiming theological heir apparent to one history and the religious legacy of the Torah? Thus, in one sense, it does not matter to me who is right and who is wrong in this equation relative to this argument. But here is my point, as a writer and a witness; you can not help for admiring the Original Hebrew Israelite Nation, an African American group who in the late 1960s migrated to Dimona, Israel. It took some real faith and religious conviction, claiming to be the original lost tribe of Israel and migrating to Israel, there is no doubt in my mind, that the African Hebrew Israelites truly believed they had a divine right to the land presently called Israel. Imagine going into hostile territory facing perhaps one of the best armed and sophisticated military governments in the world—claiming that you are the true “Jews.” (Reference: Ben Ammi; “God, The Black man and Truth”).
Cohane Michael Ben Levi in a book titled: “Israelites and Jews: The Significant Differences” stated: “Jews are generally assumed to be white, as evidenced by the common reference to Blacks in the faith as "Black Jews." At the same time, many Blacks who maintain Hebraic culture and tradition see their belief as not faith, but nationality, and prefer to be called "Israelites." Still, this is not a book about race. It is about the differences in belief, practice and perception of two distinct groups of people ~ who claim the same heritage. Israelites and Jews: the Significant Difference is about the dissimilarity in culture, thought and practice adhered to by Jews and Israelites. (Reference: Cohane Michael Ben Levi “Israelites and Jews: The Significant Differences”).
Levi continues: “. . .In recent times, with the advent of thousands of so-called Negroes, throughout the world claiming to be Israelites, and their ever-increasing awareness regarding returning to their Israelite heritage and even the: homeland, Israel, has also brought about a growing curiosity as to what the difference between "Black" Hebrew Israelites and White European Jews. People all over the world would like to know the truth. They desire to understand these complex questions and issues. Just as the Creator used historical events to manifest the darkness which has clouded these, issues, today the Creator is once again manifesting historical events clarify these issues. The increased enlightenment and awareness Negroes about their past due to their deep quest for an answer to their identity crisis has led them to the truth which they themselves will know and understand along with people of other races. Truth can never be suppressed forever. Inevitably the truth will rise. We have now arrived at the time of the emerging of the truth concerning the vital issue "Who are the true people of God?" (Reference: Cohane Michael Ben Levi “Israelites and Jews: The Significant Differences”).
History instills inspiration, motivation, and self-esteem in a people; moreover, it connects a people to their contributions made towards human civilization. This is the discipline that builds the will of a people and encourages them to go forward. African people living in America had a brilliant and glorious history before and after Chattel Slavery (1555-1865). Those who control political, economic and social institutions recognized that they must forever hide the true past of African people in order to keep them a sleep to the knowledge of self; unless one day, they will wake up from their slumber and reclaim a glorious past that was systematically hidden from them. (Reference: Bruce Bridges; “Recapturing the African Mind”).
History is like a trumpet when it is sounded, the asleep must rise. Africans living in American were put to sleep during the period of Chattel Slavery; denied the right to read and write which to pursue an intellectual exchange of ideas and perhaps acquiring the knowledge of self would have proven to be diametrically opposed to the agenda. The slave masters denied African people the opportunity to develop a true value system, folkway, cultural system, etc. The study of history is one way to correct this deplorable mental state of amnesia that Africans living in American are presently experiencing. (Reference: Edward H. Berman; “African Reactions to Missionary Education”).
We not only lost our historical memory but were disposed of our intellectual faculties to find our home which is Africa, we are silently crying out for Zion—this lost home that has forsaking 30 million black people in America and hundreds of millions located throughout the Diaspora. A crime took place and it does not matter how the descendents of the perpetrators (Spain, Portugal, Great Britain, United States, Belgium, Germany, France, etc.) disguise their denial, we the descendents are the living testimony and the victims of this heinous criminal act. (Reference: Chinweizu: “The West and the Rest of us: White Predators, Black Slaves and the African Elite”).
My Keeping iT Real Think Tank has an African American base and it is my primary audience, but I would be foolish to deny or disregard like minds of other races and cultures who share and understand the struggle we are up against which affects all of humanity. But the African American has always been in a precarious situation in America, which stems from their history under Chattel Slavery (1555-1865). This history has never been redeemed and atoned; it therefore, continues to pose a dichotomy and creates and antagonistic contradiction inside of the United States. It easy for people from the outside to say, we should overlook the 310 years of subjugation and is not sensitive to one of most inhumane crimes ever recorded in human history. (Reference: Richard Williams; “They Stole it, But You Must Return it”).
Chattel Slavery literally devastated a people psychologically, socially and culturally and the present generation of African Americans were never allowed even to heal and yet just 150 years removed from the brutality are still dealing with this not so distant history. This is not a cry of victimization or seeking sympathy, but it is a reality, that haunts the psyche of most black people, if they are honest. The United States has never had a serious conversation relative to race and racism and as a nation we have been in denial and the issue of race, therefore remains unresolved. So, this sense of cultural and historical duality automatically breeds a position of nationalism because here goes a people that lost their names, religion, land and a cultural reference point, which has always rendered a need to remind them of the value of their history prior to Chattel Slavery. (Reference: Naim Akbar; “Chains and Images of Psychological Slavery”).
Thus, on the other hand, I write to expose them to where the real action is taking place and this on the globalization stage and the One World Government stage; many of them are not aware of the sovereign Invisible Rulers. This allows me to have a conversation with them and with others, who are fully aware of everything that I am writing about and I am constantly striking alliances with people from around the world who write me and they are not a bit concerned about race (in particular my race). They have accepted that race, religion, sex, culture, etc., are artificial barriers, which are set-up to divide humanity and there are others who benefit from such created ploys. (Reference: John Coleman; “The Story of the Committee of 300”).
I do think that we agree on much more than we disagree and we should not allow race to serve as a distraction and we must keep our eyes on the real enemy. I have been studying certain political, economic and social trends for some time now and it appears that at every turn in history, the same names and faces just keep on reoccurring throughout human history. I said to myself it is just not coincidental and this is what put me on my journey that has led me on different paths, but truth and real knowledge are connected and interconnected. (Reference: Gary Allen and Larry Abraham; "None Dare Call it Conspiracy").
We were robbed of the knowledge of self and for us to continually identify with the perpetrators history and culture is insanity. This is evident by the surnames we still hold on too and refuse to relinquish and divorce ourselves from being considered the former slave master’s property—by not giving back that which is psychologically binding and still legally define us as their property even in 2009—(slave master’s names) McCrae, Smith, Johnson, Jones, Rhodes, Kennedy, Brown, Lucas, James, Hines, Baldwin, Richards, Culpepper, Johnny Fatback, etc., (you all get the picture) are not indigenous African names. Yet Africans in America are still wearing European names and we call ourselves free, but these names belong to another man’s culture and heritage. (Reference: Elijah Muhammad; “Message to the Blackman in America”).
This writer continues ask the rhetorical question again and again; how can we as Africans living in American who claim to be free and have never divorced themselves from the slave master’s names and culture? It is not the norm to find a Korean or Chinese wearing the names Greg Fatback, Larry Hamhock, Darius Shortenbread, etc., because these alien names do not reflect their East Asian culture and heritage. History ask the six basic questions of who, what, where, when, how and why; moreover we have traditionally responded to the above questions with Eurocentric answers. (Reference: Carter G. Woodson: “The Mis-education of the Negro”).
Non-traditional scholars such as Dr. Yosef Ben A. A. Johannon, Drusilla Dunjee Houston, Cheik Anta Diop, John G. Jackson, Asa Hilliard, George G. M. James, etc., worked to redefine history by rescuing African history from misconceptions, half-truths and outright lies. History builds patriotism and nationalism by instilling pride and self-worth in a people by making them aware of their past accomplishments. Also, to pass down culturally that which to always remind them, of their obligation to make every generation aware of their glorious past and use it to inspire the born and unborn generations to aspire to create new history. (Reference: John G. Jackson; “Introduction to African Civilization”).
We as African Americans should work to retain the best national and international attorneys in the world and plead our slavery case within the international courts. The African Holocaust involved numerous criminal acts ranging from kidnap, rape, murder, assault, conspiracy, etc. Now, I do think reparations have to be part of that discussion. (Reference: Ida Hakim; “Reparations: The Cure for America’s Race Problem”).
It will be an extremely large task to overturn 310 years of dehumanization and historical trauma (no financial settlement could ever right the magnitude of the historical wrong) without being sensitive to the fact that the Africans who were made Chattel Slaves were stripped of their humanity (this is not a victimization cry), lost their culture, their right to a homeland, language, religion, names, etc., This is not essentially a comparison of oppression relative to the Jews or any other oppressed and enslaved people, but the world since Adolph Hitler has fully embraced the Jews suffering. (Reference: The Historical Research Department Nation of Islam: “The Secret Relationship Between Blacks and Jews”).
But the Jews did not lose their cultural identity (many of them have dual citizenship in America and Israel, which is an identifiable land base, which gives them a collective origin as a people. Many Eastern European Jews speaks Yiddish and some of them speak Hebrew—a common language is essential to any cultural cohesiveness. They had these essentials in tact in order to make a complete social and psychological transition (or recovery) from under the oppression of the Germans (1933-1945).
The African American has had a much more comprehensive and complex predicament because of the severity of the oppression. Dr. Joy DeGruy Leary states right off the back that the study of “Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome” is not designed to make other people feel guilty, but solutions will require open and honest communication. But the ultimate solutions will have to be internal and not external. There has to be cultural models that reinforces African values, promote self-esteem and positive self-worth outside the system that has been historically structured on racism and was tailored for the dominant society to benefit and prosper. (Reference: Naim Akbar; “Breaking the Chains of Psychological Slavery”).
There must be educational models that are put in place to inspire African American children to want to desire to achieve academically in order to prepare themselves to make a positive contribution to their families and to the community. The issue of poverty must be addressed from the point of view of redistributing the wealth and nothing short of this will be sufficed. The United States Government can spend over three trillion dollars on a war in Iraq and will continue to spend trillions more in an unjust war in Afghanistan, but will not invest in the poor of these United States of America. We must have public policy that's sensitive to all its citizens, especially the have-nots (who are ordinarily your poor whites, Latinos, and African Americans). Economically there must-be more of an investment in the American people. Black leadership must-be held more accountable to its own constituents and truly work in the three major arenas—political, social and economic for the benefit of African Americans. No more window dressing and selling out the black masses for self interest. They have been too self-serving in the past and have been short on solutions and long on echoing the problem, which has been well defined for generations. (Reference: Harold Cruse; “The Crisis of the Negro Intellectual: From its Origins to the Present”).
We can not turn the clock back and play the blame game, but at the same time we can not be in social denial. Black Churches must move away from this entire prosperity ministry foolishness and embrace a social Gospel which to truly aid our people in their quest for the basics of life—food, clothing and shelter. The Black Church is perhaps the largest institution in black America with tremendous power and influence—they must play a greater role in helping to solve this dilemma. Lastly, white America and all races must have that long awaited talk on race and racism and find common areas that all of humanity can work together to rectify some of these historical problems that still plague our nation. (Reference: Tavis Smiley: “How to Make Black America Better”).
Fahim A. Knight-EL Chief Researcher for KEEPING IT REAL THINK TANK located in Durham, NC; our mission is to inform African Americans and all people of good will of the pending dangers that lie ahead; as well as decode the symbolisms and reinterpret the hidden meanings behind those who operate as invisible forces, but covertly rules the world. We are of the belief that an enlighten world will be better prepared to throw off the shackles of ignorance and not be willing participants for the slaughter. Our MOTTO is speaking truth to power. Fahim A. Knight-EL can be reached at fahimknight@yahoo.com.STAY AWAKE UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN,
Fahim A. Knight-EL
By Fahim A. Knight-EL
The study of history develops the springs and motives of human actions. History serves, as much more than the study of dates and past events, but as a bridging of generational legacies that is passed on to the next generation for safekeeping and cultural empowerment. The ability of a people to recall their history allows them to experience in some instances, perhaps the un-experienced, but lead us towards the recognition, understanding and acceptance of the importance of past cultures and societies having the need to leave a written record, which not only chronicle prior events, persons and dates. But layout a road map of how these variables of yesterday will come to help shape our present day traditions, values, mores, folkways, customs, etc., perhaps even has the unwritten ability tell us more about ourselves and the future. (Reference: Joel Kotkin; “Tribes: How Race, Religion and Identity Determine Success in the New Global Economy”).
Some cultures accomplish the same objective by relying on Griots who are responsible for memorizing huge amounts of historical data and in the form of oral traditions; serving as the village historian who has the esteemed honor of passing down valuable lessons of historical evidence to its people, which they may pass down to next generation. Every people have a history, culture and heritage and all people find it important to tell their story and make every effort to remind its people and world of the relevance of their past. To recall past accomplishment and failures, is to sought of set the tone for each proceeding generation to follow. Thus, not to tell their story is to create a historical vacuum and emptiness, as well as, an unconscious disconnect with a legacy of their past descendents; believe me history telling is serious cultural business in most societies, be it modern or antiquity. (Reference: Gunnar Myrdal; “An American Dilemma: The Negro Problem and Modern Democracy”).
Moreover, in a subtle and not so subtle way, it is the standard in which every present people and society are too be judged by—past societies and whatever perception they created yesterday will impact how the world view their descendents today. Surely, a people with no history have always been likening to a tree that has no roots—the tree will soon die. I as a child used to love good storing telling and even now as an adult, I still love good story telling. The practice of story telling in which I came to appreciate as child, I even use it with my ten year old daughter (I actually have been telling her stories since she was in the womb), whenever the opportunity permits itself for me to impart some necessary wisdom to her. I always do it in the form of a story in order to pass on historical family jewels—knowledge and at same time keep her short attention span interested in the folklore. (Reference: Rogers D. Abrahams; “African Folktales: Traditional Stories of the Black World”).
But what has bothered me the most being a person of African descent and living in the United States of America is the untold story of American racism. My personal story and the African American story can not be properly and adequately told outside of the historical lens of racism. Many whites and Europeans who read my articles and blogs are often shocked at times to find out that I am a so-called African American (for the record proud to be one). May be they do not think African Americans have the intellectual ability to assess and evaluate serious topics and issues. Nevertheless, perhaps subconsciously even their thinking and comments are shrouded within a racist intellectual paradigm. Some of my writings cut across race, class, religion, culture, gender, etc., and addresses who is truly behind the political, social and economic trends that affects all of humanity. They often, applaud me, for taking on these serious topics in which we share common ground. But the minute, I write on an issue or topic that is germane to blacks and Africans, I always receive at least five or six emails cautioning me to stay away from such topics and remain focused and do not allow myself to be diverted by the question of race in America. (Reference: C. Eric Lincoln; “Coming Through the Fire: Surviving Race and Place in America”).
I truly understand their sentiments and respect their contrary opinions, because many of these people, I would do battle with them in the same foxhole against the enemy and perhaps many feel same way about me. They and I understand to advocate race, it will ultimately create divisiveness and the real social agitator will continue to hide their dirty hand. But my history is tied inextricably to the question of race in America, in fact for 310 years Africans living in America was denied a history and the ability to recall their past. How can a nation of people do this and expect for black people to forget this tragic past and move on? Who will be responsible for compiling such a scattered and fragmented historical past which to offer to my great grandchildren? (Reference: Sultan A. Latif and Naimah Latif; “Slavery: The African American Psychic Trauma”).
My response, to my white allies is that the United States of America has never had a serious conversation and debate on race and racism, which I can not and will not overlook the historical pain and suffering, as well as the naked human cruelty and brutality that my people have suffered. No one should ask me to overlook this history and the inhumanness it has caused the African race. I am sorry, if that causes us to break alliances, then so be it. I will never stop telling the history and legacy of African people and their struggles; yet at the same time I will not ask nor impede any other people possessing the right to tell their people’s historical legacy. (Reference: Chip Smith; “The Cost of Privilege: Taking on the System of White Supremacy”).
I am of the opinion, to deny one’s history is an unpardonable act of betrayal and it boarders on cultural treason. Some of my critics have at times made attempts to deduce a portion of my writings and views to the category of Black Supremacist (whatever the hell that mean) and/or Black Nationalism). My story, black people’s story in America can not be told outside the boundaries of race, it is almost virtually impossible to write and talk about the black experience in America without putting it within the context of race. It is ludicrous to refer to the recalling of history or the evaluation and assessment of an historical era as being reverse racism and discrimination; this is outright hypocrisy and sinister, the truth, is what it is. Yes, to tell the history of the African experience in America is a painful commentary, but being in denial gets us nowhere. (Reference: Cornel West; “Race Matters”).
The president of the United States, Barack Obama recently visited Ghana and the west coast of Africa and sadly to say, the first black president of the U.S. did not have one piece of Kinta cloth on or didn't learn one word in the Akan and/or Fulani tongues, which to greet his own African ancestral descendents in their indigenous languages (yes I know his people originated in what is present day Kenya, but these nations were divided by artificial barriers drawn by European powers at the Berlin Conference 1884-1885) another subject for another time. This is the kind of historical disrespect and cultural insensitivity he and other black Americans have toward their own people and some whites have toward Africa. (Reference: John Henrik Clarke; “Notes For An African World Revolution: Africans at the Crossroads”).
This ‘Negro’ President Barack Obama could go to the sacred Jewish shrines and temples of Israel and pray, as well put a yarmulke on his head, but visiting Africa, he did not put on any garment that would reflect his own historical connection to the history, culture, legacy, etc., of Africa—this was insane. President Obama’s non-cultural identification with the people of Africa was at best insulting and he too is perhaps acting out of the perception of how Africa and African people are viewed by the west. Why President Barack Obama didn’t visit one of the local Islamic Mosque there in Accra, Ghana Africa, which to make Salat (prayer) with the Ghanaian Islamic community (Jamaat)? (Reference: J.C.deGraft-Johnson; “African Glory: The Story of Vanished Negro Civilizations”).
He doesn’t know his history and more so than that, was fearful of what the public perception would have been if he was seen in the company of black Muslims making the Islamic prayer inside of a Muslim Masjid. But he always seemed to be quite comfortable praying in Jewish Synagogues in Jerusalem and never seemed to be concerned about the perception of being politically correct. Although, over ninety percent of his wife, the first lady Michelle Obama’s ancestors who ventured across the Atlantic Ocean by way of the Middle Passage and Transatlantic slave trade were Muslims. The roots of Islam on the continent of Africa go back to the 8th Century. (Reference: Edward W. Blyden; “Christianity, Islam and the Negro Race”).
Why do most societies place so much emphasis in socializing their people to honor and respect from whence they have come? Is there a deeper value that is being imparted relative to how cultures, subcultures and societies will come to view themselves and the world, if they embrace or ignore the lessons of history? This writer is a frequent viewer of the History Channel and National Geographic and has always been intrigued by distance peoples and cultures. It is always stunning to see how different civilizations have various Rites of Passage practices and cultural methods of enculturation processes, which to teach and cement within the psychological and social development of its young members the importance of their past. (Reference: Asa G. Hilliard; “The Reawakening of the African Mind”).
There is perhaps no other discipline with such a cultural priority than a people working to preserve their historical legacy. Many societies have lavished sacred religious rituals. For example, Jewish children are required to read the Torah (Old Testament) Bible day in and day out and is exposed to Talmud while the Jewish Rabbis and high priest creates a mental paradigm by insisting that the ancient people of the Bible were part of their line of ethnic, racial and religious descendents. And for them the words of Abraham and Moses written in the Torah have more of a significant to the Jewish cultural model because to them Yahweh (God) allowed their people to be the recipients of his word, as well as being the religious benefactors of his divine plan. (Reference: Arthur Koestler; “The Thirteenth Tribe”).
This gave them a so-called special privilege with Yahweh (God) and the prophets of old. So the prophets of the Torah from their perspective belong to their religious and historical experience. These historical lessons are often non-negotiable and become the internal and external foundation of the Jewish people’s culture. The Bar Mitzvah (ritual and ceremony of young Jewish males) and the Bat Mitzvah (ritual and ceremony of young Jewish girls) these ritualistic practices have both a practical and symbolic meaning far beyond the ritual itself. The Jewish child is essentially crossing over from childhood into adulthood and is prepared to fully embrace and carry on the Jewish legacy, which is rooted in the Torah and the Talmud. The Jewish culture and historical survival rest upon how well the parents, schools and the Rabbis (this statement is germane to almost all cultures) have imparted the Jewish worldview. (Reference: Jose V. Malcioln; “The African Origins of Modern Judaism: From Hebrews to Jews”).
This writer got the chance to meet Ben Ammi Ben-Israel and Prince Asiel Ben Israel leaders of the Original Hebrew Israelite nation some years ago. They claim to be the original Hebrew/Jewish descendents of the Torah and this writer must admit that their religious, ethnic, racial and theological claim appears to be very convincing. They have traced the bloodline of the original people who occupied Jerusalem a lot further than those people who claim a Semitic origin and those who migrated to Jerusalem—Israel from eastern Europe and are kith and keen to the Ashkenazi and the Khazars. This much we know for sure, that the original people that occupied ancient Israel were not white and/or of a European ethnic descent. (Reference: Ella J. Hughley; “The Truth About Black Biblical Hebrew-Israelites (Jews): The World’s Best Kept Secret’).
The Original Hebrews have Biblical traced their ethnic lineage and have proving that the ancient Hebrews were African in ethnicity, how can two different and distinct people occupy the same space, at the same time; meaning both the Ashkenazi Jew and the Black Hebrew Israelite are both claiming theological heir apparent to one history and the religious legacy of the Torah? Thus, in one sense, it does not matter to me who is right and who is wrong in this equation relative to this argument. But here is my point, as a writer and a witness; you can not help for admiring the Original Hebrew Israelite Nation, an African American group who in the late 1960s migrated to Dimona, Israel. It took some real faith and religious conviction, claiming to be the original lost tribe of Israel and migrating to Israel, there is no doubt in my mind, that the African Hebrew Israelites truly believed they had a divine right to the land presently called Israel. Imagine going into hostile territory facing perhaps one of the best armed and sophisticated military governments in the world—claiming that you are the true “Jews.” (Reference: Ben Ammi; “God, The Black man and Truth”).
Cohane Michael Ben Levi in a book titled: “Israelites and Jews: The Significant Differences” stated: “Jews are generally assumed to be white, as evidenced by the common reference to Blacks in the faith as "Black Jews." At the same time, many Blacks who maintain Hebraic culture and tradition see their belief as not faith, but nationality, and prefer to be called "Israelites." Still, this is not a book about race. It is about the differences in belief, practice and perception of two distinct groups of people ~ who claim the same heritage. Israelites and Jews: the Significant Difference is about the dissimilarity in culture, thought and practice adhered to by Jews and Israelites. (Reference: Cohane Michael Ben Levi “Israelites and Jews: The Significant Differences”).
Levi continues: “. . .In recent times, with the advent of thousands of so-called Negroes, throughout the world claiming to be Israelites, and their ever-increasing awareness regarding returning to their Israelite heritage and even the: homeland, Israel, has also brought about a growing curiosity as to what the difference between "Black" Hebrew Israelites and White European Jews. People all over the world would like to know the truth. They desire to understand these complex questions and issues. Just as the Creator used historical events to manifest the darkness which has clouded these, issues, today the Creator is once again manifesting historical events clarify these issues. The increased enlightenment and awareness Negroes about their past due to their deep quest for an answer to their identity crisis has led them to the truth which they themselves will know and understand along with people of other races. Truth can never be suppressed forever. Inevitably the truth will rise. We have now arrived at the time of the emerging of the truth concerning the vital issue "Who are the true people of God?" (Reference: Cohane Michael Ben Levi “Israelites and Jews: The Significant Differences”).
History instills inspiration, motivation, and self-esteem in a people; moreover, it connects a people to their contributions made towards human civilization. This is the discipline that builds the will of a people and encourages them to go forward. African people living in America had a brilliant and glorious history before and after Chattel Slavery (1555-1865). Those who control political, economic and social institutions recognized that they must forever hide the true past of African people in order to keep them a sleep to the knowledge of self; unless one day, they will wake up from their slumber and reclaim a glorious past that was systematically hidden from them. (Reference: Bruce Bridges; “Recapturing the African Mind”).
History is like a trumpet when it is sounded, the asleep must rise. Africans living in American were put to sleep during the period of Chattel Slavery; denied the right to read and write which to pursue an intellectual exchange of ideas and perhaps acquiring the knowledge of self would have proven to be diametrically opposed to the agenda. The slave masters denied African people the opportunity to develop a true value system, folkway, cultural system, etc. The study of history is one way to correct this deplorable mental state of amnesia that Africans living in American are presently experiencing. (Reference: Edward H. Berman; “African Reactions to Missionary Education”).
We not only lost our historical memory but were disposed of our intellectual faculties to find our home which is Africa, we are silently crying out for Zion—this lost home that has forsaking 30 million black people in America and hundreds of millions located throughout the Diaspora. A crime took place and it does not matter how the descendents of the perpetrators (Spain, Portugal, Great Britain, United States, Belgium, Germany, France, etc.) disguise their denial, we the descendents are the living testimony and the victims of this heinous criminal act. (Reference: Chinweizu: “The West and the Rest of us: White Predators, Black Slaves and the African Elite”).
My Keeping iT Real Think Tank has an African American base and it is my primary audience, but I would be foolish to deny or disregard like minds of other races and cultures who share and understand the struggle we are up against which affects all of humanity. But the African American has always been in a precarious situation in America, which stems from their history under Chattel Slavery (1555-1865). This history has never been redeemed and atoned; it therefore, continues to pose a dichotomy and creates and antagonistic contradiction inside of the United States. It easy for people from the outside to say, we should overlook the 310 years of subjugation and is not sensitive to one of most inhumane crimes ever recorded in human history. (Reference: Richard Williams; “They Stole it, But You Must Return it”).
Chattel Slavery literally devastated a people psychologically, socially and culturally and the present generation of African Americans were never allowed even to heal and yet just 150 years removed from the brutality are still dealing with this not so distant history. This is not a cry of victimization or seeking sympathy, but it is a reality, that haunts the psyche of most black people, if they are honest. The United States has never had a serious conversation relative to race and racism and as a nation we have been in denial and the issue of race, therefore remains unresolved. So, this sense of cultural and historical duality automatically breeds a position of nationalism because here goes a people that lost their names, religion, land and a cultural reference point, which has always rendered a need to remind them of the value of their history prior to Chattel Slavery. (Reference: Naim Akbar; “Chains and Images of Psychological Slavery”).
Thus, on the other hand, I write to expose them to where the real action is taking place and this on the globalization stage and the One World Government stage; many of them are not aware of the sovereign Invisible Rulers. This allows me to have a conversation with them and with others, who are fully aware of everything that I am writing about and I am constantly striking alliances with people from around the world who write me and they are not a bit concerned about race (in particular my race). They have accepted that race, religion, sex, culture, etc., are artificial barriers, which are set-up to divide humanity and there are others who benefit from such created ploys. (Reference: John Coleman; “The Story of the Committee of 300”).
I do think that we agree on much more than we disagree and we should not allow race to serve as a distraction and we must keep our eyes on the real enemy. I have been studying certain political, economic and social trends for some time now and it appears that at every turn in history, the same names and faces just keep on reoccurring throughout human history. I said to myself it is just not coincidental and this is what put me on my journey that has led me on different paths, but truth and real knowledge are connected and interconnected. (Reference: Gary Allen and Larry Abraham; "None Dare Call it Conspiracy").
We were robbed of the knowledge of self and for us to continually identify with the perpetrators history and culture is insanity. This is evident by the surnames we still hold on too and refuse to relinquish and divorce ourselves from being considered the former slave master’s property—by not giving back that which is psychologically binding and still legally define us as their property even in 2009—(slave master’s names) McCrae, Smith, Johnson, Jones, Rhodes, Kennedy, Brown, Lucas, James, Hines, Baldwin, Richards, Culpepper, Johnny Fatback, etc., (you all get the picture) are not indigenous African names. Yet Africans in America are still wearing European names and we call ourselves free, but these names belong to another man’s culture and heritage. (Reference: Elijah Muhammad; “Message to the Blackman in America”).
This writer continues ask the rhetorical question again and again; how can we as Africans living in American who claim to be free and have never divorced themselves from the slave master’s names and culture? It is not the norm to find a Korean or Chinese wearing the names Greg Fatback, Larry Hamhock, Darius Shortenbread, etc., because these alien names do not reflect their East Asian culture and heritage. History ask the six basic questions of who, what, where, when, how and why; moreover we have traditionally responded to the above questions with Eurocentric answers. (Reference: Carter G. Woodson: “The Mis-education of the Negro”).
Non-traditional scholars such as Dr. Yosef Ben A. A. Johannon, Drusilla Dunjee Houston, Cheik Anta Diop, John G. Jackson, Asa Hilliard, George G. M. James, etc., worked to redefine history by rescuing African history from misconceptions, half-truths and outright lies. History builds patriotism and nationalism by instilling pride and self-worth in a people by making them aware of their past accomplishments. Also, to pass down culturally that which to always remind them, of their obligation to make every generation aware of their glorious past and use it to inspire the born and unborn generations to aspire to create new history. (Reference: John G. Jackson; “Introduction to African Civilization”).
We as African Americans should work to retain the best national and international attorneys in the world and plead our slavery case within the international courts. The African Holocaust involved numerous criminal acts ranging from kidnap, rape, murder, assault, conspiracy, etc. Now, I do think reparations have to be part of that discussion. (Reference: Ida Hakim; “Reparations: The Cure for America’s Race Problem”).
It will be an extremely large task to overturn 310 years of dehumanization and historical trauma (no financial settlement could ever right the magnitude of the historical wrong) without being sensitive to the fact that the Africans who were made Chattel Slaves were stripped of their humanity (this is not a victimization cry), lost their culture, their right to a homeland, language, religion, names, etc., This is not essentially a comparison of oppression relative to the Jews or any other oppressed and enslaved people, but the world since Adolph Hitler has fully embraced the Jews suffering. (Reference: The Historical Research Department Nation of Islam: “The Secret Relationship Between Blacks and Jews”).
But the Jews did not lose their cultural identity (many of them have dual citizenship in America and Israel, which is an identifiable land base, which gives them a collective origin as a people. Many Eastern European Jews speaks Yiddish and some of them speak Hebrew—a common language is essential to any cultural cohesiveness. They had these essentials in tact in order to make a complete social and psychological transition (or recovery) from under the oppression of the Germans (1933-1945).
The African American has had a much more comprehensive and complex predicament because of the severity of the oppression. Dr. Joy DeGruy Leary states right off the back that the study of “Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome” is not designed to make other people feel guilty, but solutions will require open and honest communication. But the ultimate solutions will have to be internal and not external. There has to be cultural models that reinforces African values, promote self-esteem and positive self-worth outside the system that has been historically structured on racism and was tailored for the dominant society to benefit and prosper. (Reference: Naim Akbar; “Breaking the Chains of Psychological Slavery”).
There must be educational models that are put in place to inspire African American children to want to desire to achieve academically in order to prepare themselves to make a positive contribution to their families and to the community. The issue of poverty must be addressed from the point of view of redistributing the wealth and nothing short of this will be sufficed. The United States Government can spend over three trillion dollars on a war in Iraq and will continue to spend trillions more in an unjust war in Afghanistan, but will not invest in the poor of these United States of America. We must have public policy that's sensitive to all its citizens, especially the have-nots (who are ordinarily your poor whites, Latinos, and African Americans). Economically there must-be more of an investment in the American people. Black leadership must-be held more accountable to its own constituents and truly work in the three major arenas—political, social and economic for the benefit of African Americans. No more window dressing and selling out the black masses for self interest. They have been too self-serving in the past and have been short on solutions and long on echoing the problem, which has been well defined for generations. (Reference: Harold Cruse; “The Crisis of the Negro Intellectual: From its Origins to the Present”).
We can not turn the clock back and play the blame game, but at the same time we can not be in social denial. Black Churches must move away from this entire prosperity ministry foolishness and embrace a social Gospel which to truly aid our people in their quest for the basics of life—food, clothing and shelter. The Black Church is perhaps the largest institution in black America with tremendous power and influence—they must play a greater role in helping to solve this dilemma. Lastly, white America and all races must have that long awaited talk on race and racism and find common areas that all of humanity can work together to rectify some of these historical problems that still plague our nation. (Reference: Tavis Smiley: “How to Make Black America Better”).
Fahim A. Knight-EL Chief Researcher for KEEPING IT REAL THINK TANK located in Durham, NC; our mission is to inform African Americans and all people of good will of the pending dangers that lie ahead; as well as decode the symbolisms and reinterpret the hidden meanings behind those who operate as invisible forces, but covertly rules the world. We are of the belief that an enlighten world will be better prepared to throw off the shackles of ignorance and not be willing participants for the slaughter. Our MOTTO is speaking truth to power. Fahim A. Knight-EL can be reached at fahimknight@yahoo.com.STAY AWAKE UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN,
Fahim A. Knight-EL
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