African gods-the key to our redemption?

[eby187]

please read with open minds. If you do you will find many valid points. I have always questioned the idea that all african religions are negative or "pagan"...whatever the heck pagan means anyway & the more research I do the more I realize that the way of our ancestors have been misunderstood and mislabeled for the most part.

http://www.africawithin.com/asante/africangods.html

[Bende]

i don't think any type of religion be it traditional or not is the way to our salvation BUT I do believe traditional religions have been unfairly maligned for the most part

[RetiredEgo]

I tried but couldn't read unbiased. I think he still makes the parent the child. It's bigger than 'Africa'.

[eby187]

Africans are spiritual people not religious people. That is why there is church in every corner and yet for the most part, the people's hearts are something else. I am not saying africans are bad people o....i am just saying that the consciousness/overall state of mind is very low. There is general sense of identity crises mixed with colo mentality + hunger, sickness, oppression, ethnic conflicts...We need to revolutionize our minds. Discover who are, study our past way of doing things, learn/weed out the things we don't need and transcend it. It is hard work but it must be done. For things to become better on the outside a significant amount of people need to be willing to do the work on the "inside."...And it is not "God help us"..."Jesus is lord"...that will help us. The religion that was imposed on us how many of us are using it for the general good? And if it isn't playing a positive significant role in society (general context) is it because it is not coming from our spirits or because we have gone from living holistically like our parents and grandparents tried to live to living systematically...so that going to church and saying alleluia automatically keeps you righteous and safe, while for the rest of the week your mind is still low, still oppressed, still greedy, still afraid.... *sigh*

[eby187]

Originally Posted by Bende

i don't think any type of religion be it traditional or not is the way to our salvation BUT I do believe traditional religions have been unfairly maligned for the most part

I am not talking religion but way of life. Trust me, I am not the "religious" type myself. It was the oyibo that invented religion, a term that has created so much division and suffering in the world. Religion does serve its purpose, but spirituality serves an even higher purpose. If religion does not lead you within and in the process, transform what's outside, that religion you wearing is a waste of time. That's the problem with Africa.

[Onyiiboy]

Originally Posted by eby187

I am not talking religion but way of life. Trust me, I am not the "religious" type myself. It was the oyibo that invented religion, a term that has created so much division and suffering in the world. Religion does serve its purpose, but spirituality serves an even higher purpose. If religion does not lead you within and in the process, transform what's outside, that religion you wearing is a waste of time. That's the problem with Africa.

Yup. If a particular system does not do its job (in the case of religion, that would be to create a functional society) then it needs to be amended or replaced.

[Bende]

um yeah Africa is a pretty big continent, speak about what you know

[Onyiiboy]

Originally Posted by Bende

um yeah Africa is a pretty big continent, speak about what you know

Thats irrelevant. You act like the problems encountered in Central Africa are that much different then the ones in West, South, East or North.

[RetiredEgo]

Am I wrong to compare 'religion' and 'spirituality' to a fire. If it doesn't rage and burn, it is inexistent.

African gods died. And that's it. Leave the dead, dead.

True religion and spirituality is a raging fire, it expands, grows and is not extinguished or replaced.

This is my expectation. Maybe I am wrong. No I think not.

[RetiredEgo]

Originally Posted by eby187

Africans are spiritual people not religious people. ..*sigh*

How?
What's the difference?
Please show me examples of how the Africans were not religious but spiritual.

[Onyiiboy]

Originally Posted by RetiredEgo

Am I wrong to compare 'religion' and 'spirituality' to a fire. If it doesn't rage and burn, it is inexistent.

African gods died. And that's it. Leave the dead, dead.

True religion and spirituality is a raging fire, it expands, grows and is not extinguished or replaced.

This is my expectation. Maybe I am wrong. No I think not.

African Gods died? What is it that you say at the end of your prayer again?

[Onyiiboy]

Originally Posted by RetiredEgo

How?
What's the difference?
Please show me examples of how the Africans were not religious but spiritual.

Religion nowadays is just empty rituals. Spirituality is an experience.

[eby187]

Originally Posted by Onyiiboy

Religion nowadays is just empty rituals. Spirituality is an experience.

spirituality even goes beyond experience, it is a way of life. It is a practice that sees the unity between body, mind and spirit...between all living things. When a society trully understands this oneness, it is difficult and almost impossible for that society to deliberately harm any part of life, including nature. I think our forefathers and many so called pagan cultures today (tho i am not advocating that everything "pagan" is good)understood/understand this underlying principle & tried to live by it. I am not saying we should go back our old ways of doing things to the T, that is impossible at least for many of us in today's world, however i am saying we should make an effort to study it, understand it & give it space to evolve. Yea africa is a big continent but we are talking about generalities here and when you study them you realize that the spiritual principles were very similar for the most part in most cultures. These principles helped create some of the most advanced (spiritual & technological) civilizations. I am not saying we should all abandon our churches and mosques....I am saying we should make effort to understand our history, ourselves better cos the religion we wearing now aint doing much for us as a society. And the fact that we are quick to denounce every spiritual principle to come out of the 2nd largest continent in the world in favor of something that was imposed on us is quite sad. The gods (btw concept of gods has been so misunderstood, it's ridiculous, but thats for another day) of Africa are still around. I know pple in my village who still pray to them and such...my grandma being one of them...one of the most amazing women i know too. I'm just saying sha, lets undersand our traditions better esp if the one we've adopted hasn't done much to either progress or empower us.

[RetiredEgo]

Originally Posted by Onyiiboy

Religion nowadays is just empty rituals. Spirituality is an experience.

Spirituality fall's under religion and can never be separated. Give me an example of spirituality that's separate from religion. Please explain clearly.

I think u christians have always had unnecessary beef for 'religion', as christians u made sure u redefined yours as 'faith', not religion, now u still screwed by this phobia, redefine 'spirituality'.

[RetiredEgo]

Originally Posted by Onyiiboy

Religion nowadays is just empty rituals. Spirituality is an experience.

Spirituality is a religious experience and a ritual of its own.