₦airaland Forum

According to certain theological dogma every human being is granted “free-will” by God; the right to make our own choices with no interference or influence.

But when the only available options are limited is it still a free choice or simply a dilemma?

When there is a gift and penalty attached to those narrow options, is that not supposed to influence our decision?

When one is confronted by only two possibilities - eternal subjugation or perpetual torture - where exactly does “free will” feature if one will be condemned for a particular “choice”?

Are we not thus coerced into making a particular decision?

2good: 4.Exclusive ownership of the true god and damnation of worshipper of other gods.

+1

On the contrary I believe there's death before life (and not in the literal term as we may perceive). If one is not conscious then such a person is asleep and one only begins to wake up from the slumber once they tap into their conciousness hence my chart from death to life. But this is a matter of the mind and not the body. It's the other way around with the body. Physically death is inevitable but does our conscious inner self need a body? if not there is "life" after death.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XsKk9Aj4MU

BK911, Xionez, The_telz

tennis

Lucky Dube - Remember me

ogugua88: I totally agree. I don't want to sound like I'm discriminating against Africans but rap doesn't flow as well with us, Mokobe included. I like what he says though lol. Yep, I love how Seun put Naija influence on that one

I think Africans are capable in the art of rap but rap of a different nature. We have a certain cadence so I find it rather incompatible that some Africans try to model American rap.

I've been listening to a lot of authentic African music as of late

Tried Thomas Mapfumo?

particularly Nigerian though. Rummaging through my dad's old cassettes and records lol.

Got any recommendations? I’m perhaps the only Nigerian my age that’s not a fan of Naija mainstream music but I still crave to listen to some of my country’s music so I usually sieve for old, traditional or authentic Nigerian music.

What of Fally Ipupa? He's gaining ground in Nigeria (at last lol). If you dig into his albums though, past the fast tempo songs, he's actually good and melodic. He composes well too. Modern, but he keeps the Congolese sound there too. "Attente" and "Mabele" are a couple of my faves from him.

Fally Ipupa eh? I knew he will make it both within and outside of Africa. I was once a listener when he wasn't too known. Now his fame has sort of repelled me a bit lol so I don’t listen to him anymore but I enjoyed his music. Yes he has put a modern spin on Congolese music at the same time trying to remain faithful to the local genre. I've always been a fan of the Congolese guitar plucking.

I dey o . . .no mind me, the new NL display con chase me but now the prodigal has returned

. .but Jamace I wan ask one small thing sha, wetin be sosongo?

Well personally I’ve always been a little wary of this idea of compulsory love – worship me or perish sounds like extortion to me.

A being that had engineered the whole system so deliberately limited the available options to eternal subjugation or perpetual torture appears pretty conceited to me.

But I guess that's how I interpret the message.

The arguments here more often than not are solely aimed to provoke thus the frequency of collision which some are now trying to avoid in what several see as a futile and tedious exercise.

I don’t see why there should be disharmony due to our various beliefs or lack of nor should it even be a competition.

What do I consider as winning?
. . .
-making more atheists from religious people
. . .

Hmm the evangelical atheist?

bayfam: ......oh maybe u r not even 30sometin yet......

Haha don’t mind my 20something self. . . Pardon me for trespassing and derailing. No vex o. I have left you to continue.

sauer: sorry, your post repeats itself so often it's confused. Are you that deluded?

To be fair he has a point or two. Such discussions should really feature in the culture section or via mail or better yet if it was in accordance to the theme of the thread and some of us are overage underage sha.

[size=5pt]But I don’t understand why some people have to be so flaming rude when expressing their complaint.[/size]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLR5-5-Rr2M&feature=related

ogugua88: Yeah, Mokobe is a rap star really lol. I like his modern African rhythms. He did this song with Viviane N'dour, "Safari", which I really love. That's actually my fave from him, simply because of her. Her voice is mesmerizing. He also did a song with Seun Kuti, which is pretty good.

Well I must admit I'm usually biased against African rappers - I assume they try and form something that they're not even though I know not all of them are like that. I like Tukuleur though (well I've only actually listened to one song from them lol)
But you're right, Vivane N'dour has a mesmerizing voice.
I'm listening to Mokobe and Seun's duet currently and it's not bad.

This is off-topic, lol, but I'm guessing you like Oliver Mtukudzi?

Lol how did you make the correlation? Yeah I love Tuku. I respect authentic African music.

Lmao

bilms: do you see the similarity between them? tell us.

They're both also bald

Rokia Traoré - Sabali

a) He is not preaching. He is entertaining.
b) It is not a synagogue. It's a "church".

It's one thing I've always pondered about in Christianity. Having diversity in a shared belief is not something I deem as necessarily conflicting or contradictory but when it appears that believers of the same professed god are disunited in one faith there appears something amiss. Some denominations are antithetical to one another some even claim to be more righteous and it is such that makes one wonder about the directions these churches are going.
Different bibles, different religious personnels, different rules etc.
Do some denominations exist solely to sabotage? Which denomination(s) is genuine?
I imagine such exercise to be pretty confusing for a person who is seeking to adopt a faith....if such person chooses Christianity after surveying through which religion to adopt, the next task is to find out which denomination one should assume

dalaman: Why are women more religious than men? I notice that women are generally more religious than men, why is that so?

Why are women more religious? hmm. . .

I have no idea if statistics reflects this but a few factors should be taken into consideration.

Women often volunteer for activities in the community of course that goes for religious activities - whether they actually have "belief" is another matter entirely - so some are very much involved in these associations.

Also in countries particularly ones which are "underdeveloped". . . women are not as educated as men or independent as men. Women from these backgrounds are usually either under their husband or parental governance . . . .if those households happened to be religious...then no doubt these women who are under another authority would most likely comply with those staple religions.

Tos87: My friend visited a Village in Delta State. He was advised not to eat Alligator...that if he does he will die. I want to know if, in your place, there is any animal that you shouldn't eat and the consequence(s) that is/are suffered by anyone who does.

Lol, which village is that? I ask because that same prohibition exists in my father's maternal side of Delta state. I've heard some talk about the person who dares disobey and eat of the alligator and as a consequence their skin transforms into reptilian scales . . . .however dem too chop alligator pepper

And in my father's village they are not to eat crocodile because it's seen as sacred.
However I'm really keen to eat crocodile one day and I am the least experimental and enthusiastic about food.

odumchi: At my place, we don't eat snakes, or vultures. However, we eat alligators, dogs, monkeys, wild boar, chimpanzees and bush meat as delicacies.

My lips are already watering . . .

Lol @ bolded. Interesting menu.

ifyalways: Let's pretend that the white/ Arab man didn't come with their religions, were there really a point in history when we did appreciate our articrafts? Has it not always been linked with one god or the other, something to be revrenced?

My few visits to Nike art center and terra culture lagos have made me to sort of believe that our arts, heritage would continue to find its way to the western world where its appreciated cos our people, you and I don't give a damn. Black US evil. . . Self hate. Much.

There were societies that highly regarded their craft and art. Some of their art is what made them prestigious anyway and some of them guarded their craft jealously. The fact that many of these arts had been preserved for more than centuries suggests that some indeed valued these works although it may also serve to highlight that perhaps they had particular significant functions.
I do think generally Westerners appreciate art much more than Africans though because they regard art differently. Largely our art seems to always have a function, there is most likely a need for our art in relation to society but the West often behold art as an aesthetic (or investment) and can appreciate the art independent of function so you’re most likely right about some work possibly ending up in Western nations regardless. I think Africans not only perceive art as a means of communication and expression but of morality.

ifyalways: I love the Yrouba talking drums.Would rather be found @ a talking drum festival than to go listen to 'em gangsta rap.

Lol ditto.

sauer: Of course, art is not for effect. Magic may be, but art is no magic! My Nigerian people don't however understand a bit of this.

Hmm. No. Art is not merely for effect at least in my mind and prefence. I believe there has to be some design, reasoning, philosophy behind it not just a simple "ta daaa" and subsequent round of applause. But art for effect doesn't necessarily mean it has no depth, perhaps only in its employment or function. Some art for example stirs controversy thereby arousing interesting responses/debates (Damien Hirst excluded) but if it's controversial for the sake of being controversial it comes across as a gimmick, just a trick (Damien Hirst included)

art is not magic? I suppose it's how one considers magic. . .is it a cheap gimmick or an illusion? but some art is just magical.

I thought YBA was spearheading British contemporary art with its creation of some new kind of artistic expression.

Ah what can I say. I think some people are just taken in by popular culture and some are merely investors. Whilst I wouldn't paint them all with the same brush (pun intended) as for some of these personalities there is absolutely no vision, no philosophy, no content behind that in which they bravely call "art". It just leaves me numb. I don't even wish to find out more. I'm not simulated, motivated or inspired. I'm not sold. I'm not fooled.
But it's funny after considering effect because they had the shock factor. I think some are just attention seekers whilst some are merely business men but that's the thing...contemporary art has now largely become a brand - whether that's good or bad is another topic entirely.
However. . . I won't fail to mention that they certainly broke down borders which is both good and bad. Today it seems as if today that almost anything can qualify as art leaving some feeling cheated. However the debate is usually entertaining.

For a while now, I have been wondering why "For the Love of God" must be in flawless diamond and not stones, if wanton effect was not intended

Ha! Tacky personified. The first I saw that product I wanted to vomit. Utterly repulsive as well as the price tag

But is it indeed because of the legacy French colonialists left them?

I believe so. Afterall the french were very much involved with their colony unlike the Brits that had more of an indirect interaction (not that I'm lamenting the fact) it's just something I used to ponder on and the result thereof.

Okay. How much are you paying for an answer!?

Lol oh "for the love of God" sauer

gst101: @emofine i cant stop admiring you. You post topics that stirs the intellect. It challenges that which you already know and stirs you to want to know more.
Quetsion pls; do you think that the ignorance of the africa centered topics you post informs any trend and situation negro africa finds it self today? If yes, how can we change things?

I appreciate your kind words but I believe that any thoughtful or honest African must have questioned or contemplated the issues that affects our continent – maybe not in the same angle but most likely some of these or similar questions must have crossed their minds at least once whether they thought it significant or not. Young Africans are likely to raise these questions and that to me is a good thing. What made sense in the past may not hold much relevance in today’s society or what went wrong in the past may help inform today’s society. The fact that people are asking questions means that things need to be revaluated and one day hopefully revised.

ogugua88: I don't know much music from Mali, apart from Mokobe lol.

I'm just hearing about Mokobe now and I'm not feeling him lol.

Oh ogugua88 you are missing out o...but perhaps you've heard some Malian music unaware but wasn't familiar with the musicians. Their music is one of the most recognized and appreciated from Africa with good reason too. But I think their music strikes a spiritual chord more so than their francophone neighbours.

Habib koite

Salif Keita

Oumare sangare

Ali farka toure

Mariam et amadou . . .

etc are all legends

Yes, Senegalese music is great too.

What do you think of Ismael Lo?

Digriz: May be the op is more interested in having s.eX in heaven.

On the contrary. Apparently I'm going to hell.

They don't know their language
They don't know their God
They take what their given
Even when it feels Odd. .
. .So they end up in prisons
They end up in blood

Funny thing is that one of the famed stories of the bible featured a young lad named Daniel. He was esteemed for not bowing down to a foreign god.

sauer: So, what does he know or not know?

He knows how to create women

Image123: What points? I answered your OP and its title 'is there equality?' NO, no and no again. It'd be unjust.
As an avid reader of the Word, you should have come across what Jesus said about male and female in Heaven, or closer still, of marriage in the afterlife.

I did not profess to know/understand everything in fact I even admitted that some of my assertions may be wrong. I don't think it's wrong for one to ask for clarification if they've read the bible or not. Besides my questions were not exclusive to Christianity.
Beforehand I knew in the Christian offering of heaven, the concept of marriage doesn't translate in the after life. However my question was in reference to men and women in society at large not just a matrimonial setting. In the biblical scripture Christ explains that the saints are "but are as the angels of God in heaven". . .
. . . thus celestial bodies don't have a gender?
I was thinking of this question because for so long I've been told by christian relatives/acquaintances that the righteous one and his or her beloved that makes it will get to reunite with their "mum, dad, spouse, children" etc but if indeed our form will be different . . .do these earthly bonds/relationships i.e. "mother" "sister" translate in heaven? Or will the population of saints not be diverse and be of one kind having no inclination to another individual based on former relationship(s) established on earth?

Sexist pig!

Loan shark