Mundane Monday

Today I did absolutely nothing important. I got some rest and cleaned my room. In a way I guess I was cleaning my spirit by trying to get my home in order. It's my way of relaxing. On my busiest days I pray for days like this, but when I get them they always suck! What's really tripped out is that I'm lonely but I don't want to be bothered by everybody. I thought I was gonna have plans this evening but they didn't fall thru. Shit happens and toilets flush. Moving forward, I went to see my mom and as of late she's been trying to hold me hostage. Lately she's been doing a lot cooking and trying to get the family together. There's a saying about life imitating art and I hope this isn't a version of "Madea's Big Happy Family" because I really don't need that shit! My mom has been feeling good lately and I pray that her health continues to progress. Deep Thought: I know a parent's worst nightmare is to bury their kids but I don't want to bury my parents. Out of selfishness I wanted them to bury me so I wouldn't have to deal with the pain of losing them. I don't think I would lose my mind but I would feel a bit of regret that my childhood wasn't the best and they couldn't do anything to change that. Maybe if I grew up better I wouldn't feel that way. If they had some money I might even be waiting on them to kick the bucket! Just kidding! I get my sense of humor from my dad and my heart from my mom. They cool now and I should appreciate times like these because they don't last forever.

So on this Mundane Monday I sit back listening to the Quiet Storm on V-103 (102.7 FM) and I just remembered I need Marsha Ambrosius' song Late Nights and Early Mornings because I love making love like that. It's been awhile since I went there but when I get back there (1) I hope I'm in love and (2) I hope she's in love with me. Here's the link to see her video: http://youtu.be/6lgbUptkC28 . This will not be my last post to this blog. I will come back more often even if it's just to say hello. Good Night & God Bless

How do you feel about Allah? Pt 2

Islam and Christianity are international religions that have more than half of the world's population within their grasp. A number of American Christians have an arrogance that the world revolves around our country. That arrogance leaves people uneducated about the rest of the world and specifically about Islam. Some people are so lazy that they would believe any propaganda about a group of people or religion, without researching such claims for themselves. That type of uneducated, lazy, arrogance among American Christians is so strong that they would curse their own God in another language. It would lead some people to attack innocent Arabs, Indians (Persian), and Muslims in the same terrorist fashion that they fear. Irresponsible American Christian leaders mislead Christians in believing that Islam is at war with Christianity and the United States. Coincidentally, Islamic Extremists mislead their followers by telling them that the United States is at war with Islam. Neither of these wars has been officially declared because they do not exist. Politics and racism have diluted the minds of Extremists of both religions while they use their religion to justify their actions. Such actions are as evil as Satan misleading Eve to eat the apple and disobey God!

    The United States is the self-proclaimed "Home of the Brave." As of late, some Americans have cowardly thrown hatred at Islam and Muslims. These unpatriotic Americans believe that their actions are justifiable because of the September 11^th attacks by an Islamic terrorist group, al-Qaeda. Islam condemns behavior like this and most Arabs are against Terrorism! Some American media outlets are the biggest contributors of this Anti-Islam behavior by turning political issues into religious issues to sell the news. Politicians use public opinion about social issues to establish platforms for their upcoming elections. Then, biased politicians support policies in government that are unconstitutional just to keep the voters in their favor for their upcoming elections. The United States was not established for Capitalistic Racism in politics and religion. People of all races fought and died for America in every war for the constitutional freedoms entitled to all people. America is for everyone in the world regardless of race, sex, religion, etc.

    Terrorism, by definition, is the systematic use of terror as a means of coercion. Coercion, or to be coerced, means using force to make someone do something. The common idea of terrorism refers only to violent acts which are intended to create fear (terror). These acts are perpetrated for a religious, political or ideological goal, and deliberately target or disregard the safety of innocent people. Terrorism didn't start on September 11, 2001, and Ground Zero was not first terrorist attack. Islamic Extremists did not create Terrorism. Terrorism has no particular race or religion that it is exclusive to. In the same sense, Terrorism has no exclusive group of people it attacks. When the Bush Administration declared a "Global War on Terrorism", they did not specify who was nor was not a terrorist. American media outlets broadcasted that the people of the Middle East supported Terrorism and hated America. Our media outlets broadcasted Arab people burning our flag and celebrating. The media told you that Islamic leaders declared a Jihad or "Holy War" against America. The media broadcasted a man getting his head cut off. All of these things are pretty scary, right? That's because the media and people within our government systematically used Terrorism to coerce Americans to support a war in the Middle East, and in return, made a profit for doing so.

    Those who oppose the Ground Zero Mosque believe that it's a "slap in the face" to America nine years after 9/11. One group, 9/11 Families for a Safe & Strong America calls the Ground Zero Mosque, "a gross insult to the memory of those who were killed on that terrible day." "WE WILL NEVER FORGET" is what the Untied States of America vowed. What about December 7, 1941? Franklin D. Roosevelt and the United States made similar vow when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. Anyone who knows American history, or at least seen the movie, knows of the devastation, destruction, and heart-break of December 7, 1941. Today, most Americans don't even acknowledge that day, nor are aware of the significance it had 69 years ago. Talk about a "slap in the face" to America, name one thing you own that does not have ties to Japan or some other Pan-Asian country! What would those who were killed that day think of Toyotas being the cars of choice in America? What would they think of your flat-screen TV made by Sony, Panasonic, or Toshiba that you play your Nintendo Wii games on? Would they be insulted that their memory is not being observed in the American economy? In the sense of observing the fallen of 9/11, why wasn't it a problem for Americans to purchase gasoline from Arab-owned Gas Stations and pay up to $4 a gallon for fuel mostly from the Middle East? Where were Sarah Palin and the Tea-Party when we should have been protesting against high-gas prices?

How do you feel about ALLAH? Pt 1

    Why are some Christians so insensitive, and yet get offended easily, when talking about Christianity and Islam? I asked a dear friend of mine, "How do you feel about Allah?" In my opinion, this friend is a devoted Christian that has been involved in church all of his life. As a response, he said he felt that Allah was a "part-time deity." From his understanding, Allah is an Islamic false God that you could not pray to all of the time; and in the event you were you going to pray to Allah it had to be for a very serious matter. I was very disturbed by this response. Not so much because these were my friend's thoughts (trust me I've heard worse....from him), but because this is how some Christians view Allah and the Islamic faith. When misinformed, uneducated Christians don't understand the history and faith of Islam, nor know the history of their own faith, disrespectful opinions like this are formed, accepted, and continued.

    Christianity and Islam are religious juggernauts around the world today. With more than half of the world's population within their grasp, a union of respect and understanding would and could change the world as we know it for the better. Believe it or not, the Islamic faith teaches its followers to respect Christianity and Christians alike. No where in the Holy Qur'an are Muslims taught that Jesus Chris is a deity or that anyone who does not honor the Prophet Muhammad is the Anti-Christ. There is a reason for that! Islam actually looks up to Christianity because Christianity came before Islam and they share a connection through Abraham. Judaism, Christianity, and Islam were all born in what we now call the Middle East. With all of the cultural influences in Christianity over the centuries, there have been discrepancies and misunderstandings of Islam on behalf of Christians. Allah is the biggest misconception of them all.

    When some people view Islam, some very disturbing things come to mind. Some people assume most Muslims are Arab and are from the Middle East. Others assume that Islam is a religion that breeds terrorism and hatred for Western Civilization. A few believe that Allah is a mythical deity or Idol that only Muslims pray to. These and other negative thoughts of Islam are evil and uneducated. Islam did not take part any of the progressive changes in the early centuries that Christianity did. Most Muslims are taught Islam in the original language and fashion that it was taught in the beginning of Islam. The Holy Qur'an (Islamic bible) is in Arabic. When Muslims pray, they pray in Arabic. Islam in English translates to "submission to Allah" and to be a Muslim literally means to be "one who submits to Allah". Abraham is held as a founding father of the Jewish, Christian, and Islamic religions. In Islam, Muslims believe they serve same God that Abraham, Jews, and Christians worshiped to in the bible. What do you suppose Arabs would call God in the language they speak? Allah is God in English! Not a separate God for Middle Eastern, Arab, Muslims. The same God the Prophet Muhammad worshiped is the same Allah that Jesus Christ worshipped.

    Cultural and theological differences between Christianity and Islam have led some Christians to believe Islam is the opposite of Christianity. Realistically, Islam and Christianity share more in common than they differ. The early followers of Christianity did not speak English; they spoke Hebrew, Greek, and Arabic. A number of the early Christians were of Arab descent. Christianity and Islam were both derived from the faith of Judaism. The Hebrew bible (Torah) laid the foundation for the Holy Bible and Holy Qur'an. Both believe that God created people and the Earth and has a unique relationship with humanity. Both believe people have Free Will and that you will be held accountable for your sins at death. Both believe Jesus Christ was born of the Virgin Mary and like Adam (of the Garden of Eden) did not have a human father. Both believe in all of Jesus Christ's miracles and noble morality.  Both Islam and Christianity believe at the End of the World, Jesus Christ will return and save humanity. So it is safe to say that even Muslims honor and love Jesus Christ.

To be continued........How do you feel about Allah? Pt 2

How I feel about the Ground Zero Mosque

I am in full support of the Ground Zero Mosque. I am of Christian faith, but as a Christian I believe Muslims deserve a place of worship just as much as we do. This country was founded for people of all religions to worship without persecution. I believe that anyone who is truly patriotic and values the principles on which this great nation was founded would support the Ground Zero Mosque. When people allow fear and misunderstanding of Islam to grow and flourish, terrorism wins. Islamic Extremists, who use terrorism to hurt innocent people, use our fear and pain of September 11, 2001 against us and enjoy American's non-support of the mosque. They can use that to encourage others in opposing nations to support their views and continue to hurt people. Finally, the Ground Zero Mosque should be used to show the world that we are still a beacon of hope, freedom, and democracy for all. The Ground Zero Mosque should be used to "slap" terrorism in the face! It will show that we are beginning to recover and overcome our fears of Islam as the great Americans we are, instead of succumbing to them.