Wednesday, September 30, 2009

What's in a name?


It has been said that words have power, and if that is true then it would stand to reason that names also have power. So, it is with that thought in mind that this segment is presented; to provoke thought.

We see so many individuals in mass media and in our society who have names that perpetuate negativity, and if one were to stop and really pay attention you would notice that many of these individuals are living lifestyles that are directly related to the names that they have chosen for themselves.


For example: Cory Miller, a.ka. C-Muder of No Limit Records, was sentenced to life in prison for second degree murder; R. Kelly, a.k.a the Pied Piper, who named himself after a mythical character who was famous for hypnotizing children with his music and then leading them to their deaths, was brought on charges of having sex with underage women; and Earl Simmons, a.k.a DMX (which stands for Dark Man X), who has been arrested countless times for various reasons and not to mention that his mental status has often been called into question.


Let’s go a little further and explore the names of some of these companies who have fallen prey to the name stigma: Death Row Records has had a reputation for using violence as means to intimidate its artists and employees in too compliance, not the mention the death of famed rapper Tupac Shakur; Bad Boy Record label CEO Sean “Puffy” Combs has seen more than his share of legal problems that have stemmed from his “bad boy” antics; and let’s not forget the Murder, Inc label, who wisely changed their name to The Inc. after Irv Gotti narrowly escaped going to prison for money laundering and allegedly having knowledge of a murder plot against rapper 50 Cent.

Coincidence? Not likely. In each of these instances the name held a befitting outcome. Whether those involved began to buy into the premise of the names they were associated with or if the name itself was a driving force behind the mayhem that ensued, it stands to reason that maybe, just maybe, that there is power in words which ultimately manifests itself in the names that we are given or choose for ourselves.

So it is with that thought in mind that people need to start giving more consideration to what they call themselves or what they allow people to call them. There is enough negativity in the world, so let’s start speaking more positivity into existence.

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Friday, September 18, 2009

Jay Z and Sasha Fierce

Ok, now I know that some people are getting ready to be really upset with me but some things just have to be said.

Now, I have never been a big Jay Z fan and I officially stopped supporting him when he started calling himself God and I watched The Truth About Hip Hop series that minister J. Craig did and I heard the song that he did that said blasphemous things about Jesus when it was played backwards. But just recently my sister put me up on an 11 part expose that was posted on YouTube by a guy who calls himself the Forerunner, and in this series he is breaking down the intricate scheme behind Jay Z's music. Needless to say that as I sat at my computer and watched the complete series, my mind was blown.

The Forerunner goes into how the 3 Blueprint albums outline his steady progression as a Mason, with each one commemorating his advancement to the next level. He explains the symbolism behind the 3 horizontal lines that appear on the album cover of The Blueprint 3 and also in the video We Run This Town.

I mean, I already knew that Jay Z was involved in some kind of Satanic activity but the extent that was revealed in these videos was definitely an eye-opening experience. The devil is alive people and he is gunning straight for our children through hip hop music.

He who has ears let him hear.


Click here to see the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDgUTQYEIas

In addition to watching the videos exposing Jay-Z's intricate music blueprint for his own personal agenda, I also stumbled upon several exposes about how his beautiful wife Beyonce and her alter ego, Sasha Fierce, fit into the program...

Now, let me just say this. I am, or was, a huge Beyonce fan. I think that she is an incredibly talented young woman who had limitless potential. But when she came out with the whole Sasha Fierce motif, the first thing that popped into my head was split personality.

If you watch this 5 part series by Ainesis3, you will see how Beyonce's alter ego is more than just a fun way to play off her mischievous onstage persona. The post goes in to great detail about how Beyonce herself said that Sasha Fierce was born when the song Crazy In Love was made, and then it goes on to say how she also said that in the beginning that she did not like Sasha Fierce and would not associate with her if she met her off stage. (Disturbing right?) Then it goes on to explain the symbolism behind the Crazy In Love video and many of her subsequent videos as it relates to demonic possession and initiations.

Click here to watch the the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAqYfYSRZZk

I'm saying all of this to say that we really need to wake up. People are following behind this couple and basically worshiping them and what they really need is prayer. There will always be the majority who will say that we are reading too much into this propaganda but if you actually take the time to watch the videos and hold what they are saying against scripture. Test it for yourself.

These artists are being used as vessels to set our young people up for destruction and opening them up to Satan, and if we who claim to know the Lord don't recognize the enemy when we see him then we will not be able to withstand his attacks.

Read, study and pray. Tomorrow is not always an option, we must prepare today.

Be blessed.

Monday, September 14, 2009

MTV VMAs- A Night to Remember

Its official, Kanye West should have his celebrity pass revoked until he learns how to act in public. His blatant display of ignorance on the MTV Video Music Awards was just another nail in the coffin of what is turning out to be a disaster of a career.

I don’t know if his rantings and temper tantrums are a desperate cry for help, but what he did to Taylor Swift was deplorable and should not go unpunished. He should be banned from all future award shows and he should issue a public apology for his actions.

Had this situation been reversed and a white person had jumped on stage going on about how Taylor Swift should have won while Beyonce was standing there clutching her trophy in bewilderment, we all know that all hell would have broke loose. So yes, Kanye should be held accountable in some shape, form or fashion because his arrogance has gotten way out of line and he is in desperate need of a reality check.

Moving on…

Lady GaGa’s performance started out as extremely entertaining but ended up being macabre, to say the least. The blood, gore and spread eagle piano solo could have been done without. Pink did a great job with the flying trapeze act; she gets major kudos for originality on that one. And Jay-Z and Alicia Keys closed the show out in style.

I would be remiss not to recognize the Michael Jackson tribute as being A-1, as Madonna’s speech was very touching and Janet’s dance tribute was right on the money. Other than that, I have to say that Ms. B earned herself another notch in the class department for her selfless act of kindness in allowing Taylor Swift to reclaim her moment during her own acceptance speech for Best Video of the Year.

Overall the award show was attention grabbing, to say the least. With mock prayers to Satan, Lil Mama bum rushing the stage during Jay-Z’s performance and a host who should have been replaced two years ago, despite some of the sincerely great moments, the show was almost like watching a train wreck that you desperately try but just can’t seem to turn away from.

These award shows have gone from being events meant to honor the hard working people in the entertainment industry to being publicity gimmicks to see who can generate the most dialogue on Facebook and Twitter. Hopefully, someone will gather the courage to find more tasteful ways to engage the masses in what used to be good quality programming.

Nice try MTV, but better luck next year. On a good note; you guys still came out looking better than the BET Awards.

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Let men be men

Just recently I watched a video on Facebook where a grossly overweight man paid homage to Beyonce's song "Ego" by reenacting his version of the video. Needless to say, what I saw was very disturbing. I would even go as far as to say it made my skin crawl more than a little bit.

Want to see it for yourself? http://slide.com/t/7/5/Lkb0D8cK2mYF. Brace yourself; it's not pretty. But I digress...

How I long for the days when men were real manly men, and if they really weren't men...they still acted like it.

I can't make it clear enough how irritating, and disturbing, it is to see the steady increase of super-divalicious sissy boys who aspire to be Beyonce! Men are built to be hard and strong, not soft and feminine!

Just to be clear; this is not a rant about sexual orientation. I am simply saying that if you are a man; act, walk and talk like a man. If you are a man who believes that you were really meant to be a woman, please indulge in that fantasy in the comfort of your own home. We don't need to see anymore of your homemade movies posted on Facebook or YouTube.

Women are already traumatized by the downlow syndrome. Now the woes of single women are multiplied because in the midst of what has already been called a "shortage" of men because many of the ones who are left in the fishing pond are skipping around doing the "Single Ladies" routine.

Give me a break!

All I'm saying is: Fellas, if God made you a man...be a man. Any man will tell you that its not attractive to see a woman act like a man, so let me be the first to tell you that it's not cute when guys do it either. (Act like a woman that is.)

Yeah, its funny sometimes to watch Madea cut up in a movie or see Shanay and Wanda be jackasses on TV, but at the end of the day even Tyler hangs up his wig when he goes out in public.

Thursday, September 3, 2009

Straddling the Fence

It was recently announced that the Lutheran church became the 2nd major Christian group to liberalize policies governing who can minister in the faith; namely homosexuals. This new ruling gives local congregations the authority to choose ministers who are in “lifelong, monogamous, same-gender relationships.”

Now, it is clearly understood that America is the “land of the free and the home of the brave” and that our Bill of Rights afford us the luxuries of free speech and the freedom to practice religion the way we choose, but it stands to reason that if the basis of Christianity is built upon the principals of biblical text then that is what it should adhere to.

The Bible clearly states that homosexuality is wrong. There is no gray area with respect to that matter. As a matter of fact, two cities were destroyed with fire and brimstone by God for that very thing. So how, in good conscious can a Christian church approve this ruling and the Christian body as a whole not speak out against it?

The institution of the Christian church has become a mockery in our society because, even though there are still a lot of fundamentally sound churches, many of them have foregone the teaching of the Bible in favor of trying to be “politically correct”. They don’t want to offend anyone because in doing so, they fear they may lose money in the collection plates. But the bottom line is that many of these churches are straddling the fence.

What would happen if a group of followers of the Muslim faith decided that they wanted to make it ok to eat pork, despite the teachings of the Qur’an? It would never be allowed to happen! The Muslim faith would be in an uproar if such a thing was ever even considered.

Even Buddhists and Hinduism have lines that will not be crossed, yet followers of the Christian faith continue to make concessions and compromises and it has to end. Stand for something and stick with it, or stop calling yourself a Christian church.

No, no one is perfect but wrong is wrong. If you believe that the Bible is the Word of God then the principals should be preached accordingly and accepted without compromise. If you believe that that killing, lying and stealing are wrong, and you agree with according to your belief in the Bible, then you can’t just arbitrarily decide that you don’t want to accept that homosexuality and abortion are wrong just because it doesn’t fit your agenda.

If you decide those are things that you wish to partake in despite the fact that your beliefs teach that they are morally wrong, then that is your decision. But don’t try to make it seem like everyone else is wrong because they don’t agree with you. Pick a side and stop straddling the fence.