Not to long ago I got a call from one of my kinfolk who like my father has been teaching/preaching in the church for a number of years. I love them dearly and they are supportive of my work because we’re family but although their intentions were good. I think I know why they were calling. They mentioned in their closing, “I want to discuss it from an apostolic perspective”.
I have been here before. I believe it is an attempt to win back my soul from my “lost pagan ways”. I haven’t consulted my ancestors on the matter yet, but the scenery looks familiar, similar to a boxing match or better yet, a mix-martial arts match with only two rounds.
The First Match
VS 
(Announcer: In the west corner…Wearing shorts that say, “Your arms too short to box with God” is the Champion with his/her bible. In the east corner…wearing red, black and green shorts, with some strange Egyptian eye on it is the Challenger. Let’s get ready to rumble…)
You see this all began when I first set out to prove that the Ancient Egyptians and other African people did not worship idols. In the past, when I was all about being “spiritual” from an intellectual perspective, it was a showdown for real. Loved ones would come with their bible and I would come with my books and we would debate, debate and finally argue, until we got hoarse. Both parties (intellectual fighters) argued with the sole purpose of trying to change the other’s beliefs and ideas.
(The Challenger has been knocked down but is regaining their stance just before the bell rings. Pause…Second round begins)
Thankfully, our ancestors instilled within our family rules of conduct so that even if we didn’t agree we could agree to disagree and still love each other, but it is a showdown. They are going at it and pulling out all the stops.
(The Bell rings. Great match! Both fighters are brutally hurt. We need to go to the judges for a decision.)
In the end, when we part ways, I return to my corner feeling confident that “I showed them” thinking I beat them in this intellectual battle of the minds. Then when I looked over my shoulders, I noticed that they went back to their respective corner as well, but all of my family was there with them. As they looked over their shoulders at me, I realized that no matter what I said, all of the facts that were shown, etc. My family viewed me as the weird one, the outcast or the sheep that had gone astray. Cousins would talk to me but at an arms’ length as if that “African stuff” was some kind of contagious, cancerous disease.
Sly remarks were made to me by my uncles, “Oh you into that African stuff…” as they gave me that smirk that you know uncles give you, when you have disappointed them and did something foolish. At the same time my aunts simply avoided me all together regarding the subject. No one it seems wanted to touch me with a 10ft pole because that “African stuff” will make one question his or her beliefs. If one is not careful they would think that all of this spirituality stuff is a curse based upon the way their family treats them.
That’s when it became apparent to me one day what is the purpose of knowing all of this metaphysical stuff if the one’s I love can’t benefit from it because they think I am crazy? That’s when it really hit me that I didn’t win anything.
(The Judges have unanimously ruled in favor of the Champ)
It took me a while to figure out what was going on and when I did, I had a powwow with my ancestors. I explained to my ancestors what it was that I was trying to do and that I was not trying to change things. I was simply trying to connect dots together so that the family and I can prosper spiritually. After I did this, it seems like a great burden was lifted off of my shoulder because, in the past I relied upon books and books are nothing more than what my padrino (godfather) use to call “guides” that are full of theories. True spirituality on the other hand is based upon actual experience and/or wisdom. No one can argue or debate another’s experiences because no one can take away what someone has experienced. Understanding this, now I have a new approach.
The Rematch
VS
(Announcer: In the west corner…Wearing shorts with the fish sign that says, “Jesus” is the Champion with his/her bible. In the east corner…this time having two Egyptian eyes and a column on it, is the Challenger. Let’s get ready to rumble… Bell Rings. First Round)
This new understanding has made me realize first and foremost, it is not my intention or purpose to change anyone’s beliefs. I can’t change the way a person believes or thinks because an individual believes and thinks a certain way based upon their experience. So, that’s the Spirit’s job to change the way an individual believes and think.
(The Champ has fallen…but they are getting back up).
Since books are guides and nothing but theories let me put my books down for a minute and use a similar source, the bible. Using the bible, this time and making comparisons, I explained how the Holy Ghost is what the Ancient Egyptians called Rau. Proof that the Ancient Egyptians had the Holy Ghost can be seen throughout their history that they lived relatively at peace with each other and with their neighbors. Not to mention that their society has prospered for hundreds of years, which according to the bible reveals that God’s Spirit will give one everlasting life.
(The Champ has fallen to the mat again and they are badly hurt. The refs are stopping the fight. We go to the judges for a decision.)
After making this comparison, my kinfolk having no other choice said, “You know I don’t agree with everything you said, but it makes sense”. I was slowly allowed back into the family circle after that and not everyone rushed up to me and wanted to have a conversation with me, but I was respected.
Shortly after, I heard my kin was in the pulpit preaching and in the Spirit said, “The Egyptians had to know about God in order to build the civilization that they built”.
(The Challenger wins.)
I now look forward to have a conversation with with this next relative.
Disclaimer: The purpose of this post is not to ridicule, humiliate or any way offend persons of the Christian faith. It was an actual conversation that occurred between me and one of my relatives written in a metaphoricalperspective. It was posted to inform readers of the similarities that exist between the Kamitic/Kemetic (Ancient Africans of Egypt) religious beliefs and Christian religion and how to bridge the gap culturally.
The Two Egyptian Eyes known as the Eyes of Rau aka Eyes of Hru (Hrw, Heru or Horus) symbolize the the sun, factual information, aggression, masculinity, physical, etc. (right eye) and the moon, abstract information, receptivity, femininity, spiritual, etc. (left eye). Together these eyes give a holistic perspective on reality.
The column in between these eyes called the djet is known as the backbone of Osar (Asar, Ausar, Osiris) symbolizing the ancestors giving one strength, foundation and support hence a strong back, to stand upright.
For more info.
See: http://landofkam.viviti.com/entries/cosmogony-cosmology-the-kamitic-kongo-cross-and-creation/ancient-bantu-connection-kamitic-kemetic-color-symbolism
I love this BLOG
Hey Brother! Very provocative and interesting… those ancient Egyptian/Kamitic black people didn’t worship idols. I haven’t studied on this point, I’ll read what you write about it. But I did read the Metu Neter about 25 years ago. When I came back to Jesus, I sold alot of books… but not that one, nor the Tree of Life Meditation System, TOLM, both by Ra Un Nefer Amen. I know there’s some wisdom there that I was unable to comprehend 25 years ago, and the time for me to reread those books haven’t come just yet.
There is a Pastor Matthew Ashimolowo of Kingsway Intl. Christian Centre in England who did a series called Black and Blessed. In it he talks about the false idea that blacks are cursed because of a misinterpretation of Biblical Scripture. He also speaks about what our current condition as black folks may relate to–a prophesy in Isaiah Chap 18 and 19. He attempts to wrestle with these scriptures as a means to speak to the black man and woman of today.
I believe in order to have built pyramids that still stand 3000 years later (!!) We black people HAD to be one with God and on a very high level at that! But as people do, we may have fallen away from Him, into idolatry and well you know the rest.
This is very plausible in my view and I need to meditate and study on it much more. Right now Im just studying the Bible but in the near future I want to expand my studies.
It’s always near impossible to try to do the work of the Holy Spirit–changing minds and hearts! Even if your family don’t come to see things as you do, you all are still on the same wavelength, even if they may not see it!!
Im blogrolling you at my wrestlegod.blogspot.com Don’t want to miss anything you’re saying.
Hotep
Peace. Thank you so much for your comments.
I wanted to say Sis Renee that all great societies reach a point of no-return. This is evident by Kamit’s fall into decline numerous times, with the last time having to be rescued by their kin further south, the Kushites.
Another thing, idolatry, if you don’t mind me saying doesn’t just imply that one worships or adorns a statue. True idolatry is anytime you give any graven image (physical thing) adoration. This could be money, our careers, job, etc. The economic meltdown was due to the worship of money.
Presently, most of the contemporary world even though they would disagree are idol-worshipers. Most people can’t turn off their tv or their phones for more than a few minutes because these devices have become important parts of their life. Many of these things provide temporary fixes or solutions to their problems. As a result, a lot of foreign suggestions (ie. are you overweight, do you need this drug, do you have this problem, etc.) are broadcast to them, which get into peoples’ spirit and inspires them to make some unwise decisions. These temporary fixes, quick-time solutions are as you know illusions. Illusions are the work of the devil, which is why our ancestors along the Nile referred to these things of the physical world as agents of the red one Set, known today as Set-an or Satan.
It is a familiar story repeated throughout history of how foreign influences lead us to the quick and dangerous path to hell, because we failed to listen to the God within our being.
I wanted to also mention that the Kamitic people (like many indigenous people around the world) were very ingenious because they didn’t have all of the distractions that we have today. They had active imaginations and were in tune with Nature, which comes from the Latin word Natura borrowed from the Kamitic word Netcher (the generic word for God). Part of the reason why they were so unique is because they were agriculturalist – in simple terms farmers. Farmers are the only people on the planet that truly have to depend upon God. They plant their seeds in the ground and pray for rain but hope not to have too much rain because they need sunlight. They have to work the fields and the whole and make sure everything is going well in order to have a bountiful harvest. They have to work hand-to-hand with Nature. I observed this by living in farming country. This is how the Kamitic people were. It is through this observation the early Kamitic people associated everything in regards to their goals. I know of this first hand because as I have said, I live in a farming community and you learn how to interpret natural signs such as the formation of clouds, how animals react, etc. People talk about how the animals left during the tsunami that hit Indonesia a while back, well these natural signs exist all around us. Many of us are just too busy and consumed in things to recognize the signs.
Anyway, the Kamitic people were one of the first in the history of the world to codify these signs, which Westerners not understanding classified as gods and goddesses. Westerners did this because they are outside of our cultural experience, but to give you an example. My mother, grandmother, aunts, etc. are staunch Christians but tell me why they believe if they have dreams of fish it means someone is pregnant? It has never failed that every time someone in my family dreams of fish, one of the women in my family are pregnant. None of the women in my family (to my knowledge) know of anything about the Kamitic tradition, which is why it surprises them when I tell them that fish are a sign of abundance and children governed by the guardian spirit Oset (Aset, Auset, Isis).
So you see, in response to your comment about the Kamitic people worshiping deities, it is not a thing of study. It is just a matter of accepting to believe or not. It was a subject I struggled with as well because I am a preacher kid, which I discuss in my book. I overcame it by turning the situation upside down and concluding that our ancestors could not have worshiped idols and knew about the Power of God because the two contradict each other. Does that make sense?
Thanks again for your comments. I really enjoyed the dialogue. Hope this helps you in your quest. Please stay in touch. God bless. Peace.
Thanks brother for breaking it down like that–it does make sense!
Thanks Sis, for responding. You know another thing, this is not an either or thing. Our ancestors brought from the Kongo-Angolan region were familiar with Christianity and they syncretized their beliefs with the new faith prior to being brought to the Americas. It is part of the reason why African American spirituality is so unique and has given rise (as you know) to most of the musical expressions in the country. Well, just a tidbit. Have a blessed day. Hope to hear from you soon. God bless. Peace.