By Corey Gilkes
September 03, 2011
In the days just before and after Emancipation Day I paid close attention to many of the comments and discussions on certain radio talk shows and in the newspapers and frankly I don’t know which side worries me more: those who oppose Emancipation Day or those who support it. Is kinda like de time when people responded to the charge by evangelist Benny Hinn that he saw plenty voodoo in Trinidad. Those simplistic bible-wavers who agreed with him as well as many who angrily denied what he said both had one thing in common: a profound lack of knowledge about and contempt for that ancient belief system. Likewise, many who don’t approve of Emancipation Day and things openly African displayed very clearly near complete ignorance about Africa.
In my opinion, the way in which Africa and Africentricity is viewed tends to be overly one-dimensional and occupies worldviews that are deeply racist, sometimes very sophisticated but still racist. True, much of the political and economic landscape of Africa reinforces racist perceptions of corrupt, simple-minded, backward, totalitarian states. The ravages of drought, famines and HIV don’t seem to help much either. But by and large, many of those who cry down things African do so from views that portray Africa in ways that are at best skewed.
But then again, so do many people who claim to be Africentric.
Frankly, far too many Africentrists (and I use that term as loosely as Ramcharitar, Job and Baldeosingh do) hug up Africa and appeal to “de black man” in ways that pander to narrow tribalism, ethnic insecurities and ideas of entitlement that I’d argue is not what Africentricity is truly about. And another thing, why, why, WHY in 2012 am I still hearing talk about “de Black man” “de African man” in a manner that clearly does not include the black woman……..unless of course she fits into some idealised image that almost always resembles the idealised Old Testament or Arabic Islamic woman. As my mother used to say, wha shit is dat?
If there are any young readers of this article who may be trying to formulate ideas, philosophies, models, etc. that could one day transform T&T from the labasse it is becoming, rest assured that 90% of the people who claim to be standing up for Africa and “de black man” never read a line written by Cheikh Anta Diop, Ifi Amadiume, Gloria Emegwali, Ivan Van Sertima, Charles Finch, Asa Hilliard or John Henrik Clarke, far less anything by Kenneth Kaunda, Julius Nyerere or Amilcar Cabral. They know nothing of Ptah-Hotep but can quote at length what they think is written in the Psalms, Proverbs, Isaiah, Acts, Revelations or Mark or some surah. So in many ways they are no better than those who see in Africa only backwardness, laziness, corruption, totalitarianism or see just a cash cow to be milked to line the pockets of an elite few, but not much else.
The Africa that I know about has its problems, its wars, its corrupt leaders, its AIDS and so on. Please keep in mind though, that much of this did not come about in some internal vacuum no matter how its spun by the Ramcharitars and Jobs of this world (Honestly I can not comprehend how someone can acknowledge the atrocities and mischief Europe and the US has done and is still doing as we speak via multinational corporations and still proceed to attack the Africans for their misfortune). This Africa has a pre-Christian, pre-Judaic, pre-Islamic tradition and cultures of openness and communalism that we can still draw from today. This is especially the case when one considers that today mankind is feverishly searching for ways to counterbalance the ethic of competitive acquisition, materialism and a view of the natural world as something to exploit in a linear fashion. At a period in which ideas and indigenous forms of knowledge are fast becoming the new fields to be mined, colonised, exploited and privatised (and guess who’s leading that charge again?), we need to vigorously examine, defend and utilise the ideas we created, that we gave to humanity.
This is not necessarily meant to be some anti-capitalist rant but anyone who is honest or really studies the philosophical and epistemological constructs that inform the Western capitalist (and communist) ethic would realise just how unsuitable and skewed that system is. By its very nature capitalism provides its haves and have-nots. Interestingly, instead of the theorists blaming the system, they shift it to the individual. This, however, is perfectly understandable when one examines many of the philosophies that inform it and realises that at the core is a common ideology that assumes the natural inferiority of certain human beings.
So, as Dr John Henrik Clarke wrote so many years ago, if the European developed systems like this to deal with their own selves, what do you think they are going to do to you? Over and over we see that in traditional medicine, engineering, to say nothing of the mineral resources, Africa feeds the West with much of what it needs to benefit its people, so what’s Africa to you?
I have always had a vested interest in Africa’s success. My ancestors made their way from Northern Africa, the Meditteranean region to establish themselves in Asia. In order for Africa to succeed they cannot look to the past for future success. New vision, ideas and ideals must emerge. This can only happen with the next generation.
Western culture is in decline because capitalism has failed. Islam is attacking and seeking to establish it’s presence, globally. The Christian world view is the only true hope for Africa. The teachings of Scripture if adhered to can change Africa. Superstition such as voodoo, shango and spiritism as is evident in Haiti are proven failures.
This is a bold and interesting proposition to talk about Africanism in the Afro-Trinidadian community because was never presented to us by way of history and practice as something positive to uphold, embrace or celebrate. One of our biggest weaknesses still is how to use information and spread positive stories about ourselves. With the exception of TUB Butler and Dr. Eric Williams, there is hardly any known national leader of African descent who espouse positive images, ideologies or self awareness on how we should show pride and aspirations for our African roots and ancestry. As a matter of fact some of those who took up the mantle of African and black power in recent years have now turned their backs on what they thought they believed about Africanism. We cannot feel guilt about ourselves and feel proud at the time. The African youth of today is lost. He does not know himself and have no compunction of destroying himself and fellow blacks so he can gain the material things the West so much craves. To many of them property means the pants they wear with their backsides showing or the lure of gold around their necks or sneakers that bare names of super talented athletes. I say this not to demean our youngsters but to acknowledge a reality of mis-guidance due to parental negligence on the part of many of us. We failed to control, lead, educate and guide youths who are lost because the system thought little or nothing of him even though we’ve had great black men who fought great fights for our nation and won great admiration for their intellect, leadership and perseverance to see to it that under their efforts Trinidad and Tobago become a better place to live and grow in. For our country to grow we cannot continue to chastise, criticize and ostracise these young black men and women who operate outside the fringes of society and who pull us in a downward direction rather than upwards to understand the greatness that lies in our past both recent and historical. To change that, African leadership CANNOT leave that job for anyone else but inspired African leadership to acknowledge and confront.
Kian, the conditions which you describe are true. The question is why is this the situation, and especially among young Black men?
Are these conditions congenital? Social? Nurture or nature? Prophetic?
Among contemporary reasons is the fact that youth today, including African or Black youth have been affected by a culture of shamelessness in which with games as Grand Theft Auto, to advance one must learn to be a bandit and thug.
In addition, is the impact on and of media, print and electronic.
For example, even such TV stations as the US-based BET, once owned by a Black man has been sold to interests which, much like the music industry controlling Black music and artistes, immediately segued from such uplifting and enlightening political presentations as those of a Tavis Smiley to the debasing and woman-hating porno presentations as ‘Pimp Night Out’, etc.
In addition, why then do other youth, also involved in the ‘drug culture’ not kill each other as easily?
For Black youth it is self-hatred, the causal factor behind the mayhem so prevalent among them today, and the consequence, as someone with prescience has said, ‘of an evolution of declining expectations for themselves by others and by themselves for each other’.
I once asked one of our sons, a biochemist, and a young man of character and class what it feels like to be a young Black man today?
His answer?
‘Dad, you really don’t want to know!
There are other reasons, possibly considered to be arcane by others; reasons based on Biblical prophecies all of which in addition to history point to the reasons behind the conditions and experiences of Black people today.
For those of minds principled, righteous and just, there is hope … in fact, there is always hope and redemption.
Shalom.
Another pertinent question may be posed: what is Africa to the future of humanity, and in particular to the US, China and India?
The site below is pertinent to the question specifically regarding the US: its militarization of the continent, and its pharmaceuticals making guinea-pigs the populace while enriching corrupt local oligarchs.
http://ziomania.com/lumumba/The%20Ravaging%20of%20Africa-%20A%20four-part%20audio%20documentary.htm
However, why are China and India so keen to ‘be in Africa’ today?
Among the reasons why these countries are so intent on setting up shop in Africa are the following.
One is that these countries are already over-crowded, home collectively to 3.5 billion people, or 50% of the world’s population.
Another reason, linked to the first and surely becoming more urgent in the next few decades is that their largest rivers, for example, the Tsangpo-Brahmaputra, a trans-boundry river-system linking India to China, and China’s Yanktze, the third longest in the world, are already being diminished by building of dams as the Three Gorges in China, and even more, by the the impact of global warming on the Himalayas.
There, the glaciers, snow covers and ice-fields are markedly in irreversible decline!
Where will the Ganges be by 2050? And with what impact on the culture of a Hindu India?
And what tensions and crises, at home in Asia and carried into Africa will these two nuclear-armed adversaries face on a continent also viewed by Europe and the US as strategic in location and for industrial and outer-space resources?
What is also already occurring is the wholesale occupation of lands–useful for grazing and with vast aquifers yet unexploited–not only by nation states, but also by trans-nationals in sub-Saharan Africa.
If the last 20th century World War, fought with maseed tanks and infantry, occurred in Europe, where will the next Global war, this time fought with the game of drones, bots, and asymetrical tactics occur?
Africa … its population already depleted through chemo-genicidal techniques using newer, and the old diseases morphing into uncurable pandemics across the continent.
WE WILL ALWAYS BE AFRICANS AS LONG AS THERE ARE INDIANS, EUROPEANS AND ASIANS.
One Thing you always hear in America is: How classified the races become= ex. African Americans, Asian Americans, Caribbean Americans, but the core of the matter is: You don’t hear about the European Americans.
Europeans in America is not considered a minority, but this is very disturbing to the logic.
With the Population of India, Africa, China, Asia, in comparison to European it is so pathetic… Well we even have Natives Americans,
People are judged in the west according to past history, The Europeans always takes the cake in development, with all the existing associations and groups in existence all others takes the front.
Trini’s: They are viewed as CRABS IN A BARREL, kicking and Pulling down one another in the Classes and Class structure of Life, ask anyone about the Trini’s in America and Canada…
CRAB happy and Stuck in a Barrel.
Blue CRABS in A Barrel….
“Trini’s: They are viewed as CRABS IN A BARREL, kicking and Pulling down one another in the Classes and Class structure of Life, ask anyone about the Trini’s in America and Canada…
CRAB happy and Stuck in a Barrel.
Blue CRABS in A Barrel”
How you come to that conclusion. I know Trinis doing very well in NA. Which Trinis are you talking about. Afro, Indian, Chinese, Whites. You sure those views are universal?
I always appreciate responses, debate and dialogue; far too few of them as it is in this society. But frankly, some of the responses are exactly what I am trying to draw attention to. This is what is keeping this nation mired in the muck and morass spun by politicians, pastors, pundits and priests.
On the one hand Mamoo, I totally agree that new ideas and ideals must emerge, not only in Africa, but right here too. However, we will have to disagree on not looking to the past; I want to believe that you meant to say not being STUCK in the past. If so, fine. But to ignore or dispense with the past as if it has no bearing at all on the present, or has lessons and knowledge one can still draw from, or can’t provide cultural foundations necessary for self-confidence is flat out foolish. Look at China, India, Europe and Euro-America, what do you think is the source for their self-confidence in the political, economic or sporting world? Much of their ideas of the past is manufactured, true….and much of it is actually MY African past. But the point is that it is their cultural roots and philosophies is what spurs them. So hell no, I will not abandon so many thousands of years of my past.
But what really irks me with your post is what you said after. I was absolutely appalled with the view that Christianity (or ANY organised religion for that matter) is touted as the only hope for Africa. Nonsense. Rubbish. Complete egregious stupidness. What do you think helped screw it up in the first place? Clearly YOU never read or heard anything by John Henrik Clarke; all these belief systems can trace their origins back to the Africans of the Nile Valley and yet ironically, every single one of these so-called “Western” religions turned around and did Africa much more harm than good.
Even more distasteful, though, is your contemptuous labelling of “voodoo, shango and spiritism” as “superstition.” This is every bit as Eurocentric as your linear understanding of the past. I personally am agnostic (more on the atheist side actually, take your pick if can’t get by without labels), but even I understand the depths of these ancient belief systems. I certainly would never treat them with such scant courtesy. And furthermore, if they are superstitions, then what do you think Christianity is? What the hell is more superstitious than that? And where do you think the early Christians copied all their myths from anyway? From those exact same “superstitions.” You know, who needs white people and Arabs if we are going to talk such self-loathing s*** about our own selves. What Africa, Haiti and the rest of the Caribbean needs is not more scripture, is LESS of it and more ANALYSIS of it. Which eh going to happen in this anti-intellectual labasse. You need a serious history lesson, mate.
@ Kian
I fully understand the abysmal lack of historical knowledge of outstanding Afro-Trinis and indeed every other ethnic group living here. Considering just how powerful a tool (or weapon) history can be in the shaping of a society, our treatment of our own is almost criminal. But most of that stems from the way we continually internalise very old imposed and repeated ideas that nothing indigenous is of any value. Even the figures and events that are recounted are often surrounded by more mythology than fact. For instance, many idealisers and sanctifiers of Dr Williams avoid taking into account the fact that here was a man whose outlook was deeply entrenched in the Euro-centred values, mannerisms and even dress that permeated the society of his time. Just two weeks ago on Robert Amar’s radio station, Raffique Shah commented on William’s persistent wearing of cravats and suits (which a great many unthinking Trinis still do religiously in this hot-a** climate!!!). indeed, one can say the same thing about Butler, especially when compared to Elma Francois whose outlook was much more radical.
This is not to demean them but it is a call for us to examine more clinically the historical figures, events and the environments in which they grew. Otherwise we are going to go round and round in that romanticised myth-making that’s impeding us right now.
@ Trini
I’m not quite sure what exactly you were trying to say but looking at the first two paragraphs we may very well agree…….and also disagree
I don’t necessarily see the tacking on of one’s ethnicity onto one’s citizenship is in and of itself a bad thing or something counter-productive – unless one does so to establish separateness or engage in hostile “Othering” of other ethnic groups. I will also strongly argue that the fact that you may not be hearing of European-Americans suggests just how deeply certain racist or ethnocentric assumptions are accepted by them – and us. The fact is that in all facets of life, Europe is placed at the centre; you hear of “Classical” music and instantly think of Bach, Chopin, Beethoven, Handel, Tchaikovsky and Schubert. No other peoples have a Classical musical tradition apparently. The same goes for ideas of governance, religion/spirituality, family structure, morality, sex and marriage, etc. And historically, that is exactly why other ethnic groups saw it fit to openly include their ethnicity along with their nationality, not to be divisive, but to not be INVISIBLE.
Thanks for taking the time to respond to my views. I appreciate that but on this board we can agree to disagree and it does not mean that you are right and I am wrong. What it means is like the Jewish rabbi who struggles with the meaning of the Torah we engage in this struggle about ourselves. Seeking meaning in all that we do.
It was found in research according to Dennis Desouza that even the most remote tribes think that they are superior to all other tribes. Why? Our life and experiences are the primary informers of who we are. We build that identity from the time we were early recipients of an education.
So to in your quest for knowlege I am sure you have found ideas, suggestions and lifestyle that appeal to all your noble intentions.
When I talk about the past I recognise that i can learn from it but never change it. Two things come to mind.(1) I look at my past as in a rear-view mirror. Yes it is there as an education to me. (2) My past do not shape my future. By that I mean at certain points in my life I have engage in reshaping the image of myself and seeking to live up to that new mental image. I don’t see myself as a victim. There was a time I had a very poor self image, stems from the years of verbal abuse. That is why I don’t hold on to negative images because in my mind i cannot progress if I believe the words of the nay sayers such as “you will never amount to anything”. I have proven that wrong. So I get annoyed when people embrace the past as though it should determine their future.
Similar to your ancestral past my grandfather was a professional obeah man (voodoo doctor). No good came out of that practice, instead when he stop giving animal blood sacrifices his children died mysteriously (the boys in the family), hence my abhorrence of any practices that seeks to produce negative energy. I view the teachings of Christ as inspiring and uplifting. As you know truth does NOT have a tribal ownership but it belongs to all of us regardless of where it emanates from. I think my ancestors acted on the knowlege they had and so it would be foolish of me to assume they were right in everything. I have to ask the questions now and disregard some of the things they cling to. It is not a lack of appreciation for them it is simply me discovering and building my world. A sort of “auto-soterism” if you may.
Mate, you still don’t get it. All this talk about obeah and voodoo in a way that pits it against Christianity, is right out of the “manual” of racist colonial thinking. And it’s so stupid and backward when one considers that Christianity is chock full of the same blood sacrifice (animal AND human) occultism, and everything else that smug ignorant bible-wavers want to show makes their belief system so superior by their absence. Hilarious. Complete ignorance about what’s in their (your) very own bible.
We’re in synch though with the view about not using the past to pander to ideas of victimhood. On the point abot we cannot change the past……in one aspect, true. But in another aspect we can and should in that many people are the way they are today because of their skewed understanding of their past. That in turn is due to the systematic falsification of the past – ie historical records and interpretations.
THIS is why I will vehemently argue for a direct confrontation and deconstruction of the past and a jealous guarding of it as we set about transforming the society. Christianity may work for you, but it (and other organised religions) sure as shit doesn’t work for everybody and neither should it be made to either
If you read carefully what I have written you would understand what I am saying. These emotional rants gets us nowhere. It is not about superior or inferior. Rather it is about what is good for our society. India for instance is filled with all the god and goddesses, yet the place is filthy and unkept. Go to Africa and you will see millions who have died from AIDS, little children raped in South Africa so that AIDS can go away. Extreme poverty. Now take a look at what they BELIEVE. Now go to Europe and you will see an orderly society, nations that have their foundations in Christianity. Today secular humanism rules but their foundation, their system of believe determine the level of comfort that exist. If you ask the average Trini where he would want to live US or Africa, he will most likely choose US. Look at US history it’s core beliefs. Then make your judgment.
Well I HAVE read what you wrote and it’s clear that I’m not the one with the comprehension problem. In fact, you yourself either don’t know what you have written or are very much steeped in the racism and religious bigotry — not to mention outright ignorance — that informs what passes for Western mindset towards non-western cultures.
Christianity has nothing to do with the so-called orderliness of Europe, that’s absolute egregious rubbish. This is the same Europe that slaughtered itself for hundreds of years using religion — specifically that Xianity you want to wave like some banner of righteousness — as a pretext. Christians killed other Christians because they believed a different strain. What, your pastor didn’t give you permission to research that part of history yet? Go look up the Wars of Religion; the Inquisition, the Crusades, the Counter-Reformation, the witch trials (and THAT’S not superstitious?).
On the contrary, it was BECAUSE of their incessant slaughter that they finally came around to developing treaties and charters that are NOT guided by religion but by REASON. It’s no coincidence that the Europe of post-World War II (two major civil wars in the 20th century plus the riots and wave of terrorism in the 60s and 70s plus the Bosnian war, how that for being orderly) is very much anti-religious and thus guided by secular humanism; they recognised that religion was the culprit. On the other hand the US which is very much one of the most violent places on earth and one that exports its culture of violence, is very much influenced by evangelical Christianity. So what damn stupindess you coming with mate? Today is Sept 11; on this day in 1973 the democratically elected president of Chile, Salvador Allende was overthrown and murdered in a coup created by guess who? The orderly, civilised US of A.
Africa has its share of crackpots, I agree; but just a reading of Chancellor Williams’ book alone would show that before the “civilised” Christian Europeans came and brought the light of the bible to the benighted black savages, the way they settled conflicts and wars was the exact opposite of the insanity we see now; go read the accounts of the early European and Arab travellers and see it in their own words, don’t come here with semi-literate nonsense and try to engage in a mature discussion. Africa has poverty? Yes. WHO CREATED IT? Who is behind the bloodbath in the Congo, the same place where they mine coltan, the mineral that is integral for cell phones, DVD players, and computers; who is behind that? Keep THAT in mind the next time you run out and buy the latest smart phone; you just justified another rape of some woman in the Congo. Go read Walter Rodney’s “How Europe Underdeveloped Africa”; read Caroline Elkin’s Imperial Reckoning or see her lecture on YouTube. Study the CIA’s operations and meddling in postcolonial African states’ affairs; who do you think put Mugabe where he is? And for that matter many corrupt African leaders? Go and come again and stop wasting good bytes
Corey why dont you complete the metamorphis of your life and change your slave name. I am sure everytime you sign that name,you see your ancestors being beaten, dragged about, your women folks raped, their lives plundered, the men being stretched and wipped. Think about it your ancestral grandma hiding from massa because she is scared of what will happen next. She knew if she did not give in things were going to bad for her.
Yet you bear the name that massa gave you and I can’t see you as a proud African ever liking that name….Please change it, might I suggest Olu Olunga. Olu is a very popular Nigerian name. Until then please stop your diatribe.
To me, Africa, in in its present incarnation, is a continent filled with incompetent and weak leaders, who only look out for their own personal interests and the interests of their own kinsfolk. Thus, loyalty to tribe tends to supersede loyalty to other ethnic groups within territorially defined state entities. One infamous and grotesque example is the tragic bloodbath that was Uganda back in the mid nineties. The ferocity with which members of both the Hutu and Tutsi tribes massacred each other, especially when they were formerly neighbours and looked after each other’s children, was extremely tragic. With that said, Rwanda has moved on from the carnage of 1994 and is in the midst of its healing, is attempting to achieve some measure of political, economic, and social stability, which is indeed very encouraging.
Other countries within Africa have experienced varying fortunes. Some countries remain mired in conflict, while others are attempting to achieve some measure of self-determination. The common denominator here is the quality and integrity of the leadership of these countries. The progress of these countries have been bedeviled by the dearth of strong and principled leadership.
Of course, this leadership has been stymied by harsh and sobering external realities that are hard to ignore or dismiss. The IMF essentially dictate to many of these countries the economic direction that they would like many countries to go in because they own so much of the debt of these countries. Hence, leaders must bow to the dictates of their foreign creditors and benefactors.
To move forward, Africa must find a way to extricate itself from the vice-like grip that international institutions have on their economies. This is not going to be an overnight process, but has to be accomplished.
So to me, Africa represents a vision of what can be if individuals with proper personality traits and attributes step forward and counter the economic terrorism that has been perpetrated on the African continent for decades. Given the astronomical debt, this will be extremely difficult to accomplish, but can be accomplished all the same.
Correction, I should have said “Rwanda”
Mr. Gilkes, in response to what you wrote, I have to say a lot has been attributed to Christianity. A careful study of the teachings of Christ will show that those who committed such atrocities were not following the teachings of Christ. After all when he was on the cross Jesus pray for their forgiveness. In addition Jesus taught to “love your enemies”‘ “turn the other cheek”, “love your neighbor as yourself”. Nowhere is there any teachings by Christ to kill anyone rather he said he came to save men’s lives. The secular humanist Ignorantly attributed the slaughter of others as religious wars of the Christian origin. Read the writings of Augustine, Thomas Kempis and saint Paul it will help to dispel your dim view of pure Christianity.
As for Africa, the 10 worst African dictators from Idi Amin to Kabela literally destroyed millions and millions of innocent Africans. The child soldiers of Uganda, the Angola war, the rape of women in Congo now averaging over 20,000 per year, the Rwandan conflict, the Sudan war, were all black on black violence of the worst kind. And this is just to name a few. But black apologist will blame the CIA and other foreign elements. Yes the Americans used the African penchant for violence as a means to an end but it cannot be compared to what the African did to the fellow Africans.
“Yes the Americans usedthe African penchant for violence as a means to an end ”
Now THAT, you little racist, ignorant, ****, is where this “debate” ends. It was already obscene with the stupid romanticised nonsense of “the teachings of Christ” but I was still prepared to continue because I HAVE read Augustine, Paul and many other early Christian thinkers. But that comment crosses the line.
The facts speak for themselves Corey and that unfortunately for you, you cannot argue with…. Just look at the facts buddy.
http://www.trinicenter.com/Gilkes/2005/1601.htm
In other words, your god is a bigot, as are you
Ah, I love the smell of ethnic triumphalism in the afternoon. Usinh Christian parlance, “Those who have ears to hear, let them hear”
Which is exactly the thing I was hoping this discussion would not degenerate into but I guess that’s too much to hope for. I am understanding now why people like Dr Job and Sprang make the statements they do at times: holding certain mature discussions with Trinis is a complete waste of time. We like bacchanal, old talk and most importantly, to hold onto stupid ides we never even bothered to explore but since it emanates from some so-called holy book or from the media house of the West, then it’s sacrosanct.
What really riles me is the sincerity with which people like Mamoo spout their ignorance and bigotry……and then have the audacity to talk about facts. All ethnicities and peoples have a propensity for violence but what prevents most of them is principally the culture that drives them. Early firsthand accounts by Europeans to Africa and the Americas show very clearly that these were not violent peoples and in fact terms for “rape” and “xenophobia” did not even exist. So since they apparently do now and some of the most shocking acts of violence take place in these places and against their own people, one has to examine the question who turned them this way? Not a question the Mamoos of the world would ask because historical context is of no importance. Only the rubbish in their heads, fertilised by the decontextualised and mistranslated fairy tales in their bible (or Koran).
Is it of any significance that from the fall of the Roman Empire right up to the age of mercantilism, Europeans, CHRISTIAN Europeans committed all manner of rape, murder, pillage and torture against their own kind, far less what they did to the Native Americans and Africans? Is is of any importance that in the 20thC not one but two major wars were fought among Europeans….who were Christian (including Hitler)? And topped it off with killing and overthrowing progressive leaders in Iran, the Congo, Nigeria, South Africa, Honduras, Guatemala, Guyana, Chad,……? No, of course not, that’s just a side thing, just the CIA using black people’s “penchant for violence.” The Gulags of Russia, the Inquisition, extermination of the Native peoples of the Amereicas, the Maoris, the Aboriginals, Africans, the Jewish Holocaust, pogroms and so on, THAT is no case of European penchant for violence, just people who departed from the ways of the the teachings of Christ.
B**S**
Anyone who starts off talking about the teachings of Christ — which were teachings in existence hundreds of years before any such thing like Christianity or Judaism even dreamed of existing — is clueless about the use of the word “fact.” But then, this is the land of Winston Cuffie, Fr Theodore, Sat Maharaj, Abu Bakr and any politician in Parliament.
Thank you for your reply Mr. Gilkes. As I am sure you are well aware, the Hellenized Christianity that is common practice in today’s world is not even the same religion that Yahoshua and his followers practiced and preached. A Rabi-Kohan that I know personally has told me that the modern day scriptures bear little to no resemblance to the Ancient Way that Yahoshua and his disciples preached.
As for the degradation of many African tribal traditions, Christians should be the last people to demean the practices and customs of these groups. They should, according to one of their own teachings, take the beam out of their own eyes before taking the specks out of other people’s eyes. I am sure you can appreciate the irony. God requires human blood sacrifice, i.e. the crucifixion of Christ in order to atone for the sins of mankind. To cap it all off, many partake in the communion ritual, where the wafer represents Yahoshua’s body, and the wine his blood. Erm, sounds very pagan doesn’t it?
I am not saying this to belittle Christians. I am just pointing out the logical contradictions and hypocrisy of those Christians that condemn practices that can be perceived to be present in their own doctrines. The “Christian” argument that is being peddled on this thread is almost embarrassing in its inherently illogical premise.
I also agree that there is of course a European penchant for violence. In fact, I believe that all mankind has the potential to be violent. Everyone has the capacity to commit acts of evil. This is not a deplorable peculiarity within Africans alone, as some people may say. As I have argued above, the problem in Africa is the lack of effective leadership, due to the enormous debt burden being borne by so many African countries. Thus, it is hard for many of these countries move forward.
This economic insecurity has gone hand in hand with the protracted ethnic conflicts in many of these countries. This is not me being a “black apologist.” This is a conclusion I have reached after reading much of the literature on Africa and on my conversations with many Africans.
Please keep up the good work and please do not get upset by a certain element on these blogs who try to provoke people with their posts. In Internet speak, they are “trolls,” who should be ignored, as I am fast learning to do.
Not to belabour a dead horse but this link is for the benefit of others who hold the same myopic, bigoted views of the Mamoos of this world.
Pay particular attention to paragraphs 7 and 8; and I imagine that these were perpetrated by devout Christians but it’s nothing, this had no long term impact on Kenya, it is just another example of a few spoiling it; that nothing in comparison to the the “African propensity for violence”
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/apr/23/british-empire-crimes-ignore-atrocities