| I love synchronicity’s surprise visits, which usually occur after I’ve faithfully followed my internal guidance.
Watch for my latest e-book, Cinderella’s Coffin:
How to stop men from shaping the fate of women and girls.
|
While browsing a small book store last week, I found my attention unwillingly drawn to the political section—three small shelves containing the writings of past, present, and probably future U.S. presidential personalities. Not normally my preference for entertainment and relaxation, the books nevertheless held me entranced, motionless, while I wondered which one to pick up and hurriedly scan before moving to the larger, and less threatening, fiction section.
The staring faces of Jimmy Carter, George Bush, Hilary Clinton, and Barack Obama were the most familiar to me. As my outstretched hand hovered in mid-air awaiting its assignment for action, my eyes slowly navigated the titles, subtitles, cover photos, colors, designs, sizes, and thicknesses of the inertly bound power-related objects.
Not knowing at the time ‘why?’ I lifted the sepia-toned, least appealing, easiest to carry life story of Mr. Obama from its resting place and headed to the cashier’s desk to pay. “Dreams from My Father” slipped easily into a small plastic bag which I dropped into a larger plastic bag of previous frivolous purchases.
That evening, I began reading ‘Barry’s’ life story, and was mesmerized for hours, barely pausing for kitchen and bathroom breaks. The first hint that I was really going to like the book came early in the thousands of words which followed. We had both lived in the same mid-west city of my birthplace, although a generation of time had kept us unknown to each other.
As one chapter flowed into the next, I empathized with his progress through the uncertainty of youthful years and teen-aged dilemmas in wondering ‘who am I?’ and ‘what am I doing here?’ I felt his hesitancy in ‘adopting’ attitudes and values from those around him, both individuals and well-meaning institutions. As Barack wrote, “…my choices were never truly mine alone—and that is how it should be, that to assert otherwise is to chase after a sorry sort of freedom.”
The events of his early years were mostly dictated by others: parents, schools, religions, and governments, as he trod his path in multiple countries on various continents. His exposure to diverse cultures and dichotomous ideas were described in a way I could understand: “I was operating mainly on impulse,” he wrote, “like a salmon swimming blindly upstream toward the site of his own conception.” On his journey however, and in his many subsequent successes, it seemed he learned values, discipline, and compassion; rarely judging others for choices we must all eventually make.
After emerging from the pages of his book and my thoroughly enjoyed ‘time off,’ I returned to my ‘real life cage’ by parking myself in front of my computer to play catch-up. There were ninety-two emails to review and either delete, file, or answer. One in particular jolted me securely into the ‘now’ of that moment and out of my reverie of Barack’s honesty, integrity, and willing vulnerability in sharing his most personal moments with unknown readers such as me.
From a Christian friend I dearly love appeared a scathing character assassination of Barack via her unwanted but synchronistic email. Most likely, her comments were parroted from someone else (her minister?) who may or may not have read Barack’s book. The words she sent cut into me like a red-hot dagger, and were totally opposite the impression I received through his writing.
I reprint the email here just as I received it—obvious typos, inconsistencies, and error-thinking included— to spotlight the unwarranted but manipulative usage of ‘out of context’ Christian judgments which are contrary to the teachings so self-righteously espoused from pulpits and puppet-like congregants:
“Who is Barack Obama?
Probable U. S. presidential candidate, Barack Hussein Obama was born in
Honolulu , Hawaii , to Barack Hussein Obama, Sr., a black Muslim from
Nyangoma-Kogel , Kenya and Ann Dunham, a white atheist from Wichita , Kansas
Obama's parents met at the University of Hawaii
When Obama was two years old, his parents divorced. His father
returned to Kenya
His mother then married Lolo Soetoro, a radical Muslim From Indonesia.
When Obama was 6 years old, th e family relocated to Indonesia
Obama attended a Muslim school in Jakarta
He also spent two years in a Catholic school.
Obama takes great care to conceal the fact that he is a Muslim.
He Is quick to point out that, "He was once a Muslim, but that he
also attended Catholic school."
Obama's political handlers are attempting to make it appear that Obama's
introduction to Islam came via his father, and that this influence was
temporary at best.
In reality, the senior Obama returned to Kenya Soon after the divorce,
and never again had any direct influence over His son's education.
Lolo Soetoro, the second husband of Obama's mother, Ann Dunham,
introduced his stepson to Islam.
Obama was enrolled in a Wahabi school in Jakarta . Wahabism is the
radical teaching that is followed by the Muslim terrorists who are now
waging Jihad against the western world.
Since it is politically expedient to be a Christian when seeking Major
public office in the United States , Barack Hussein Obama has joined the
United Church of Christ in an attempt to downplay his Muslim background.
Let us all remain alert concerning Obama's expected presidential candidacy.
Please forward to everyone you know. The Muslims have said they plan on
destroying the US from the inside out, what better way to start than
at the highest level.
And, always remember: Muslims lie.” |
Personally, I’d rather have an honest, intelligent, compassionate Muslim for president than a deceitful, unreasonable, self-serving Christian.
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