Posted on 12/31/2001 10:00:08 AM PST by Valin
Kawaida Theory, Ron Karenga, 1980: Western Religion (ie. Christianity) "denies and diminishes human worth, capacity, potential and achievement. In Christian and Jewish mythology, humans are born in sin, cursed with mythical ancestors who've sinned and brought the wrath of an angry God on every generation's head."Karenga's own words show that there is a diametrical conflict between the two - Christmas and Kwanzaa. And the only Christians who celebrate Kwanzaa are those who have been duped by Karenga, his followers, and the Kwanzaa lapdog media. Because, if they knew the truth about Kwanzaa and its underlying Kawaida theory (religion) they would have nothing to do with it.In this same book he calls God and Jesus, "spooks who threaten us if we don't worship them and demand we turn over our destiny and daily lives."
Kwanzaa: Origin, Concepts, Practice, Ron Karenga, 1977: "Kwanzaa is not an imitation [of Christmas], but an alternative [to Christmas], in fact, an oppositional alternative to the spookism, mysticism and non-earth based practices which plague us as a people and encourage our withdrawal from social life rather than our bold confrontation with it."
Continuing from the same book: The holiday "was chosen to give a Black alternative to the existing holiday and give Blacks an opportunity to celebrate themselves and history rather than simply imitate the practice of the dominant society."
An African 'heritage' that includes:
cannibalism
tribal warfare (with associated rape, pillage, murder)
slavery
genocide
starvation
disease
paganism
That's a 'heritage' of which anyone should be proud!
I see nothing to hate, but don't expect or require me to grant it the same cultural or religious signifigance as Christmas, because it has virtually none. I say virtually, because America has always been the land of freedom of religion, and has thereby spawned or been the haven for any number of unorthodox to crackpot ( i.e. make it up any old way you like ) religions, and who is to say what might become a future trend in religious belief. Just don't tell me that this is anything more than someone's modern urban mythology.
If you don't eat, you begin to think your internal organs can talk and vote.
Also, in the magical world of Internal Organ-land, you can go from being president to king. (argh)
A pox on this Afrocentrism nonsense. These people should go to Africa, anywhere on the continent, and see how fine it is. I lived there for 30 years, and I was never so glad as when I shook Africa's dust off my feet for the last time.
Own Drummer
Say's it all! Echos resounding in this household! :)
Happy New Year!
Well, there's an intelligent, open-minded approach to proven historical documentation going back 50-60 centuries.
A close and brilliant friend of mine was reluctant to accept other people's translations of ancient writings, so he went to Columbia and Harvard universities and mastered ancient scripts, including runic Egyptian heiroglyphs.
He was able to confirm that even the most fantastic of the Biblical stories, such as the plagues which accompanied the Jews' deliverance from slavery in Egypt (frogs, flies, Nile turning to blood, Pillar of Fire, Red Sea swallowing Pharaoh's Army, etc.) were all recorded by Pharaoh's scribes just as they appear in the Bible.
Parenthetically, my friend began his journey of discovery from the firmly held position of a doubtful cynic. He no longer holds those views.
Wine? Wine?
Africans brew beer.
White South Africans are known for their wine, however. But wine is not a bantu drink.
Come to think of it, We didn't celebrate Kwanzaa either.
Jack Barbara,
Are you able to discern between a phoney ritual that purposely situates itself smack in the middle of Christianity's holiest time of the year (Christmas), which celebrates the birth of the Son of God--to Kwanzaa, a made-up celebration--and then attempt to toss into the mix the anniversary of the birth of a nation (the 4th of July) as being in the same context here?. Celebrants of the 4th of July never sold it as an alternative to a holy religious day as Kwanzaa does to Christmas.
Seriously, are you unable to grasp this distinction? Or was your analogy just poorly thought out before you typed it?
You may have found one such...
"Illogical Gainsaying."
Bravo. That says it better than I could have.
Date: 14th century
1 : HEATHEN 1; especially : a follower of a polytheistic religion (as in ancient Rome)
2 : one who has little or no religion and who delights in sensual pleasures and material goods : an irreligious or hedonistic person
I see nothing about Kwanza which could be termed pagan. That it is celebrated near Christmas is a particularly weak argument since the historic roots of Christmas itself are pagan, while Kwanza is clearly new and not tied to the worship of any God(s).
Why do people feel so compelled to find fault in the trivialities of other people's lives? Every holiday had a beginning that can be tied to some person who "invented" it and could eventually be smeared by the FR slime gangs.
I find it hard to believe that Jesus would be threatened by Kwanza's proximity to his birthday.
What is the difference between a genuine ritual and a phoney ritual?
Kwanza begins the day after Christmas. It is not situated smack in the middle.
Christianity's holiest time of year is Easter. I know of no Christian sect that would not assert this well known value.
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