A CLOUD WITH A SILVER LINING a commentary by BROTHER TAALIK IBN’RAD ACCORDING TO THE BIBLICAL STORY THE CREATOR MADE IT CLEAR TO ADAM & EVE THAT THEY MAY MAKE USE OF ALL WITHIN EDEN ALL ACCEPT A TREE THAT SUPPOSE TO CONTAIN SOME TYPE OF KNOWLEDGE. A SNAKE SLITHERED TO EVE AND TOLD HER A STORY THAT WOULD MAKE HER VERY CURIOUS ABOUT WHAT THIS TREE AND WHAT THE SNAKE WAS ABOUT.MAY I SAY THAT SNAKES DO NOT TALK LEAST TO SAY THE AVERAGE WOMAN OR MAN FOR THAT MATTER HAS A FEAR OF SNAKES. A SNAKE WOULD HAVE PROBLEMS GETTING CLOSE TO ONE LEAST TO SAY TALK TO SOMEBODY. THERE IS NO TREE THAT CONTAINS KNOW- LEDGE EXCEPT AFTER IT HAS BEEN TURNED INTO PAPER AND SOMEONE WRITES UPON IT. ANYWAY EVE’S LISTENING TO THE SNAKE CAUSED HER & ADAM TO BE BANISHED FROM HEAVEN ON EARTH. THE FIRST TO BLAME WAS MR. SNAKE SO TO GIVE EVE AN EXCUSE, AT THE SAME TIME MR. SNAKE DID NOT FORCE EVE TO EAT THE FRUIT FROM THE TREE OF KNOWLEDGE HE MERELY MADE A SUGGESTION THAT EVE WOULD BE MISSING AN AWFUL LOT AS THE CREATOR WAS HIDING SOMETHING. I BELIEVE & IT IS ONLY MY OPINION TO PLACE BLAME ON THE SNAKE WHEN HE ONLY MADE A SUGGESTION HE TEASED CURIOSITY A CURIOSITY THAT BURNED INSIDE BOTH ADAM & EVE. SOMETHING THAT THEY WANTED TO DO EVEN IF THERE WAS NO SNAKE BUT TODAY INSTEAD OF ACCEPTING RESPONSIBILITY WE DECIDE TO FIND AN EXCUSE. THE DEVIL MADE ME DO IT OR YOU KNOW I AM HUMAN SO THAT MAKES ME WEAK BY NATURE, JUST BECAUSE YOU ARE WEAK & SILLY HOW DO YOU KNOW AND CAN JUDGE ALL HUMANS ARE WEAK? YES, WE ARE ALL SUBJECT TO TEMPTATION BUT YOU CAN’T TEMPT ME WITH SOMETHING I DO NOT WANT. YOU CAN’T TEMPT A DONKEY TO MOVE WITH A STEAK AS A DONKEY DON’T EAT STEAKS, HOWEVER HE MAY BUDGE IF A CARROT IS OFFERED. YOU WILL CHEAT ON YOUR HUSBAND OR WIFE NOT BECAUSE OF WEAKNESS, YOU CHEAT BECAUSE IT’S SOMETHING YOU’VE ALWAYS WANTED TO DO BECAUSE YOUR MARRIAGE WAS FOUNDED ON WEAKNESS. YOU ENJOY THE GAME OF CHEATING, THE IDEA OF GETTING CAUGHT FOR YOU MARRIAGE WAS A JOKE TO BEGIN WITH. I KNOW YOU ARE WEAK. YOU WENT BACK ON THE BOTTLE I KNOW BECAUSE YOU ARE WEAK NOT BECAUSE YOU LIKE BEING OUT OF YOUR MIND WITH DRUNKENESS, YOU FIND SOME TYPE OF JOY BEING A FOOL ACTING OUT IN A SELF DESTRUCTIVE MANNER. HOW CONVIENT IT IS TO BLAME THE WEAKNESS OF SELF OR THE DEVIL WHEN THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS THAT THIS IS SOMETHING YOU WANTED TO DO ALL ALONG. EVE’S CURIOUSITY WAS AROUSED AS SHE BELIEVED THE CREATOR WAS HIDING SOMETHING THAT WOULD MAKE HER PERHAPS AS POWERFUL AS HE. SHE WANTED TO KNOW JUST AS A CHILD TRIES TO SNEAK A PEEK INTO HIS OR HER PARENT’S BEDROOM, THE CHILD SIMPLY IS CURIOUS & WANTS TO KNOW EVEN THOU HE HAS BEEN WARNED NOT TO DO SO, SO IF FOR SOME REASON THE DOG OPENS THE PARENTS DOOR, THE CHILD WILL NOT STOP THE DOG BECAUSE THEY ALSO WANT TO BE UNINVITED IN, OF COURSE THE CHILD KNOWS TROUBLE WILL FOLLOW & SIMPLY BLAME THE SNAKE, I MEAN DEVIL, I MEAN PRESIDENT, I MEAN MOTHER, I MEAN TEACHER, I MEAN DOG ( SMILE ) THEY ACCEPT NO FAULT, RESPONS- IBILITY FALLS UPON THE SHOULDER OF SOMETHING OR SOMEONE ELSE. IN MY OPINION ALL THIS TO SAY I BELIEVE WE WILL BE A LOT BETTER OFF TO STOP PASSING THE BUCK AND BLAMING DEVILS AND SNAKES FOR THAT WE HAVE CONTROL OF BUT WILL NOT DO SO. ACKNOWLEDGE FAULT AND SEEK TO CORRECT ERROR IF IT IS POSSIBLE AS IN SOME CASES THERE IS NO SECOND CHANCE. THE CREATOR DID GIVE ADAM STRICT ORDERS AND THERE WAS NO SECOND CHANCE THUS HUMANITY HAS BEEN BURDEN WITH TOIL. CORRECTING ERROR & ACCEPTING RESPONSIBILITY WILL PROVE A BETTER ACTION IN THE LONG RUN WE SUFFER GRAVE ILLS IN SOCIETY AS HUMANS UPON THE EARTH BECAUSE WE’D RATHER PASS THE BUCK, IT CAN ONLY GET WORSE AND THE THING CALLED TERRORISM WILL NOT ONLY BE A SCENE ON THE EVENING NEWS BUT A WAY OF LIFE. COUNTRY AGAINST COUNTRY, NEIGHBORS AGAINST NEIGHBORS, FAMILY AGAINST FAMILY. CLOUD WITH A SILVER LINING a commentary by BROTHER TAALIK IBN’RAD I WAS JUST THINKING & I WONDER WHY MANY HUMANS LIKE TO PRAISE THINGS. IN ANCIENT TIMES THE PEOPLE PRAISED IDOLS & MADE THESE ITEMS GOD, SOME THING TO BE WORSHIPPED. MANY OF US TAKE PICTURES OF THOSE WE ADMIRE OR CONSIDER A HERO AND PASTE THEM ALL OVER OUR ROOMS & HOMES. I WONDER FOR THOSE OF US WHO BELIEVE IN THE PROPHETS OR SON OF GOD FEEL THERE IS NOTHING INCORRECT WITH THIS TYPE OF BE- HAVIOR OR EVEN IF THE PROPHETS THEMSELVES WOULD APPROVE OF SUCH. DO NOT GET ME WRONG WHEN USED CORRECTLY PRAISE CAN BE A VERY POSITIVE THING IT CAN INSPIRE A PERSON TO SEEK A HIGHER FUNCTIONING LEVEL BUT THE DANGER IS PRAISE CAN LEAD TO ARROGANCE MAKING ONE BELIEVE ONE IS MUCH GREATER THAN ONE TRULY IS. FOR EXAMPLE, THERE IS NO DOUBT THIS COUNTRY OF WHICH WE RESIDE IS A GREAT NATION. IT SURELY IS AHEAD OF IT’S TIME COMPARED TO MANY NATIONS THAT DO NOT BELIEVE IT’S CITIZEN’S SHOULD NOT BE GIVEN SO MUCH. AMERICA IS A WONDERFUL PLACE TO LIVE HOWEVER, PRAISE CAN LEAD TO ARROGANCE AND THE DELUSION THAT ONE IS INVULNERABLE. SO IT IS A SHOCKING THING TO VIEW PLANES CRASHING INTO THE WORLD TRADE CENTER AS THIS CAN NOT HAPPEN NOR COULD WE BELIEVE AS GOOD IN OUR EYES WE THINK WE ARE, HOW COULD ONE DO SUCH A THING? AT THE SAME TIME OUR GREATNESS HAS CAUSED US TO INTERFERE WITH THE BUSINESS OF OTHER NATIONS TO BECOME THE POLICE MEN OF THE WORLD. WE TELL OTHERS WHAT THEY CAN OR CAN’T HAVE, DO OR WHAT THEY CAN NOT DO. WE IN OUR GREATNESS BELIEVE OTHERS SHOULD BE LIKE US AND HAVE NO CHOICE BUT YET DEMOCRACY I’M TOLD IS BASED ON CHOICE AND THE WILL & WANTS OF THE PEOPLE NOT THE WILL OF A DICTATOR OR TYRANT. THIS IS A SUBJECT IN ITSELF BUT WHAT I WANT TO KNOW IS IT A GOOD THING TO PRAISE & WORSHIP, WHETHER THAT PRAISE BE TO A HERO LIKE MARTIN LUTHER KING OR A MAN MADE INTO GOD LIKE JESUS? REMEMBER THIS IS ONLY MY HUMBLE OPINION AND I HOPE THAT IT WOULD CAUSE US TO REFLECT AS WELL AS RESEARCH, USE COMMON SENSE & LOGIC. LET ME EXPLAIN BY AN EXAMPLE. MICHAEL JACKSON IN THE WORLD OF MUSIC IS THE IDOL OF MILLIONS, YOU CAN SEE HIS INFLUENCE FROM JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE TO USHER. I WATCH THESE NEW STARS WHO ARE INFLUENCED BY MICHAEL’S WORK. IT IS TRUE THEY MAKE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS AND I AM HAPPY FOR THEM BUT NONE HAVE YET TO MOVE THE MEDIUM TO ANOTHER LEVEL AS MICHAEL DID. WATCHING ONE OF THEIR VIDEOS IS LIKE WATCHING MICHAEL’S THEY’VE DONE NOTHING TO MAKE VIDEOS IN A MANNER OF WHEN THRILLER WAS FIRST MADE SOME PEOPLE ACTUALLY TOOK OF FROM WORK TO SEE IT’S PREMIERE. MICHAEL ON THE OTHER HAND WAS INFLUENCED BY OTHER ENTERTAINERS BUT HE EVOLVED AND TOOK EN- TERTAINMENT TO ANOTHER LEVEL OF WHERE EVEN THOSE HE ADMIRED MARVEL AT HIM. THE LATE MARTIAL ARTIST BRUCE LEE WAS TRAINED BY TEN DIFFERENT TEACHERS HE TOOK WHAT HE WAS TAUGHT TO ANOTHER LEVEL. SO WHAT I AM SAYING IS THAT WHEN WE PRAISE ANOTHER AND DO NOT SEEK THE TALENT DEEP WITHIN SELF, WE STALL OUR- SELVES THUS WE DO NOT GO NO FURTHER THAN THE MILES PUT ON THE CAR OF THE ONE WE ADMIRE. WHEN WE DECIDE TO WORSHIP WHAT WE ADMIRE INSTEAD OF STUDYING THAT WHICH MAKES THEM WHAT THEY ARE, WHEN WE MARVEL AT WHAT THEY DONE BUT HAVE DONE NOTHING OURSELVES WE BECOME STUNTED IN OUR OWN GROWTH. IN MANY A CASE USUALLY BY CHANCE PERSONS GO BEYOND WHAT THEY WERE TAUGHT & IT IS MARVELED BUT THIS CAN HAPPEN ON A LARGER SCALE IF WE WOULD NOT SETTLE FOR SOMEONE ELSE ACCOMPLISHMENTS. FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS WE HAVE PRAISED JESUS BUT YET THE BELIEF SYSTEM DEDICATED TO HIM HAS NOT EVOLVED IT HAS HAD NO EFFECT ON THE MASSES, IT HAS NOT RAISED NO ONE FROM THE DEAD OR NO ONE WALKS ON WATER EXCEPT THRU THE ILLUSION OF FILM IN THIS THE FOLLOWERS OF THIS BELIEF HAVE NOT EVEN ACOMPLISHED THAT THE ANCIENTS HAVE DONE LEAST TO SAY GO BEYOND SUCH. WE HURT OURSELVES WHEN WE TALK ABOUT WHAT JESUS DID, WHAT MICHAEL DID, WHAT BRUCE DID, THE REAL QUESTION IS WHAT HAVE YOU DONE OR ARE DOING HOW CAN YOU OR US GET WHERE THEY ARE & BEYOND? THE AUTOMOBILES THAT YOU SEE ON THE ROAD TODAY ARE NOT LIKE THE ONES OF THE EARLY 1900’S, THEY ARE MUCH MORE POWERFUL & SOFISTICATED. THE CARS OF TODAY ARE MUCH BETTER EQUIPPED TO DEAL WITH THE TIME. SO IN CONCLUSION WHAT I AM SAYING IS THAT WHEN WE GO BEYOND RESPECT & HONOR TO PRAISE & WORSHIP WE BEGIN A PROCESS THAT STUNTS OUR GROWTH AND WE OPERATE LIKE A FORD MODEL T INSTEAD OF A FORD ESCALADE. SO THE QUESTION IS HOW CAN WE PLACE OURSELVES ON THE PATH OF SELF-IMPROVEMENT AS I SUGGEST? YOU & I WILL NOTICE THE CHANGE IN SELF WHEN WE BEGIN TO STUDY INSTEAD OF PRAISE. I WOULD QUESTION ANY BELIEF SYSTEM OR FORM OF THOUGHT THAT SUGGESTS TO US TO ONLY HAVE FAITH AND BELIEVE, IT IS WRONG TO QUESTION & ASK WHY. THIS REMINDS ME OF THE SAYING THAT WE SHOULD BEWARE OF FALSE PROPHETS OR DO NOT LISTEN TO NOTHING OUTSIDE OF YOUR BELIEF SYSTEM OR FORM OF THOUGHT AS THIS FALSE PROPHET OR VALID INFORMATION MAY MAKE YOU HAVE SIGHT OF WHERE THE BELIEF SYSTEM HAVE MADE YOU BLIND. DO NOT LISTEN TO FALSE PROPHETS OR OTHER FORMS OF INFORMATION BECAUSE THE BELIEF SYSTEM IS WEAK AND IT MUST PROTECT ITSELF FOR IT IS WEAK, AND IN MOST CASES FULL OF UNTRUTHS. IT WILL BE EXPOSED FOR WHAT IT TRULY MAYBE, MIND YOU AS I’VE SAID BEFORE EVEN GOOD FOOD HAS POISONS IN IT. DUE TO THE FACT WE ARE UNLEARNED IN A BELIEF SYSTEM WE REFUSE TO RESEARCH, USE COMMON SENSE & LOGIC IT MAY BE BEST TO LET SOME THINGS GO BECAUSE WE DO NOT KNOW HOW TO PROCESS OR DIGEST THIS MENTAL FOOD PERHAPS IT IS BETTER TO AVOID. WHERE IS IT WRITTEN THAT YOU CAN’T BE A FULL HUMAN BEING UNLESS WE ARE PRAISING OR WORSHIPPING SOMEONE OR SOME THING? HOW ABOUT LEARNING & PRAISING SELF FOR A CHANGE, KNOWING WHO AND WHAT YOU ARE WITHIN THE INDIVIDUAL SELF. WHEN YOU BEGIN TO APPRECIATE SELF YOU WILL NOT MARVEL AT SO MUCH WHAT OTHERS ACCOMPLISH AS WE ALL HAVE THE SAME ABILITIES, IT IS OUR INABILITY TO FIND OUR OWN TALENT & EXPLOIT SUCH. WE PRAISE AND WORRY ABOUT OTHERS. LIKE A BEEHIVE THERE IS NONE BETTER THAN ANOTHER FOR THEY KNOW ONE WITHOUT THE OTHER THEY WILL PERISH, UNFORTUNATELY AS HUMAN BEINGS WE HAVE NOT LEARNED THAT LESSON AS WE LOVE FOR OTHERS TO MAKE US SEEM MORE THAN WHAT WE ARE. I AM BETTER BECAUSE I AM RICH, I AM BETTER BECAUSE I AM SMART BUT WE ARE NOT SMART ENOUGH TO KNOW LIKE THE INSECT THAT LIVING ONE WITHOUT THE OTHER WE ALL WILL PERISH, THUS IT SHOULD NOT BE NO SURPRISE THAT HUMAN BEINGS ARE IN THIS STATE OF TOTAL CHAOS & WAR A CONDITION IT HAS SUFFERED SINCE RECORDED TIME. I SUGGEST TO US TO SEEK OUR OWN TALENTS AND LEARN TO LOVE AND FIND SELF, FIND OUR PLACE IN BEE SOCIETY WHETHER IT IS A DRONE, WORKER OR QUEEN BEE FOR WITHOUT THE LOVE OF SELF AND COMMUNITY SURELY LIKE THE CIVILIZATIONS BEFORE IT WILL BECOME THAT OF THE PAST ONLY ROCKS & ASH WHERE GREATNESS ONCE STOOD DO NOT ALLOW YOURSELF TO BECOME ROCK & ASH.THANKS FOR LISTENING. |