Earlier it was California's Proposition 8 getting quashed, then it was Tyler Clementi, a college freshman who committed suicide after his roommate filmed him having sex and broadcast it on the web, then it was the church group protesting at the funeral of a gay soldier, next it was the Bronx attacks and last night, a NY Gubernatorial candidate (I need to quote here) said; "My children and your children would be much better off and much more successful getting married and raising a family. And I don't want them brainwashed into thinking that homosexuality is an equally valid and successful option. It isn't"
Needless to say the uproar that has greeted these events have been resounding, and there have been condemnations from various quarters as well.
This has led me to re-evaluate my own position on the gay issue, to identify my prejudices, if any, bias, support and the sources and justifications for these positions.
Having spent my first 30 years in Nigeria, it comes as no surprise that I do not know any LGBT, well at least any that is 'out of the closet' so to speak. Thus I have no personal experience to bring to bear on this issue.
On self-examination however, I realized that my most perceptible emotions towards and about gays were negative - off the cuff, I felt it was unnatural, aberrant, unhealthy, dysfunctional.
When I probed further, I found out that these definitions only applied to their sexuality, that is, I personally wouldn't mind meeting with, working with or making friends with a gay person. I have always believed that a man's private deeds are no concern of mine.
Next I endeavored to determine the source of my prejudice, this wasn't hard, both my native African culture and religious teaching as a Muslim take a dim view of homosexuality.
Since my recent immigration to the US, I have had to come to terms with the American Way, which simply put: states that it is the individual, not the State or any social or religious group, that will determine the requirements for life, liberty and pursuit of happiness.
The American society accepts all manner of people and faith and creed and race and sexual orientation.
Yes (some of) the people are religious but the State will not favor one religion over the other. Thus what may have been outlawed by faith can be lawful in the eyes of the State. This has been taken by people to mean that the State is Anti-religion, and many have defended it arguing that not supporting religious views is not tantamount to being against religion.
I believe that the USA is anti-religion. Just as being Christian is anti-Islam and being Muslim is anti-Christianity because no faith is truly egalitarian and tolerant. Each claims not just superiority of knowledge, but monopoly of the truth. Not to support or promote any faith is to stand in the way of that faith.
Back to the Gay issue, it is noteworthy that virtually every faith demeans the practice of homosexuality, and yet the practice can be found in every culture, ethnicity and race. It is also rather remarkable that these religious teachings aligned with the prevailing social dogma at the times the religions were established.
This is a recurring theme with world religions where along with the gospel of the One True God, the dominant belief systems have also been codified and taught alongside the real message. Thus Judaism, Christianity and Islam are patriarchal while the Far Eastern and Asian faiths predominantly are animistic.
I believe that homophobia is of man, not from God. For in the Eyes of God, all sinners have the potential for redemption. Had fornication and adultery been an uncommon aberrant behavior it would have been as successfully vilified by religious leaders.
My premise is based on three simple facts. That sexual orientation is biologically determined. That aberrations are statistically inevitable and that God does not make mistakes.
The sins of Sodom and Gomorrah were not just 'sodomy and bestiality' as pop culture would have us believe. In Ezekiel 16: 48-50 (God said) of Sodom (and the four cities): "She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy. They were haughty and did detestable things before me."
The cardinal sins are acts of voluntary will initiated by a perverted mind, not oddities of nature.
In view of the above, I will never discriminate against any LGBT, however this does not mean I subscribe to all of their agitations.
For instance, I vehemently oppose the adoption of children by Gay (male) couples, but I have no such reservations for lesbians who conceive through artificial techniques. About Gay Marriage? My position is that the US law errs in adopting the religious definition of marriage, or better put, in adopting the religious term rather than the more legalistic term; 'civil union'.
This is my opinion, my position, my stance...
Thank you.
Monday, October 11, 2010
Monday, September 6, 2010
To Burn or not to burn...
9/11 is fast becoming (in)famous for another reason; some group has chosen it as a 'Burn a Koran Day'.
This is scheduled to take place in Gainesville Florida, timed to coincide with the date of the WTC Bombings nine years ago. It has long been on the news, but I chose to refrain from commenting on it. Mainly because it arose as part of a larger discourse; the growing islamophobia of America.
When President Obama spoke in favor of religious freedom, I pointed out to Americans that it was futile to expect him to pander to the rising tide of domestic islamophobia, even though it was bound to cost him political points.
The position of the President of the United States I argued, transcends the local underpinnings of mainland US, hard as this might be for the locals to accept. There are US interests in almost all corners of the world, with substantial assets, human, military, industrial and economic domiciled in Muslim countries.
I have also personally excused Terry Jones, because I believe no enlightened person will take it upon himself to attack any of the world religions so brazenly in this day and age.
However America's biggest freedoms are also often the sources of its biggest liabilities, and today Gen. Petraeus corroborates my claim, when he states that Quran burning could endanger US troops in Afghanistan.
Well, not only in Afghanistan, I can imagine the fate of an isolated American in many Muslim enclaves in the Middle East, South East Asia or North Africa after the images of the event hit the screen, if ever.
However, I do not intend to stoke the embers any further, nor indulge in reverse hate-speech. A few points need to be raised though;
The first of which is that while I concede that the proposed act is and will be highly provocative to Muslims, I cannot help but admit that this is in itself an ill-conceived concession to people who are unduly emotionally agitated.
Proceeding from the premise that nobody can upset us unless we give them the permission to do so, I dare say that it is within the capacity of the Muslim Ummah to call the man's bluff.
He has stated that his desire is to reveal the face of Islam for its inherent evil and violence, and ironically his act of provocation by itself would suffice to stir pockets of the Muslim community to violence, whether or not violence is inherently a part of them!
I know at this point that some would seek to question my allegiance, as with all Muslims, I was raised to hold the Quran in reverence, handle it with utmost care and preserve it to the best of my ability. It is not even permitted to tear out a portion of the bound book, so burning it is obviously the most dastardly thing that could be done to the Quran.
Still, I persist in asking? What is in burning a Quran?
On the backdrop of the fact that Muslims have been fore-warned about attempts to destroy the Book, leading to the encouragement of devotees to memorize its entire content...
On the backdrop of the fact that Muslim factions (Shi'ites and Sunnis) in Baghdad have at numerous times willfully bombed each other's mosques...
On the backdrop of the fact that Terry Jones is not engaged in a clandestine act of subverting Islam, but rather seems bent on gaining fame and publicity...
On the backdrop of the fact that Terry Jones and company do not speak for anyone other than themselves, and have no significance in the lives of Muslims the world over...
I think it is time that Muslims rode the high horse on such issues, and stop being reactionary. It is high time Muslims set their agenda, and stuck with it. To threaten fire and brimstones, to attack Mr. Terry Jones or much worse, innocent Americans over this issue is to demean the faith, and to drag Muslims to the base level of Jones's pack.
If I had the clout, I would organize Muslims to witness the event, to celebrate the exercise of his freedom, to make it known that the essence of the Book transcends its paper medium and to let Mr Jones know exactly what his act constitutes: a demonstration of the same kind of intolerance and indignant righteousness that Islamist terrorists are guilty of...
This is scheduled to take place in Gainesville Florida, timed to coincide with the date of the WTC Bombings nine years ago. It has long been on the news, but I chose to refrain from commenting on it. Mainly because it arose as part of a larger discourse; the growing islamophobia of America.
When President Obama spoke in favor of religious freedom, I pointed out to Americans that it was futile to expect him to pander to the rising tide of domestic islamophobia, even though it was bound to cost him political points.
The position of the President of the United States I argued, transcends the local underpinnings of mainland US, hard as this might be for the locals to accept. There are US interests in almost all corners of the world, with substantial assets, human, military, industrial and economic domiciled in Muslim countries.
I have also personally excused Terry Jones, because I believe no enlightened person will take it upon himself to attack any of the world religions so brazenly in this day and age.
However America's biggest freedoms are also often the sources of its biggest liabilities, and today Gen. Petraeus corroborates my claim, when he states that Quran burning could endanger US troops in Afghanistan.
Well, not only in Afghanistan, I can imagine the fate of an isolated American in many Muslim enclaves in the Middle East, South East Asia or North Africa after the images of the event hit the screen, if ever.
However, I do not intend to stoke the embers any further, nor indulge in reverse hate-speech. A few points need to be raised though;
The first of which is that while I concede that the proposed act is and will be highly provocative to Muslims, I cannot help but admit that this is in itself an ill-conceived concession to people who are unduly emotionally agitated.
Proceeding from the premise that nobody can upset us unless we give them the permission to do so, I dare say that it is within the capacity of the Muslim Ummah to call the man's bluff.
He has stated that his desire is to reveal the face of Islam for its inherent evil and violence, and ironically his act of provocation by itself would suffice to stir pockets of the Muslim community to violence, whether or not violence is inherently a part of them!
I know at this point that some would seek to question my allegiance, as with all Muslims, I was raised to hold the Quran in reverence, handle it with utmost care and preserve it to the best of my ability. It is not even permitted to tear out a portion of the bound book, so burning it is obviously the most dastardly thing that could be done to the Quran.
Still, I persist in asking? What is in burning a Quran?
On the backdrop of the fact that Muslims have been fore-warned about attempts to destroy the Book, leading to the encouragement of devotees to memorize its entire content...
On the backdrop of the fact that Muslim factions (Shi'ites and Sunnis) in Baghdad have at numerous times willfully bombed each other's mosques...
On the backdrop of the fact that Terry Jones is not engaged in a clandestine act of subverting Islam, but rather seems bent on gaining fame and publicity...
On the backdrop of the fact that Terry Jones and company do not speak for anyone other than themselves, and have no significance in the lives of Muslims the world over...
I think it is time that Muslims rode the high horse on such issues, and stop being reactionary. It is high time Muslims set their agenda, and stuck with it. To threaten fire and brimstones, to attack Mr. Terry Jones or much worse, innocent Americans over this issue is to demean the faith, and to drag Muslims to the base level of Jones's pack.
If I had the clout, I would organize Muslims to witness the event, to celebrate the exercise of his freedom, to make it known that the essence of the Book transcends its paper medium and to let Mr Jones know exactly what his act constitutes: a demonstration of the same kind of intolerance and indignant righteousness that Islamist terrorists are guilty of...
Sunday, August 29, 2010
The Addiction...
Have you ever...?
Felt a yearn, had an urge, a need, hunger, desire, an uncontrollable itch?
It creeps unto you, building up gradually, burning you up, eating you out...
Gnawing away at your innards, slowly at first, then faster, and faster, and faster...
You try to ignore it, deny it, refuse to heed its call.
The harder you try, the worse it becomes, until you feel you cannot hold back any longer...
And you decide to give in, just a bit this time, only one more time, surely for the last time.
So you reach out for it, gingerly, steadily, cautiously, tenderly, timidly, lovingly...
And you take it slowly, to draw out the pleasure, to make up for the torture...
Then the warmness starts, from the depths of your stomach, it spreads in all directions...
Reaching down your legs and racing towards your head, lifting you up, giving you life...
As it reaches the zone, you stutter, and sputter, trembling with a calmed frenzy...
And in a flash, you explode outwards, and contract inwards, your body shuddering, your spirit floating...
You become mellow, euphoric, debased, accomplished, broken, diminished...
You settle down into the placid zone of the aftermath,
Mind filled with regrets that this would be the last high,
Even as your body readies itself for the next fix...
You sit back, as though without a care, while you reflect with low affect,
For it dawns on you, that you are losing your soul to it...
One fix at a time.
Felt a yearn, had an urge, a need, hunger, desire, an uncontrollable itch?
It creeps unto you, building up gradually, burning you up, eating you out...
Gnawing away at your innards, slowly at first, then faster, and faster, and faster...
You try to ignore it, deny it, refuse to heed its call.
The harder you try, the worse it becomes, until you feel you cannot hold back any longer...
And you decide to give in, just a bit this time, only one more time, surely for the last time.
So you reach out for it, gingerly, steadily, cautiously, tenderly, timidly, lovingly...
And you take it slowly, to draw out the pleasure, to make up for the torture...
Then the warmness starts, from the depths of your stomach, it spreads in all directions...
Reaching down your legs and racing towards your head, lifting you up, giving you life...
As it reaches the zone, you stutter, and sputter, trembling with a calmed frenzy...
And in a flash, you explode outwards, and contract inwards, your body shuddering, your spirit floating...
You become mellow, euphoric, debased, accomplished, broken, diminished...
You settle down into the placid zone of the aftermath,
Mind filled with regrets that this would be the last high,
Even as your body readies itself for the next fix...
You sit back, as though without a care, while you reflect with low affect,
For it dawns on you, that you are losing your soul to it...
One fix at a time.
There is something happening in America...
A couple of days ago, I posted the following on my Facebook profile that 'Keeping the Faith (any Faith) in the US has become a complex balancing act; you can't have so much of it as to be intolerant of nudity, indecency and gays, but you must have enough for moments of indignant righteousness as is currently on display in NY and elsewhere'.
It was the closest I had come to discussing the 'Ground Zero Mosque' issue. It is topical and sensitive no doubt, but unlike many people I have refused to take a few trees for the forest.
It is telling that several influential people have expressed their concern at the level of hatred and distrust on display amongst the Islamophobes, but given any group, sect, ethnicity or race, you can work up enough angry people to such levels of hatred, so for me, it comes as no surprise.
I have chosen to look beyond the Islamophobia because I perceive it is only another arsenal in a much bigger battle - the political control of America.
This nation is turning on itself, bereft of formidable external aggression, the focus of the war machine has become domestic. The fabric of America is being torn apart and we have yet to see anyone or group stand up to point this out, because it is a most inauspicious time - the countdown to a mid-term election, which may see the opposition party gain control of Congress.
Most people agree that this is a build up, but they are wrong in thinking that it is a build up to the elections. In reality, it is more of a build up to a momentous era in the history of the US; post-elections the old problems, Double-dip Depression, Budget deficit and two costly wars will still remain. Several new ones will have been added as well: Gay rights, specifically the right of Gays to marry, Immigration Reform and the Illegal Immigrant question, Islamophobia and the rising Religious Neo-conservative movement.
These new problems challenge the core of the American Society. Gay rights was the first documented evidence (in modern era) of America's commitment to 'governance through rational thinking and logic' as espoused by the Founding Fathers rather than on the 'Foundations of Christian teaching' as the Neo-conservatives would have us believe.
The Immigration question which asks whether children of illegal immigrants ought to be granted citizenship attacks a foundational precept of the United States. The proponents of the change to the 14th Amendment argue that it is self-defeating to reward illegal immigrants in this manner and that these 'anchor babies' provide a strong incentive for the illegality. While this is true, I contend that in such cases, the babies are not the illegal migrants. Citizenship by birth is granted on the basis of birth rather than on the status of parents.
These folks are promoting this as a wedge issue to drum up opposition to the party in power for not doing enough, conveniently forgetting that G.W Bush gave up on Immigration Reform during his two terms because he realized how far-reaching it was.
What these reformists fail to appreciate in their myopia for short-term electoral gains is that even though it can be argued (and has been argued) that when the amendment was put in place, the concept of illegal immigrant was unknown to law (as no visa was required to migrate into the US), however one of the founding principles of America was for it to be a place of refuge for all people seeking liberation and emancipation, so in truth, it is self-serving and narcissistic to have Americans today, shut the door on others because they got here first.
My solution is simple; tighten border control and provide a pathway to residency for the 11 million odd illegal migrants who have invested a considerable amount of their life and labour into the economy of this country.
Islamophobia. Indeed, these are interesting times for Muslims in the United States. The controversy over the proposed building of a mosque near the site of the 9/11 terror attack has been fuelled to the point where we have folks come on prime-time television to declare that 'Islam is a lie from the pit of hell'. To further this, there is also a planned 'Burn the Koran Day'.
This organized effort at painting Islam in dark hues is effective today in galvanizing people into action by pointing out that the government in power, rather than doing something about this 'dark threat' is actually siding with 'them'. The long-term fall out however would be rather interesting, because once in power, they have to find a way to reverse the rumours!
As a Muslim living in America, I would like to add that even in Nigeria, my country of birth, being a Muslim isn't popular everywhere. There have been instances where I had to conceal my faith in other to get along with people. Americans largely do not care what you believe in, those that do take care not to intrude on your 'space'.
Airport security will probably be hard on Muslims dressed in Arabic garb, as would anyone who has seen pictures of terrorist training camps.
In the workplace, Muslims are permitted by law to take a break for the five daily prayers and I don't think that exists back home. Mosques are few and far in between here, but that is just like Muslims are. Most Muslim communities are populated by immigrants who have limited access to land and resources to build mosques, traditional American Muslims followed a brand of Islam which was unpopular with the mainstream and notably, did not build mosques.
What I find most perplexing is the ease with which we are able to re-associate the 9/11 bombers with the entire Islamic Faith. Days after the bombing, President Bush declared; 'this is not a war on Islam, it is a war on terrorism', Americans believed him, today people in the same party and of the same leanings are telling Americans that Islam is synonymous with terrorism, and so many are converted!
It comes as a shock to me that many in the most liberated country in the world have not bothered with self-liberation through enlightenment. Plenty folks here get all their education from the media, as though media houses where educational rather than business enterprises.
The result is that there is ample ember to stoke any brand of fire - the type that warms or the sort that burns, the kind that illuminates or the form that annihilates. It is left therefore to the leadership to be responsible and responsive, but sadly, the evidence says something vastly different.
It was the closest I had come to discussing the 'Ground Zero Mosque' issue. It is topical and sensitive no doubt, but unlike many people I have refused to take a few trees for the forest.
It is telling that several influential people have expressed their concern at the level of hatred and distrust on display amongst the Islamophobes, but given any group, sect, ethnicity or race, you can work up enough angry people to such levels of hatred, so for me, it comes as no surprise.
I have chosen to look beyond the Islamophobia because I perceive it is only another arsenal in a much bigger battle - the political control of America.
This nation is turning on itself, bereft of formidable external aggression, the focus of the war machine has become domestic. The fabric of America is being torn apart and we have yet to see anyone or group stand up to point this out, because it is a most inauspicious time - the countdown to a mid-term election, which may see the opposition party gain control of Congress.
Most people agree that this is a build up, but they are wrong in thinking that it is a build up to the elections. In reality, it is more of a build up to a momentous era in the history of the US; post-elections the old problems, Double-dip Depression, Budget deficit and two costly wars will still remain. Several new ones will have been added as well: Gay rights, specifically the right of Gays to marry, Immigration Reform and the Illegal Immigrant question, Islamophobia and the rising Religious Neo-conservative movement.
These new problems challenge the core of the American Society. Gay rights was the first documented evidence (in modern era) of America's commitment to 'governance through rational thinking and logic' as espoused by the Founding Fathers rather than on the 'Foundations of Christian teaching' as the Neo-conservatives would have us believe.
The Immigration question which asks whether children of illegal immigrants ought to be granted citizenship attacks a foundational precept of the United States. The proponents of the change to the 14th Amendment argue that it is self-defeating to reward illegal immigrants in this manner and that these 'anchor babies' provide a strong incentive for the illegality. While this is true, I contend that in such cases, the babies are not the illegal migrants. Citizenship by birth is granted on the basis of birth rather than on the status of parents.
These folks are promoting this as a wedge issue to drum up opposition to the party in power for not doing enough, conveniently forgetting that G.W Bush gave up on Immigration Reform during his two terms because he realized how far-reaching it was.
What these reformists fail to appreciate in their myopia for short-term electoral gains is that even though it can be argued (and has been argued) that when the amendment was put in place, the concept of illegal immigrant was unknown to law (as no visa was required to migrate into the US), however one of the founding principles of America was for it to be a place of refuge for all people seeking liberation and emancipation, so in truth, it is self-serving and narcissistic to have Americans today, shut the door on others because they got here first.
My solution is simple; tighten border control and provide a pathway to residency for the 11 million odd illegal migrants who have invested a considerable amount of their life and labour into the economy of this country.
Islamophobia. Indeed, these are interesting times for Muslims in the United States. The controversy over the proposed building of a mosque near the site of the 9/11 terror attack has been fuelled to the point where we have folks come on prime-time television to declare that 'Islam is a lie from the pit of hell'. To further this, there is also a planned 'Burn the Koran Day'.
This organized effort at painting Islam in dark hues is effective today in galvanizing people into action by pointing out that the government in power, rather than doing something about this 'dark threat' is actually siding with 'them'. The long-term fall out however would be rather interesting, because once in power, they have to find a way to reverse the rumours!
As a Muslim living in America, I would like to add that even in Nigeria, my country of birth, being a Muslim isn't popular everywhere. There have been instances where I had to conceal my faith in other to get along with people. Americans largely do not care what you believe in, those that do take care not to intrude on your 'space'.
Airport security will probably be hard on Muslims dressed in Arabic garb, as would anyone who has seen pictures of terrorist training camps.
In the workplace, Muslims are permitted by law to take a break for the five daily prayers and I don't think that exists back home. Mosques are few and far in between here, but that is just like Muslims are. Most Muslim communities are populated by immigrants who have limited access to land and resources to build mosques, traditional American Muslims followed a brand of Islam which was unpopular with the mainstream and notably, did not build mosques.
What I find most perplexing is the ease with which we are able to re-associate the 9/11 bombers with the entire Islamic Faith. Days after the bombing, President Bush declared; 'this is not a war on Islam, it is a war on terrorism', Americans believed him, today people in the same party and of the same leanings are telling Americans that Islam is synonymous with terrorism, and so many are converted!
It comes as a shock to me that many in the most liberated country in the world have not bothered with self-liberation through enlightenment. Plenty folks here get all their education from the media, as though media houses where educational rather than business enterprises.
The result is that there is ample ember to stoke any brand of fire - the type that warms or the sort that burns, the kind that illuminates or the form that annihilates. It is left therefore to the leadership to be responsible and responsive, but sadly, the evidence says something vastly different.
Friday, August 27, 2010
Opening Remarks...
Hobbypreneurship,
I guess this is what my blog is about. I tend to take people seriously for their words, so I respond emotionally to what they write or say and naturally, I tend to respond or comment a lot on what others write... so much so that I have been advised to try out my hand at blogging, to kind of develop my hobby into a talent.
Since I am not exactly keen on starting a new movement, and do not consider myself a leader of thoughts and opinion, I will limit the contents of my blog to my reactions, comments and opinions on matters and issues raised by others.
Certainly, there will be some bias in the issues I will pay attention to, for instance; who was greater, Elvis of MJ would probably not feature on this blog, but the self-destructive habits they both formed in the course of their careers is worth documenting for all time, not so?
I hope my intentions have been made clear enough. For those who are already friends on FB, or have previously known me, there is little need for an introduction. This blog will be true to the all what I've always believed in, and cared about.
Thanks.
I guess this is what my blog is about. I tend to take people seriously for their words, so I respond emotionally to what they write or say and naturally, I tend to respond or comment a lot on what others write... so much so that I have been advised to try out my hand at blogging, to kind of develop my hobby into a talent.
Since I am not exactly keen on starting a new movement, and do not consider myself a leader of thoughts and opinion, I will limit the contents of my blog to my reactions, comments and opinions on matters and issues raised by others.
Certainly, there will be some bias in the issues I will pay attention to, for instance; who was greater, Elvis of MJ would probably not feature on this blog, but the self-destructive habits they both formed in the course of their careers is worth documenting for all time, not so?
I hope my intentions have been made clear enough. For those who are already friends on FB, or have previously known me, there is little need for an introduction. This blog will be true to the all what I've always believed in, and cared about.
Thanks.
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