Mike Ramey
07-27-2002, 02:33 AM
CONTINUATION OF A BEAUTIFUL LIE
Brothers, as African American Men--as Black Men--no matter what we accomplish, there will always be those out there in the crowd who are destined to believe the worst about us--and try to do the worst to us. I may as well make this sad fact plain from the beginning of my comments this month.
However, if there is one single, shining, bright truth I would want to pass along to my sons (as well as yours), it would be that we don’t have to believe the lie, and act to fit it, to ‘get along’ with those of other races, cultures--or even the opposite sex. We should have enough backbone--enough manhood--to break a lie in two, each and every time it rears its ugly head in plain sight!
As the grandmother of a good friend of mine said during her lifetime: ‘The truth WILL hunt down a lie, and BLOW IT OUT OF THE SKY!’ Paul, the writer of the Book of Ephesians in the Bible makes it even more clear, when on the subject of Spiritual Warfare.
That’s right brothers; there is a real shooting war going on for the souls of men on a level of sight in another realm; the spiritual realm. To paraphrase; it is not enough to stand, one has to have the ‘guts’, the backbone, the courage to WITHSTAND the bricks, catcalls, and onslaughts of the enemy of our souls--even if they come in fancy wrappings, have a bunch of letters after their names, or have a bank account with a whole lot of zeroes after the initial amount.
WHY MANY WILL BELIEVE A LIE OVER THE TRUTH:
We have come to a crossroads in our land where lies that were manufactured and told a generation ago, are being dusted off, repackaged, and reintroduced to an unsuspecting and uninformed society.
It is easy to believe a lie. A lie does not have to be verified, unless it is confronted. A lie can have a life of its own, and a career path of its own. As a matter of fact, the prettier a lie is, the less likely that many will even bother to challenge it.
To believe a lie does not take much effort or energy. Brothers, we live in a society where people have been led to use their ‘feelings’ instead of their brains. That, in my view, is the cornerstone definition of a ‘feminized’ society: ‘Don’t make me think; don’t force me to reason. I’m too tired. Just let me believe what I want to believe, and leave me alone! After all, the US Constitution gives me the RIGHT to act a fool!’
LIED ON--IN SPITE OF THE EVIDENCE:
Take Black Men for example. The ‘beautiful’ lie continues that we can’t remain loyal to our wives and sweethearts. However, if one dares to examine the truth of marriage records, not only is marriage making a strong comeback in the Black community, our loyalty has become the focus of envy among other cultures in America. The truth can be found in many a local newspaper in the section which deals with wedding anniversaries. I’ve noticed that there are a lot more Black couples closing in on twenty-five, fifty, and seventy-five year milestones than many would like to admit. Plus, there are lots and lots of strong children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren beaming with pride over such an accomplishment--without welfare, grants, therapy or ‘counseling’ programs!
Another lie is that Black Men can’t be successful. To blow that lie out of the sky, all one has to do is check out the publication where this column appears--either in print, or on line. The men who are working behind the scenes and in front of the scenes of this publication are successful. They are practicing the job or craft that they love, and in which they choose to invest their skills.
Another ‘beautiful’ lie is that Black Men only desire women of cultures other than their own. Let’s kill that lie off, real quick. The ugly truth is that women of other cultures desire Black Men. We represent the history, hope, and future of the motherland where life began. We are, unashamedly, Warriors. Whenever one thinks of Black Men, one automatically thinks of men who won’t stop fighting until the goal is reached, or we die in the progress of reaching that goal. Remember, God stopped in Africa, first, with the Garden of Eden. Not Spain. Not China. Not the Americas--but Africa.
Does this sound like we are inferior? I don’t think so.
And, as we expand in our opportunities and accomplishments; as we ‘take care of business’, we will naturally attract the attention of others. Yes, some folks are not going to like it; but that’s not my problem, nor should it be yours. Be successful, and watch the folk who come to your door. The Bible even states that a man’s gifts will make room for him before great men (and women). The only provision to that promise is if those gifts are used for the praise of God, the betterment of all, and not just for himself. That’s the truth, the whole truth, and the ugly truth!
Never forget this fact; a man is only limited by the way he thinks of himself, and how much he lives up to that image. As a man thinketh in his heart; so is he!
SWAT THE LIES WITH THE TRUTH:
Brothers, when you get right down to it, those who perpetuate any of these lies have secret desires for our enslavement and destruction. Society still can’t understand why we won’t ‘roll over and play dead’--why we won’t be ‘satisfied’ to let our wives and children run our homes and communities, as we notice in some of the other cultures in our present day.
Those who are involved in Islam, Freemasonry, Hinduism, Judaism, Multiculturalism and a host of other ‘isms’ and political persuasions still refuse to acknowledge that Black Men can think, will survive, and will overcome--without outside help. We, like all men, are made in the image of God. The truth is, unlike some cultures, we KNOW that God says what He means, and means what He says!
As a matter of fact, let me make a rather bold statement for these ‘lying’ times. The most dangerous Black man in the world is the one who dares to follow the biblical road; the most dangerous Black man in the world is a Christian Black man!
Why?
Because he is not ruled by fear, feelings, or the flesh--but by the Spirit of God.
Oh, I know that I’ll receive more than a few letters to challenge this column, but it’s not the Critic who counts. The truth always yields its own fruit. Whether or not anyone bothers to taste what comes from the truth tree, does not change one iota the fact that the tree is still growing and producing fruit.
Black Men--don’t hang your head in shame. Yes, we have problems, but then, so does everyone else! We have shortcomings, but then, so does everyone else! You may not ‘get that goal’ on the first shot out of the box, but then, neither did anyone else. You may have failed in that business, relationship, or dream. But then, so has everyone else!
The hurting, the jealous, the envious, and the poor in character will always ‘buzz’ around you with lies. Roll up the truth, and swat each one of those lies, like the pesky bugs that they are, and go on. The reward is just up ahead, waiting for you, on the road of life.
Mike Ramey is the author of ‘The Manhood Line’, a syndicated, monthly column written for men from the biblical, business, and common-sense perspective. To correspond, email to manhoodline@yahoo.com. (C) 2001 Mike Ramey/Barnstorm Communications International (12)
Brothers, as African American Men--as Black Men--no matter what we accomplish, there will always be those out there in the crowd who are destined to believe the worst about us--and try to do the worst to us. I may as well make this sad fact plain from the beginning of my comments this month.
However, if there is one single, shining, bright truth I would want to pass along to my sons (as well as yours), it would be that we don’t have to believe the lie, and act to fit it, to ‘get along’ with those of other races, cultures--or even the opposite sex. We should have enough backbone--enough manhood--to break a lie in two, each and every time it rears its ugly head in plain sight!
As the grandmother of a good friend of mine said during her lifetime: ‘The truth WILL hunt down a lie, and BLOW IT OUT OF THE SKY!’ Paul, the writer of the Book of Ephesians in the Bible makes it even more clear, when on the subject of Spiritual Warfare.
That’s right brothers; there is a real shooting war going on for the souls of men on a level of sight in another realm; the spiritual realm. To paraphrase; it is not enough to stand, one has to have the ‘guts’, the backbone, the courage to WITHSTAND the bricks, catcalls, and onslaughts of the enemy of our souls--even if they come in fancy wrappings, have a bunch of letters after their names, or have a bank account with a whole lot of zeroes after the initial amount.
WHY MANY WILL BELIEVE A LIE OVER THE TRUTH:
We have come to a crossroads in our land where lies that were manufactured and told a generation ago, are being dusted off, repackaged, and reintroduced to an unsuspecting and uninformed society.
It is easy to believe a lie. A lie does not have to be verified, unless it is confronted. A lie can have a life of its own, and a career path of its own. As a matter of fact, the prettier a lie is, the less likely that many will even bother to challenge it.
To believe a lie does not take much effort or energy. Brothers, we live in a society where people have been led to use their ‘feelings’ instead of their brains. That, in my view, is the cornerstone definition of a ‘feminized’ society: ‘Don’t make me think; don’t force me to reason. I’m too tired. Just let me believe what I want to believe, and leave me alone! After all, the US Constitution gives me the RIGHT to act a fool!’
LIED ON--IN SPITE OF THE EVIDENCE:
Take Black Men for example. The ‘beautiful’ lie continues that we can’t remain loyal to our wives and sweethearts. However, if one dares to examine the truth of marriage records, not only is marriage making a strong comeback in the Black community, our loyalty has become the focus of envy among other cultures in America. The truth can be found in many a local newspaper in the section which deals with wedding anniversaries. I’ve noticed that there are a lot more Black couples closing in on twenty-five, fifty, and seventy-five year milestones than many would like to admit. Plus, there are lots and lots of strong children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren beaming with pride over such an accomplishment--without welfare, grants, therapy or ‘counseling’ programs!
Another lie is that Black Men can’t be successful. To blow that lie out of the sky, all one has to do is check out the publication where this column appears--either in print, or on line. The men who are working behind the scenes and in front of the scenes of this publication are successful. They are practicing the job or craft that they love, and in which they choose to invest their skills.
Another ‘beautiful’ lie is that Black Men only desire women of cultures other than their own. Let’s kill that lie off, real quick. The ugly truth is that women of other cultures desire Black Men. We represent the history, hope, and future of the motherland where life began. We are, unashamedly, Warriors. Whenever one thinks of Black Men, one automatically thinks of men who won’t stop fighting until the goal is reached, or we die in the progress of reaching that goal. Remember, God stopped in Africa, first, with the Garden of Eden. Not Spain. Not China. Not the Americas--but Africa.
Does this sound like we are inferior? I don’t think so.
And, as we expand in our opportunities and accomplishments; as we ‘take care of business’, we will naturally attract the attention of others. Yes, some folks are not going to like it; but that’s not my problem, nor should it be yours. Be successful, and watch the folk who come to your door. The Bible even states that a man’s gifts will make room for him before great men (and women). The only provision to that promise is if those gifts are used for the praise of God, the betterment of all, and not just for himself. That’s the truth, the whole truth, and the ugly truth!
Never forget this fact; a man is only limited by the way he thinks of himself, and how much he lives up to that image. As a man thinketh in his heart; so is he!
SWAT THE LIES WITH THE TRUTH:
Brothers, when you get right down to it, those who perpetuate any of these lies have secret desires for our enslavement and destruction. Society still can’t understand why we won’t ‘roll over and play dead’--why we won’t be ‘satisfied’ to let our wives and children run our homes and communities, as we notice in some of the other cultures in our present day.
Those who are involved in Islam, Freemasonry, Hinduism, Judaism, Multiculturalism and a host of other ‘isms’ and political persuasions still refuse to acknowledge that Black Men can think, will survive, and will overcome--without outside help. We, like all men, are made in the image of God. The truth is, unlike some cultures, we KNOW that God says what He means, and means what He says!
As a matter of fact, let me make a rather bold statement for these ‘lying’ times. The most dangerous Black man in the world is the one who dares to follow the biblical road; the most dangerous Black man in the world is a Christian Black man!
Why?
Because he is not ruled by fear, feelings, or the flesh--but by the Spirit of God.
Oh, I know that I’ll receive more than a few letters to challenge this column, but it’s not the Critic who counts. The truth always yields its own fruit. Whether or not anyone bothers to taste what comes from the truth tree, does not change one iota the fact that the tree is still growing and producing fruit.
Black Men--don’t hang your head in shame. Yes, we have problems, but then, so does everyone else! We have shortcomings, but then, so does everyone else! You may not ‘get that goal’ on the first shot out of the box, but then, neither did anyone else. You may have failed in that business, relationship, or dream. But then, so has everyone else!
The hurting, the jealous, the envious, and the poor in character will always ‘buzz’ around you with lies. Roll up the truth, and swat each one of those lies, like the pesky bugs that they are, and go on. The reward is just up ahead, waiting for you, on the road of life.
Mike Ramey is the author of ‘The Manhood Line’, a syndicated, monthly column written for men from the biblical, business, and common-sense perspective. To correspond, email to manhoodline@yahoo.com. (C) 2001 Mike Ramey/Barnstorm Communications International (12)