₦airaland Forum

Hi Naira landers,I will appreciate if we could fill this thread with information on available scholarship offers for post-graduate studies abroad (for Africans or Nigerians). personally my interest is in Australia.

Thanks

Tell me more I am thinking of University of Sydney by next yr Nov.

I'm not enjoying the experience, clues?
Thanks

I am not one to cut off a man's nose before giving him a rose to smell. The Christian faith is based on precedents.
one of them is that Prophetic utterances did not contradict themselves.
infact Jesus fulfilled more than 300 prophecies written over centuries by more than 15 writers.
it is worth consideration

below is my note on Trinity and a case for salvation.

A proponent for Buddhism once said “it is all about brotherhood, we are to seek brotherhood” and He was right, the problem is that in the human experience there are more “hoods” than “brothers”. What is the source of this hoodishness? (That word is not in the dictionary!).

In earlier notes, I have explained that in studying every religious world view, it must be able to answer
the question of
Origin
Condition
Salvation and
Destiny
And the answers must cohere after that.

The Christian entry point is that God created man(Origin) and man sinned (explaining our condition) and God sent Jesus (the Son of God) to die for sinful man, anyone that accepts this salvation token in Christ receives eternal life (which is Life with God). Eternal life is more than just a physical place (which it is) but also includes the indwelling of God in the saved one.

That is the Christian world view, but how do I explain the trinity. This answer is for the seeker, it is noteworthy here to state that in Life there is a principle of cause and effect; Causality.

Someone said that the evolution of man from the big bang is like saying a Boeing 747 emerged from a junkyard after an explosion happened, when you look at the effect and the cause (an explosion). It doesn’t add up.

So it is with man, evolution can attempt to explain our unity, but it can’t explain our diversity. Man is essentially diverse; a male cannot exist without a female. (It takes both to be Human).

In humans, there is a diversity of feelings, of thirsts and affection. The satiety experienced in feeding the body is very different from that of the mind and spirit, the exhilaration of our sexuality cannot be compared with the spirituality of a worship experience. The tastiness of food and the blandness of water, all tell the tale of unity in diversity. Years ago Socrates’ students asked him of the essence of Life, he answered air, water, fire and air. They then asked for the unifying essence, the “quintessence” of life, the truth that unifies all truths.

To explain unity in diversity in the effect (i.e. us). There has to be unity in diversity in the first cause (Origin; God).

And the only system that has unity in diversity is in the Christian Faith, We find unity, diversity and community in the Trinity. How else can we say that God spoke or that God is Love, who was he speaking to, who was He loving?

Minus Trinity, we find a God that needed to create in order to speak or Love. So when God said “Let us create Man in our own image” we had the “first cause”.[b][/b]



In a world of diverging religious world views (Plurality) and consequently Personification (which says “make sure you keep your views at home”) a diligent seeker still needs to find coherence; what makes sense, the unity in diversity. The truth that unifies all truths and this is what University stands for “Unity” in “Diversity”.
Can all religious world views be right? Are they fundamentally the same? Are they all a quest by man to fulfill His need for a God?

I believe that there is a God, man has found it impossible to escape from Him, (I have made this point in my earlier notes in “An attempt at Meaning” and “Reason on Trial”) but another good question is; which God? I ask that question because two mutually exclusive opinions cannot be correct at the same time.

Two mutually exclusive religious world views cannot be correct at the same time.
None the less, as humans any good world view must provide the answer to

Origin: where am I from?
Condition: Who am I? And why do I do the things I do
Salvation: how can I be helped
Destiny: after here?

In my earlier notes I have written on why I know Jesus is the answer, one of those ways is in “the nature of salvation”.

Does man need Salvation and salvation from what? Of recent there was a very high profile discussion among elite circles on the topic “What does it mean to be Human”. It doesn’t take much imagination to fashion the course that discourse must have taken, the reality is that even people who are not intellectually inclined have agreed that man got a problem, implicit is the sentence that “the bent of man is towards evil”.

And man has from medieval times cried out for atonement. Long before Judaism, Christianity and Islam (the three major religions) man has made countless sacrifices on altars to appease “the gods”, apparently they weren’t.

The question is why? Why do we seek to be forgiven? Or better still is there anyone who does not need forgiveness? The sensation of Guilt and total unworthiness is the major cause of suicide and depression (antidepressants sale compete with that of coca cola), and you and I are witnesses to the length humans have gone to mask that emptiness.

What does God say about the condition of man? In the Torah and the Talmud (the Old Testament and Holy book of Judaism, God calls our condition “sin” and the penalty was death!)

To understand salvation one has to understand the nature of Sin. Sin is not the violation of God’s law per say, it is the violation of God himself (Who is described as being too Holy to behold iniquity). In the words of Max Lucado “God is not holy, He is not even Holy Holy, He is Holy Holy Holy” Holiness is the essence of His Godhood.

And man is sinful. In the same Old Testament we find the source of Sin; disobedience. Adam didn’t just disobey he violated God himself (that is why the punishment is death), but then man is Spirit.
the first man died a spiritual death , it is of then necessity that the restoration of man be Spiritual; a quickening of the dead spirit. It is then pertinent that we understand therefore why the blood of rams cannot take away sin, if so why then did God give the Law?

The Law was given so that man could see his need for salvation and to serve as a code of conduct. But it couldn’t make the person righteous. Well, only an ill patient seeks a doctor. And God said the illness (sin) is a life and death issue.

In Abraham, of whom the three major religions call Father, we see God declaring him righteous because He believed Him, Not because He performed certain rites. This was way before circumcision (a mark of the relationship that was borne out of His obedience). See Gen 15:6.

What we see in our society is a great malady called “Sin in the Heart of Man”. The multiplicity of religion, the despair of man and the resort to wantonness and deadening of conscience is as result of man’s interaction with the law which is written in our hearts. You and I know that our great great grand fathers without reading the Ten Commandments observe it to a very high extent.
Is there salvation?

Answer; God did not leave man alone in this dilemma, it is important to note that only God can initiate Man’s salvation, But God’s Justice must be satisfied also; someone must die for the sin of mankind and sinful man does not qualify.

When people wonder that how could Jesus, the Son of God as we claim in the Christian Faith come and die for Sinful humanity.

My answer is:
Could God (A Holy, Just and Loving God) do less to save His idea (Man)?

The silent question I believe in the heart of many is; what is the nature of God, does He? Could He have a son? What manner of Love is such?
Fortunately you can find that out for yourself; close your eyes in reverence to God and ask Him the very question; you can read the bible for yourself.
The seeker finds out He is sought.
Thanks

@blunt, I would appreciate if you give me an idea of your prices @ stillnadis@yahoo.com.

might need it.

@ Abuzola,
I was making a point for reason and discussing my convictions. I would like to hear your problem with it.
thanks

some questions folks ask


Q: How can one explain the multiplicity of denominations, why is the Christian faith so disunited?
A: really we often try to misplace uniformity for unity. The aim of the Christian Gospel has never been Uniformity but rather Unity, different denominations may emphasize some teachings over others but the central theme for being a “Christian” is that one accepts Jesus as ones personal Lord and Savior.

Q; How can Christianity hope to fix the world when it does not have a definite code of conduct/Law :

A: Jesus did not come to abolish the law but to fulfill it, He placed the law on a higher plane. I.e. instead of saying adultery is sleeping with someone else’s wife. He told us that lust in itself is adultery! He placed it on a higher plane. He also placed murder on a higher plane , e.g. to hate someone else is murder. He tells us that by ourselves we cannot fulfill the law. A lot of people have blamed the Christian Gospel as being so condemnatory, but in reality the condemnation merely points to the cross; “see, you are guilty but I have paid the price, Believe me” So Grace is telling us that we have been forgiven.

Q: If the gospel preaches grace, i.e. that God has forgiven us, why then would one go to hell for sinning or be referred to as a sinner by the church.

A: God is a perfect judge because he is the only one that is able to judge the heart of man (man’s intents and purpose). Someone who has accepted the lordship of Christ does not become automatically sin proof though he has received grace to overcome it (He grows in this), but with each occasion of Sin, He can boldly approach the throne of Grace for forgiveness. In instance when such a sin becomes predetermined and habitual, the perfect Judge does not allow His grace to be abused especially when knowledge is in place
ultimately no one will go to hell for sinning but rather for not accepting the forgiveness in Christ or for abusing the provided grace. Come to think of it, the thief on the cross did more evil than many in his day yet he made heaven
Focus; in Christ, we find the sealed and assured certainty of being forgiven. Who does not need forgiveness ?

Abuzola hasn't answered my questions

I must add that the Christian Faith is not contrary to reason. it doesn't disregard the mind.
below is an article I wrote earlier on face book

FAITH AND REASON

When talking about the things of God do we all drop our thinking caps? Should we all? Any good student of the Christian or other religious world view would tell you that there are many questions he/she cannot answer. And that they are better left at that e.g. someone (an atheist) can ask; since you believe in God, what was He doing before He created heaven and earth? My answer; I do not know !

In as much as one does not have an answer to these questions and one cannot deny an inquirer his or her right to ask them, we all must know that it is not all in answering questions (which by the way is very important) but rather the provision of a body of coherent meaning found for everyday Life. Yet there is a great place for reasonable inquiry to faith. The Christian faith does demand inquiry and thought, in the words of C.S Lewis, “good philosophy must exist if only because bad philosophy exists”.

Again In the words of St Augustine “unless you have believed, you will not understand”. There is a lot to understand about the Christian faith but to understand these; you have to believe that certain things are true.

That is why reasonable arguments alone can never bring one to salvation rather it helps to expose false convictions and strengthens belief. Though one might counter that it is the spirit that provides such illumination, I must interject that for most of us who have received Christ, this illumination has already been provided, and it is for us to apply our minds to them (It is all in the word) .

REASON AND BLIND FAITH, THE DIFFERENCE AND THE DIFFERENCE IT MAKES

Blind faith; “this is the way it is, believe it or not”.
Reason; “you’ve believed Christ? Now let’s talk about it”.
Many of us are still to comprehend what Apostle Peter was speaking when He said; “Be Prepared to give an answer if anyone should ask you, the reason for the hope that is in you”.
Applying our mind will give us the much needed privilege to teach our inquisitive children. You’ll be surprised at the nature of the questions your kids will ask you; the reason for evil? Why did grandpa die? Where is he? Why should I believe in Jesus?

These questions cannot be answered by plain faith alone; faith is strengthened and made alive when one truly understands its immutability. That it is not vague, the reality of the spiritual component of man is as real, factual and scientific as the computer in front of you and it is even covered by a field of science. it is then intriguing when people “switch off” when issues of faith are mentioned.
E.g. on Naira Land, someone argued that God is just a mere psychological projection of men to fulfill their need for a God, a view originally propagated by Sigmund Freud (1856-1939).

Freud was an Austrian neurologist and the founder of psychoanalysis, a movement that popularized the theory that unconscious motives control much of human behavior. From this perspective, God is merely a creation of the human mind, a projection emanating from human need and desire rather than a distinct reality or being that exists independently of the human mind. Freud’s notion of God acting as an idealized father figure for humans, providing a cushion from the harshness of the real world and a comforting friend in the midst of life’s troubles, reduces God to a human construct. Indeed, for Freud, God is made in humanity’s own image and is the “ultimate wish-fulfillment”; God does not actually exist but is merely the creation of humanity’s imagination and desire for a loving father figure. What then should be the Christian response? Imagine if you met Freud at work, and he is willing to hear your view and the reason for your conviction as a Christian, what would you say? Shut up and believe? Like the initial question I mentioned on what God was doing before creation, a typically answer would be “preparing hell for such a questionnaire”!

But really, the most obvious point to make in response is that this Freudian argument about projection cuts both ways. After all, isn’t it equally possible to say that Freud and other atheists deny the existence of God out of a need to escape from a father figure, or to argue that the nonexistence of God springs from a deep seated desire for no father figure to exist? So the argument is not valid for sustaining the non existence of God. Freud himself in a letter to a friend wrote “The bad part of it, especially for me, lies in the fact that science of all things seems to demand the existence of a God”. He wrote that letter in 1913 and the situation has not changed.

So I wrote the questionnaire on Naira land asking him if he could explain why human beings all over the years have sought for this God, have built edifices and temples for different deities. Why the need at all? He replied that on deep meditation one gets to a point where there is no need for questions, he stuck to his conclusion that God still does not exist. I had to point out to him that in his passive state of meditation, he lacks a rationale to conclude that God does not exist, since he made no inquiry, why conclude. He is yet to answer that.

The truth is that the Christian faith welcomes seekers, it can stand an inquiry, science is yet to prove the inexistence of God yet evolution is propagated as if it has been proven beyond reasonable doubt, it is therefore pertinent that we apply our minds on these things and think because “Good philosophy must exist if for no other reason than that bad philosophy exists.” Reasoning doesn’t necessary imply complexity, the message of the cross is a fairly simple one and the simplest of men can convey it.

The human experience however is a very complex one and a lot of folks have a lot of theories on life. Reason is therefore needed to clear the “bush” around this simple message so that an honest inquirer can find Truth in the person of Christ. I have bowed my knees to Him and I have found in Him everything.

I believe that in all cases, a genuine seeker will find out that He is sought.

For more enquiry and references, visit www.rzim.org, you can check the resources and archives.
Thanks.

end.


My POINT IS THAT THE CHRISTIAN FAITH WELCOMES GENUINE SEEKERS AND THEIR QUESTIONS. THE TRUTH CAN BEAR SCRUTINY

Thanks, I have seen but not read some of your comments on this section. it appears you have a lot of righteous indignation against the christian faith and the personhood of Jesus Christ, The Trinity and a host of other stuffs.

I would like to ask; is it that you are trying to understand, are you seeking, or you plain bashing at Christianity

if it is plain bashing, why?

Hi fellow Naira landers, especially those on the religious page. this goes to abuzola, a vibrant fellow that enjoys spitting venom on the christian faith. I would love to have a talk with you on this thread.

I only beg that you be objective and reasonable. In as much as I do not agree with your views, I do understand and respect them.

now , How you doing?

the Name is Nelson. a Christian working class male adult

<b> FAITH AND REASON </b>

When talking about the things of God do we all drop our thinking caps? Should we all? Any good student of the Christian or other religious world view would tell you that there are many questions he/she cannot answer. And that they are better left at that e.g. someone (an atheist) can ask; since you believe in God, what was He doing before He created heaven and earth? My answer; <b> I do not know </b>!

In as much as one does not have an answer to these questions and one cannot deny an inquirer his or her right to ask them, we all must know that it is not all in answering questions (which by the way is very important) but rather the provision of a body of <b> coherent </b> meaning found for everyday Life. Yet there is a great place for reasonable inquiry to faith. The Christian faith does demand inquiry and thought, in the words of C.S Lewis, “good philosophy must exist if only because bad philosophy exists”.

Again In the words of St Augustine “unless you have believed, you will not understand”. There is a lot to understand about the Christian faith but to understand these; you have to believe that certain things are true. That is why reasonable arguments alone can never bring one to salvation rather it helps to expose false convictions and strengthens belief. Though one might counter that it is the spirit that provides such illumination, I must interject that for most of us who have received Christ, this illumination has already been provided, and it is for us to apply our minds to them <b> (It is all in the word) </b>.

<b> REASON AND BLIND FAITH, THE DIFFERENCE AND THE DIFFERENCE IT MAKES </b>

Blind faith; “this is the way it is, believe it or not”.
Reason; “you’ve believed Christ? Now let’s talk about it”.
Many of us are still to comprehend what Apostle Peter was speaking when He said; “Be Prepared to give an answer if anyone should ask you, the reason for the hope that is in you”.

Applying our mind will give us the much needed privilege to teach our inquisitive children. You’ll be surprised at the nature of the questions your kids will ask you; the reason for evil? Why did grandpa die? Where is he? Why should I believe in Jesus?
These questions cannot be answered by plain faith alone; faith is strengthened and made alive when one truly understands its immutability. That it is not vague, the reality of the spiritual component of man is as real, factual and scientific as the computer in front of you and it is even covered by a field of science. <b> it is then intriguing when people “switch off” when issues of faith are mentioned. </b>

E.g. on Naira Land, someone argued that God is just a mere psychological projection of men to fulfill their need for a God, a view originally propagated by Sigmund Freud (1856-1939). Freud was an Austrian neurologist and the founder of psychoanalysis, a movement that popularized the theory that unconscious motives control much of human behavior. From this perspective, God is merely a creation of the human mind, a projection emanating from human need and desire rather than a distinct reality or being that exists independently of the human mind. Freud’s notion of God acting as an idealized father figure for humans, providing a cushion from the harshness of the real world and a comforting friend in the midst of life’s troubles, reduces God to a human construct.

Indeed, for Freud, God is made in humanity’s own image and is the “ultimate wish-fulfillment”; God does not actually exist but is merely the creation of humanity’s imagination and desire for a loving father figure. What then should be the Christian response? Imagine if you met Freud at work, and he is willing to hear your view and the reason for your conviction as a Christian, what would you say? Shut up and believe? Like the initial question I mentioned on what God was doing before creation, a typically answer would be “preparing hell for such a questionnaire”!
But really, the most obvious point to make in response is that this Freudian argument about projection cuts both ways. After all, isn’t it equally possible to say that Freud and other atheists deny the existence of God out of a need to escape from a father figure, or to argue that the nonexistence of God springs from a deep seated desire for no father figure to exist? So the argument is not valid for sustaining the non existence of God. Freud himself in a letter to a friend wrote “The bad part of it, especially for me, lies in the fact that science of all things seems to demand the existence of a God”. He wrote that letter in 1913 and the situation has not changed.

So I wrote the questionnaire on Naira land asking him if he could explain why human beings all over the years have sought for this God, have built edifices and temples for different deities. Why the need at all? He replied that on deep meditation one gets to a point where there is no need for questions, he stuck to his conclusion that God still does not exist. I had to point out to him that in his passive state of meditation, he lacks a rationale to conclude that God does not exist, since he made no inquiry, why conclude. He is yet to answer that.

The truth is that the Christian faith welcomes seekers, it can stand an inquiry, <b> science is yet to prove the inexistence of God </b> yet evolution is propagated as if it has been proven beyond reasonable doubt, it is therefore pertinent that we apply our minds on these things and think because “Good philosophy must exist if for no other reason than that bad philosophy exists.” Reasoning doesn’t necessary imply complexity, the message of the cross is a fairly simple one and the simplest of men can convey it. The human experience however is a very complex one and a lot of folks have a lot of theories on life. Reason is therefore needed to clear the “bush” around this simple message so that an honest inquirer can find Truth in the person of Christ. <b> I have bowed my knees to Him and I have found in Him everything. </b>

<b> I believe that in all cases, a genuine seeker will find out that He is sought. </b>
For more enquiry and references, visit www.rzim.org, you can check the resources and archives.
Thanks.

very good Ogaga, very good.
"Life has a purpose and is purposeless". by You

ok, is that statement true? can it be true? can two mutually exclusive opinion be true?
when you answer "there is no absolute truth"
is that statement "there is no absolute truth" exclusive of itself or inclusive. My brother, Life is either purposeful or not. in Lagos, Abuja,India, or China it is either I am crossing the road or is the bus. not both of us.

ok you mentioned meditations. for Life to have a purpose, your world view of it must answer the question of

what is the source of Life (origin)
what is the source of the evil we see and feel
is their immortality; this man that meditates, in which realm does he achieve it-mental, physical or spiritual and what do you say about that realm, it's source and function
how can a purposeless human being have an in-built desire to attain meaning (everybody has this, and people commit suicide 4 lack of it)? if you say it is as a result of our social evolution; Ogaga, the source

you say we shouldn't ask questions; passivity, but then why make conclusions?. why draw a theory without a hypothesis? You concluded that there is no God, without a question? If you tell me that you ascribe to that opinion because you want to for a reason. it is more understandable.

thanks


as for evolution (in case you go there), the Big bang theory is yet to explain how matter can be created from nothing. millions of galaxy from no where! someone is exercising faith.
thanks

@Ogaga. thanks 4 your understanding. what then is your basis for meaning. does life have a purpose; a journey to where? what or who defines the destination. the sojourner? if so what or who defined his source? A normal person should try to understand himself first.
it is easy to say there is no God on the basis of not being able to see it, but magicians and Healing evangelist has shown us that there are other powers at play besides the observable.
I will appreciate your answers
\

MR NEL I have nothing doing with any God(s) in as much all God's are barrier to human race. but if you insist there is an almighty God which nobody sees, and those thousands of other Gods are useless. how on earth do you expert a normal person to believe what is not real. . . ?. and i answer you question by saying there so much meaning in life. Life is a Journey and any body who got life must know his or her destination all else you shall miss road.

@Ogaga, sir it appears your position is on the premise that God's purpose is Human happiness, to make His subjects happy and richer. well that happens not to be so.
1, does this life have meaning?
2. where is the basis for that meaning?
3.

rx sir,

Pls I need info on any good MBA offering institution in the North or a good certification prg and the price overview. I don't have an NYSC discharge cert pls and I studied Pharmacy

@vOLAN, PLS IS AN nYSC DISCHARGE CERT REQUIRED. i JUST FINISHED TOO

meaning

mean·ing [mning]
noun (plural mean·ings)
1. what something means: what a word, sign, or symbol means
Do you know the meaning of this word?

2. what somebody wants to express: what somebody intends to express, either in words or action
I want to make my meaning very clear.

3. what something signifies: what something signifies or indicates
I could not fathom the meaning of their glances.

4. inner importance: psychological or moral sense, purpose, or significance
an empty life without meaning



adjective
significant: conveying a significance that is not directly expressed
A meaning silence followed these words.




-mean·ing·ly, adverb

Microsoft® Encarta® 2009. © 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

Adeno dates. is not a dating website (at least for now), rather it is a community development project of Adeno Consult Ltd. we will get across to interested individuals and we are not going to charge any fees.

@PAstor. Yes

Hello,
If your answer to the above question is a yes, or you know of someone for whom the answer is a yes then the message below is for you.
we will be glad if you can help spread this news.

HIV is a disease like many other sexually transmitted disease and while not making light of the issue involved I believe that HIV + individuals deserve the best of life just like every other individual. this includes a happy marriage relationship, healthy loving home and healthy kids. the social stigma has not allowed a lot of individuals to go public on their status and thus finding a marriage partner for patients has become quite a herculean task as one might not want to disclose his/her status to every suitor. (though many individuals have married HIV patients with full awareness of what is involved.

Life is not necessary good but it is good enough, thus adeno concepts is in the fore-front of alleviating this dilemma. interested individuals can send us a mail at adeno-dates@live.com.
we also provide consultancy/counseling services.
we are a professional body and our aim is to provide ample opportunities where a seeker finds that he/she is sought.


O. Nelson

THE PREMISE FOR MEANING
To answer the question; what is the meaning of Life? One has to first establish the premise for meaning. What does it take for this Life to have meaning?
For this Life to have meaning, Some basic essentials must be in place. These I believe are:
1) Absolute/Objective Truth
2) Immortality
3) Origin
Origin: In Africa, the greater majority believe that in the beginning God created the universe, as against the opinion in the west that Evolution is the source of origin. This author won’t fail to add that evolution by itself has not been proven to be empirically plausible. Science has not proven the inexistence of God and statistical evaluations lean heavily on an intelligent creator than on life being a product of time, chance and matter or of soil and blood as the Nazis put it.
On the other hand, God explains immortality, origin and the basis for truth or moral consciousness. God is the Moral law giver (objective truth) and He promises immortality (this is a view held by most people that believe in God).
But as said earlier, Truth by definition is exclusive. Logically, it makes more sense to say that all religions are wrong than to say that they all are ways to God! Two mutually exclusive opinions cannot be true at the same time and all religions (essence of culture) all possess a point of exclusivity, essential areas in which differences become irreconcilably. i.e. a premise where I cannot believe yours if I truly believe in mine. Though we must learn to tolerate each other’s religion and beliefs for peaceful co existence, this piece is written for an honest inquirer who desires to know the Truth.
Before I make my case for Jesus Christ as the way, let me say that no religion should be judged by its abuse. So it is not so much about religious excesses by man but the essence of each belief. E.g. one can point at violence in a particular world view as a reason for denying it. Such I believe can only be tenable if these questions are asked; does that world view rend itself logically to such a point? Or is the observable an issue of abuse? Thus it is an enquiry on the essence.
The Nature Of man
The problem with man seeking for God is to understand His nature. Volumes have been written on the nature and personality of God, diversity of world views abound for this singular reason. But the nature of man is well known to us: there is something bad about man, in an Aso villa, in a white house, place man in a position of power, starve him of it. Give him too much food, starve him, marry him, be his best friend, be his worst enemy. Anyway you relate to man you can feel and see his hideousness. But then it is a fault he is aware of and knows it is bad!
The heart of man is sinful! Man is lost; he cannot help himself no matter how hard he tries.
Man’s heart is evil, take a look around. Man’s heart is not that it is unethical but that it is lost in sin.
The heart of man is sinful! Man is lost he cannot help himself no matter how hard he tries. Ethics has and cannot change the nature of men. Send him to a University, train him on the law and ethics, of morals, give him ten commandments or a thousand, punish him for disobedience, even when the punishment is death or amputation Man would still dare to sin! Man cannot help himself, He can’t! My best example is yourself, take a good examination of the thoughts that throng your heart and answer the question: WHO IS without SIN?
In the light of God’s Holiness and righteousness, in light of His amazing Love and indignant judgment, sin becomes utterly sinful and there is the awareness of a dreary judgment. We are all guilty, you and I regardless of tribe, religion or color!
What does this man need? Man needs a savior,
Have you struggled or are struggling with an addiction? Have you had to deal with guilt, immense guilt? I bet you’ll understand me better. In the light of a man’s inner struggle, commandments, even Godly commandments seem irrelevant. The weakness of man is all around you. What does man need?
He needs a savior!
And this is the biggest news in town, Man has got one, and of course the savior isn’t of the nature of man, the savior ought to be different from the saved, and He is. He ought to be without sin, and He is. The savior has to pay the price for man’s sin and He did! The salvation shouldn’t be impersonal and He isn’t. The savior should be capable of filling man’s need for love and He did! It wasn’t for man’s effort, it is free. The Price was heavy, He loved!
Man’s need for Love and Thirst for immortality
The greatest of all ethics is love and the greatest of all human need is Love. Man is created to be loved and there is an inner ache in you and I that even human love cannot fill. Man has tried to fill this need in many ways; sex hasn’t. Money couldn’t and fame won’t, even being a good individual cannot fill this need for communion. Only a personal not impersonal knowledge of God can fill this; Love is personal.
Man in his experience yearns for immortality but is faced with a stark reality of death and the cosmetic industry illustrates this point in graphic details. 88
In the person of Jesus Christ we find:
a. God
b. A Personal God that loves
c. An answer to the source of Man’s hideousness
d. A Savior: the difference between all other religious founders and Jesus Christ is not that He came not to make bad people good, but to make dead people alive! He provides the certainty of being forgiven.
e. Atonement for Sin: Christianity alone offers a cross and a Savior, God died! For many this is unthinkable, but it proves the nature of God (LOVE) and the gravity of Sin
f. Power to overcome sin
g. Righteousness; not of human efforts, as sinful man by his actions which are sinful cannot make himself clean!
h. Human dignity; A God that loved us as individuals, with no distinction between male and female
i. A case for immortality: resurrection from the dead.” Because I live, you will live also”
j. The Meaning of Life: the nature of reality (The knowledge of God)
k. An answer to human suffering
l. A God that didn’t need to create to love (the love in the Trinity)
Jesus answers the question of the nature of sin, the question of suffering, the nature of salvation and the nature of reality.
It is not in religion, it is not in money, it is not in sex or romance, it Is not in learning, it is not in fame or in titles, Meaning is found only in the person of Jesus Christ
Forgiveness
She came to my desk with a quivering lip, the lesson was done
Have you a new sheet for me dear teacher, I’ve spoilt this one
I took his sheet all soiled and blotted, gave him a new one all unspotted
Into her quiet heart I cried, do better now my child
I went to the throne with a trembling heart, the day was done
Have you a new day for me dear master, I’ve spoilt this one
He took my day all soiled and blotted, gave me a new one all unspotted
And Into my tired heart He cried, do better now my child
When I gave Him my Life, on the floor of my hostel room in 2003, tired of trying to be good and failing, of running. I wasn’t a bad man becoming a good man or a good man becoming better; I was a dead man receiving Life! I’ve bowed my knees to Him and I’ve found in Him everything.

<b>REASON ON TRIAL</b>
“Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player,
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.”
Shakespeare’s Macbeth.
The greatest challenge of the modern man is not to clone DNA’s or life at Mars, it is not stem-cell research or cancer therapy. It is not to find a cure for HIV, aging or recently the newer breeds of flu. In as much as these are all worthy causes, they ultimately serve to feed man’s curiosity and to prolong his days. Days that in the words of Shakespeare are <b> “full of sound and fury, signifying nothing”! </b>
Though many people folks would not agree with Shakespeare on this note but they no doubt would understand that at least he could describe it, for many a suitable description is still lacking. <b>Man’s greatest challenge has been to attain meaning. </b>
The human experience is so complex that entire disciplines (philosophy and psychology) were developed for its study. And it appears we haven’t made significant headway, the departure to psychology and philosophy was after the discourse on theology became boring and devoid of much intrigues and thrills, besides the subject matter didn’t give much room for our unusual fantasies,
Then we found <b>science! </b> Eureka screamed the modern man and kept her as a bedmate for 4 centuries, apparently that romance is going sour and a return to theology is eminent. The exodus has started already, but on a different note now. <b>The Theos for this Modern man is Man Almighty himself. </b>
But before Man “falls” for his latest catch, it is important that we all stop and think (I believe you still can); where/what is <b>meaning? </b>
Socrates describes “nonsense” as the things rocks describe among themselves! Nonsense; no sense, is used to describe things we cannot comprehend and “chance” is one of them. Man is yet to prove that Time (tick, tick, tick,), Matter (kpa, kpa, kpa) and Chance (Socrates’ rocks) gave birth to my mega super coordinated brain, which for the records just managed to fit into a very hard almost rocky box we call skull! Science is yet to prove that the perfect harmony and dynamism seen in the sexual relationship between man and wife is a product of chance (Socrates’ again).
Modern man seeing that the evolution hypothesis has become too hard to prove would “condescend” in a new awakening or illumination to the theism he once abandoned, this time his theism.
Before modern man embraces his Modern bride, it would be wise to ponder at what really is the meaning of Life. Why all these unpleasant pleasantries, distasteful privileges (e.g. abortion). The complexities of life are quite that; complexities. But is there really a comprehensive understandable meaning to it all? I believe there is. (see my previous note on “My take on meaning” and “The premise for meaning”)
Theism is the belief in God or gods, <b>Karl Marx</b> called it (religion) the opium of the people and I must say that to an extent he was right, what he didn’t answer was whether the opium was right or wrong and which brand of opium he would generally prefer for he offered “the people” one!; Communism, many years later his opium has been found particularly distasteful to many.
Talking of opium, there are many shades to it;
One that gives you Godly laws to make you righteous and on the basis of your obedience declares you righteous. On the other hand it condemns you when you fail. In some cases you never know if you failed or not till we get there.
The other tells you that we are all unrighteous and that you only have to accept that God has forgiven via His only Son, and on that basis declares you righteous. After that you have certain responsibilities.
Another tells you that you are more of a God yourself, and yes your forefathers are gods also, you just do the good and interact with them.

Modern man looks at all this option and decides to be free (makes a lot of sense) and make his own opium depending on how he feels about it when he feels about it and anyhow he feels about it. Or at best takes a little of one (or a mix) to fit in, after all he is a social being.
The other tells you that it is all about you, that God is dead (i.e. if He ever was alive), it all depends on the way you feel about it.
This is the dilemma of the modern man, but then we still hold certain to be <b>observable truth; </b>
1. There is a unity in the diversity of creation (Uni-versity; that is why some of us went there) and it suggest a <b>purpose and demands for meaning. </b>
2. The premise for that meaning can be found in an intelligent creator (without whom there will no moral law, no basis for the observable “good” and “evil”, and hence no meaning) and the heart of every man has known His law. (I dare say that you know it).
3. Moral law from a Moral Law giver suggests punishment on offenders
4. Man is a chronic offender ( He is quite aware)
5. Man is a victim of the Law
6. Man for centuries has wondered if there is a Rescue.
Is there? (Don’t bother about the law, it can’t rescue man. It condemned him in the first place. Also man has never heeded it and God knows better, grace maybe; Presidential pardon!)
7. God has taken the initiative; Man for centuries has heard that he has been forgiven! Even for the sins he is yet to commit. No man deserves punishment for an acquitted offence except if he is unaware of it (or if he rejects the acquittal, for he can)
But in His confused state, modern man has looked at God and has blurted an answer
If you really exist, then you don’t care enough, in fact, I wonder if you are good at all. See the tsunamis for heaven’s sake.
I don’t care if you care or exist. I got to live this life (most unscientific/unreasonable answer)
I know you exist and care, but there is so much confusion down here. I can’t help myself.
I do love you God; see how hard I am trying to obey your law. I work so hard, I hope you can see how clean I look! Which acquittal?
I know you care and love me, please help me to be clean. I accept your acquittal.
To these, God answers;
|I care, trust me if you don’t, we will see.| (l’ll explain more in “The face of human Tragedy/suffering”)
|I care and I know you care that I care. I’m still waiting, for a while though|
|I know you can’t help myself, I have helped you already|
|I care dear, and I see your efforts, your dirty hands can never make you clean enough for me, I have forgiven and I am not angry no more, just believe me. See I have paid the price, I am the judge remember, and I have given my verdict; Not guilty!|
|I have paid the price for the sin of the whole world, just believe in me. I have helped you already and I am with you to the end of days|
My Stand
God made man for himself. He desired increase, God is Love and Love allows for choice. Man (Adam) chose bad and we all fell for it. The law was given to make that certain. You would think God was mad but His Grace has said; <b>|I have judged you and found you Not Guilty! For another has paid the price!| </b>. It is only in Jesus that we find this answer, and believe me His person gives meaning to all that you can see.(that is why Truth is so exclusive)
<b>Like many a men before, I have bowed my knees to Him, accepted the pardon and like Harriet Tubman has found “the sun shine like gold through the trees” </b>

Court arise!
I almost jumped off my skin as the court rose and the diminutive judge sauntered in.
One wouldn’t know the clerk had such a loud voice.
We all sat down and then tried to remain calm, but the quietness of the courtroom betrayed the atrial flutter most of us were having.
The atmosphere was simply electric; one could almost hear a pin drop. My heart was thumping; I steadied myself and tried to be a man.

“Let the accused arise” The judge ordered, in her mid forties at most, the judge was quite calm for the occasion, I wondered what could be going through her mind.

The accused rose and more than five hundred hearts in the court room rose with Him. Gbenga has always been a good guy, with a large heart, an ordinary guy. All of us felt for him. The goose pimples I had as they read the sentence wasn’t just because of our friendship but rather because I could be the guy in the dock. Sincerely I didn’t see any difference between us two, except that he is the one in the dock today.

The verdict; Guilty as charged. We weren’t surprised it was just that we expected mercy but the judge happened to be a stickler for the books. The prosecution did a marvelous job.

Gbenga was guilty, they lead him out and a man’s ordeal began.

Though I am not a John Grisham material, I have read enough of his books to catch the rhythm (I know you agree!), though I wonder if he truly wrote “the painted House”. The crux of the matter is that the human condition is quite identical to that above; a court rehearsal but this time, the real one.

Judgment has been given and we live with that reality every day. In the heart of man sits a judge whose hammer you have heard so often and many a times the verdict has been guilty, guilty, and guilty. I have heard enough of it to last me a lifetime. The human conscience happens to be a perfect judge.

But besides the conscience, a much greater judgement has been given ages ago and the verdict would surprise even the hardest sceptic, let me tell you about it.

All of us are guilty of a subject matter called sin (Adam’s fault and ours). God’s law in our heart has been hammering out “Guilty” all the age through.

But here is the catch; God has judged the earth and the Verdict is <b>“NOT GUILTY”.</b> It is a conditional statement though and the text below explains more;

<b> <i> It was God [personally present] in Christ, reconciling and restoring the world to favor with Himself, not counting up and holding against [men] their trespasses [but cancelling them], and committing to us the message of reconciliation (of the restoration to favor). 2Co 5:19 <b> <i>

The good news is that God has forgiven the world (men). <b> Jesus paid the price for the whole world! Not for Christians alone! It is for the whole world. Please tell it on the mountaintop; God is not angry with man any more, He only demands that you believe in His verdict: “Not Guilty” </b>

<b> <i> For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life. John 3:16 <b> <i>


<b>That is why the gospel is called “the good news”.<b/>

the piece above is dedicated to all those who have ever wondered on the the meaning of life. you can catch my thread on "reason on trial" and "Not Guilty"

AN ATTEMPT AT MEANING
Someone asked; what’s the meaning of life? And is that answer absolute?
Before I attempt my answer, Can the answer to such a question as this be exclusive? In other words, is meaning subjective (plural)? If meaning is subjective as many believe it to be. it suffers practical coherent applicability (as it has ended up suffering). A subjective meaning would imply the lack of coherence and effectiveness in day-to-day kitchen table discussion. Since you carry yours with you and I mine. The problem with that is that society is interdependent and there must be common basis for mutual co existence.
For example, You can get killed in Northern Nigeria for a very meaningful cause accepted by a great no. of people privately or openly that may not make sense 8hours trip down the Niger. Meaning!
Someone said that “no truth is absolute” that might appear almost true until we ponder if that statement is exclusive of itself or inclusive. If the statement is true, it would be so only by a state of being absolute. A state it denies!
The answer for meaning should be that which best explains reality. It should answer the question of origin, of wonder, of purpose, of evil, and of the hereafter. And these answers must cohere.
So if there is an absolute truth, what is it?
In a world of conflicting opinions and interests, of diverse world views, there is and has been a great search by many, especially the young people for meaning and this writer is not excluded.
Religion has posed solutions, and majority of individuals would tell you that greater violence has come from religious opinions than from any singular cause. In reality atheism has killed more people than religion (Stalin, Hitler and Communism). I submit that atheism is also of itself a religion. Which by definition is the “essence of culture”. At the heart of every culture is a world view.
Your culture to mine. Culture has ceased to refer to only large groups of individuals, it is more personal now. We carry it with us, Language, Mannerism, dance, dressing, beliefs and convictions. These factors not only describe groups limited by location anymore. You can live a different culture from your twin sister sharing the same room at home.
Why culture? Culture is the Garb of the truth we live by. It is our convictions. The meaning we ascribe to.
What is meaning? The answer to that would provide the answer for a culture that works, a culture that tells me who am I, why am I, what next after here? simple questions? Think again.
There is an absolute answer I believe and this discuss is to share that.

THE PREMISE FOR MEANING
To answer the question; what is the meaning of Life? One has to first establish the premise for meaning. What does it take for this Life to have meaning?
For this Life to have meaning, Some basic essentials must be in place. These I believe are:
1) Absolute/Objective Truth
2) Immortality
3) Origin
Origin: In Africa, the greater majority believe that in the beginning God created the universe, as against the opinion in the west that Evolution is the source of origin. This author won’t fail to add that evolution by itself has not been proven to be empirically plausible. Science has not proven the inexistence of God and statistical evaluations lean heavily on an intelligent creator than on life being a product of time, chance and matter or of soil and blood as the Nazis put it.
On the other hand, God explains immortality, origin and the basis for truth or moral consciousness. God is the Moral law giver (objective truth) and He promises immortality (this is a view held by most people that believe in God).
But as said earlier, Truth by definition is exclusive. Logically, it makes more sense to say that all religions are wrong than to say that they all are ways to God! Two mutually exclusive opinions cannot be true at the same time and all religions (essence of culture) all possess a point of exclusivity, essential areas in which differences become irreconcilably. i.e. a premise where I cannot believe yours if I truly believe in mine. Though we must learn to tolerate each other’s religion and beliefs for peaceful co existence, this piece is written for an honest inquirer who desires to know the Truth.
Before I make my case for Jesus Christ as the way, let me say that no religion should be judged by its abuse. So it is not so much about religious excesses by man but the essence of each belief. E.g. one can point at violence in a particular world view as a reason for denying it. Such I believe can only be tenable if these questions are asked; does that world view rend itself logically to such a point? Or is the observable an issue of abuse? Thus it is an enquiry on the essence.
The Nature Of man
The problem with man seeking for God is to understand His nature. Volumes have been written on the nature and personality of God, diversity of world views abound for this singular reason. But the nature of man is well known to us: there is something bad about man, in an Aso villa, in a white house, place man in a position of power, starve him of it. Give him too much food, starve him, marry him, be his best friend, be his worst enemy. Anyway you relate to man you can feel and see his hideousness. But then it is a fault he is aware of and knows it is bad!
The heart of man is sinful! Man is lost; he cannot help himself no matter how hard he tries.
Man’s heart is evil, take a look around. Man’s heart is not that it is unethical but that it is lost in sin.
The heart of man is sinful! Man is lost he cannot help himself no matter how hard he tries. Ethics has and cannot change the nature of men. Send him to a University, train him on the law and ethics, of morals, give him ten commandments or a thousand, punish him for disobedience, even when the punishment is death or amputation Man would still dare to sin! Man cannot help himself, He can’t! My best example is yourself, take a good examination of the thoughts that throng your heart and answer the question: WHO IS without SIN?
In the light of God’s Holiness and righteousness, in light of His amazing Love and indignant judgment, sin becomes utterly sinful and there is the awareness of a dreary judgment. We are all guilty, you and I regardless of tribe, religion or color!
What does this man need? Man needs a savior,
Have you struggled or are struggling with an addiction? Have you had to deal with guilt, immense guilt? I bet you’ll understand me better. In the light of a man’s inner struggle, commandments, even Godly commandments seem irrelevant. The weakness of man is all around you. What does man need?
He needs a savior!
And this is the biggest news in town, Man has got one, and of course the savior isn’t of the nature of man, the savior ought to be different from the saved, and He is. He ought to be without sin, and He is. The savior has to pay the price for man’s sin and He did! The salvation shouldn’t be impersonal and He isn’t. The savior should be capable of filling man’s need for love and He did! It wasn’t for man’s effort, it is free. The Price was heavy, He loved!
Man’s need for Love and Thirst for immortality
The greatest of all ethics is love and the greatest of all human need is Love. Man is created to be loved and there is an inner ache in you and I that even human love cannot fill. Man has tried to fill this need in many ways; sex hasn’t. Money couldn’t and fame won’t, even being a good individual cannot fill this need for communion. Only a personal not impersonal knowledge of God can fill this; Love is personal.
Man in his experience yearns for immortality but is faced with a stark reality of death and the cosmetic industry illustrates this point in graphic details. 88
In the person of Jesus Christ we find:
a. God
b. A Personal God that loves
c. An answer to the source of Man’s hideousness
d. A Savior: the difference between all other religious founders and Jesus Christ is not that He came not to make bad people good, but to make dead people alive! He provides the certainty of being forgiven.
e. Atonement for Sin: Christianity alone offers a cross and a Savior, God died! For many this is unthinkable, but it proves the nature of God (LOVE) and the gravity of Sin
f. Power to overcome sin
g. Righteousness; not of human efforts, as sinful man by his actions which are sinful cannot make himself clean!
h. Human dignity; A God that loved us as individuals, with no distinction between male and female
i. A case for immortality: resurrection from the dead.” Because I live, you will live also”
j. The Meaning of Life: the nature of reality (The knowledge of God)
k. An answer to human suffering
l. A God that didn’t need to create to love (the love in the Trinity)
Jesus answers the question of the nature of sin, the question of suffering, the nature of salvation and the nature of reality.
It is not in religion, it is not in money, it is not in sex or romance, it Is not in learning, it is not in fame or in titles, Meaning is found only in the person of Jesus Christ
Forgiveness
She came to my desk with a quivering lip, the lesson was done
Have you a new sheet for me dear teacher, I’ve spoilt this one
I took his sheet all soiled and blotted, gave him a new one all unspotted
Into her quiet heart I cried, do better now my child
I went to the throne with a trembling heart, the day was done
Have you a new day for me dear master, I’ve spoilt this one
He took my day all soiled and blotted, gave me a new one all unspotted
And Into my tired heart He cried, do better now my child
When I gave Him my Life, on the floor of my hostel room in 2003, tired of trying to be good and failing, of running. I wasn’t a bad man becoming a good man or a good man becoming better; I was a dead man receiving Life! I’ve bowed my knees to Him and I’ve found in Him everything.

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O.N

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O.N

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At Adeno concepts, we are trained medical professionals committed to helping positive nigerians find lasting marital relationships. we understand the intricacies, this is not just matchmaking, we are there to hold hands as well.
mail us for more details.

O.N

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O.N

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