Guys, I am really interested to know,are Black men in to Spirituality?

I ask because I do not meet many Black UK men who view life on a spiritual level, rather, they seem very angry and bitter towards life!

This is not another male bashing opp... rather just an acknowledgment of the men I have met over the years. Please share your thoughts.

Peace

I WILL TAKE THAT AS A NO THEN! THAT IS SUCH A SHAME. YOU GUYS DONT KNOW WHAT YOU ARE MISSING. AN OPP TO REALLY GET DEEP WITH YOURSELF AND ENRICH YOUR LIFE. RELEASE ALL THE ANGER AND START LOVING SELF. WHAT A SHAME, OH WELL, IT IS NEVER TOO LATE.

READ, 'CONVERSATIONS WITH GOD (PART1-3) - NEAL, DONALD WALSH, HE WILL HELP YOUR TO START THIS MEANINGFUL JOURNEY.

ok Imma break it to you like this...

I acknoledge that there is a god but choose to worship in my own way.

dont really feel going to church...white chuches are wayy too boring and im put off by black ones

Black_Power, I hear you and acknowledge your points. I too have a relationship with god but do not go to church.

I got to a stage in my life where I was searching for answers to many questions I had about life, my life.I have always acknowledged god, but never found the right church for me, I was then introduced to spirituality, which is slightlydifferent from religion.

Spirituality taught my how to accept my self, and acknowlege my participation to many things that were going wrong in my life, it taught me how to look within in-order to bring better experiences in to my life.

I always pondered about the types of relationships I was having, quite destructive, and started to read the book 'In the Meantime' by Iyanla Vanzant, it opened my eyes to a lot! The author talks about loving 'self'

I f you can, please try and get hold of either of the books I mentioned - they are really interesting.

Pimping books are we?

I'm not a fan of spirituality books, especially the ones that influence people. People shouldn't need the words of others to become between them and the divine. Unless they like being somone elses disciple.

If a person's faith in God/Creation/or The Divine or whatever you want to call it was that strong, you wouldn't need the books in the first place. And remember the authors of those books have become quite wealthy because of people's faith in "their" words about god, and not because of god itself.


So who are you really worshipping?

Hi Peacemaker,

I worship GOD almighty,as I believe he is the life force of everything, but to do so I do not worship within a church.

I agree that these authors have become rich by selling their books, however, these books have assisted me in my growth andunderstanding. These books made a lot of sense to me.

So what is it that you belive, and how did you start that journey? What was your trigger?

Im loving your pic

"Know now that these words in the Bible, as well as others, are being used to talk about the same thing - the soul in man: Soul = heart = Satan = devil = adversary = evil = god = false prophet = dragon = serpent = evil spirit = beast, and so on goes the list of synonyms."

That was the trigger.

I'll nowuse biblical quotes to answer the rest. Saves me time, and it's not like it hasn't been said before by others.

Mark 7:21-23, "For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evil things come from within (out of your soul), and defile the man."

Luke 16:15, ""God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God."

2 Corinthians 2:11, "Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices."


Ephesians 2:2, "Ye walk according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience."

Luke 24:38, "Why do thoughts arise in your hearts?"

Matthew 19:17, "And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? There is none good but one, that is, God:"

Luke 21:19 "In patience possess ye your souls."

Genesis 6:5, "And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually."

The above quotes were about the heart and soul.

The ones now below are about the mind.

Romans 12:2, "Be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind."

2 Corinthians 3:14-16, "But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same veil untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which veil is done away in Christ. But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the veil is upon their heart. Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away.

2 Corinthians 4:3-4, "But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them."

Luke 21:34-35, "And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth."

Matthew 18:3, "Verily I say unto you, except ye be 'CONVERTED', and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven."

Know the evils of soul: THAT is understanding.

Depart from the soul's evil: THAT is wisdom.

That about sums it up.

Different people are driven by different things. I found out I was spiritually driven by feeling guilty for the things I done which I shouldn't have done, it could not live with my conscience. Ever since, anything I do, and that could be negative or positive, my conscience has to be clear so I can just about justify anything I do...or at least have an answer or a reason for doing it......in some cases it may look evil to you but for a deeper explanation just ask me lol.

I am a born Christian. Though I still go to church over the years I have come to discover their are certain aspects of my faith whichare false. I have become suspect of many of the teaching of my faith. When I have asked certain people questions which have bothered me about my faith they have either shrugged it off, or tried to prove me wrong by giving me som quote in the bible which they themselves have totally misrepresented.



For example I tried to have a discussion with ceratin people about the true origins of Jesus/Yesuah. I pointed out to them certain parts of the bible which show that he looks nothing like the pictures in the church, the pictures in my house (in fact he is the opposite of the image given). Immediatley I was told things like



"HE WAS A JEW, THEREFORE THE IMAGE IS RIGHT"

" WHY DOES HIS COLOUR MATTER TO YOU" (I even heard that t.d jakes guy say the same thing)

"WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES IT MAKE"



I just feel that whenever I have questioned certain people about ceratin aspects of the bible , I then see that they themselves do not know why certain things are as it is. You can't even question them...IF SO YOU ARE A DEVIL .

For me right now I am going through a period where I am re educating myself on certain religious aspects.

I know what you mean.

My folks still bug me about going to church, when I tell them ‘I already have a relationship with god’, they just don’t understand how this can be so if I do not worship within a congregation, for some of the reasons already mentioned in this post.

I can relate to the evil part, I feel this way if I question within myself certain aspects of life andthe bible -as I still ponder over the ‘Social Control’ aspect of the bible.

I find solace in keeping faithful though, and havingconversations with god,because I can testify over and over again about the many different ways I have been guided.

I also belive in universal order, and like the concept of cosmic ordering. I heard of this book called 'Cosmic Love' earlier this year, the idea is that you create a scrap book and you collect all the things that you wish your partner to be, (i.e) if you want them to be sensitive, family orientated,have cash, a nice body, etc, you then paste them in this scrapbook, candles were mentioned - but dont know wht they were used for,you apparently also have to clear a space in you closet in-order to welcom this conjured up lover, the more I remember the details, I can remember why I did not hunt the book down (sounded alot like whichcraft ehe?)

Anyway, as someone else wrote, 'each to their own', I supposethose of us who have drifted away from the conventional way of beliving in god ora higher being,can find comfort in something.

Judge J - the very reason why when you look at the concept you can separate religion from spirituality - for me spirituality is all religions wrapped into one. In that sense I have a respect for all of them but could not choose one of them.

Many of our elder generation are completely brainwashed. Tell them to hang a picture of an African skinned wooly haired Jesus instead of the blonde and blue and you would have sealed your fate in hell......they say an image is worth a thousand words...guess we've proved that to them more than anybody else....I know when the average black Chrsitian closes their eyes to pray the see that golden haired blue eyed figure - no different to the 'savages' back home praying for Tarzan.

Most if not all religions have images that resemble the people who worship them...looks like we're left with obeah and witchcraft.

BFG - I once told some mates I feel lonely. They took this to believe I don't feel like I've got any friends not knowing I felt spiritually lonely - I guess with no spirituality themselves they would see it the way they did.

As for the wife, well there's no spirituality there neither. Her reference point is money so where I reach a goal in life as far as I'm concerened it's my spirituality or the decisions made driven by my spirituality that got me there...if she reaches the same place she thinks money got her there.

This can have serious consequences when it comes to borrowing and lending, raising children and setting up family - what you are doing with one mind someone appears to be doing exactly the same but the foundation of the mind is completely different.
If I was watching money I probably would have dragged her kicking and screaming to the abortionist. Funny enough if my spirituality gets disrespected by her it wouldn't stop me from knocking her out. I guess prevention is better than cure.

From when a guy is dashing away belly you no there's no spirituality there. From when another guy tells you marriage is for white people yet a few years on gets married himself, you know there's no spirituality or god in that marriage - not to say it needs it just know your class! - in that class I would feel spiritually lonely!