Drafted

Don't call this a comeback.

I just had an unusual condition called unpublishisms

No, it is not a disease, ...yet

But, I'd put it this way....

In my dashboard right now there are more drafts than blog posts.

Time to start hitting those "publish post" buttons huh?

http://theepicsandbox.com/wp-content/uploads/muttley.jpg

Faith like a mustard seed.

Some of us believe in visions and dreams (I know I do) but a lot of times, there are real experiences that teach us certain lessons we don't pay attention to or look away from.

This week has been one of those weeks were God has been trying to teach me a lesson about faith, and he has shown me several signs to prove his lesson on faith. Maybe you may look at them as just regular events, but I felt a deeper lesson being taught within those experiences.

Earlier this week, I have been pondering on the topic especially since I've been looking at the stories of Abraham and Moses. I decided to go to a bible study. I was not comfortable with the topic being discussed neither did I find the person leading the study credible. So i walked out of that study about to head home, but someone told me to stick around and I did. The lesson I walked into was one about faith. The lesson that was taught spoke to me seriously, and I'm not sure if that young man leading the study was aware of how much what he spoke meant to me.

This same week I had an interesting experience on a journey out of town. On my way back home, on a route I don't really know, I got lost. I didn't have directions neither was my GPS working, no phone signal, no one accompanying me on my journey. I was lost in the middle of nowhere in the dead of the night, only dark roads surrounded by trees were my only trailing marks. I kept driving, not sure of where I was going but hoping in my heart that somewhere I would see some sign that would give me some confirmation that I was heading in a homeward direction. Finally after two hours of getting lost in the middle of nowhere and driving what seemed like the same tour of trees, closed down buildings and long roads, I finally saw a sign. As you can imagine, I was very relieved.

I reached an epiphany today finally going through an old bible study note I made and reading this "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,^[a] whenever you face trials of many kinds, ³ because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. " James 1:2-3

Faith is an incredible and almost illogical concept to understand and follow. The concept of not seeing but believing is one that doesn't make sense in a world where we plan first and act on that plan. What of if there's no plan? What of the many people who had a plan before them and watched those plans go down the drain?

Take a look at the stories you are familiar with, Abraham was told to go up and sacrifice his only son. He did as God instructed and we know how that story goes. Moses stretched his rod over the red sea under God's instruction and he divided it. Everyone who came to Jesus for healing first of all believed that Jesus would heal them, and all who believed were healed.

Faith is a truly powerful thing. It's a hard concept to grasp and act on, but it really is.

Nigeria may be eternally cursed

http://www.bantjes.com/index.php?id=68

Nigeria is going to be 49 years this coming week. I do honestly think that coming from those years, we have failed in terms of progress and our generation has learned history but has failed to learn from it.

We have various examples of this, we still have vigilante groups (like the Boko Haram) in the north killing Christians and southerners as well as destroying property. We have elements in the south still calling for a secession, groups like the MASSOB are still calling the the secession despite the civil war of almost 40 years back. We have the government still fighting the wrong battles like the battle against SONY PlayStation 3 ads and the movie District 9. We still have a dysfunctional society where nothing works: power, education, health care etc. Any system you can think of in Nigeria is currently in shambles.

I wish our generation was more educated in moving forward, but I do believe we are in a mess when we take a bigger view of the Nigerian picture. Apart from the vigilante groups up north, we have my south-south people kidnapping and causing terror to their own people in the name of fighting for their own resources. They have failed to learn from the struggles of Ken Saro-Wiwa. We have south-east elements (like I mentioned earlier) calling for secession like they never knew the history of the civil war, more so, they still hold on to the key strategists of the civil war as heroes instead of moving forward and making progress instead of reminiscing on days of unnecessary bloodshed and massacre. We still have the southwest that's slowly lagging in terms of progress as well, Lagos being the brain of the country continuously sees decay but no proper respite can be done to save a city when the whole country is in shambles.

Our resources are being exploited, both human and natural. Our best minds are flocking further away from the country, our cocoa, coal, rubber, groundnuts are all gone. Our oil is being taken away from us and sold back to us. We have no champion of our cause in terms of managing our resources. We just have people sitting down eating their share of the pie as the pie slowly decreases without them realizing it.

Our generation is filled with three kinds, those who can't do anything and won't do anything, and those who can't do anything but think they're doing something but they really aren't, and those that can do something but are not. I unfortunately fall into the first group, I wish I could do something about the state of the country but I can't. The other third is the funnier one, the idealists, idealists like the lightupnigeria coalition, who think that going on social networking sites and launching an online campaign especially with those outside the country receiving uninterrupted power supply can save the power situation of the county that has been in virtual darkness since I was born (and even before that). The last third is the saddest of them all, they are the politicians, their children who are in line for politics, the bank executives, the big shakers of Nigeria, those who can truly make a difference. They aren't doing nothing. Only contributing more material for your gossip magazines/blogs with their exuberant lifestyle while most of the country barely lives on a dollar a day.

So we've highlighted the problems but is there a solution to the Nigerian problem? That's one for us to ponder about as the country turns 49. Vision 2010 set up by the then dictator Sani Abacha is now as dead as him. We have a generation of Nigerians who (like me) have lost our sense of national pride even in our soccer team. It was like the military dictatorship had our mouths open to swallow it. But it was a bad pill given by an unqualified doctor, it only made us worse.

I am sad to say this but prayer may be the only option at this point, prayer and people, people who can not only talk the talk but walk it. However it does seem that in general with the world, black people can't make progress because as soon as we have one positive black leader coming forward to make a change, the world shuts him or her down usually by their own people. Case in point: MLK Jr, Malcolm X, Marcus Garvey, Thomas Sankara, Patrice Lumumba, Ken Saro-Wiwa...and Barack Obama getting his fair share of hate right now(I pray he doesn't end up the fate of the aforementioned black leaders)

We have to pray that God and someone comes to us in this time of our endless struggle, a struggle like the picture I posted is between good and evil. And frankly, in this real world we are living in, evil is winning. Hopefully good has the last laugh especially in my country.

Martin Luther King Jr and the Niggers

Martin Luther King Jr is one extraordinary man who lived above basic instinct. I remember once reading about a protest he led...how angry mobs (especially policemen) beat him up and other civil rights protesters at the time. Despite all this, he still remained steadfast in his belief that there's no way to end injustice with violence. You have to respect such a man.

Years later, almost 50 years later, the same injustices that this man once protested are still in progress. A few weeks back, a young man was in handcuffs and was placed down by policemen and one of those policemen shot this fellow point blank killing him pretty much instantly.

That's grave injustice of the highest proportion. One has to view the video of the murder of Oscar Grant to understand the gravity of such a cold-blooded murder. The officer was arrested recently but that didn't change some people from inflicting their savage instinct of violence that was summoned from their rage of injustice.

Most people would say "niggers" is a term not to be used ever especially in the 21st century. Why am I using this word? I'm using it in the derogatory connotation of the word...I'm not talking about black people in general, I'm talking about that sect of black people that are basically up to no good. We have such in every group of people, black people are not excluded.

Now back to the point, I have heard stories, seen footage, and read one or two stories about the riots, and all I have to say is that these niggers should have no voice in this act. It is because of them injustices like the ones inflicted on Oscar Grant will continue. Protests, petitions and other peaceful means of showing dismay are more effective ways of seeking justice for such things. I'm not talking about one-million marches for the camera, I am talking about practical ways to bring these vagabonds of justice. These fools who think they can cause mayhem, trashing police cars, assaulting innocent people of other races, burning up shops and businesses of those who have nothing to do with the murder (especially those who are immigrants and are trying to get their fair share of the american pie) are in no way helping defeat this big monster of injustice we see today and we've seen perpetuated ever since time immemorial. These niggers should not have a right to speak or act. These fools should be locked up.

I understand their rage of the issue, I understand they might demand justice. I too would hate if the policeman who committed this murder should walk away scot free like the policemen who killed Sean Bell. But this in no way helps matters.

With the martin luther king jr holiday coming up and the inaugration of the first black american president immediatley proceeding it, I do hope Americans (especially black americans) can rise against this instinct of violence that these niggers perpetuate, they can hold dear to the ideology of MLK that "Returning violence for violence multiplies violence, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars... Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that."...and with the ascension of Barack Hussein Obama into the presidency of the United States, that americans can look for that change in the way they think, the way that the justice system operates. It's obvious and human that injustice will continue...but it's all about remembering that fire does not stop a fire, that a soft healing hand has the most effective touch.

Frankly, reading and watching all this stuff disgusts me...I do hope for a better beginning someday...we pray that happens

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKy-WSZMklc The Shooting
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HeDjJf02fac The Riot
http://abcnews.go.com/TheLaw/story?id=6647338&page=1 The Arrest

September 11

Today marks the 7th year anniversary of September 11, a tragedy in itself remembering the loss of human life (talk less of the world trade center twin towers in New York)...It is a human tragedy one can agree with.

But in marking this 7th year anniversary, one wonders why one should still mark it as an anniversary.

I personally believe that the aftermath of September 11 has been to use human disaster to manipulate the emotions and pathos of the American people. No matter your belief is, you would always come to agree that September 11 was indeed a human tragedy. This holistic point of view is what makes those dirty old men (as we would like to tag the present set of men in government) to wage two wars (one fruitless, the other:plain unnecessary) that crippled America's economy.

Moreover, what's even more pathetic is that we allowed these events to be an excuse for this government to be so intrusive into our everyday lives (we refer to that as the patriot act)

It's even most pathetic when it is used as an excuse to be elected/re-elected into office in the case of Guilliani and Bush. Guilliani used the fact that he was Mayor of New York during September 11 to rally the american people to his side. Truth being he is not that competent neither was he ever competent. It was almost a stroke of luck that he was a mayor during that time. Bush used it in 2004, and well, you can see how much America has progressed since then.

Personally, as an international, I can relate to it more because of the tightening of laws for international travel/immigration laws by the US....it's sad that the terrorists arrived to the country as international F1 students, but Timothy McVeigh:responsible for the Oklahoma bombings was a full-blooded American...anyone would have been used for that operation.

The sooner American/Americans gets unattached with September 11, the better the mindset would grow from the small/weak-mindedness easily controlled and manipulated by just mere mentioning September 11. I'm sure some ladies can relate to this example: It's like a horrible ex, the more your feelings are tied to him, the more your life gets in a muffle and the pain resurges, but the earlier you get rid of him in your mind, the easier it is to move on without even his name or him in front of you affecting you one bit.

Every country has had its share of massacres and disasters, even since September 11 2001. The Kenyans, The Zimbabweans, the British, the Spanish etc....America seems to be held in this time freeze since September 11 2001. A lot of things have changed since then, but would you still allow your emotions or even your allegiance to your country be controlled/questioned by someone just mentioning September 11? Think about it for a minute, and let go of it.

My Religious Views part 2

I had made up my mind not to go to church, a decision that did not go down well with my parents. They made their opinions quite clear about my child of theirs living under their own roof who refuses to go to church.

After a couple of months of impasse, we ( my parents & I) reached a compromise. I went to church along with them alright but I didn't attend the adult's service. I enrolled as a facilitator in the children's' service. I was more of a mentor than a Sunday school teacher. I preferred dealing with the kids. There was nothing like status among the kids. The kids of a bank executive could play with the kids of a gardener with relatively no problem.In my experience, the adults were the bigger kids than the kids themselves...but I digress.

Back to my parents, they were definitely surprised at my zeal to go to church. Even on days were the house was in no mood to go to church, I usually would be the first to be up and gone to church.

They checked with the supervisors apparently and found out I was doing a good job. They were impressed and the arrangement remained. They did not agree with my belief but they understood and respected it. They kept buttressing the point that Christianity has nothing to do with the people you worship with, but it's with the relationship you have with Jesus Christ.

I was very young and stubborn, words went in one ear and came out the other.It was hard to worship in churches were you knew the deacons, pastors, chairman/ladies of this committee or that committee were less than noble except on Sundays and expected you to be the holiest person there was.

The transition to the US was a hard one, especially culturally. One thing I liked and cherished was my relative independence especially a there was not pressure for me to go to church on Sunday mornings. I did try to go to church a few times but I usually was turned off by everything and anything: the obnoxious rants of the preacher followed by the equally irritating scream of the congregation, the political talk/prayers, the skits, the choir, everything and anything.

I still believed in the existence of God after much debating and had a mutual respect for him. But that's as close as it got.

One thing I discovered the hard way was that my strength could get me so far. Life had its way with weakening me. But I was stubborn regardless. I have been blessed with some really honest and true Christians as friends and family, they all told me the same things:"You need Jesus" "You need to be born-again""I'd be praying for you"

I wasn't hearing any of that. I was till stubborn, declaring myself as a Christian in my opinion was like affiliating myself with the self-righteous hypocrites & zealots unwilling to accept anyone different from them.

Life knocked me to my knees spiritually and I was too stubborn to run to God. I peronally believed a relationship with God involved more than running to him only in times of need or screaming his name on Sunday. A relationship with God was a total commitment with him. My pride and fear of failing would not allow me declare myself as a Christian. Failing in this commitment would make me become of the hypocrites I chastise.

I really don't know how it happened. How one day I settled all the thoughts sand teachings I have known and grown up with and I finally made a serious effort to work towards God. My old mentality, beliefs and failed attempts behind me, I finally decided to work toward becoming closer to God and I am making one serious effort at it.

I try to read devotionals and the scripture passages tagged to them, read the bible (actually read the book of John thanks to advice from my mum and a friend who is a religion professor. It opened my mind about Jesus. You can read how that happened here.) I still don't go to church and pray as much a I could but I believe first I must try and build a relationship with God and a bond with him thereby gaining spiritual confidence so I don't get influenced by those around me.

I feel incredibly blessed for the family and friends God has provided me with. Although I might falter and fall and get weak in this journey like everyone else (human and imperfect like I am)...I am not running away from my destination, I would get there eventually... I am walking towards the light.

My Religious Views part 1

Facebook has this part of the its personal information section for where you can inform viewers of your page (stalkers inclusive) what your religion is.

Another opportunity for people to get creative. Some of of them..."My First Name" "Saved through Faith by Christ" "Follower of the Dark Side" "Al Qaeda" etc etc. While the other more conservative Christians would just put in bible verses or quotes that reflect their religious views.


Personally. mine has changed from being blank to "Mortal Sinner" to my present "Do to me what you would want done to you"

But it's high time I took a deeper look into my religious belief. Time for some look into myself, look back at myself and look at where I'm heading. I've been hesitant to disclose this, I've been hesitant to disclose a lot of things about myself but at this time, I feel I should.

I was born into a very Christian home, actually my mum was the more devoted Christian...but interdenominational. I don't know what other word is there to describe it, we switched around churches then: Deeper Life Bible Church, TREM, Mountain of Fire and Miracles, House on the Rock, etc.My dad was more up in the air about religion. But with time and experience with life, he grew out of it and reverted to Roman Catholicism...a religion he had since he was a kid. He went to a catholic boy's high school at that.

So I was raised between both sides of the Christian spectrum in a very conservatively religious country like Nigeria. I was raised on my mum's side to believe

• Jesus would come down and take all the good people from earth and leave the bad people on earth to perish...Rapture they called it
• Only evil people were broke. If you followed Jesus, you would be successful and rich and drive a Benz"...just like pastor".
• That everything wrong happening in your life is due to some demonic powers holding down, and by screaming out to the lord and casting those demons out...you'd be saved.
• (This one hit me hard the most) Mortal Kombat was a demonic game not to be played by children.

When my dad found his footing as a Christian, he took over the whole religious thing for me and then we found our way back to the catholic church and into the Cathecism, and the things I learned there?

• There is a white man in a place called the Vatican somewhere in Rome, who is God's messenger to Earth.He is infallible.
• By seeking penance for your sins, you must pray, confess to a priest and receive holy communion...or God would never forgive you.
• There are 2 types of sins...Mortal and Venial. Depending on the time of sin you commit, each has its own sentencing and punishment.
  
• There is a special place for people who God has not made his mind up where they are going...it's called purgatory. They can either go to heaven or hell depending on how many people pray for them...

Being brought up on these sides, it was no surprise that my mind woke up and realized "This is some bulls#!t" and refused to be a part of it. I walked away and rebelled. My parents did not approve, but it was too late now.

Part 2 coming up Soon.