Be ye Perfect ?

Irie Ites!

Sometimes life occupies oneself so much that there is no time to really sit down and think. Such is a case also behind this silence in meditation level. I've kept myself too occupied for the past year in mundane things so that I haven't had time or will to write down anything except some lyrics for various music projects.

But anyway, today I picked up mail, sat down, ate and read a magazine by a local church. There was an article, in which a local Lutheran priest and imam was presented with bunch of questions about their faith. And the answers of this priest made me think about interpretation of Jesus Christ -  as member of Twelve Tribes and as a person who grew up with  Evangelic Lutheran church.

One of the questions was, loosely translated:

Q: Why Jesus is a good rolemodel for a human.
A: Jesues lived as he preached. He loved God and fellow man like he loved himself and did not hold himself any higher then the rest. He wanted to emphasis a goodness of God towards man and acted based on that.

On the very same article, the first question presented to this priest:

Q: How christian can be sure that Jesus was God in human form
A: Only through their faith. But not only through that but also because what Bible is saying. Bible is highlighting the godhood of Jesus. One cannot read bible in objectivity, for a christian it tells the story special position of Jesus Christ. Bible opens up to a christian.

Im my opinion, these two things contradict each other, and essentially this tells about the story that you should not try to understand bible on your own but believe what priests are telling you about it.

Why do I think this way?


In John 14, Jesus is talking about the glory of Father and that he was send here to make use follow the path and life that is him so that we can come to know God. So, through Jesus we can find God that is within him. Not that he is God. Jesus makes this point often: he is but a messenger of his Father's will. 

In Matthew 5:48 it's written down:

Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

Be perfect. From the teachings of Jesus we find a way to be like God. End of the road, like a word telios can be translated. So, should one believe in the word of Jesus that one and one should seek the end of the road and the find God through him or blindly believing a church and priests when they are preaching that Jesus was God - fact that he himself denied and told as to reach the goal that he was preaching about? To me this sounds that a tradition of monopolising the faith of one to be dictated by ruling few. 

So, if there are any readers left or even if you are a new reader - please do share your thoughts on this topic to the comments section.

Man Of The Millenium

Itinual praises to the Most High, Haile Selassie I on this glorius day of His 80th coronation. And heartical blessings to all brothers and sisters who dwell in UNITY and love under His name! Selah!

Today was a day of His Majesty's coronation. I'm sure brothers and sisters gathered all over the world to sing songs of praises unto his name.  While His Majesty remains to be a figure of Godliness for some, its good to remember that not all share that vision.  Few years ago there was a documentary released about history and life of His Majesty which im pretty sure i've mentioned in the blog previously.  Today for no obvious reason, i found the document on YouTube and due to being a special day, i wanted to share this find with you readers. 


Below is a quote from the director.

Although no longer in power, Emperor Haile Selassie I, is still feared by many political figures as if he still were. This great diplomat, political leader, and man of extraordinary character is considered to be the Father of Africa and one of many Ethiopian Kings who truly dignified the country. The heir to a dynasty that traced its origins to the 13th century, and from there by tradition back to King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, Haile Selassie is a defining figure in both Ethiopian and African history.

More than 30 years have passed since he was last seen, not considering the sighting by Rastafarian believers who praise him as a religious figure. After completing this project, I cherish my Rastafarian brothers and sisters even more. For years they have held my homeland Ethiopia and her true flag in high esteem, even as we Ethiopian natives have been busy destroying our own history and studying foreign ideologies. I recognize and respect the Rastafarian religious movement and the power of religion in general, but the basis of my argument is not religious. For me, it’s a question of history, dignity, and the respect of one’s self.

Why are we so afraid of his history? Why can't we speak of him? Admittedly, he was not a perfect man. We cannot change history or undo what has been done. Still, his legacy is too great to be ignored. He deserves to be mentioned. The new generation should not be robbed of the knowledge of him.

Man of the Millennium is a feature documentary that attempts to link the past and the present. It is a film about a king and the new generation trying to discover hidden parts of history. A film that gives past figures a voice to tell what they witnessed. It is not just a biographical documentary. It is a film where you find the new generation struggling to catch up with the past. You will witness the true life experience of artists creating songs and films about issues that are considered by some to be politically undignified, but those that I consider to be history; a history that must be told.

I am not a historian. I am just a simple filmmaker eager to know about this king. I am inviting you to accompany me on my journey to discover history. I have waited too long...and I believe the time has come for what I know is right. The time has come to know His Imperial Majesty Emperor Haile Selassie.

Tikher Teferra
Director

I've sold my soul for an easy gold.

In the heat of the field or a gray cubicle space
people slave to stay in this rat race
working just to please the superior man
exploiting you, just because he can
he will rip you off anything you got
you and you and everyone in your block
you gotta watch out for a slavemasters whip
seeing is beliving, this is just a tip

Hail Rasta, never sell your soul
don't fall into temptation of an easy gold
just work for yourself and nobody else
promises promises thats all what he will tell

Hail Rasta, never sell your soul
don't fall into temptation of an easy gold
just work for yourself and nobody else
promises promises.

Thats a first verse and a chorus for a really old song of mine and words hit the target these days. I wrote that one quite a while ago, after coming back from a work having had a conversation with "the boss man".  I had completed some extra tasks and i did the well but found out in the end that i was being ripped off even thou things where "promised".  I ought to have memorized these words to my heart and do what i've been singing. 

Its funny thing you know. I'm not a very popular singer in the local circles in sense of mass following but i do get offers to voice songs and gigs. Actually, i do get so many offers that i tend to turn down the offers more than i actually commit into. Once in a while there's someone whom i feel that deserves something but i do need to feel that the respect of doing the works goes both ways in form of respect. Easy way to do archive this is that i ask for a very nominal fee. It doesn't always have to be money, it can be pretty much anything but the most important thing is that I can trust that the other person is man of his word.  If i take my time and effort to commit into your time schedule, write a song that i don't intend to voice for anyone else, i consider that to be a show of respect for your works. But in same vain, i expect that you commit to same.  This spring i voiced one tune for a few people and was promised a payment of a very nominal amount that wouldn't even cover a studio time if i'd done it elsewhere. I bring in my own gear, i've put time in to write a new song and taken it away from time available for a family. I bring in my own mic, stand & cables which i had to go and fetch from another place.  Afterwards, i get messages almost every day for couple of weeks because "you haven't delivered the pics taken in the session".

But when it comes down to getting what was agreed to be paid, i hear nothing. No phone calls, no messages, just nothing unless I ask and even then, few occasions my phonecalls where not even answered as we already had set a date and time where we should meet.

And in the end, i've been accused for "selling my soul" because i'm asking for a reward that this person promised to deliver 3 months ago.

Apparently this fellow did have enough money and time  to travel to Denmark and Norway but not some 20km from his house. But hey, atleast i got my song to be played in one session and also im a shitty person for trusting a person to be man of his word and holding his part of the transaction.

I really do feel like i've sold my soul but the reason is definitely something that i've been accused for. I've whored my name and time for sure and for that i'm angry and passing the judgement for myself. Why can't i just keep doing my own stuff and avoid these sorts of people who are there only to exploit others?

Im such an idiot.

Rastafari Teachings - Of Tolerance and Compromising, part 2

I dont have much to write about at this time, some unexpected but yet expected things happened after my last post.  I'm sure there are people on the look out now and this post is dedicated to them!

Solo Banton - Rastafari Teachings.

Of tolerance and compromising

Long time again since i last wrote something but here's something again - like the slogan says, stuff here is "everyday thoughts" and for a quite a while now work and life has had so much stuff happening that i've really had no time to sit and digest the stuff.

Today i took the time, went to a nearby  canal from my office and meditated -
took a deep breath and just sat there. And the result is that now i have 2
thought lines that i'm trying to follow if they reveal something.

Anyhow. I was having a small chat on facebook with a one guy the other day and talk turned into a old Issue that got blown out of proportions.  If i'd generalize the message from the conversation, i'd would be something like this: It's ok to hold a group of people "under your leash" if you do it for right reasons.

As a rastaman, and as a thinking person i have to wonder that isnt that statement already fulfilled in already existing system?  Everything works to a degree if masses people follow the same rules and offenders will be punished.  Still slaving for the system, it still has hold of your mind - how you think and act.

Its like a parrot saying the same sentences over and over again because those are what where teached to it.

Still, i don't really want anarchy either but still i want real freedom. I am free - or atleast i do want to be - to practice my life as i want. But if I take my freedom my morals and rules the next level and extend it toeveryone, what am i? I'd be nothing but a new incarnation of mind controlling product of the system.

I couldn't live with myself if i'd knowingly downpressed a fellow man.

Smaller question or iteration of what i wrote above, could be directed to myself about the same topic. Am i passing judgement here or am i falling to the same brothers keepers mode. And things get even deeper when you shut the door in front of your brother whom's acts you might not approve but you mingle with liars and thiefs.  Wickedness increase.  I don't mean to rant here nor am i pointing fingers to any camps - this is a generic question to each and every man:

Where do you draw the line of tolerance and compromise in your life?