The Signs of Time ( Part 2 ). Revolutions and the Heart of Man.

Man, War and Revolutions

Man is made for war and by nature he rejects the status quo. Often when he basks within the euphoria of peace and is unwilling to move, the natural laws governing his nature and heart stirs up a new level of struggle either from within or without him, such that, while existing within this plane of consciousness, he cannot be entirely bereft of struggles ,big or small, internal or external. It is important therefore that he masters his mind and channels them unto that which should constitute the actual object of his war. The whole essence of life is about engaging in fruitful wars, but often humankind is at a loss against what and whom to direct his war cause.

This sort of struggle, when it is sudden and deep, produces drastic changes to life and the known status quo. This occurrence, either within a personal, national or regional entity is generally referred to as Revolution. It may be as simplistic as an individual ordeal or as complex as a universal event. Deep cultural changes can be brought about by such events, which can be (but not necessarily) painful and violent. Revolutions act as fulcrums, swinging minds unto deeper state of consciousness for an era.

The French Revolution

Perhaps no revolution has had more deeper effect, affecting orientations, perceptions and the universal grip of humankind, as the French Revolution which occurred between 1789 and 1798. The French Revolution brought about epic transformations, with the abolition of aristocratic, traditional, monarchical and religious structures paving ways for systems and ideologies like liberality, new enlightenment, Democracy, secularism and rapid technological advancement.

The manner of life which many take for granted today are borne of the French Revolution, the effect of which conflicted - and is still- conflicting with many existing cultures in different parts of the world. For instance, an African, brought up on the historical perspective of supremacy of kings and monarchs would be surprised that Government legislatures presently supersedes and relegates that of monarchs.

The ultimate consequence of the French revolution may be difficult to fault or laud in its entirety. Enabling power was bequeathed to the masses to have greater controls over their destiny. Globalisation, Economic liberalisation, Human rights, Industrial and IT revolutions and technological advancement was on the rise, but it also resulted in apparent slides towards the abolition of the spiritual and the elevation of the material above everything, as a justification against the ‘God’ idea which many believed was the culprit behind so many hardship and injustices, ideas that have sustained the atheism and rapid materialism mindset that we have today.

Secularism and the Leadership Challenge

The danger of our present circumstance is that the unity within our civilisation seem to have been built far too long on falsehood, and freedom has been stretched beyond the Hooke's limit of reasoning and unto a banality of existence in the name of globalisation. Morals and ethics have been relegated behind pleasures and self-seeking grandeur which are continually lauded as virtues, and we are all involved in these great lies, one way or the other.

Good leadership ensures the development of an entity governed, but when leadership gets distracted and complacent, when it structures the system in such ways that wealth are not equitably shared, and it continually ignores the call to thread the uncomfortable path to sustain the future and prevent unrest; revolution then comes to the rescue of its complacency by usurping leadership through drastic political, cultural and societal changes from without.

The illusion of the powerful, from political, business and spiritual, is complacency and a business-as-usual mindset. Major city progressives leaving behind vast populace and oblivious of their plights, thus putting to fore the possibilities of schisms amongst many respective states today.

From the French Revolution to the Great Revolution

The elevation of Secularism during the French Revolution did not abate the tussle between different European nations, this reached its culmination with the European war which spread its tentacle into becoming the Second World War between 1939 and 1945, the most grievous war yet in the history of mankind. The United States and The Soviet Union, the two allied champions (Or rather 3, with Great Britain) of the World War, no sooner pitched tents against each other for an ideological struggle of supremacy between Capitalism and Communism, either of which was bent on controlling the rest of the world and the future of mankind. This struggle is referred to as the Cold War.

The Cold War was ended in 1989 with the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the demolition of the Berlin Wall, signifying a victory for the United States, Britain and its Western allies. After Communism was defeated in 1989, the Western world, elated with the defeat of Nazi Germany and Soviet Communism, remained at a loss about what the next line of struggle should be .

Then came a pry from without: Islamic Fundamentalism shook it to the core in 2001, but the West was very reluctant to look religion in the face. It neither would internally confront its own misdemeanour against its Christian past nor was it externally willing to frankly resolve the complexity of an ideological dichotomy between Islam and its accompanying violent fundamentalism.

Then, another big pry of conscience came in 2008 with the Great Recession. Its Capitalistic venom was turned on itself with the realisation that the evil perversion of Communism likewise finds an equal entrenchment within Capitalism. Rather than using the occasion for deep universal reformation, the powers that be patched things up and would rather not look at its mess. It pumped more money into the system with the motif of spending out of recession, and it worked- tentatively.

Our present circumstance is that which I term ‘The Great Revolution’, a concept which I shall elaborate further.

At Present

What goes around comes around, the consequence of not dealing properly and painfully with the issues described above resulted in nations going rogue, a scenario currently spreading like wildfire throughout the Western world. With the power of the ballot, the masses are bent on confronting an ignominious Islamic fundamentalism and a corrupt Capitalism.

The worrying issue with this revolution is that the protagonists, while responding to the petrification of Institutions and establishments, are themselves acting out of a petrified conscience. For instance, let us consider that a major aspect of America’s prosperity is borne of its multiculturalism, fostered by an immigration drive unparalleled by any nation in the world, with unparalleled freedom of rights, speech and religion, the very salient issues against which numerous right wing voters are now clandestinely rebelling against. A petrified heart usually is characterised by a tendency to dismiss its pre-stardom history and to realise that life is a given.

What the Future Holds

History is bent on repeating itself. The exact populism that drove Hitler's agenda is what is fuelling the recent rise of far-right personalities, parties and populace, but who is to blame? As Ola Rotimi would say: ‘The gods are not to blame’. Life is like a Yo-yo and it is within its flinging back and forth that positive effects are produced. Que sera sera. Iniquity has abounded and the love of man has gone cold, but the future is about The Great Revolution, from which our petrified hearts would be melted and moulded -hopefully, within a relatively short time- into correcting a heart anomaly that has taken centuries to form.

I have bad news for the proponents of ‘The good old days’. The good old days will never return in its form. Few men there are, for instance, who would anymore want to be bound by the slavery of an autocratic fascist self-opinionated aristocratic leadership, secular or spiritual. We shall be taken through fire, but its aftermath shall be a true commonwealth civilisation and a consciousness that is far deeper and more aligned to truth than the garbage of our present circumstances.

I write because I very much believe we are at a turning point in history. We are within a revolution that is and would be by far more drastic, and would produce far deeper effect on human consciousness than the French revolution or on any human strife so far. Let us be ready for the future, let us not forget, let us position ourselves on the right side of history, for, life is a continuum.

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The Signs of Time (Part 1) : The Devil's Alternative

“Whichever option we choose, men are going to die”.

This was the devil’s alternative, a grievous dilemma which confronted US President Mathew in Frederick Forsyth’s novel The Devil’s Alternative, as he grappled between the choice of containing a drastic environmental catastrophe and the strength of the Soviet Union.

A carefully plotted and well executed plan by two Ukrainian freedom fighters, bent on freeing their captured colleagues from the Soviet KGB, prompted them instigating an environmental catastrophe by intentionally spilling millions of gallons of oil into the North Sea, until their colleagues were released; but as Drake (one of the Ukrainians) and his colleague would find out too late, the oil they spilled as a threat to the world’s governments was what retarded the Oil Vessel that they were using as a means of escape with their rescued colleagues from the North Sea.

“Our Oil…”.

That was Drake’s agonising comment as he noticed that the modality for rescuing their friends became the mode of their capture.

I shall liken the present worldly state of affairs to the circumstance which transpired around the two quoted statements above from ‘The Devil’s Alternative’. I hope to use each preceding week, until Christmas, to digest the signs of times, from the emergence of Donald Trump against every odd, to Brexit and the rise of the extreme Rights, to ISIS and the radicalisation of Arabia, to Putin’s Russia and the journey back to Communism, to North Korea’s Kim Jung-un and the threat of hermit rogue nations.

To me, the most salient and worrying issue is the emergence -in time- of the Trump’s era. Like or loathe, we cannot discountenance the fact that any major event within the US would of necessity have ripple effects on the rest of the world and would thus set the direction in which the world’s affairs would lead. It is usually said that when America sneezes, the world catches cold.

Aside deep seated racial, ethnic and religious biases which characterised the 2016 US election, many who voted Trump were also rightly troubled about the forceful proselytical trend in which the Obama’s administration was championing the inherently abhorrent, from criminalising those who were against gay marriage, to squeezing the conscience of those objected to abortion into contributing towards a pro-choice fostered Obamacare. These sort of issues, amongst others prompted droves of conservative into opting for Trump ahead of Hillary.

Whichever option is chosen, it seems the world is torn between the path of men dying. Democrats stifled birth and propagated the silent scream of aborting the voiceless. Posterity would surely look back on our age one day and be shocked at the rate at which horrific killings from abortion went unabated, a scenario worse than the holocaust. The fact that these issues are not being mentioned in CNN or BBC does not mean they shall not bounce back on us with a catastrophic effect.

On the other hand, the rise of Republican Trump does not portend a business as usual future. You cannot rubbish over 1.6 billion Muslims, over 1.4 billion Blacks, over 1.3 billion Chinese, close to half a billion Latinos and expect an easy Presidency ride. In fact, the entire electoral conduct that brought out Trump as champion is one that is deeply contrary to the conscience that American portrays and forces on the rest of the world. 2016 U.S election would one day be studied as the greatest act of historical hypocrisy.

I do not need a soothsayer to tell me that the rise of Donald Trump and right wing extremism would give more credence to Islamic fundamentalism and the possibility of more Arab nations declaring their support for extremist groups like ISIS and Al-Qaida. It is also commonsensical to assume that the rise of American right wing groups like KKK and Tea Party which gave birth to Trump would now be countered by groups like Black Lives Matter and other Civil right groups with the likelihood of more internal unrest for the United States. Welcome back to the 60s.

Long ago, the Spiderwoman taught a very salient lesson of life, she said:

“While you are weaving the complex web of life, structures and systems, always leave a hole of escape in the middle of the web blanket like every spider would do, otherwise you may get caught in your own web”

It is time to frankly consider whether Democracy and Capitalism has at last caught itself within its own webs…

Just as Drake exclaimed in The Devil’s Alternative, when they were retarded and caught within the web of their escape: “Our Oil” , the West may be poised towards the deadly catastrophe of being caught within the two ideologies that have fostered its progress and success unless deep and radical reforms are done.

I hope it would not be too late, and we would not have to regretfully exclaim:

“Our democracy and Capitalism”

LEARNING AND WARNINGS BETWEEN SLEEP, WAKEFULNESS AND THE UNION.

So vivid and real, so different an experience, of all lessons and warnings within sleep.

This blur between dream and reality; manifestations which proved too real to be false. 

Learn and be warned! 

Within experience such as this would you grow and come to the knowledge of truth and the ability to love.

The challenge of love and paranoia, of the grace to be firm.

Love conquers all when life is seriously lived and vows sternly kept.

The entwinement of experience ,within the ranting of pride and elevation of libido.

Within self-indulgence and gratifications (even with the beloved) , lies the evil one's alibi and strength.

Take it not lightly the temptation to lust, of covetousness, of pride.

Fall no bait for seemingly legitimate satisfaction of personal desires. 

Remember, It's a singular knot that ties the calabash, the gourd and the pumpkin.

The physical, human and natural are entwined within the spiritual, not the other way. 

Extol the efficacy of mutuality in God: of sex, of prayers, of meal of mutual coexistence.

Against such, no singularity of action - however pure, plenty or tasty - can compete. 

Mutuality strengthens parties,  prevents   conspired accomplishments and forms a solid shield on the clan.

Beware of unholy alliances both herein and yonder .

Wake up to pray, its got efficacy for all  beloved.

Be glad about the triumph because it's a won battle you fight.

Union is non-isolating; and its 'putting asunder' by man is a continuous militating agenda.

Your prayers for all transcends the vocal and thoughts , it falls within your actions and experience.

Love conquers everything, do not recoil from it. 

Love transcends feelings and emotions, practice love against the distance.

He who loves more sees better.

BETWEEN SCIENCE , CHRISTIANITY AND YORUBA ESOTERICISM

When Albert Einstein predicted on paper that space-time can be warped by gravity, which itself happens as a result of relative distortion between 2 stars (stars here includes planetary bodies), little did Scientists believe they could visibly witness what appeared to be simply a theoretical assertion. 

But this year, the visible witnessing of collisions between two Black holes some 3 billion light years away confirmed the high probability that space-time can indeed be warped. Now, this means many things: Time and space are actually relative and there is a high possibility that one can travel back and forth in time, as already demonstrated with Particle Physics. (It is worth mentioning that a sort of nano-second  travel back in time would require enormous vast energy)

All these seem weird, but it is an exciting period for the Conscious mind. Adam could just have fallen with one person and Christ might just have been crucified and risen in another . 

What does a Babalawo see when he spreads his 'opele', could it be some astral contact from a time warping with the past that allows him to fathom an event from time immemorial and to discern it with the present event? 

What about the authenticity of such phenomena as astral travels and the reality of space leap, called 'egbe' and 'kanako' especially in African arts? 

Long before Einstein discovered the potentiality of this time warping, Yorubas have been practicing what would still take Science ages to actualize, but the inability to create a written body of knowledge and the strain of encapsulating everything within esotericism has limited scientific advances in Yoruba land. 

It is so difficult to distinguish truths from magic, dark arts, or negative forces within the actions of making and remaking through verbal rituals such as ofo, ogede, afose and ayajo; such that society have majorly (at least openly) preferred to throw away the baby of truth with the water of evils contained for fear of being contaminated and affected. This has had a drastic impact on Yoruba civilization and societal development .

Ultimately I believe everything created is designed to be known and would operate by spoken 'Word' . 'Siri' is just a little sign of how this can be actualized . 

Yoruba indeed has a body knowledge that is full of wisdom and intuition, but rather than out of malice, there is a real lack and absence about the wherewithal of incarnating their ingenuity from esoteric ideas, to easily deciphered language through mystery skills like Mathematics, Calculus and  Geometry. 

For instance, if the need to know the explanation behind recorded actions like egbe and kanako amongst other scientific knowledge cannot be met, the credit would keep being transferred to the West as is happening. 

It is often being said by Yoruba esoteric members that 'The deep can be known by the deep'. This is said to bolster their claim of not letting any knowledge out from their circle; but it is worth mentioning that the more the deep lets out through the right channel, the deeper it travels. A deep that is contained and refuses to let out, would remain shallow relative to those who are adept at exposing the deep through the right channel. Here lies the superiority behind the foundation of Western esotericism.

The grave they say, is full of 'might haves'. It takes courage to let go of knowledge and move on.'Oogun ti a ko ba fi han omode, nise lo ma n parun ' .

The truth is that 'oogun gun' ( knowledge is an infinite) and often 'omode ko mo oogun o n pe e l'efo' ( Knowledge is not for the mediocre) but the reality is that the little Science known today is let out from deeper esoteric ideas mostly from the West, who builds her civilization by stooping to Africa,  mostly through the Egyptian deep cultural knowledge, from whom flows the vast African spirituality and ideas that they know today and which they utilize to foster their technological and scientific advances. 

Yoruba still starves from ignorance borne out of a determination to perpetuate the ponding of their esoteric ideas . For instance, the vast wisdom and knowledge, both physical and spiritual still lays buried in Ife. The wonder discovered through the accidental discovery of 'Ori Olokun' is just a tip of the iceberg.

Christians, through the ages have always held the Eucharistic celebration as a travel back in time to Calvary. This notion was weakened by the vast Protestant arm of Christianity from the Reformation of the Middle Ages, but it is still a body of truth held firmly within Catholicism. Time and Space may be one great illusion, or rather a massive disproportion from our current perception as we are finding out with Relativity.

Let us attempt looking the opposite way of Relativism , that is, instead of looking outwards towards the galaxy, let us search deeper within the subatomic levels, a study which is often referred to as Quantum Physics.Think about it this way: The theory of relativity deals with the movement of heavenly bodies: stars, galaxies, planets etc. while quantum theory deals with particles in their extreme simplicity and subatomic sizes(the tinier they are the more quantum they become) such that we can say quantum Physics is the opposite of theory of relativity.

The shocking unpredictability of the behavior of atoms therein, when broken down to their smallest particles or when treated as waves, was as a result of a new branch of Physics called quantum mechanics which has gained much ground since the early 20th century . 

Relativity is predictable and can be arrived at using mathematical laws and scientific postulates. Everything appears to have a definite position, a definite momentum, a definite energy, and a definite time of occurrence. However, in quantum physics, things are vague and their theories cannot pinpoint the exact values of a particle's position and momentum or its energy and time, rather they provide only ranges of probabilities in which that particles might act. 

Why all this? It is interesting to know that the smaller a thing is, the more it operates outside our normal basic propositions and mindset. Think of 2 + 2 having the potential of being 8, 54, 34, 23 and any haphazard number. 

Scientists are using this quantum postulate to delve deeper and deeper into the search for the constituent of our being and the root essence of life, as is being demonstrated at CERN with the LHC. 

From a spiritual perspective, it is obvious that attempts by man towards Scientific facts could be seen as one huge parable that can be a pointer to the real Truth for a believing mind. 

Christianity may consider Science as one huge parable that could be studied towards grasping truths which can only be achieved from a conscious mindset, that which is popularly referenced to as faith. Faith's dismissal of Science (Duly called Natural Philosophy) would be tantamount to Theology doing away with Philosophy.

Quantum theory sounds silly. In fact, Albert Einstein initially rejected the probabilistic  notion of its proposition, according to him: 'God does not play dice with creation'; but today, it is difficult to deny the reality of quantum theory in scientific and technological fields because its postulate has enhanced the creation of many equipment that we take for granted these days, ranging from our electrical appliances to medical equipments to aircrafts.

The reality within Quantum Physics has reflected some deeper Christian truths, some of which are outlined: 

1. The smaller (humbler) we are (just as quantum mechanics) the more we operate outside the realm of predictable laws and are  immersed in the mind of God which-to me- is mercy. 

2. Our judgement can be flawed because of the unpredictable that happens when a man operates within littleness, which is humility (which is truth).

3. The Law is very relevant ( Christ did not come to abolish it) and General theory of Relativity as Einstein proposed,  is more relevant in our age today as ever. But moving deeper, there is a quantum realm we cannot fabricate and we get there only by littleness.

4. St Paul said at a stage 'who can know the mind of God' (Rom 11:34) and at another stage 'judge nothing before its time' (1cor4:5). We should be slow to judge, God's ways in this age of Christ are entirely bereft of ours, it is like Quantum physics.

5. The Bible also spoke about 'time and chance' happening to all things (Eccl 9:11) and at a point even Christ said 'he didn't know who...only His Father knows ('Math20:23 / Math24:36)This is the extent of the mind of God, that even His Son, while in the flesh, was unaware of at some point. 

6. Quantum theory has made many people believe that everything happens only by chance and that there is no God who controls anything and they have succumbed to a psychological exasperation, because there is a limit to which human rationality can journey.

7. Or otherwise instead of grasping what little can be controlled within the quantum realm , many have held unto the factorization of the bigger controllable law and format of Relativity. Herein is the cause of its dictatorship.

8. Within littleness lies an unpredictability which we can trust in. Herein is mercy, herein is faith. God's mind resides within the quantum that we cannot 'control'. Let us 'let go' and 'let God'!

It is often said that after all has been said and done, and Science reaches the summit of the mountain of truth, it would find Theologians - for ages- on that summit awaiting their arrival. 

While Yoruba esotericism lacks the scientific and mathematical language of proposing its depth of knowledge to modernity, Western Christianity has also struggled to find a method of faith proposal to the modern mind. The confluence between Western Christianity and Yoruba esotericism lies within Theology, the belief in the supremacy of a higher unseen power(s) that controls absolutely everything. Science as a principle tries to ignore this fact.

There is a question, a void, a disproportion between the reality of everyday occurrences, its applications, and the meaning of everything that Theology could as yet not 'match' - in verbal explanation- the correspondence that Science offers, albeit flawed. Science explains our everyday occurrences while Theology asks us to believe an 'uncertainty' that for many does not correspond .

It is often said that for those who believe, no explanation is necessary, and for those who do not believe, no explanation is possible. From faith's perspective, it could be argued that it is far easier to build a system than to provoke conversion. Christians may find an alibi in the sayings of Christ that 'And even if someone should rise from the dead, 'they will not believe'(As Abraham told Dives).

Yet, the modern mind searches for a correspondence, a meaning, reasons behind life and their cultural experience. But they do this from the external and from a largely Relativistic perspective. The mind before matter quantum manner of Theology Is largely ignored. As such modern mind presently has a bent towards an embrace of Science, obviously because science appeals more to the senses. Theology appears to loose its voice to Science in spite of its number.

The triumph of Theology may well lie within science itself, such that, as quantum rationalism grows, the consciousness, agility and energy within littleness would increase and the sacredness of life would be more obvious. There would be more awe against war and the irrationality of many similar intricate questions that beg for cogent and rational answers. 

But as long as life exists, knowledge would grow, for there is nothing hidden that would not be revealed; and explanations would go on because it is by the Word that the world would be recreated and civilization built. 

WERE I GOD (On Our Pilgrimage to Rome)

His arm from the onset was made manifest

And I took nothing for granted of the experience

I still remain baffled regarding the  zeal of those who have fully cooperated with His grace

And I wonder that if such stony heart as mine would melt

By such an experience towards which my heart is full of gratitude

So, why shouldn't God.

 

How many should I tell of?

The dauntless spirits of those who missed flight:

Bouncing back and making the journey at all cost?

Or that whom amidst cranky crazy schedules

Compromised all for this privilege

Even of those who would spend double from foreign trips and

Counted not the cost to make it to Rome

 

Deciphering the meaning of this experience is a mystery

Left to the positivity of His mercy

An how lovely it is for brethren to dwell in unity

Amidst our petty bickering and personal idiosyncrasies

What triumphed was the supremacy

Of friendship, solidarity, communality and commonality.

And the joy of having the kids share in such languorous but epic moments.

 

Sparkling highlights at the four Basilicas

Attending Masses spoken in tongues

Sistine Chapel, ‘Vatican Celebrity’ and Missing Mercy!

These would remain in my memory for ages to come.

And I wouldn’t forget too soon the numerous endurance treks

Be it of finding transport tickets at great energy

Or of walking the whole length of Lateran and Mary Major.

The exodus within and without; to and fro the Vatican Museum

Was little compared with the flimsy journey in search of ‘junk food’

Trespassing the length of a nation in the process.

Seeming meaningless trips loaded with reason and filled with meaning in His sight.

 

One primary lesson which becomes very apparent

Is that amidst the ‘wheat’ of mercy there is no space for any ‘tare’ of sin

Such that the distractions and faults within this whole experience

And the lures of tourism over pilgrimage that manifested

Is actually one gargantuan ‘O happy fault!’ within His mercy.

And all are positive in the purification of the head.

 

So much that I worry little over one who assumes that works and faith are personal

And him that is lost in the moment, oblivious of knitting the past with the future

Or the emotional drachma that often lets go of etiquette and decorum

Neither does it matter in mercy, whether you are capitalist or communist

You may even snub the addict when you are conscious of mercy

And it doesn’t matter if you are not ‘wowed’ by much from the scenery

Neither would you be punished for repeating same errors a thousand times!

 

At the end what matters is mercy and thanksgiving

The aim is achieved, the purpose is fulfilled

But the positive feedback is in Mystery’s hands.

An admonition is that at any news of ‘freedom’

Be it far and near, yours or others

Affirm this solidarity with a simple prayer:

1 Pater, Ave and Gloria suffices

And our communal liberation would be fostered.

Amen.

On Purgatory: A Reply to Leke Alder.

Dear Mr Leke Alder,I always respect your command of words and the erudite manner in which you untangle seemingly complicated issues, as most of your followers would equally attest. Recently, I stumbled on your postings on Purgatory and discovered a great many fallacies against which I would like to set the records straight.

Apologetic dialectics on church doctrines are what I had presumed that Christianity in my Country had outgrown; but a doctrinal accusation coming from a respected mind like you is one I cannot pass unnoticed, being aware of the sheer number of people that follow you on social media and their likelihood to be influenced by your thoughts, which this time I see as very flawed. I quickly remembered Christ’s words: ‘Call no man Teacher”.

What is the relevance? Why bother at all about a mundane medieval idiosyncratic issue as Purgatory? Because I am aware of the close connectivity between truth, freedom, destiny, and the grave danger that their denials pose to the masses. It is not simply for the sake of debate that I bring forth these issues, but that many whose freedom are likely to be affected by a distorted truth as this.

You may wonder how Purgatory, a universally repugnant idea, may be tied to freedom. I equally confess that the weights of things like work, pain, suffering, friction, gravity aren’t palatable. I would love a world where I wouldn’t have to face the consequences of my actions because I see daily the disproportionality of my acts with the goodness of God which calls for justice. This is the very reason I am and remain a Christian, because the Good News is that my absolute disproportionality with goodness is the very reason why Christ has died for me! (1 Timothy 1: 15).

In spite of the enormity of Christ’s action, why then do we still have to experience these pains? Why do we have to - as St Paul said - make up for what is lacking in Christ’s passion (Col 1: 24)? Why do we still have to pass through the friction and gravity of time and space within its errors and pains before experiencing the perfect glory He has won for us? Why do we have to ‘die’ like every other person when He has in fact conquered death for us? Why does the mystery of His resurrection seem so clouded? Shall I have to anastheasize the ideas of these realities as some are bent on doing? No, I wouldn’t, because I know why these still happen: it is because of love and mercy, love and mercy for us and for the whole world (2 Corinthians 4). Happiness is not to be found in much bothers about entering heaven, or of avoiding or denying purgatory or hell, but that of journeying upon this road of positivity and not of perambulation. Once we understand Mercy, every other issue become simple and uncomplicated.

Whilst I prefer that there is no such thing as Purgatory or hell, the reality is that they exist. To change anything, we have to accept its fact. If you deny a problem, the problem remains. I would like that Purgatory be emptied, and Hell be banished from man because it is not his portion (Mathew 25:41). Atheists have killed the idea of hell and some Christians have killed the idea of Purgatory, both happen for want of mercy. What is necessary is not to develop an alibi, but to be passionate about living, such that we can escape both hell and Purgatory.

Sceptics are likelier to experience reality in order to arrive at fullness of being, and this applies also to issues bothering on hell and purgatory. It would be as Morpheus told Neo in the Matrix film “Unfortunately, no one can be told what the Matrix is, you have to see it for yourself “. Alibi is no escape; it’s a complication of fact.

I must confess that the Church’s teachings are too deep for our modern mind; many would prefer a shallow a la carte faith than being bothered about perceived auxiliary doctrinal issues like Purgatory. We prefer the easier wider road by explaining uncomfortable truths away.God is merciful and just. It is up to us to realize how God’s justice is mercifully laden with mercy. The opposite of mercy is not justice, it is vengeance. What happens in Purgatory is far from Vengeance. Contrary to that which you quoted in your argument, the Church calls Purgatory a purification rather than a punishment (Catechism 1031), purification such that, even though it reflects God’s justice, is also full of His mercy.

Animists honour ancestors, Muslims remember loved one, nations keep in mind fallen soldiers, the electronic media are littered with historical channels, even scientists are getting more convinced about the reality of extra-terrestrials, yet some of my fellow Christians believe in a complete sever between life here and the hereafter. They block all contact, communications and experience of their departed loved ones from their memory, because it throws at them the reality and possibility of Purgatory, yet our Lord is the king of life and perpetuity. The consequence: Mediocrity and powerlessness as exists in our society.

Denial is not reality, it is not truth. We are not alone, life is a continuum, heaven is here, mercy is perpetual, reality is positive. Cut off memory and you have no progress. Christ has come so that we can experience the utmost depth of this reality. Live this reality intensely and be free! Do not be deceived and disappointed, cut your loved ones out today and somebody shall cut you out tomorrow, Even God succumbed Himself to our memory in other to reign in us. `Do this in memory of Me`. Memory is the force of future reality.

You mentioned that Mortal and Venial sins are Catholic doctrines; but they are well biblical too; read 1 John 5: 16-17. You claimed that the Church believes mortal sins are unforgivable; that is fallacious. All sins are indeed forgiveable, except the likes of that which you rightly mentioned: A conscious rejection of Christ’s sacrificial act might well put one in such grave danger of rejecting forgiveness; and this calls into question the rejection of the sacrificial dimension of the Eucharist by many Christians today.

Purgatory, like Easter, Christmas, Trinity, Incarnation and many other coined names by the Church are attempts to explain already known mysteries; it does not refer to the establishment of a new doctrine, as you tried to establish in your write-up. Purgatory was not formulated during the 12th century; the teaching has been, right from the time of Christ. Do not be confused by the word itself, look at the process, experience, witnesses and teachings.The Church, like medical sciences, has a good grasp at creating names. We spiritualize all ailments that we do not know their names in Africa and their cures remain out of grasp. When you call something by name, you already acknowledge its existence and so doing you’ve solved half the problem, it is part of the enabling beatific permission granted to Man before the fall and such is the power that Christ has bestowed on His Church,Purgatory is deeper a mystery to be simply explained out. Look beyond the name, perhaps you’ll get less scandalized. Many people have personal experiences of other worldly contacts with relatives and friends, for how long will you demonize their experiences? Anyone who says the prayer: ‘Rest in Peace’ subconsciously acknowledges this state needing prayer for liberation.

Christ, our one supreme Master described- amongst many such like descriptions-this process in Mathew 18: 23 – 35. He hinted at the possibility of ‘getting out’, but only when justice has been satisfied. Remember that Christ in His days did not explain away cultural realities of His times, realities like Ghosts, reincarnation, natural forces or the existence of spirits. He transcended them by His person, so faith in Him does, not by their denial. You tarnish truth by denial!

You mentioned at a point in your writing that the story of Lazarus and Dives (The Rich man) suggested Christ told about the existence of hell; but even with this story, many scholars have suggested that Christ’s dialogue about this event tells more about Purgatory than hell. Dives was still able to dialogue with Abraham; he was concerned about his 5 brothers (because he saw this relationship as a last resort of escape, he realised he wasn’t an island).

In hell, all communication with goodness shall be cut out, every hope of salvation shall be lost, all cares about others are not there; hell is too gory a place for an altruistic dialogue of love to abide, all breathes hatred and curses that live in hell! If we but realise the gravity of hell, we would be better placed to consider the merciful redemptive power of God in permitting the transit process of purgation than for man to rot in hell, for nothing unclean shall see the face of God. Ephesians 5: 5.

You spent much effort explaining away the scriptural depiction of Purgatory in 1 Corinthians 3: 10-15. A truth so blatant that I am sure much of your readers would struggle to understand your contra point of argument. Many approved it simply to authenticate the error they have held as truth all along. Truth is tough, but it is simple, you don’t need so much an effort at explaining it away. Until we take up the challenge of the possibility of unlearning what we have held as true, we shall remain stuck in falsehood and our society shall continue to suffer the menace of lies. Few people find it palatable to find out they have been ‘wrong all along’. Change is herculean, and without grace, it is impossible!A simple truth would not require the help of a complex ‘arguing away’, such that you attempted.

Take this comparison: In John chapter 6; Christ said ‘I am the Living Bread come down from heaven’. You can permute and combine the statement in whatever terms, like the Jews would want Christ to do, but it would not remove its direct simplicity and depth. When I see with what passion ‘Holy Communion’ is budding within our brethren churches today, my spirit is exalted for I am devotedly ecumenical and would love all Christians to come to the unity of faith. 20 years back, the practice of Holy Communion was almost non-existence within many of this block, and I can only pray that as they journey through the sacramental nature of the Church it would soon lead further to a deeper realisation about the ‘Real Presence’ and its ‘Sacrificial nature’. The case with the Eucharist is similar to what you are doing with Purgatory as you attempt to explain uncomfortable truths away. Truth always have a way of resurfacing, and the Church is the bulwark of truth 1Timothy 3: 15.

Back to the discourse on Purgatory, I need not mention 2 Maccabees 12: 42- 45 because you argued, in your opinion, that the book of Maccabees is not canonical, but at least no serious intellectual has denied its historicity because it gives a good awareness about the Jewish practices of praying and sacrificing in the hope of Resurrection of the dead, and yet, we the children of Resurrection (Luke 20: 36) are rejecting this fact. Paul himself aligned with the Pharisees who have hope in resurrection and believe in angels and existence of spirits (Acts 23: 6-8). As Hamlet tells Horatio I also say to you: ‘There are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamt of in your philosophy’.

Have you heard about the Church Fathers, those great men of God who received instructions directly from the Apostles and whose writings persist to our time? Time will not permit me to detail their numerous teachings regarding realms of existence requiring prayers for those who have slept in Christ. Purgatory is far from being a middle age doctrine. Go, read the teachings of Church Fathers, the likes of St Irenaeus, St John Christotom, Origen, St Gregory the Great and St Athanasius; complement these with the Acts of the Apostles and you will improve your awareness about the reality of what the early Christians believe.

We can also see broad traces of devotion to departed Christians by the early Christians with the various Catacombs of Rome dating back to the first century. St Peter himself was buried beneath the present basilica of St Peter’s. Visit the Eastern Churches of Greece, Turkey and Egypt and you will find similar traditions dating back to the early Christians. It is just a weighty burden of irresponsibility for any Christian to deny the reality of practices and beliefs that are obviously Apostolic.

I tell you what happens when you deny Purgatory, you break off contact between here and the hereafter, and you see those who die in Christ as ‘dead’, not as ‘alive’, for you would prefer to have nothing to do with them. You become subconsciously judgemental of anyone who dies and you place them in a compartmentalized heaven or hell based on your caprices and you lock them up there forever. You forget history by killing memory. You become incredulous and become scared of the continuum of life. You cannot be a sustainable Christian that way, for you have watered down faith in the resurrection. A society that kills memory ultimately corrupts and gets absorbed by one which sustains memory. You see why your idea, albeit widespread, is very fatal and unhelpful to posterity.

The Church affirms belief about the Communion of Saints, and this is what it means, that the Church is 3 parts in 1 body of Christ: The Militants (Me and you on this plane of existence), The Triumphant (Those on the glorious plane in heaven) and The Suffering (Those souls being purged in Purgatory). Purgatory does not nullify the 4 last things (Death, Judgement, Heaven and Hell) for it does not last.

Your view was very much alien to Christian belief until the 16th century when Martin Luther objected the sales of indulgences and denied in totality the ‘Purgatorium’ experience that fostered these sales. The doctrinal root cause of the Reformation crisis was the over exaltation of ‘work’ and its dare consequence by those Pastors who needed money. Since then, every descendant of the Lutheran revolt has perpetuated such hatred and denial of work in its extremity. Balancing, not denial, is what makes Christianity thick; after all, the cause of your objection against Purgatory is principally based on 1 Corinthian 3: 10-15, the gist of which was about ‘works being burnt’. Read 1 Peter 1 : 7 and you’ll realise that this work which is to be tested by fire is nothing but our faith, the basis of which Luther lauded as a prerequisite for salvation. Do not destroy work, for faith, that through which we shall be justified (Galatians 2: 16), is also work (John 6: 29), and it is a supernatural gift of God. Resurrection does not spare us the journey, if you ignore the work (which is laden with mercy for a man of faith), you are simply postponing your job of atonement and it is tougher across the bridge.

Your challenge of Purgatory, like Martin Luther’s challenge of the sales of Indulgence, risks the event of throwing away the baby of truth together with the water of superstition. The superstition and corruption involved in the sales of indulgence shouldn’t have warranted the entire denial of the reality of Purgatory. You may ask where the Lutheran Church is today and how widespread they are. Lie does not last.

The Sales of indulgence issue is similar to the Tithe and Offering issue happening in our society today. Many today are angry with our Pastors regarding the scandals of tithing and offerings and, like Luther, some attempt to argue away their biblical necessities. It is not tithing that are wrong; it is the scandals caused by our Pastors through their selfish propaganda.

The scandal of tithing is there, but stopping it will be unbiblical, so will be your effort at explaining Purgatory away.

THE PURIFICATION OF ORI AND SUPREMACY OF THE HEAD.

A head shaped gear clock [1]sits facing me on the desk wall of my study (Cover Photo). I didn’t buy it very cheap (by my standard) but far more than the cost of purchase is the lesson I have been taught by it. Through it I have understood more the collegial motive of history, the deep meaning of work, the consequences of time and the supremacy factor of the head.

‘Ise l’aago n se ku’ [2]sounds very derogatory. The seeming boring cyclic monotony of each constituent gear of my clock produces an integral system working in synchrony and contributing integrally to the gradual movements of the ‘minute hand’ of the clock, which also as a consequence bears a correspondence to the movements of the ‘hour hand’ of the clock. This hourly movement creates milestones, from the first hour, to the second, to the third, fourth, fifth etc.; and something amazing results:

The gradual operation of my head shaped gear clock bears a direct reference to what happens outside the room. As I monitor the clock closely, I am able to decide to a large extent the period of the day, so then, gradually the day changes, the sun goes down, the moon comes up, night draws, then morning; then this cyclic daily turns also have direct link on the season: It becomes winter, then spring, then summer, then autumn; and then the seemingly seasonal cycles produce the years: 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019….up till… Infinity (eternity).

Infinity is a factor that shows how little man is in control because it cannot be arrived at. Something is always ahead of time, of laws, of space, of anything quantifiable; and this is what gives the continuum and eternal impression to life. Of such becomes the meek who inherit the earth[3] . But how arrive at infinity? It is through love.  Love is infinity, it is the end of laws, even that regulating the workings of my head shaped gear clock. How? Because this love is a verb and verb is an action word, an action word that often gives the impression of suffering and hardship to our ignorant mind and lazy being, yet of such is what love consist of, right since the reversal of the fall[4]. ‘Ise laago n se ku’.Bunkum. Work is not a curse, it is divine.

No work is meaningless however boring once it is fostered by love. We contribute to the positive operation of the cosmos which is forever expanding, lo ba tan[5]. Not that anyone can halt the positivity of life, but the wonder and delight is that we are allowed to contribute our parts to this divine work, this opus Dei[6], in time and in eternity. ’ He who does not gather with me scatters’[7].  Work is fun when it is meaningful, that is, when it fostered by love and faith.

Seeing life within this positive perspective is a metanoia, that which is often referred to as conversion. Its credit has often been given to the heart but it really finds its source from the head. Also, when we give credit to seeing , it is often not as to the physical eyes but the locus within the head which fosters truth, reason, awareness, wisdom, intellect and  the birth of the know often referred to as the sixth sense.

‘Apa l’ara’[8], yes; but even more: ’Opolo l’ara’ [9]or better still, ‘Ori l’ara’[10]. The world has realised that the workings of our civilisation is borne of the head. We are justified by faith[11]. There is a shift from the dominance of manual labour to what is widely referred to as the ‘Knowledge Economy’ and ‘Intellectual Capital’. ‘Ogbon ju agbara lo’[12]. The work of the hand often has an origin from the head, and the more that heads are purified, the easier it becomes for hands to work, such that, even in our present civilisation, it is knowledge and creativity within the STEM applications (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) that drive our growth.

‘Ori[13] l’a ba bo t’aa ba f’orisa sile’[14]. What is head? Some say it is the residence of the soul, some say it is the seat of memory, for some it is the abode of the mind, reason and intellect. When Ori is purified it becomes easier for it to be restful within the responsibilities of its cosmological and universal obligation in relation to its destiny. The events and chances of life within the confines of space and time, becomes a response in the serendipitous servitude of the head.

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But in what does the purifying of the head consist of? In its attempt some have manipulate natural forces and have twisted other men’s fates and auras in the quest towards finding an ameliorating short path of purifying the head, many of these ‘get lucky’ attempts only serve to worsen matters. The last state often becomes worse than the first. O ba gbe je f’ori.[15]

‘Olowo ori mi’ is a Yoruba woman’s palliative qualification of an aggrieved husband. This is a natural reference to the dowry that was paid by him for her betrothal, but literarily this statement translates as ‘The man who pays to acquire my head’. A hard saying for our modern mind on the one hand, but an eternal reality whose meaning has been tarnished and its obligation diminished on the other hand.

Biblically, a man is he who moves and goes on to join himself to a woman[16]. This dynamism is an intricate factor of the constitution of manhood. There becomes an interlocking of purpose of which the woman’s destiny is in direct consonance with the man’s, beginning from an act as simple as dowry payment, a gesture of love which bounds the man into the head position so that the family can ’move’ collegially.

For a man, dowry is a sign of future responsibility and deeply speaking a gesture made from the position of loving servitude. On the woman’s part it is the condition of meekness and respect. A woman who rebels and would rather move first puts the whole family into jeopardy because this runs contrary to the divine ordering of cosmological objectives. Leading is service, it is movement and it is a man’s cosmological objective to initiate this . But do men really serve or lord?

Our varied endeavours at movement reaches culmination upon the headship of God. Ultimately there is an emergence of only one head; a two headed emergence becomes a monstrous entity borne out of rebellion. God is one.

You have to pay a price to integrate something. God’s price and dowry for humanity is the covenant of mercy culminating in the person of Christ who is the sole link between God and humanity and who has married humanity through the shedding of his blood which is his dowry of our betrothal. Christ, as the bridegroom and head has an obligation to move, love and serve us; we as the spouse of betrothal have an obligation to be meek and trusting.

The cost of leadership is ultimately in service and letting go, and the more that man’s head is purified the more that he aligns with his destiny, and what is the summit of this purification of man? It is Christ, the only Mediator between God and man; he is the only person with the capability of aligning man’s destiny to truth. Jesu, a tun ori eni ti ko sunwon se[17]. And how did he do it? Through work, service and sacrifice, the summit of which was on Calvary and the sight of Infinity appeared at his resurrection.

But how purify the head, you ask? Do not complicate your life through a manipulation of human and creative factors in the quest of aligning Ori with destiny. The one Supreme sacrifice of Christ on Calvary, glorified in eternity on the third day, has caused a marriage of time with eternity for us, and has been brought forward in time such that, in order that the whole history of man and creation, regarding what was, what is and what will be, finds a confluence in time and present within what is called the Eucharist[18]. It is the only means, the holy grail of our survival which is borne of what we celebrate today.

We live for the love of something happening now, because life has been made as a positive continuum, and eternity is now. Christ is raised. He alone has the capability to purify this head without any negative consequence of growth.

Here ends for a while my write-up on purity.

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[1] This clock, pictured, has a gear shaped mechanism that drives the hour and minute hands. I got it from Amazon.

[2] A Yoruba word literally meaning: ‘Clock works till death’; used derogatorily at the meaninglessness of toil and labour.

[3] Mathew 5:5

[4] The fall of Adam and Eve

[5] A Yoruba depiction of ‘Full stop’.

[6] Latin for God’s work

[7] Mathew 12:30

[8] Yoruba: ‘Hand is a kin’

[9] Yoruba: ’Brain is a kin’

[10] Yoruba: ‘Head is a kin’

[11] Romans 3:28

[12] Yoruba: ‘Wisdom exceeds strength’

[13] Yoruba: Head

[14] Yoruba philosophical saying: An admonition to worship the head rather than gods.

[15] Yoruba: Be patient for your head.

[16] Genesis 2: 24

[17] Yoruba: Jesus who reforms the head gone astray.

[18] Eucharist is the true body and blood of Jesus Christ, together with His soul and divinity, under the appearance of bread and wine. It is derived from the Sacrifice of Mass.