Sent: Sunday, May 7, 2023 2:04:38 PM
To: USA Africa Dialogue Series <usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Today's Quote
Dear Chidi,
Some time ago I came across Meher Baba and read his "God Speaks". It's reported that after he took a vow of silence he communicated by writing with chalk on a slate and then by spelling out what he had to say via an alphabet board, and later on he communicated through his own special sign language
Needless to say, because life is precious you've got to be careful with whatever poetic statements you make, and of course, where you make your poetic claims. See what happened with Jesus for more or less saying, what Mansur al-Hallaj said: "anal haq" - "I am the truth" - in person. That got the Mullahs of his day to see red, so he was crucified.
In the case of Jesus, he (Jesus) added some cream to the claim when he said to his disciples, "I am the way and the truth and the life." , and added " No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know[b] my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him."
Somewhere else in the Gospel according to John, he is reported to have said,
" I and the Father are one."
Again his Jewish opponents picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus said to them, "I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?"
"We are not stoning you for any good work," they replied, "but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God."
Jesus answered them, "Is it not written in your Law, 'I have said you are "gods"'? If he called them 'gods,' to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be set aside— what about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, 'I am God's Son'? Do not believe me unless I do the works of my Father. But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father." Again they tried to seize him, but he escaped their grasp."
The Jewish Mullahs/ Pharisees of his day eventually made sure that he got nailed on the cross.
Luckily for you, if you go around in the Owerri Motor Park proclaiming that you are God or the Voice of God or one of God's poetic voices, the people who may listen to you or hear you will merely think that you are crazy and worst case scenario, they would probably have you locked up in a mental asylum - like Baako as a suffering servant in Ayi Kwei Armah's novel, Fragments ( His people can't understand that he's back home to Ghana after bagging a good degree from Harvard and yet doesn't want to join the echelons of high society with all the paraphernalia that goes with the senior service status, big car, some big booty, and big cigar, etc….
No one has to tell dear Chidi, that he shouldn't make that kind of poetic statement that you are " God" or " the Voice of God" up North in e.g. Zamfara, Sokoto or Kano because they will be likely to make halal kebabs out of you. I'm afraid that Ken Harrow of PEN International and Amnesty International would not be able to save your poetic ass.
A word to the wise should be sufficient ;
"Fools rush in where angels fear to tread"….
Alhaji Waziri Oshomah : Luaka Bop
USA Africa Dialogue Series - Today's QuoteTrashChidi Anthony Opara, FIIM, CDOAOga TF, Adeshina,
I am one of God's voices in Literature. I am a mouthpiece of God. There are others of course.
God speaks all languages, including the sign languages.
God is not just religion. When Isaac Newton, etc, discovered principles which have made living worthwhile, they were under the guidance of God, even though some of them may not have believed in the existence of God.-CAO.
On Saturday, May 6, 2023, Toyin Falola <toyin.f...@gmail.com> wrote:
Sir:
I am totally confused:
Did you mean to say
You are one of the voices of Literature in God?
But I also more confused:
The last time I saw God, we communicated in Latin. Do you speak Latin?
TF
From: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com <usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Chidi Anthony Opara, FIIM, CDOA <chidi...@gmail.com>
Date: Saturday, May 6, 2023 at 3:44 PM
To: USA African Dialogue Series <usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com>
Subject: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Today's QuoteI am one of the voices of God in Literature.
-Chidi Anthony Opara (CAO).
--
Chidi Anthony Opara is a Poet, IIM Professional Fellow, MIT Chief Data Officer Ambassador and Editorial Adviser at News Updates (https://updatesonnews.substack.com)--
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Chidi Anthony Opara is a Poet, IIM Professional Fellow, MIT Chief Data Officer Ambassador and Editorial Adviser at News Updates (https://updatesonnews.substack.com)
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