MOSQUE MARYAM (FinalCall.com) - On the morning of Sunday, January 28, 2007, the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan was released from a five-week hospital stay following a major surgical procedure. As this great news was delivered via a national webcast from Nation of Islam Headquarters in Chicago, Ill., Nation of Islam Believers and well-wishers for Min. Farrakhan’s speedy recovery responded with shouts of “Allahu Akbar” (God is the Greatest) and numerous other expressions of joy.
http://www.finalcall.com/artman/publish/article_3220.shtml
The prayers of the righteous availeth much!!
:)
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Friday, January 26, 2007
Is Homosexuality "Right" or "Wrong"?
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful...the Best Knower.
A question was asked about whether homosexuality is "right" or "wrong"..."good" or "bad".
Below is my response:
We all would agree that we are not just "living in" this universe, but we are "part of" it. As such, our existence is governed by the same set of Laws that govern the Solar System and the Atom, and others.
We live in a Universe that is filled with Life, and it is obvious to ME that there is a Supreme Intelligence that is moving all life forward to some destination or destiny. Since it is also obvious that the common urge or impulse of all Life is to "Survive", then this must be the Aim of the Supreme Being...to promote Life...to perpetuate Life...to evolve Life.
That which is "good" is that which "promotes Life" or the "greatest good" for all.
That which is "bad" is that which suppresses, opposes, hinders, or otherwise interferes with the Life Process.
According to the Law of "Unalike Attracts/Alike Repels," the existence and maintenance of Life requires the interaction between positive(electric) and negative(magnetic) potentials. When the positive (electric) potential comes within close proximity of the negative (magnetic) potential, an attraction and subsequent transfer of energy takes place, and a "spark" of Life (motion) is produced.
On the other hand, if two "like potentials" (two "positives" or two "negatives") are brought within close proximity to one another, they will be repelled from one another, and no energy transfer can take place...hence, Life cannot take place from that interaction.
We can see this in our childhood experiments with magnets. When we put like (+/+) poles together, they push away from each other, and it takes great effort to get them to touch each other. However, when released from our "external" force pushing them together, the internal force in them immediately pushes them away from each other.
However, when we put "opposite" poles (+/-) together, we observe a very strong attraction that begins to have an effect before they actually touch each other. In fact, it takes great effort to keep them from touching each other when they are that close together.
This is the Nature of things, this is the Law of Life; and this is why Homosexuality is "wrong" or "bad"...because it is a deviation from the Natural Law of Life. However, this does NOT justify mistreating someone because they made a "wrong" or "bad" choice...for we all make "bad" choices of different sorts, correct?
While it is true that we have the freedom to choose what kind of life we live, we must understand that we live in a Universe that is goverened by very exact and inflexible Laws, which ensure Order and Balance and the Continuance of Life in this Universe. There is no getting around this. This is why broken bones mend, cuts heal, bells stop ringing after being struck, ripples in water fade away.
All of this is "caused" by the Laws which govern our existence. And since we are all governed by the same Universal Laws, we are all connected to each other. What affects one, affects all...even if unnoticeably. Therefore, our actions affect not only ourselves, but everyone around us.
From this we can see that, with "freedom of choice" comes great "responsibility". Yes, we are free to choose, but we must be RESPONSIBLE enough to choose that which is not just "pleasurable" to us as individuals, but we should strive to develop the will to choose that which is in the best interests of ourselves and the world we live in.
When we make a choice that is contrary to the Law of Life, we usually - and almost immediately - feel the effects of that choice in our being. Some call it guilt, some call it frustration, some call it stress (and sometimes manifesting as physical pain)...but it is really just the Universal Law working to correct the "disturbance" we created by our making a choice that was not in Harmony with the Nature of our Existence.
Yes...We do have the freedom to choose our actions, but we cannot escape the consequences of our choices.
Please...Choose LIFE!
RM
A question was asked about whether homosexuality is "right" or "wrong"..."good" or "bad".
Below is my response:
We all would agree that we are not just "living in" this universe, but we are "part of" it. As such, our existence is governed by the same set of Laws that govern the Solar System and the Atom, and others.
We live in a Universe that is filled with Life, and it is obvious to ME that there is a Supreme Intelligence that is moving all life forward to some destination or destiny. Since it is also obvious that the common urge or impulse of all Life is to "Survive", then this must be the Aim of the Supreme Being...to promote Life...to perpetuate Life...to evolve Life.
That which is "good" is that which "promotes Life" or the "greatest good" for all.
That which is "bad" is that which suppresses, opposes, hinders, or otherwise interferes with the Life Process.
According to the Law of "Unalike Attracts/Alike Repels," the existence and maintenance of Life requires the interaction between positive(electric) and negative(magnetic) potentials. When the positive (electric) potential comes within close proximity of the negative (magnetic) potential, an attraction and subsequent transfer of energy takes place, and a "spark" of Life (motion) is produced.
On the other hand, if two "like potentials" (two "positives" or two "negatives") are brought within close proximity to one another, they will be repelled from one another, and no energy transfer can take place...hence, Life cannot take place from that interaction.
We can see this in our childhood experiments with magnets. When we put like (+/+) poles together, they push away from each other, and it takes great effort to get them to touch each other. However, when released from our "external" force pushing them together, the internal force in them immediately pushes them away from each other.
However, when we put "opposite" poles (+/-) together, we observe a very strong attraction that begins to have an effect before they actually touch each other. In fact, it takes great effort to keep them from touching each other when they are that close together.
This is the Nature of things, this is the Law of Life; and this is why Homosexuality is "wrong" or "bad"...because it is a deviation from the Natural Law of Life. However, this does NOT justify mistreating someone because they made a "wrong" or "bad" choice...for we all make "bad" choices of different sorts, correct?
While it is true that we have the freedom to choose what kind of life we live, we must understand that we live in a Universe that is goverened by very exact and inflexible Laws, which ensure Order and Balance and the Continuance of Life in this Universe. There is no getting around this. This is why broken bones mend, cuts heal, bells stop ringing after being struck, ripples in water fade away.
All of this is "caused" by the Laws which govern our existence. And since we are all governed by the same Universal Laws, we are all connected to each other. What affects one, affects all...even if unnoticeably. Therefore, our actions affect not only ourselves, but everyone around us.
From this we can see that, with "freedom of choice" comes great "responsibility". Yes, we are free to choose, but we must be RESPONSIBLE enough to choose that which is not just "pleasurable" to us as individuals, but we should strive to develop the will to choose that which is in the best interests of ourselves and the world we live in.
When we make a choice that is contrary to the Law of Life, we usually - and almost immediately - feel the effects of that choice in our being. Some call it guilt, some call it frustration, some call it stress (and sometimes manifesting as physical pain)...but it is really just the Universal Law working to correct the "disturbance" we created by our making a choice that was not in Harmony with the Nature of our Existence.
Yes...We do have the freedom to choose our actions, but we cannot escape the consequences of our choices.
Please...Choose LIFE!
RM
Saturday, January 20, 2007
A Deeper Look at "How to Eat to Live"
In the Name of Allah(God), the Beneficent, the Merciful...the Best Knower.
What would we think of a King or Ruler over millions or billions of people, who deliberately or carelessly poisoned his subjects?
Would we not seek to have that person prosecuted in an international court for Genocide, or at the very least, Criminal Negligence?
That would certainly be a fitting reaction, but it occurred to me the other day, while conducting a group discussion with some of my students, that most of us who would cry out against such an injustice are guilty of the very same thing, yet there is no outcry.
Each one of us is the King, Queen or Ruler over billions upon billions of subjects, called "cells", that make up the kingdom of our Bodies. How do we treat our subjects? Do we care for them? Do we seek out the knowledge of HOW to care for them? Or do we simply take them for granted, forcing to perform the miraculous task of supporting our existence with fuel that is more "poison" than "nutrition"?
The Body is made up of Systems - digestive, circulatory, nervous, skeletal, etc. - and each System is made up of Organs. The Organs are comprised of Tissues, and the Tissues are made of Cells.
The cells, according to biologists, are the smallest living units in our bodies and are the basic building blocks of our existence, in terms of living organisms. These cells have intelligence, and each one has its own specific function which it must carry out in order contribute to the Survival of the Larger community - the Body. This means that each cell has very specific nutritional needs which must be met in order to effectively carry out its Natural function.
These “servants” of ours work constantly, selflessly, to perform their functions to keep us alive. They "love" to Serve us, for that is what they exist for; but...how do we reward them? How do we reward these, our most humble and faithful servants who give their all that we may live? Do we make our best effort to give them the nourishment they need so they may continue to serve us; or, do we, like Pharoah, require them to "make bricks without straw"? Do we give them poison for fuel, which distorts their function and often their form and expect them, in return, to keep us healthy?
How hypocritical it is for us to cry out against the injustices of tyrants in the world, while ignoring or justifying the tyranny that we impose upon our own servants on a daily basis! Do we think we will escape the fate of any other ruler who oppresses and abuses his subjects? Do we think that our kingdoms (bodies) will not fall into anarchy (disease) and collapse (die) under our unjust rule of those entrusted to our care?
Just as any other tyrant would likely be found guilty of “genocide” and be tried for crimes against humanity, and likely be sentenced to death; so we deserve, and indeed should receive, no less, unless and until we begin making a serious effort to be a Just Ruler over our Subjects.
Remember, family...when we eat, we are not just feeding our appetites; we are not just feeding our stomachs; we are feeding those subjects who look to us to care for them, and whom we depend on for our very lives.
Let us not "live to eat". Let us "eat to Live". Let us look again and deeper into the Hon. Elijah Muhammad’s teaching on “How to Eat to Live”.
Treat your servants well, for they love to serve you.
RM
What would we think of a King or Ruler over millions or billions of people, who deliberately or carelessly poisoned his subjects?
Would we not seek to have that person prosecuted in an international court for Genocide, or at the very least, Criminal Negligence?
That would certainly be a fitting reaction, but it occurred to me the other day, while conducting a group discussion with some of my students, that most of us who would cry out against such an injustice are guilty of the very same thing, yet there is no outcry.
Each one of us is the King, Queen or Ruler over billions upon billions of subjects, called "cells", that make up the kingdom of our Bodies. How do we treat our subjects? Do we care for them? Do we seek out the knowledge of HOW to care for them? Or do we simply take them for granted, forcing to perform the miraculous task of supporting our existence with fuel that is more "poison" than "nutrition"?
The Body is made up of Systems - digestive, circulatory, nervous, skeletal, etc. - and each System is made up of Organs. The Organs are comprised of Tissues, and the Tissues are made of Cells.
The cells, according to biologists, are the smallest living units in our bodies and are the basic building blocks of our existence, in terms of living organisms. These cells have intelligence, and each one has its own specific function which it must carry out in order contribute to the Survival of the Larger community - the Body. This means that each cell has very specific nutritional needs which must be met in order to effectively carry out its Natural function.
These “servants” of ours work constantly, selflessly, to perform their functions to keep us alive. They "love" to Serve us, for that is what they exist for; but...how do we reward them? How do we reward these, our most humble and faithful servants who give their all that we may live? Do we make our best effort to give them the nourishment they need so they may continue to serve us; or, do we, like Pharoah, require them to "make bricks without straw"? Do we give them poison for fuel, which distorts their function and often their form and expect them, in return, to keep us healthy?
How hypocritical it is for us to cry out against the injustices of tyrants in the world, while ignoring or justifying the tyranny that we impose upon our own servants on a daily basis! Do we think we will escape the fate of any other ruler who oppresses and abuses his subjects? Do we think that our kingdoms (bodies) will not fall into anarchy (disease) and collapse (die) under our unjust rule of those entrusted to our care?
Just as any other tyrant would likely be found guilty of “genocide” and be tried for crimes against humanity, and likely be sentenced to death; so we deserve, and indeed should receive, no less, unless and until we begin making a serious effort to be a Just Ruler over our Subjects.
Remember, family...when we eat, we are not just feeding our appetites; we are not just feeding our stomachs; we are feeding those subjects who look to us to care for them, and whom we depend on for our very lives.
Let us not "live to eat". Let us "eat to Live". Let us look again and deeper into the Hon. Elijah Muhammad’s teaching on “How to Eat to Live”.
Treat your servants well, for they love to serve you.
RM
The Meaning of Self
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful...the Best Knower.
I bear witness that there is no god but Allah,
And I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.
I bear witness that there is no god but Allah,
And I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.
I found myself in one of my "contemplative" moods early this morning, centered around the concept of "Self".
Bro. Jabril Muhammad wrote, in an article for the Final Call (Vol. 15, #27) titled, "The Root of God's Wisdom":
We've learned that this first man experienced pain - exactly what kind, I don't know - due to this process of His own Self-Creation. But we do know, from this teaching, that He was confronted by problems resulting from His own Supreme creative act of Self.
The meaning of "self" is huge.
I remember how that last sentence struck me when I first read it...difficult to put into words.
That was some years ago...but its affect on my mind has lingered since then.
Fast-forward to the present, and now I am sitting here, at my desk, contemplating "the meaning of self".
I wonder...could it be that, just as I am connected to and express myself through my body, and my body is a part of the Universe, itself; could it be that I am just as connected to the rest of the Universe as I am to my own body?
Should I not be able, by nature, to exert power over the rest of the Universe, just as I am able to exert power over that "part" of the Universe that is my body?
Is the Universe the "extended" "body" of the "I"?
RM
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