SUNDAY-SUNDAY MEDICINE: “I’M NOT ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL OF JAH” BY SHASHA MARLEY

NOTE: First published on September 27, 2020. The “Published” date on the tab is the date that it was uploaded on this new site. Though some issues in this piece may still be current (depending on…), this is to avoid mistaking it as current news.

This is “No Bullshiting”, by Harry Agina.

Greetings, folks!

It’s another Sunday, folks, and I welcome you to another “No Bullshitting” Sunday-Sunday Medicine. Once again, we are going reggae style in today’s Praise Worship, with a song by Shasha Marley, as he preaches the gospel of Jah. It is about salvation; and not about commercial Christianity; not about brainwashing the ignorant and the gullible, either; and, certainly not about stealing tithe in the name of Christ. It is titled “I’m Not Ashamed of The Gospel of Jah.”

Please indulge me to introduce it with a statement of the idea behind Sunday-Sunday Medicine Praise Worship. You already know that “No Bullshitting” Blog (NBB), is my antidote to Nigeria’s “Political Correctness” Syndrome; but, did you know that NBB is in the family of “Media Against Indiscipline (MAI)” Public Enlightenment Campaign. From the most serious and most exciting, to the most mundane and most trivial subjects or issues in the society, MAI’s mandate is to enlighten the public on the rights and responsibilities of all individuals in a democratic society. MAI has varieties of programs in pursuit of this mandate, and, “No Bullshitting” is the “black-sheep” program of the family, with its bad-ass attitude and language. Trust me, ‘his’ brethren in the family are more like Pope Francis, gentle, nice and sweet in addressing issues…even kiss anybody’s ass in the process, if really necessary.

        We are registered as “Media Initiative Against Indiscipline” Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) at CAC in Nigeria. Mind you, we wanted just “Media Against Indiscipline,” but CAC insisted that we had to have “Initiative” in the name. In fact, they initially rejected the entire name, for a stupid reason that they could not even explain coherently or sensibly to themselves, let alone to anybody else. I deduced that they were apprehensive to incorporate what they saw as a “trouble-making” name. A red flag went up that we wanted to “attack” “Babylon” (as Jamaican Rastas would call Nigerian government), for indiscipline/corruption, through our perpetual MultiMedia campaign. Their disguised censorship was unconstitutional, we said ‘no’ to it, and we won.

        It was 2010, when my lawyer said that CAC rejected the NGO name with their fucked-up reason. Fortunately, I was in Nigeria, and naturally, bright and early the next morning, I was at the CAC myself. We had a very serious debate, which I took all the way up to the Chairman of CAC. My demand was to show me the constitutional justification to reject my NGO name. The Chairman finally approved the name, with a compromise that the word “Initiative” be attached to it. So, ‘I’ said to ‘myself’…“Self, why not? The name is now cumbersome for ‘me,’ but not such a big deal. All that ‘I’ have to do is to differentiate the NGO, which must have the official ‘Initiative’ word, from the name of the campaign. For the desired brevity, we simply exclude ‘Initiative’ when we talk about the Media Against Indiscipline Campaign (MAI), which is executed by the Media Initiative Against Indiscipline (MIAI) NGO, shikena!”

        This story is actually part of the public enlightenment job or mandate of MAI. The point is that we answer “Media Against Indiscipline” today only due to our constructive resistance to excesses or ignorance of CAC officials back in 2010. We campaign that more Nigerians need to copy such acts to ask questions, and resist the excesses of some of our leaders. The Nigeria that we all want will never happen if we stay docile like slaves in our own land, and accept every unconstitutional bullshit that our leaders dish out to us, meeeeeeeeen!!!

        I love, respect, and hail the High Chief, Raymond Alogho Dokpesi, PhD, for upholding this democratic principle, and championing a breakaway from the Nigerian tradition of docility, cowardice, and foolish fear of the oppressive “Babylon” in a gaddmn democracy. As the High Chief, Alogho set AIT and RayPower up to champion democratic freedom of speech and constructive criticism of the government of the day (among other variety of programs, of course), he took quite some “licking” from the oppressive “Babylon,” but he kept on “ticking,” in the desirable name of democracy. Today, while other broadcast houses are shivering and shaking like jelly, in fear, as soon as “Babylon” coughs, AIT and RayPower stand “gidigba” like a tiger and an elephant rolled into one, as the voices through which Nigerians can express and pursue their democratic rights.

        I guess this is where I also need to say a couple of words about me, as it relates to the Democratic Enlightenment project. As a MultiMedia Communicator, writing (such as this blog) is actually secondary for me. I am more of a TV/Radio Broadcaster and Motion-Picture Producer. “Motion-Picture” here encompasses all video and film products– Movies, Documentaries, TV Programs, Commercials/Infomercials, Enlightenment Campaigns, etc, for all media. My introduction to Nigeria from the USA as a professional, was in 1996, as a Consultant to establish the Programs and Production Department of Africa Independent Television (AIT). Since I love public enlightenment, let’s end this with a “did-you-know” professional tit-bits that may benefit some of my fans and fortuitous readers.

        Did you know that all “Motion-Pictures” are actually processed from still photographs? Oh yes, indeed; the video/film camera first captures the subject as millions of still photos, then places them in progressive rapid succession, and the motions are created. This is based on the optical phenomenon called “persistence of vision,” which gives the still photos an ILLUSION of actual, smooth, continuous movement. So, you and me (humans) and other animate beings, as well as the inanimate things that you see on Film or Video/TV, are first captured as still photographs by motion-picture camera, and then processed into motion. No wonder (for illustration), animated cartoon characters are possible from drawings on paper.

        Motion Picture camera was invented in 1890 by American Thomas Edison and his British assistant, William Dickson. It was first showcased publicly in 1893; but there was no sound until 1900 when the experiment on sound started. Each of the still photos that make up motion picture is called one frame in the Motion-Picture language. And, this is where I stop, without going too far and bore you. Non professional inquisitive minds may pick it up from my basics, and find out more.

In conclusion, analytical Mass Media public enlightenment is among my areas of interest in the Communication/Journalism business. That also makes me a Social Critic, kaji kwo (not so)? Anyway, my keywords are sincerity and objectivity. But don’t get me wrong ooh, I haven’t said that I’m perfect. All that I mean is that whatever that I say, is definitely to the best of my knowledge at the time. I am unbiased, and I’m always eager to submit to any superior view. However, he who wants to convince me to buy his own views, must do so with facts, and not sentiments. One’s task is harder if I do strongly believe in my own view, depending on my basic knowledge of, and research and common sense on the subject. The problem that I frequently encounter is that, unfortunately, too many Nigerians often refuse to hold civilized debates. Once opinions or views differ, “wahala” (trouble) ensues. ‘Religion’ and tribalism are the most volatile subjects in this regard.

        My present focus, the Christians, for instance, are often too close-minded in their beliefs, meeeeeen!!! So, when I critique the church, I have wahala from close-minded Christians. They ignorantly actually believe that they are fighting for God and Christ as they attack me. They have no idea what the words “civilized mature debate” are all about. I critique the Christendom, and outrightly condemn the commercialization of the contemporary Christianity by Pentecostal pastors. I am called anti-Christ, and blasphemous for this. Fortunately, such critics are now becoming an overwhelmed minority. More Christians are getting wiser by the day, and increasingly resisting the fake “men of God” and their commercial Christianity. Most of my current critics are pastors who know that I am spoiling their 419 business.

        I have blogged several times in defense of the blasphemy charge against me. And, the gist of each blog is the fact that I actually speak for, and not against God and Christ. I speak to correct some wrongs in Christianity, on behalf of God and Christ, against Satan. And, as I always state, some of the wrongs are honest human errors, while others are mischievous. I do, always, support my position with facts that may convince any person who cares to actually find out the truth. The problem is with extremist Christians who don’t even want to listen to anything that raises any question about the authenticity of some Christian doctrines, and, indeed, even the bible. I do have various citations on errors (typo, trans-linguistic, etc), as well as mischief in the bible. Some of my points are clear facts that are difficult to refute, and others are very logical, if only one listens, and reasons.

        For instance, I have quoted the translators of the “Fifty Bibles Of Constantine,” who reported their findings to Emperor Constantine of the ancient Rome. They, unequivocally, told the Emperor that it was impossible to perfectly translate the original scripts that made up the bible. The Hebrew and Aramaic (Old Testament), and Greek (New Testament), they said, cannot be translated accurately into English, nor any other language. They gave an example, that “The (Greek) phrase ‘ἐν πολυτελῶς ἠσκημένοις τεύχεσιν τρισσὰ καὶ τετρασσὰ διαπεμψάντων ἡμῶν’ has many meanings.” This matter of ambiguity means that some statements of Christ, for instance, were translated into meanings different from what Christ said. It might have been very slight differences in meaning in more simple cases, but different all the same. Harry Agina or “No Bullshitting” did not manufacture this historical factual example, meeeeeen!!!

        The “many meanings” that the transcribers talked about, is one of the basis of my argument for the imperfection in the bible. For instance, I insist that the doctrine of “Til death do us part” in matrimony is completely illogical. So, it is very, very unlikely to originate from God or Christ. I definitely won’t dare to say that whatever God said on any issue is wrong. All that I do with the brain that God gave me is to say that some doctrines and statements that are attributed to God and Christ are not logical. And, when they are not logical, then they could not possibly have come from the logical God. So, I blame the wrong on trans-linguistic error. This means that this is one of the situations where meanings change in the translations from the original Greek, Aramaic, and Hebrew. As usual, I will tell you part of my logical process against the Christian matrimonial vow, “Til Death Do Us Part,” thus:

        (1) Why must anybody stay in a marriage til death do them part, which often includes until one spouse kills the other, huh? Some idiots actually obey this to the last letter. Is God a sadists? Does God enjoy to see a couple who are not compatible as they torment each other, until one actually kills the other in some real cases? Does God actually prefer this, rather than allow the spouses to split up and truly “live happily ever after”? My own God is not a sadist, and He wants unhappy couples to split and be happy, Any priest that expects me to say that stupid vow would wait forever. The last time that I blogged this, I illustrated with a woman who actually heard her husband planning to kill her, but still believed that she had to stay in the marriage. She said that stupid vow in the presence of a priest, and she stupidly obey it to the last word. The dude actually killed her eventually, and death did them part…pure madness!!! I swear, I would not mourn such idiot, even if she was my beloved twin sister. She was too stupid for me to waste my tears on her, meeeeen!!!

        (2) What the fuck is so evil about sex, that the only instance that a married couple is allowed to divorce, is when there is adultery, huh? According to the bible, David and Solomon were serious womanizers, yet, they were God’s favorite children among the ancient Israelites. David got Uriah killed in order to take his wife, yet, he was among God’s most beloved children. If adultery or sex was that bad, how come God loved David and Solomon so much, huh? Mind you, I am not supporting adultery here, no sir, no ma’am! I’m just saying that I’d rather have a wife that sleeps with a million men every doggone day, than a wife who plans just once to kill me. I may forgive the adulterer, and not the evil woman who plans to kill me. And, I would probably punch any priest in the face, who tries to advise me to stay in such marriage until she finally succeeds to kill me, meeeeeen!!!

I know for sure that God wants us to question anything in the world that does not seem to be right. He gives humanity the sense to do so. No wonder (citing just one instance), He encouraged Father Abraham to question His wisdom in destroying Sodom and Gomorrah. If offended, God would have struck Abraham with lightening, or something worse. But no, instead, Baba Goddee took His time and explained to Abraham, and, very nicely, I must add. As for Jesus, many of his teachings were based on questions by the Pharisees and Sadducees.

        Today, we have crooks that call themselves pastors, telling us that it is abomination to question anything that they, ordinary mortals do or say. Some Christians that they have brainwashed to fall in line, are even quicker to tell us that we must not question the “men of God.” This and other dispositions of too many of today’s Christians, inform me that they place the so-called men of God higher than Christ and God. Some critics simply attack me. They close the chapter on critiquing the church and criticizing pastors as soon as you raise it. It is a taboo that can’t even be discussed, lest they “face the wrath of God.” The most ignorant actually believe that they could be stricken with thunder for blasphemy…ignorance in the highest!!!

        I inform few persons who may not know, and remind those who are aware, that humanity used to believe that the world was a flat object. It took the knowledge and courage of scientists to discovered that we are actually living in a globe. They discovered that it’s a spherical world that we live in, and not flat surface. If Pythagoras and other ancient Greek philosophers did not question the initial belief, we would still wrongly believe today that the world is a flat object. Mind you, the scientists made and announced the discovery at the risk of their lives. The same blasphemy bullshit of today was even stronger then. People easily got murdered those days by the state, in the stupid name of blasphemy, meeeeen!!!

It truly doesn’t make any sense that Christians attack persons, including Pope Francis, who question any Christian doctrine or anything in the bible. Yes, I do maintain that “the bible contains the word of god, but it is, definitely, not totally the word of God.” To my critics, this position truly makes me the devil himself. However, some are sensible in their criticism, so, we hold mature debates. I’m proud to say that several of such open-minds do buy my views once they understand that I am not questioning God or Christ. I am only addressing the fact that too many doctrines and beliefs are falsely attributed to God and Christ, period!!!

Anyway, the point of this discourse is that I introduced “No Bullshitting” Sunday-Sunday Medicine to show my fans that I definitely believe in God; that I’m not a blasphemer; that everything I say is against human mischief and errors. I believe that, if you know for sure that I am truly trying to clear the name of God from mischief and errors; you won’t call me a blasphemer, would you? I trust that you wouldn’t; no wonder, I started the Sunday-Sunday MediCINE series as part of my means of convincing you that I do believe in God. I stopped going to church only because I can no long stand the commercialization and the other evils therein. And, since I do believe in the teachings of Christ as a way to Godliness, I opt to call myself A Practicing Christian, and make serious effort to follow the teachings of Christ, and God’s Ten Commandments. I do my own worshiping in my home, which comprises Praise Worship music, for a couple of hours or longer sometimes. I dance some of the danceable ones (which doubles as my physical exercise for the day), with my spirit tuned to God; and then, kneel down and pray.

         Some critics insist that the ills of the pastors should not stop me from going to worship my God. I disagree, because, when the pastors start their commercial bullshitting, I get offended. When they spend more time and energy in pursuit of money, than the real reason to be there, which is salvation, I get very offended. When they start deceiving their congregations (advertently or inadvertently) to spend their lives in church, pray and hope for miracles that may never come, instead of working hard for their living, I am really now get very very offended. When the pastors start deceiving the congregations to pay tithe to pastors who use it to live flamboyant lifestyles, instead of the people that God commanded us to benefit with the tithe (Deuteronomy 14:22-29), now I am truly burning inside in rage. And, when I see a church according some foolish respect to so-called VIPs who want to compete with God in His house (just to name the few), I truly get visibly offended. So, I decided that it makes more sense to worship in my home where I can submit my mind and spirit to God. This is better than go to church where I am so pissed off about the goings-on, that I can’t concentrate on my reason for the occasion.

        Sure, I must admit that I do miss the congregating sometimes, but, hey, in a situation like this with pros and cons, you win some, and you lose some. My own congregation now is comprised of the choristers in all the praise worship songs that I play for an hour or two, sometimes more, every Sunday. I decided to share one of those songs with you every Sunday for a while. Today, however, I will give you two songs, to compensate for today’s extra-long introduction.

So, here are “I Am Not Ashamed Of The Gospel Of Jah” by Shasha Marley, and the more danceable Yoruba-cum-English song, “Opomulero,” which affirms the presence of God in your life, product of “Angel,” featuring AY DNP, for your physical exercise in the presence of Jah Almighty. Here we go:

“I’m Not Ashamed Of The Gospel Of Jah”: https://youtu.be/r3B8eqDhPUg

“Opomulero”: https://youtu.be/YGU_zOoaXsg

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