₦airaland Forum

I see u made another thread about this.

The main problem the igbo traditional system is facing is CHRISTIANITY
now am not here to bash Christianity but to preach the goodness in African religious traditions.

Christianity covers about 70% of the whole population of Religious Igbos and We all know the discriminating attitude by Christians and Muslims towards Traditionalist. The few remaining Pagans are being labelled as Evil doers, worshipers of Satan.

Pastors preach everything they can to deviate the igbos away from their ancestral foundations. I once heard about a woman who changed the names of her children from Igbo names to the equivalent english translations, She claimed she was told by her pastor that such names are what the devil uses to bring down her family. Thats just stupid talk, changing igbo names to the direct english translations and u think If peradventure the igbos names brought evil, changing it to their direct english translations would change the course of such evil. This am sure happens with a lot of Ibos, infact Africans.

Church goers should be conscious of their pastors motives, these pastors are the devil u are supposed to be running away from,
Imagine, I was watching this "CHAMPIONS TV" in my uncles house, The pastor was casting out demons and the demons said they were ancestral family spirits, that have destroyed her career and marriage. I wonder If a such an ancestral spirit truly existed, isnt his job suppose to be protection and blessing to the children of the family. why also destruction. and why is it that these so called demons are always coming every week, claiming to be from the family, or marine spirit bring down the image of spirits like Yemoja, spirit over the marine world (I dont know what the water goddess is called in Igbo) and bringing down the family into a status of demonic worship. Its the things they see and learn in these churches that make them hate their traditions and demonize their ancestral religion.

CHRISTIANITY. NO 1 ENEMY OF AFRICANISM

ReineViolet: I would follow this advice only on one condition: I've got to be 1000% sure I won't be turn down either stylishly or bluntly or I am not told 'I gbadun you too' out of pity.

that's the Same thing that guys fear to ask ladies out.

Jamey Maxwell: Sometimes, I wonder how things would be if I was a woman.
Life iz xo much berra as a Man

because we are smatter. no offence to women but it's a fact

Ajuran: his my son. sorry. feel free to contribute

my opinion is that religions(pagan religions) came to be when ancient civilisations recognised the extra ordinary energy that the universe possessed and began to see them as spirits wit living attributes and these led to the formation of such religions.

But religions like Judaism, Christianity and of course Islam were created to give people a reason to live morally, in hopes to avoid eternal suffering or acquire blessings. I also think these religions were falsely created without any special order from God. God himself wouldn't have wanted more things to divide the world. I spell conspiracy and a deliberate attempt to gain power and influence over people.

italo: So you dont believe GOD can be on earth, yet be in heaven?

You think he is like you that can only be in one place at a time?

God isn't visible, he doesn't have a singular and personified body. every thing is from God, everything makes up God. The earth, air, waters, the whole universe, and of course the spiritual realm(heaven) is made out of God's essence, he is the source of the energy which these things exist on. Everything is God.

Pagan 9ja
How I would love to post somethings on this thread but I guess I have been ban from that section
www.nairaland.com/1466740/igbo-vs-yoruba-religion#1466740.1

Jeez this has become a chatting thread for you both

The largest and richest Religious organisation in the world

Personally I condemn it, it's bad and immoral.

such activities are meant for couples who love each other, and we are humans not goats, so why do it for the world to see?

It's improper and against the essence of humanity

mcfynest: @delafruita....i dont get your point, are you saying Jesus never existed

it is quite possible. Either he never existed or people have corrupted his life story

Young Christians just go for Sunday school to meet their friends, who are mostly girls

philfearon: The Holy Trinity is part of Many Sects of Christian doctrine..The belief is that God is of three Parts: God The Father,God The Son and God The Holy Spirit..
The Key element of this belief is that God is at once a single God,but also that each aspect of Him is individual..
Each part has its own will and personality,but each is also a part of the other..
However,not all christians believe in Trinity.E.g,The Mormons,The Jehovah's Witnesses..Muslims too dont believe in it,but believe Jesus is a great Prophet..
In Eastern Orthodox Churches,The debate about the Holy Trinity is ongoing,with some questioning whether the idea was taken from Pantheistic religions in order to make Christianity Palatable,or whether it is the most accurate depiction of God..The Resolution of this discussion might result in unification of the churches most similar to Roman Catholic Churches,but with Several hundred of Years of Discussion this topic,this has yet to occur..
On the topic,here are the little things to help the Willing mind understand The Holy Trinity Doctrine:
1}You have to Believe,understand and come to terms with the Fact that God Exists.Gen1:1 "In the beginning,God created the Heavens and the Earth..
..
2}You have to also realise that you cannot fully understand the Mystery of God,nor His ways..Understanding it 100% makes you God,which you cannot be... [b]1Cor1:25 "Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men,and the weakness of God is stronger than men" ...
..
3}You have to look at the World around You..God has made His three in one nature known throughout creation,so we can Understand Him..
St.Patrick used three leave Clover when he Evangelized Ireland to buttress this:three leaves,but one clover...
The universe has three parts:Time,Space and matter,but one universe..
Time has three Parts:The past,present and Future..
Matter{the atom}:each atom is made of protons,neutrons and electrons,but one Atom..
Fruit has three parts:the seed,the fruit and skin..
Earth has three parts:The core,Mantel and Crust..
Our environment has three parts:Land,sea and air,but one environment..
Plants has three parts:the roots,stem and leaves..
Humans has three core essentials:Blood,air and Water..
Human body has three parts:The Head{From the Neck Upwards},the Torso{from the Shoulders to the Pelvis} and the legs{from the pelvic girdle downwards}...
I like this a lot because it helps you understand how each is separate with its own function,but are inseparable in Purpose.........Just some thoughts...
..
4}You have to understand that the Bible,is written in Three parts:
The Old Testament was{is} all about God The Father..But towards its end,God the Son{as manifested in Jesus Christ} is introduced to the World..
The First Four books of the New Testament dealt with The life and Ministry of Jesus{God The Son},and When He was about leaving the World,He Promised to Send us the Holy Spirit,which He did..Jesus,being God the Son,made The World Worthy of The Holy Spirit..And so while he left,He gave us His Spirit{Being in one with the Father,John10:30},to continue From Where He left..And so,the World was made worthy of The Spirit of God,and it dwelt among men,and guided and counselled,and convicting men of righteousness and Wickedness in His own Right...
Therefore,the Remaining books of the New Testament is all about The Holy Spirit,and His Works with the Disciples.......Three Phases..
...
5}This is finally the perfect example as to how the Trinitarian christians like me believe God has revealed Himself to Mankind:
Take a look at H20=Water..Put a pan of Water on the stove and heat it..The liquid turns to steam{gaseous state}..Capture the steam and it becomes liquid again when cooled{liquid state}..Freeze the same water in the liquid form,and it turns to ice{solid state}..Keep it again,and it turns to liquid again..
But each form is still H20{water},and every Form has a different use;But still,its all H2O..
When you take this explanation and weigh with most of Jesus' assertion,you will now understand a bit of the picture being painted here..
For instance,John10:30 "I and The Father are One" ..When you subject this statement to the water example above,you will understand Perfectly What Jesus is talking about..
Also,in John10:38 "But if i do,though you do not believe in me,believe the Works,that You may Know and believe that the Father is in Me,and i in Him"...Ask yourself why Jesus kept on saying the same thing over and over again? A Look at the H20 example will also help you understand this more...It is also good you know that Jesus was attacked,even with stones by Jews for making such statements;same way we are attacked today for saying same..
..On many other occassions,Jesus will make such statements as "If You have Seen Me,You have Seen The Father","Noone goes to the Father except through me".Its been all there,but some people have refused to look deep..
TBC

u need to free your mind from the usual Christian doctrine and look into yourself. There's God in u, and u are in God but does that mean you are God? No.

Jesus is not God, he is just a son
I am also just a son
You are also just a son

Pls for the sake of Wisdom and common sense, stop referring to Jesus as God

xager: beht why always negative prophecies?

Tv Joshua na negative man. Prophet of doom like Amos

Logicboy03: Folykaze is right in a sense.


Some atheists praise buddhism or sometumes hinduism like some intellectual philosophy.

Take muskeeto aka amanfrommars who talks about hinduism like it is some kind of sensible philosophy.

While buddhism and hinduism are atheistic and more humanistic than the abrahamic religionsn they still contain pockets of ignorance.

There are many schools of thoughts within these Asian religions. Some of them wise, some foolish.


I amb very consistent in saying that religions, no matter how sensible they are, are a waste of time. Man can bé good with or without them



Atheist boss

so u the boss of the NL atheist group?

Yooguyz: why do you believe the above?

where did you get that from?

the word was as a god right?

Because God cannot leave his duty of tending to the continuity of the universe and control of the world to come down as a man. Even if he did that, no man would be able to behold his presence.

It's common sense

I don't get wat u mean here

Eze Promoe: [color=crimson][b]NOLLYWOOD: The 2nd largest movie industry in terms of production output. Most watched in Africa.

AFROBEAT: When you talk of this, everyone knows you are talking of Nigerian music. Fela, the progenitor, was known anywhere in the world just like Bob Marley. The word "Afrobeat" is included in the 8th edition of Oxford English dictionary.

At least that is the major brands peculiar to Nigeria. Others are Literature, Religion fanatics, Africa's largest oil producing nation, Highest black population etc.
Anyone who closes his/her ears and eyes to anything good from Nigeria, will never hear or see anything good about the country.
If the OP could defy the poverty, corruption and primitiveness and mention a country like Kenya because of the wild life which is prevalent in the East and Southern African countries in general, while is Nigeria not suitable for such, having the richest blackman and a gargantuan oil reserves.

THE MIDDLE EAST is known for violence, but yet everyone wanna shop in Dubai.

JAPAN is known for natural disasters, yet people see it as a destination for technology.

SOUTH AFRICA is known for rape crime, homicide etc, yet seen as African biggest economy.

NIGERIA is corrupt, NIGERIA is doomed, NIGERIA is this and that, thats all you hear Nigerians say.
Negative Mindsets!

Do you know that many people, especially Africans are praying for a visa to get into Nigeria.
My Kenyan friend on Facebook who is an upcoming musician keeps telling me that the best thing that will happen to him in life is to get a visa to Nigeria.
He sees here as a place where he can boost his music carrier.
You can never know the value of Nigeria until you visit other countries.
Bless Nigeria and you will be blessed, Condemn Nigeria and you will always remain condemned because you are Nigeria and Nigeria is you. That makes you a NIGERIAN![/b][/color]

am so in love with this post. So much sense

May your God grant u more wisdom

italo: Many things.

A fundamental one is:

Jesus is God. That is central to Christianity.

They teach that he isnt.

and that's the truth. Jesus/Yeshua isn't God. am not here to prove u wrong, or devalue Jesus but the truth is what JW people preach. according to Yeshua himself, he is just a son sent on an errand to humans.
Personally I don't think the supreme God can ever present himself before humans. It's against the laws of the universe, which he set, and he doesn't break his rules.
Truth be told we humans are all part of God, there's God inside us.
There have been great men all true the few thousands of years since civilisation, and modernisation strategy began, but non claimed to be God. So why should Christians elevate a man to the status of God? That's degrading to Almighty God

italo: I'm sorry. I mistook you for someone else.

I disagree with their doctrine because it is essentially false.

I apologise then. But why do u think their doctrine is false?

kizmartino: lolzz..we dey quarel


Are u a christain,do u bliv in God

Wht abt in d teachin of d TRINITY

No quarrel.

I left christianity already but I believe in God
The trinity is just BS

Here are some stories from Odu Ifa

A PASSAGE FROM HOLY ODU OYEKUDI(I think it's the 34th odu Ifa) in English.
"the road is very straight,
It doesn't turn
He cast Ifa for Oye,
When he was going to bring home a bride from his ward
They said he should sacrifice 1 he-goat and 14,000 cowries
So that his manhood should not disgrace him
Oye didn't make sacrifice,
When Oye brought his bride
He was not able to make love to her
They said "what kind of Oye is he?"
They said "he isOye who has died at his waist"
from the time on we have been calling him Oyekudi"

Odu Ofunse(256th Odu)
"Ofunse,
The priest of Aje,
Cast divination for Aje,
When she was coming from heaven to earth,
She was asked to perform sacrifice,
Both the youth and elder will look after getting wealth"


EXAMPLE OF A DIVINATION SESSION
The babalawo unravels details of the clients situation from Ese Ifa in a form of poem, he helps interpret and the client figures out how it applies to his personal current situation. Often the client would have an internal reaction to the message of Ifa and will tell the babalawo further interpretations based on how it affects the situation.

Next the babalawo would interpret the Odu Ifa to prescribe medicine and sacrifice necessary to ensure blessings and keep away negative forces. If the client has a problem, Ifa would reveal it and offer solutions. Ifa usually prescribes remedies including sacrifice to an Orisa.


Ifa is the word of Olodumare as interpreted by Orunmila(second below Olodumare, Consultant and adviser to Men and the Orishas.

Iwa(character) is one of perhaps the most important human endeavour taught in Odu Ifa, almost every stanza or verse has one portion dedicated to teaching the importance of Iwa-Pele(balance in character). Iwa transcend religious doctrine, it's central to every human being, and impacts communal, social and civic responsibility that our creator supports. Central to this is the theme of righteousness and moral behaviour.



Awo: A Priest in the Religion
Awo Alatese: A group of Awo having their own specialization within Ifa, mastering the aspect of Ifa preparations.
Oritse Udeji: Orunmila's name in Itsekiri
Obomila: initiate of Ifa in Bini
Apetebi: The Title given to a wife of a Babalawo

Ifa Priests, devotees and believers sometimes inherit names related to Orunmila and the Ifa system. Names like Ifadairo, Ifakoya, Ifabiyi, Ifadare, Ifabunmi, Ifaleye etc. but would have the "I" omitted to form Fadairo, Fakoya, Fabiyi, Fadare, Fabunmi, Faleye etc. there are also names like Awolalu, Awolowo, Awosika, etc. and Odufora, Odutola, Odugbemi etc.

The Ifa Divination system was added to the list of "Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity" by UNESCO

kizmartino: wht are u sayin den

figure that out yourself

[quote author= FOLYKAZE]You communicated with Eshu? Do you heard his voice? What are you saying? Lol are you a satanist? Pls read the link I posted. It explain things better. I dont want flood here with off-topic thang. Read it then ask question.[/quote]I have seen people with such claims. Eshu has nothing to do with satanism. Don't be like those Christians that call Eshu satan

okeyxyz: You say buddhism does not recognize spiritual beings, but on the other hand this same buddhism recognizes spiritual activities in that we are all spirits and that this present life is not all there is, that our actions in this life will determine what life we will have in the next life. It is either buddhism is a lazy philosphy or you are just delibrately filtering the aspects you are comfortable with and ignoring the more embarassing/unasnwered parts. Why does buddhism not ask what the origin of all these cycles of birth and rebirth is? It doesn't make sense to simply assert that we are born and reborn, and reborn until infinity if we don't rectify our lives, yet it claims to be without spirituality, yet it doesn't ask: who or what determined this moral basis that we must conduct ourselves with in order to escape this infinite birth cycles. At least other major philosophies(science, christianity, islam, etc) are honest in their claims(whether stupid of not) by asserting that there is an origin, a first cause or creator. But buddhism seems not to have an opinion about cause/origin/creator of this nature system that it recommends it's morals for people to follow. It seems to say that nature system just is!! a nature without cause/begining/creator, yet we the micro-organisms within this uncaused nature need to live by cause and effects. And don't tell me that buddhism agrees with evolution because it certainly does not, evolution has nothing to do with birth and rebirth, has nothing to do with cyclic existences or life after death, or that we exist today as humans, then tomorrow as mosquitoes and the next as sharks, etc. I am not an expert on buddhism, but if what you claim above about buddhism is true and is the sum of it's philosophy, then I can safely conclude that buddhism is a deliberately evasive, unquestful and dishonest philosophy.

I am more suprised that @folykaze is praising this your summary of buddhism.

One more thing, it is virtually impossible to separate religion from buddhism and also impossible to separate religion from spirituality(@floyKaze) This is for the people (atheist, ...) who want to identify differently from christians, moslems and other religionists. Every religion is based on spiritualities/philosophies. The issue is not who has it right and who has it wrong but whether their behaviours(worships) is in respect with their belief systems which includes concepts/entities beyond physically/scientifically evident truths. You can flog christians/moslems/etc as much as you want but the truth is you are basically doing exactly the same things that you deride them for. You believe in conforming to a set of moralities by which you expect to be judged in the life after after death. This is true of buddhism, true of ifa, true of christianity and islam, etc. Yet you claim to be atheist and buddhist/ifa. Am I the only one who's detecting the confusion here(or is it dishonesty)?

I didn't mean to use the words "don't recognise" but the truth is u would never see a buddhist praying to a god or worshiping any deity.

And why the attack on me? Even if I made a mistake, u should give corrections. Afterall am not a buddhist, am into Ifa(not a babalawo tho)

italo: Why dont you stop having sleepless nights over God? Isnt he the same Yeshua you claim doesnt exist?

abi this one is a fool? I have smooth sleep because of God and I have never said Yeshua doesn't exist

emk4lif: Nigeria is reknowned for her email scams,fraudsters and corruption

they asked positive things. And every nation has fraudsters and there's corruption everywhere

The reason Nigeria is not known for anything is because we are not unified. If u said positive facts of "Yoruba" or Hausa, Igbo u would have a full page with one post.

This thread has been enlightening, I wish Pastor AOI or someone that possess such knowledge from Ifa can contribute to this thread www.nairaland.com/1463158/aborisa-yoruba-religion

Ubenedictus: www.nairaland.com/48078/ifa-orisa-religion-true-identity/11

awesome thread. Mr. Idinrete and Pastor Aoi really know a lot about Ifa.

FOLYKAZE: Dont curse the dark.....light the candle in it.

Obviously, some folks will be seeing this as mythical story. Nope, it is not....our ancestors has explained evolution spiritually to their knowledge. So instead of seeing the personify forces, you look beyond what you see.

Obatala means chief of white cloth. It is symbolic and more than cloth. White clothe symbolize light. Physics teaches that the first manifestation of dynamics in the universe was light.

Olokun is salty water which arose after the ice meltdown and turn to liquid water after she meant with Obatala....light.

The chain used by Obatala to travel from the Realm of the Ancestors to Earth appears to be a symbolic representation of the structure used to transmit genetic information from one generation to the next. The genetic code that is used to form each species is passed through a biochemical substance called DNA. When DNA is viewed under a microscope it appears as a double helix, which is similar to the pattern of a chain. In Ifa scripture the reference to the Realm of the Ancestors includes all those Natural Forces that led to the development of human life and is not limited to human form. In Western science that DNA which exists in mammals is believed to be an extension of a chain of transmission from single cell life forms at the bottom of the ocean to complex life forms that populate the earth. This was put in primodial soup....this is the reason Ifa call Olokun the mother of all life.

When Obatala climbs down the chain towards land, he takes soil a from snail shell. The shape of the snail shell is a pattern that recurs throughout Nature. The early Greeks called this pattern the “Golden Mean”. It is a series of expanding circles that get progressively larger at a steady rate. This growth pattern occurs in trees, plants, and sea life. It is the same pattern that regulates the distance of planets from the sun. The snail shell as a sacred object associated with Obatala symbolized the expansive quality of evolution.

Those who are versed in science can look up to this and find some senses.

@OP......pls stop calling this myth. It is not myth but spiritual hypothesis.

Ori wa a gbe wa o.

You make a lot of sense here.
Our ancestors might have actually locked into some sort of cosmic knowledge of nature and the universe, but interpreted it to a case of living sprits running the universe.

Like in the case of Yemoja; she is associated with child birth, it is said that she sends her fishes to the womb(which belongs to her).

It has been scientifically proven that, when we are in our mothers womb, we appear fish-like, but evolve gradually.

And also, I think the womb is some sort of incubator, filled with Liquid substance, and until we grow to size, we just swim around like fishes.

How the Yoruba story rhymes with some latest scientific theories