Estimated reading time: 9 minute(s)
by Willie Muhammad
Two occurrences inspired this blog series. One, the creative mind of Brother Jesse Muhammad and two, a conversation that I had with some youth. The first occurrence is self-explanatory, Brother Jesse is a genius. The second will require some explanation.
After previewing, a yet to release documentary about violence in New Orleans with some youth I work with, a discussion led by the documentary’s creator arose. He asked the students did they think that anything could be done to help change the tide of violence that is plaguing the communities they live in. I sat there and heard youth after youth say, “We can’t do anything…People don’t listen…It is, what it is…The hood will always be violent…I can only worry about me and mines.â€
As I listened I reflected on how their comments and feelings about our condition were already prophesied about in the Bible (Ezekiel 37:1-14). Of course, you know I could not remain quiet. I began my comments talking about how a large portion of our suffering today is due to our thinking, which is rooted in “powerlessness.†I told them that it amazes me how they say they cannot influence others (their peers in particular), yet I see them do it all the time. I then began to ask them a series of questions to show how they influence others daily. I asked, “How many of you are the reasons many of the friends in your circle smoke weed? How many of you influenced your friend(s) to go and approach another male or female they were interested in? How many of you influenced your friends to dress a certain way?†The more I asked these questions, the more they realized how much influence they do have. I then told them about how research shows that the greatest influence of youth are other youth. I then challenged them to use that influence in positive ways.
The more I reflected on that conversation the more I realized how much of this “powerless mindset†has continued to be passed down. That made me realize the power of what was given to the Honorable Elijah Muhammad. The ultimate aim of his Teachings is to reconnect us to the Divine (God) that exists within. When I say the Divine, I am speaking about that ability to use our own Force and Power (which is the meaning of God) to produce change. The reason we are not using it is because we don’t know it exists INSIDE OF US. This is what we want to talk about in this brief blog series. There is a reason why we don’t know it exists in us; I will close with a story that illustrates this point.
Satan gathered all of Creation and said, “I need your help to hide something from the humans. I want to hide the realization that they create their own reality.” The eagle said, “Give it to me, I will take it to the moon.” Satan said, “No. One day they will go there and find it.” The salmon said, “I will bury it on the bottom of the ocean.” “No. They will go there too.” The buffalo said, “I will bury it on the Great Plains.” Satan said, “They will cut into the skin of the Earth and find it even there.” Grandmother Mole, who lives in the breast of Mother Earth, and who has no physical eyes but sees with spiritual eyes, said, “Put it inside of them.” And Satan said, “It is done.”Â
(Student Minister Willie Muhammad is the New Orleans representative of the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan and Nation of Islam. Follow him on Twitter http://twitter.com/#!/BroWM46)
