... "Have you been in the villages where they dance in grass skirts to ask the Gods to make it rain" ...

Sometimes we spend so much time arguing between ourselves that we forget who the real enemy of Ifa is. Following is a group of e-mails received during the last week which highlights just who the real enemy to our freedom, and the freedom of the planet, is:

Note: I have left the original, and ungrammatical grammar of the missionary, untouched. It is not to embarrass him.he does just fine on that count himself, but rather as emphasis that logic and reason are often intimately connected with education. Lack of one often leads to lack of all.

-----Original Message-----

From: TChrist695@aol.com [mailto:TChrist695@aol.com]

Sent: Tuesday, February 13, 2001 12:26 AM

To: odukeeper@ifafoundation.org

Subject: A concerned person .

How do you account for the fact that you can't control what happens in your life from day to day? How is it that you don't believe that a God of such awe and destruction wouldn't prescribe a way that man, in an imperfect state, would approach Him. Where are the origins of wisdom? Certainly not with those who have no solutions to the state of man's condition! Do you think your intellect will not conflict with your so-called inner self? Face it, there is a loving God that controls the world, but gave you a free choice to choose. You have chose to deny Him, but you have built your own worship that in the end will fail you simply because it is based on you and you are finite...I pray that somehow you find peace through a relationship with Jesus and not with the ENEMY OF YOUR SOUL. JESUS IS THE ONLY SACRIFICE ACCEPTABLE TO PAY THE PRICE FOR YOUR SINS, TO SET YOU FREE FROM THE god OF INTELLECT AND FALSE POWER YOU ARE TRYING TO PLEASE! I am sorry you have been hurt in the past by your experiences and up bringing, but the Lord was not the cause but He is the solution...think about it MAY YOU FIND TRUE WISDOM TC

____________

My original response was:

Do you fail to see the contradiction in your thinking? If God gave us choice, God also gave us the tools (logic and intellect) to reach the right conclusions. Contrary to your thinking, Ifa does offer solutions to "man's state of condition." Solutions that give respect to our intellect, our relationship with our community and the world we live in. What do you believe was God's master plan for the 10,000 years before the birth of Jesus?

Blessings

Philip Neimark

Oluwo of Ifa

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Within hours I received the following reply...

My responses are indicated in Blue.

TChrist695: The plan God had 10,000 years before Christ was to bring Him to earth to save fallen man, like me and you .

Philip: DO YOU REALLY THINK IT WOULD TAKE GOD 10,000 YEARS TO IMPLEMENT HIS PLAN?

TChrist695: Since He loves you so much, even as you curse Him,

Philip: THAT'S MORE IRRATIONAL NONSENSE. WHERE DO I CURSE HIM? CAN YOU NAME ONE INSTANCE?

TChrist695: he still reaches out to you. As much as I hate your views I love you as a creation of our wonderful God YHWH( thats Hebrew for yahweh). The most wonderful thing about Him is that He gives the right to choose .

Philip: GEE, THEN THERE MUST BE CHOICES.

TChrist695: I believe that there is more data and factual evidence from people more credible than you or me to prove the existence of God and His son Jesus.

Philip: NOBODY IS QUESTIONING THEIR EXISTENCE. I DO QUESTION YOUR CONCEPT OF JESUS BEING THE ONLY PATH. IF THAT'S HOW GOD WANTED IT, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN SIMPLE TO SEE WE BELIEVED.

TChrist695: The bible says that you are with me or against me (talking about Jesus),

Philip: WHICH BIBLE? WHICH SET OF AUTHORS?

TChrist695: do you actually know who you are siding with. Since we know it isn't Jesus, is it satan;

Philip: THERE IS NO SATAN

TChrist695: the prince of this world who is a liar and the father of them. In your undoubtedly, next e-mail to me, explain to me your views on the devil.

TChrist695: 1. Do you believe he exist?

Philip: NO. NEITHER DOES IFA.

TChrist695: 2 Do you know his origin

Philip: NO EXISTENCE < NO ORIGIN

TChrist695: 3. Do you worship him? Looking forward to hear from you! May the light of Jesus shine on you!

Philip: WHY DON'T YOU SPEND SOME TIME READING WHAT WE HAVE WRITTEN INSTEAD OF JUMPING TO YOUR IRRATIONAL DOCTRINAIRE STANCE

PHILIP NEIMARK OLUWO

Of course, he responded:

TChrist695: hey philip I am a missionary to Nigeria in the Benin area...I know more about what you think I do! Going back soon...have you ever been to Nigeria...lot of Christians there! God Bless

Philip: Yes, and God knows you brought with you the guilt, fear and supremacist view that has allowed the Nigerians to pillage the land, pollute their country and steal from their people.

The ink had hardly dried before he responded:

TChrist695: My friend We are there to help the people who haven't had clean drinking water in years,

Philip: BEFORE EUROPEANS ARRIVED THE WATER WAS FINE

TChrist695: to feed the hungry,

Philip: THE FOOD WAS ABUNDANT

TChrist695: teach them how to read and write,

Philip: IF YOU WERE A STUDENT OF HISTORY INSTEAD OF A PARROT FOR WHAT YOU HAVE BEEN TAUGHT, YOU WOULD KNOW THEY HAD A GREAT CITY STATE CULTURE BEFORE YOU DID.

TChrist695: build church's and reveal the love of God through Jesus to all that will hear. It is the witch doctors who are killing the people with poisons from their black art.

Philip: WHO TOLD YOU THAT? CERTAINLY NO EDUCATED DOMINICAN OR FRANCISCAN COULD BELIEVE SUCH STUPIDITY

TChrist695: It is the voodoo stupidity that causes poverty and depravity

Philip: IFA IS NOT VOODUN...STUDY YOUNG MAN! .

TChrist695: While they worship dead idols like you do

Philip: YOUR LACK OF RESEARCH, COMBINED WITH YOUR AUTHORITARIAN/SUPREMACIST VIEW BLINDS YOU,

TChrist695: their children die because of worthless practices. Have you fed a hungry child that was about to die? Have you treated someone with malaria who had a fever so high that minutes separated life and death; we have. What can your false wisdom and rhetoric benefit these people who need a change in their existence.....that's what I thought

Philip: THOUGHT IS ONE THING YOU DON'T HAVE YOU POMPOUS PARROT! NOTHING!

TChrist695: Before you talk about the country God has called us to

Philip: WHERE DID YOU RECEIVE THE MESSAGE?

TChrist695: , think about what difference are you making in this world...give your life to Christ and make a difference and get off the fence and stop hiding in your fear... God Bless you

Philip: YOU ARE FRIGHTENING IN YOUR RIGID DOGMA...YOUR LIFE MUST REFLECT IT.

TChrist695: p.s. The Nigerians are doing a swell job polluting themselves before we got there

Philip: AGAIN, YOU ARE FACTUALLY INCORRECT.

TChrist695: You are showing me through your insults that you are not as intellectual as you think....that's fine I will not return your evil for evil, however according to your last letter, we have seen with our own eyes voodo practices and have led witch doctors to the Lord. You speak as though yo know the people there? Have you been in the villages where they dance in grass skirts to ask the gods to make it rain?

Philip: and you know what my dear missionary zealot? IT RAINS!!!

TChrist695: You speak from an uneducated stance. You are right when you say food is abundant for those who have the money to buy. Also they don't have the hygiene factor on their side. Even with the omebas in their stomachs, they still are being killed by the lack of clean food and water that they all don't wash in , take a bath in and urinate in. Ifa is voodo as far as I am concern

Philip: You simply underline your lack of knowledge and your parroting of European Supremacist dogma.

TChrist695: because it doesn't lead to eternal life and that my friend you want have unless you learn what this parrot is saying...repent for the Kingdom of God is at hand. This is my last response. Didn't mean to hurt your feelings or insult you, but the truth is the truth. I hope you open your heart and receive the one who loves you more than you love yourself. God Bless and thank you for your responses

NOTE: The above is not unique. It reflects the absolute Supremacist viewpoint that is the genuine enemy of Ifa. It is not the existence, or even the actual teachings, of Jesus, that are a danger, it is the unthinking fascist behavior of these self appointed soldiers of God. There are times when I am almost ashamed to be European. The Ifa Foundation will continue to publish logical truths and teach meaningful behavior until the last Pogrom, Crusade and act of human slavery ceases to exist.

_________

Update: Letter from Ifáláná in response to this article....

Aboru Aboye Abosise

Dear Oluwo Philip, how are you doing? How is your family doing? Vassa, Darq-Amber, Dash,... I miss all of you. We are doing well. Tricia did start to work, she likes her new position.

I have been wanting to e-mail you ever since I read the article from the individual without his own thoughts ("parrot"). It is true what you said, when an individual does not have enough education, they do not know how to interpret a religious movement and use logic. We belong to a culture that thrives on fear and the original corruption of the pagan faiths, which began as a power play by the medieval church, has been kept alive and well to a tragic degree ever since. Ifa is a highly individualistic and experiential faith, with a strong ethical code based on moral and personal responsibility. There is no "confession" or absolution of sins by an outside authority. We are highly committed to "walking our talk" in all aspects of our lives. We respect the idea that different spiritual beliefs work for different people.

"The best form is to worship God in every form." As human beings, we define ourselves by what fits us. Things work or they don't, we like or we dislike, we adore or we hate. We identify with, empathize with, relate to, understand...or we don't have a clue. Naming god is about choosing what works for one, spiritually. This individual does not have a clue of what he wants. Well, these are my small thoughts about it. You are a wise man, and you apply your wisdom with rationalism and logic. Orunmila has blessed you.

.Love, Ifáláná - Oscar

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