I never had an 'African' friend. Nor did I have any friend who was 'black'. So it was a bit strange to be sitting in a planefull of African (black) people. The only non-black people were me and a couple of Japanese tourists. That's how my trip to Nigeria started... And once I landed in Nigeria after switching plane in Ethiopia, I knew I was in a totally different world from the one I just came from. Everyone, so black. Everything so old... everywhere so crowded. I've never sat next to a black man before, and now I'm gonna live in their country for the next 10 days! How cool... Immediately after leaving the airport, I saw poverty. Once I was in the middle of their urban chaos, I saw pain. I saw how difficult life is in this place. Here, simple things become big problem. Simple things such as food and water... There is no food. There is no water. There is no electricity... there is no job... but what's worse is that THERE IS NO HOPE. Unless you're connected to big shot politician in some way, you're not gonna make it. Unless you can tap into the oil pipe... I came to Nigeria to find business, and I saw a lot of business in Nigeria. The less developed a country is, the more things to sell. And the more corrupted the officials are, the easier it is to do business... But this trip wasn't just about finding business... This trip was supposed to teach me something... So I went to a church. In Nigeria. On Sunday. With the guy I met a day before, who invited me to go to their church. And I did. I've not set my foot in any church for the last ten years, so I was a bit wary of lightening striking my head when I stepped into the place of worship. Glad nothing happened. And they welcomed me. The black, African people. Normal, everyday people. Men... women... children... elders... everyone came to shake hand and talk with probabaly the first foreigner to visit their church. I saw them. I saw their pain. I saw their fatigue. They were all very sad. They were all very tired. It was as if they couldn't take another step forward. It was as if their feet were tied to the ground... everyone looked so thin. It was as if they hadn't eaten at all. The children... dressed in their Sunday clothes... didn't matter the clothes were old and torn... it was Sunday, and they were dressed in their best clothes. Suddenly I felt inappropriately dressed... in my white Gucci shirt and Bali shoes... And then they began their religious ceremony... A typical sermon. With a preacher on the podium, reading the holy book... And the people... they became alive! They had energy! They stood up and prayed to their God... Their God listened to poor people! Their God was on the poor man's side! Their God took away pain and sorrow. Their God gave them hope for better tomorrow. Their God gave them something to rely on. Their God provided them with what they needed. Their God protected them from harm. Their God chased the evil away and made everything OK... Their God gave them reason to live. And that's when I realized why Christianity is needed for humans.
I dont believe in god, and I do not like religion in any form, but I do not know what a world without religion would look like. I tink in some sense religion is needed in some way. It is good to see that there is one thing that can bring these people up. But it is sad to see it is with a false sense of hope. The poloticians have more power over what happens to those people than god does.
CheebCheeb : You're so right. In that place, the politicians ARE gods. But these gods are 'rich man's god'. They only mingle with fat rich people, and their place of worship is hotel lobbies or golf clubs. These gods don't listen to poor people's prayers. They should, but they won't.
Yea I agree, kind of makes you wonder why we are in Iraq and Afghanistan when these people need our help more than anyone else, and I am sure they would be more welcoming than Iraq or Afghanistan.
America has some kind of initiative to promote industry in African nations. I think it's called AGOA. (Africa Growth Opportunity Act) What this act does is, basically, buy anything from African nations... anything that's made in Africa, they buy. They have a budget, and they buy goods from African nations until the money runs out. And come next budget year, they get more money, and they spend it again on African goods. In my opinion, they buy it, not because the goods are any good, but they just want to spend money on African nations, so that the African nations' industries can survive. I think they probably throw away the goods once they arrive in America, coz the goods are all junk anyway... I don't know... But this kind of 'hand out' money is causing a lot of problem in African nations because of corruption.
Thanks man! ^^ I read in your post something about yourself... I wish you pleasant journey, ma man...
Dangle : I posted a few days ago, a post called "God + Human = 1" I hope you can tell me if that equation makes any sense or not, since you are so close to god...
A God simply imposes a sense of security for us humans. It's not a God helping them .. But it's simply the belief that a God is helping them. Meaning humans hold the power to do , or be anything they want to. If an individual wants to be happy , sad , indifferent .. That person can - it's all up to the individual. It might not seem like that but it is. Religion is simply the indirect road to realizing that humans actually hold all the power , we're shaping our own destiny. We're our own gods. The poverty-struck black people in Africa simply believe that there is a God that cares for them .. And look at how elated they became , just as you described. Although I myself believe there isn't a God , I reckon that religion is a good thing for the human race , since it sets us morals and gives us security. It may be a false sense of security - but that is still a sense of security nonetheless.
Imagine a world with intellectuals who do not believe in fantasy. Less war, less famine, more life more living.
What exactly does Christianity do for humanity, besides the obvious going to heaven part of the equation? What has it done here on Earth that makes it a worthwhile part of mankind?
Christianity is needed only for the pure an simple fact... TO KEEP THE PEOPLE IN CONTROL! Man........ fuck the pope and all human idols! there only human!!! Now that one force that created us in the beginning and pushed us and evolved us is still in us... InI. If people would look within themselfs and others for the true being we wouldnt need these external stories to ease our minds knowing that theres a great royal place to go to... NU UHHH! CAN YOU SEE IT!? CAN YOU TOUCH IT?! HOW DO YOU KNOW ITS THERE!? you dont... but earth... you can touch it... see it ... feel it... smell it.... this is our heaven, this is the place you and I have created for ourselfs over millions of years and now we finally get to get a piece of the cake before we go back to the ONE or I. But NAHHHHHHHHHHHH Christianity and Religion would rather have select few reap what we have sown while we all rottt and wait for this "heaven" of theres. Just my opinion, Thanks. Peace & Unity!
I understand how you need to give out hope, but how about you hope to move somewhere better, not just give up on life and pray for heaven. Two hands working do more than 10,000 hands praying.
"Two hands working do more than 10,000 hands praying" Well said K.smith904. and even then some "One hand working with pure mindfulness will do more than all hands praying" Respect! and thanks for the quote.
while two hands working do more than 10,000 praying, God gives people motivation to do loving and unselfish acts. I don't know how you can hate christianity. At its core it is a religion about love and peace. It's foolish men in power who misinterpret the scriptures of the christian bible who make holy wars and discriminate.
i didn't say that. but it certainly makes it easier to spread that message to a great number of people, does it not?
HAHhaa Its a agree to disagree for me!!!! The collective conciousness and spirit (Percieved as God) that is in every human, every plant, every animal , EVERYTHING. We are God, You are a God dont fool yuhself.