Let me tell y'all....
Rachelle Ferrell is a spiritual experience.
DAMN. Everytime I see her, it's like I have forgotten what I have learned.
Her energy, her honesty, her openness, she is living her dream, and everytime I have seen her.... she puts on the best show of her life.
Which can't be easy.... since that is what we, fans, expect.
During one portion of the show, she calls into the audience for a Brotha called "BJ" and another called "Jubu" to join her onstage. This is clearly unscripted, as it takes an eternity for them to get onstage. We learn that BJ sings in a quartet, and Jubu plays the GIT-tar and has co-written a song with Rachelle.
Masters.
So they do what Masters do. They jam.
And it starts out innocently enough... a slow, bluesy song.
Rachelle does the lyrics.
Jubu does an amazing GIT-tar solo.
And then Rachelle nods for BJ to sing.
Again... innocently enough.
Brotha has a real smooth voice, and he makes up some words as he gets comfortable...
Then.... he says the Jee word.
Jesus.
And the crowd, of course, being 90 percent Black and on a Sunday night, begins to stir.
He sings: "How many of y'all been to church this morning?"
Half the crowd begins waving their warms and swaying in their seats.
And then it happens.
The music changes.
The bass kicks. The drums hit. Hard.
The keyboard suddenly becomes an organ.
And I feel it.
I feel it.
The lurching in my stomach. The desire to scream, dance, shout, leap, to touch somebody, anybody....
This is significant. I have only been to "church" once.
As a youth, I was invited to attend church with a friend of mine from school. I couldn't have been older than 11. The Pastor during a break in the sermon, asked for visitors to join him upfront, introduce themselves to the congregation.
So I did.
My friend and his family were at my masjid that Friday.
So anyways.... for me to be sitting up in this concert, with my SPIRIT wanting to jump out of my body, is major.
And at that exact moment, I realized two things.
1) "I am having a major spiritual experience right now."
2) "I truly can not allow myself to be in the moment"
But we'll stick with number one, since it messed me up, and is changing the way I see everything around me.
I think many/most people confuse spiritual with religious.
Meaning, they confuse spiritual experiences with religious experiences.
Spiritual beliefs with Religious Beliefs.
Spiritual Truth with Religious Truth.
This is important as heck.
Cuz the Spiritual and Religious worlds are not exclusive to each other.
Spiritual: Of, or having to do with, the Spirit.
Religious: Of, or having to do with, Religion.
Easy enough.... until you get into the definition of Religion.
Religion is made up of two words.
Re: means to do again, to go back, (to REpeat)
The word lig is a Latin word that means to bind or tie (tightly) or to connect.
(some people substitute the word lig with LIGHT, thereby making Religion returning to Light.... but I'm not using this.)
So by definition, Religion would be Reconnecting, Rebinding or Retightening.... to God or with God.
So as I'm sitting in my seat, listening to the sounds, my skin tingling and my ears buzzing, thinking, "Man... if church feels like this, I am missing OUT!"
I'm a Muslim. During our religious services, we have no house band.
At no point have I ever felt compelled during a khutbah (sermon or address) to jump up and run through the aisles. Screaming, shouting, speaking in English or Arabic.
For some people.... that feeling is Religion to them.
And they are wrong.
I live in Oakland.
The only thing more common on our streets than liquor stores, are churches.
And you would think, that if the church experience was a Religious one, then there would be some serious Rebinding, Reconnecting and Retightening with God in the O.
En masse.
But there is not.
And this is because the Black Church Experience is not about Religion. At best, it's a treat for the spirit. A show. Hooting and hollering in 5 part harmony.
A feeling.
Not growth.
The story of Jesus in the Bible, and the way that it is taught to Negroes, is not designed to help us grow. To develop. To improve.
Massa did not give us Christianity to do anything other than pacify us. It's like going to the Apollo Theater for Amateur Night.
It's a show.
Entertainment.
Laugh, cry, dance, sing,
Come back next week and do the same thing.
Is there any good to it?
Of course there is.
Or do they actually contribute to keep Niggas in line?
Rachelle Ferrell is a spiritual experience.
DAMN. Everytime I see her, it's like I have forgotten what I have learned.
Her energy, her honesty, her openness, she is living her dream, and everytime I have seen her.... she puts on the best show of her life.
Which can't be easy.... since that is what we, fans, expect.
During one portion of the show, she calls into the audience for a Brotha called "BJ" and another called "Jubu" to join her onstage. This is clearly unscripted, as it takes an eternity for them to get onstage. We learn that BJ sings in a quartet, and Jubu plays the GIT-tar and has co-written a song with Rachelle.
Masters.
So they do what Masters do. They jam.
And it starts out innocently enough... a slow, bluesy song.
Rachelle does the lyrics.
Jubu does an amazing GIT-tar solo.
And then Rachelle nods for BJ to sing.
Again... innocently enough.
Brotha has a real smooth voice, and he makes up some words as he gets comfortable...
Then.... he says the Jee word.
Jesus.
And the crowd, of course, being 90 percent Black and on a Sunday night, begins to stir.
He sings: "How many of y'all been to church this morning?"
Half the crowd begins waving their warms and swaying in their seats.
And then it happens.
The music changes.
The bass kicks. The drums hit. Hard.
The keyboard suddenly becomes an organ.
And I feel it.
I feel it.
The lurching in my stomach. The desire to scream, dance, shout, leap, to touch somebody, anybody....
This is significant. I have only been to "church" once.
As a youth, I was invited to attend church with a friend of mine from school. I couldn't have been older than 11. The Pastor during a break in the sermon, asked for visitors to join him upfront, introduce themselves to the congregation.
So I did.
My friend and his family were at my masjid that Friday.
So anyways.... for me to be sitting up in this concert, with my SPIRIT wanting to jump out of my body, is major.
And at that exact moment, I realized two things.
1) "I am having a major spiritual experience right now."
2) "I truly can not allow myself to be in the moment"
But we'll stick with number one, since it messed me up, and is changing the way I see everything around me.
I think many/most people confuse spiritual with religious.
Meaning, they confuse spiritual experiences with religious experiences.
Spiritual beliefs with Religious Beliefs.
Spiritual Truth with Religious Truth.
This is important as heck.
Cuz the Spiritual and Religious worlds are not exclusive to each other.
Spiritual: Of, or having to do with, the Spirit.
Religious: Of, or having to do with, Religion.
Easy enough.... until you get into the definition of Religion.
Religion is made up of two words.
Re: means to do again, to go back, (to REpeat)
The word lig is a Latin word that means to bind or tie (tightly) or to connect.
(some people substitute the word lig with LIGHT, thereby making Religion returning to Light.... but I'm not using this.)
So by definition, Religion would be Reconnecting, Rebinding or Retightening.... to God or with God.
So as I'm sitting in my seat, listening to the sounds, my skin tingling and my ears buzzing, thinking, "Man... if church feels like this, I am missing OUT!"
I'm a Muslim. During our religious services, we have no house band.
At no point have I ever felt compelled during a khutbah (sermon or address) to jump up and run through the aisles. Screaming, shouting, speaking in English or Arabic.
For some people.... that feeling is Religion to them.
And they are wrong.
I live in Oakland.
The only thing more common on our streets than liquor stores, are churches.
And you would think, that if the church experience was a Religious one, then there would be some serious Rebinding, Reconnecting and Retightening with God in the O.
En masse.
But there is not.
And this is because the Black Church Experience is not about Religion. At best, it's a treat for the spirit. A show. Hooting and hollering in 5 part harmony.
A feeling.
Not growth.
The story of Jesus in the Bible, and the way that it is taught to Negroes, is not designed to help us grow. To develop. To improve.
Massa did not give us Christianity to do anything other than pacify us. It's like going to the Apollo Theater for Amateur Night.
It's a show.
Entertainment.
Laugh, cry, dance, sing,
Come back next week and do the same thing.
Is there any good to it?
Of course there is.
You better watch out,
You better not cry,
You better not pout,
I'm telling you why:
You better not cry,
You better not pout,
I'm telling you why:
________ is coming to town!
He's making a list,
He's checking it twice,
He's gonna find out
who's naughty or nice.
He's checking it twice,
He's gonna find out
who's naughty or nice.
_________ is coming to town!
He sees you when you're sleeping,
He knows when you're awake.
He knows when you've been bad or good,
So be good for goodness sake!
He knows when you're awake.
He knows when you've been bad or good,
So be good for goodness sake!
Substitute "Jesus" for "Santa" and you have pretty much summed up Christianity.
The Christian use of Jesus and God is one designed to control behavior, but not to help people spiritually grow.
Where you learn how to act or present yourself in certain situations, but never accept your own Divinity, your own Power, and your Divine Destiny.
Looking at these Oakland neighborhoods, are the surrounding communities improved by the presence of corner churches?
Or do they actually contribute to keep Niggas in line?
In its history, has the Black Church helped free us from promiscuity?
Alcohol abuse?
Drug abuse?
Child abuse?
Spousal abuse?
Alcohol abuse?
Drug abuse?
Child abuse?
Spousal abuse?
Are Black People moving forward in the world, or are we constantly and consistently passed by other ethnic groups and immigrant communities?
141 years after the abolition of slavery, 45 years after the ending of Jim Crow, why are Black People so far behind?
The Answer... as a whole, we are Historically Ignorant.
And Spiritually Retarded.
Because the "Religion" that Massa gave us to keep 1000 slaves from revolting against 10 overseers, Niggas still cling to.
The White Man's Jesus does not empower.
He teaches you to accept your sufferring, your condition, your fate.
And not to change it.
And if I didn't know any better...
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