Bishop Okoh, A Primate, and “i” 3
(Continuance of “A Primate, Archbishop Okoh, and “I”, 1 + 2)

The following quotes were put together by me quite easily by simple “googling” of “words of blessing” (May the Peace of God which passeth all understanding) which had sprung into my mind as I sought “inspiration” as to how I might “wind up” this response to Archbishop Okoh’s Press release

(16th July 2010 – see http://www.anglican-nig.org/main.php...c_c=1&c_y=2010 ), which (also, and unfortunately) sows the (bad) seeds of homophobia, and hatred of persons of difference:

I am grateful and “give thanks” for the generously and freely offered comparative “hard work of others” (see “World Scripture: Peace” at http://www.unification.net/ws/theme074.htm ) from which I have selected quotes from many sources, and now share with you, for ALL.

To broaden our horizons, I have taken some liberties with the texts, so that these quotes may have universal appeal. I trust that you will generously forgive me for this, and I leave it up to you to check out chapter and verse from your own sources.

I have not swerved from the central direction of my comments about Loving, however, so “to mine own self, I have been True” as I have “joined together good thought processes and blessings” from “the ends of the earth” – “all corners of the globe”:

May the Peace of God bless and attend us, so that “God will be in our heads, And in our understanding; God will be in our eyes, And in our looking; God will be in our mouths, And in our speaking; God will be in our hearts, And in our thinking; God will be at our end, And at our departing. Amen (adapted from the Sarum Primer, 1558).

May the meditations of our hearts, the words of our mouths, and the work of our hands, be acceptable in your sight, O God, our foundational strength, and our rock, our helper-defender, our salvation, and our redeemer (based on Psalms 19.14):

Wipe the furrows from our brow; Smooth the lines from our face; Lift the load from our heart, And remove the fear from our communal soul as we leave this place, in peace (Idea Adapted from Peter Marshall).

And now, may the peace of God which passes all understanding, be with us, and remain with us – All – now and forever (based on Philippians 4.7). Amen !

As we can clearly see, Peace is one of the most desirable fruits of salvation in all the world's religions, for it is

“In the remembrance of God do hearts find satisfaction (Islam. Qur'an 13.28).

As rivers flow into the ocean but cannot make the vast ocean overflow, so flow the streams of the sense-world into the sea of peace, that is the sage (Hinduism. Bhagavad Gita 2.70).

Only what is still can still the stillness of other things (Taoism. Chuang Tzu 5).

God lives in the heart of every creature. By God’s grace you will find supreme peace, and the state which is beyond all change (Hinduism. Bhagavad Gita 18.61-62).

Happily live the peaceful, giving up victory and defeat (Buddhism. Dhammapada 201).

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward “men” (Christianity. Bible, Luke 2.14).

The whole of the Torah (the “Laws of Moses”) is for the purpose of promoting peace (Judaism. Talmud, Gittin 59b).

All things exist for world peace (Perfect Liberty Kyodan Precepts, 14).

God is peace, God’s name is peace, and all is bound together in peace (Judaism. Zohar, Leviticus 10b).

God is our peace, who has made us both one, and has broken down the dividing wall of hostility (Christianity. Bible, Ephesians 2.14).

Our God, it is your universe, it is your will: Let us be at peace, let the souls of the people be cool. You are our Creating Parent, remove all evil from our path (African Traditional Religions. Nuer Prayer (Sudan); for

We would beat our swords into plowshares, and our spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, for we would that we not learn war any more (Judaism and Christianity. Bible, Isaiah 2.4)

No one shall cause another pain or injury; All mankind shall live in peace together, Under a shield of administrative benevolence (Sikhism. Adi Granth, Sri Raga, M.5, p. 74)

God brings together those who are divided, and encourages those who are friendly; God is a peacemaker, a lover of peace, impassioned for peace, a speaker of words that make for peace (Buddhism. Digha Nikaya xiii.75, Tevigga Sutta)

Peace be to earth and to airy spaces !

Peace be to heaven, peace to the waters, peace to the plants and peace to the trees ! May “all the gods”)(Us – We – All People, together)grant me peace ! By this invocation of peace may peace be diffused ! By this invocation of peace may peace bring peace ! With this peace the dreadful I expose, with this peace the cruel I dilute, with this peace all evil I negate, so that peace may prevail, happiness prevail ! May everything for US – ALL – be peaceful ! (Hinduism. Atharva Veda 19.9.14).

Yes, Blessed are the Godly Peacemakers, for they shall be called “Children of God” (Christianity. Bible, Matthew 5.9):

* I cannot help but notice Archbishop Okoh’s use of the so-called “royal our” to mean “my” when he refers to “himself” and his new-found importance. Surely, this is an over-stretch of his “authority” ? “God status” cannot be assumed by any mere mortal. Any humble “primate” should know, that unless the primate concerned lives to “serve” the community he finds himself in, then “the first will be last”.

Interestingly, he also uses the antiquated expression of the word “maiden” in his first speech, though he doesn’t claim to “be” one.

Language, however well put together, can be interpreted differently. It is therefore imperative for us (all) to take care in all of our spoken and written “expressions”. A “smile” and “open arms” and a “kind heart” are universally appreciated (even) more than words, which may be “just”, or otherwise. Language translations must make a start, coming from what people already know to be right, from and within themselves, from the heart.

When every heart beats true, we will “reach out” – to “each other” as “we” collectively “breath free”.

When we really want to understand “Life”, and our living in “Peace and Harmony” within the world and with each and every other, then we will have achieved our own “heaven on earth” – our own “little bit of paradise” – which is what “living freely” is all about. None, then, will “Lord it over” others.

We shall then be able to not only live freely, but to be fruitful, and death will have lost its sting, since each and everyone has been valued and appreciated for who they truly “are”, and have been created to “be”: Not “lords” or “masters” but fellow chorister workers in God’s vineyard.

Oh, Happy Day ! No racism, No sexism, No ageism, No phobia’s, No one-upmanship, No brinksmanship, No rape, No force, No compulsion, No triumphalism, No starvation, No needs not being met – as we freely, and freely – Give – for “Giving” is “Receiving” also, and “Every One” Gains. Oh, happy day !

* As you will have “gathered” from all of my writing above, I thoroughly agree with Archbishop Okoh when he wisely says: “Nigerians of all religious persuasions should learn to live in peace together bearing in mind that:

No one group can wish away the other. Properly considered, our religious plurality is an asset and not a curse.

All should learn the principle of ‘Give and take’ and the
Golden Rule of ‘do to others as you will like them to do unto you’.”

* I trust that the religious and irreligious and all those who are “in-between” world-wide will see the wisdom in these words, and will follow this teaching, knowing that “words of reconciliation” must come first, followed by the “hand of friendship”, and “loving support”.

May the meditations of our hearts, the words of our mouths, and the work of our hands, be acceptable in your sight, O God, - our fountain’s head and provider – our foundational strength, and our rock, our defender, our salvation, and our redeemer:…To “Live Love as you are able” is the le a st and the most “parental love” can ask…

PS: You may read about my life’s travails and 5th Parliament blessings in my websites and blogspots etc, which are free to all who seek, through the power of God’s Aquarian-era super-highway, the “Internet”, by “googling” my name “Donald Chalmers” with my aliases “piper02”, “a piper too”, or with “wound-wisdom”, or “Peace and Harmony”. My best wishes to everyone. ALL. Live “ ? ” Love. ALL.

PS2: As I was preparing to submit this article to “africanloft.com” and to “Nigerian Village Square”, I happened to find an article already posted “An Open Letter to the Nigerian Church” (see http://www.nigeriavillagesquare.com/articles/guest-articles/an-open-letter-to-the-nigerian-church-2.html ) which also submits persuasive arguments for a radical change of thinking within current church leadership, although I think that the wisdom its author Ahmed Olayinka Sule CFA presents must be debated and acted on in good faith by religious leaders of all faith traditions worldwide, rather than just in Nigeria. Ahmed has also submitted his articles to “Transparency Nigeria” – another online resource – which I had not heard of before – which aims to “open up polities, policies, and politics” and claims to have 2623 followers, and to be “one of the fastest growing Internet portals for Nigeria”. That it lists directories of contact details for Senators and Members of the Upper and Lower Houses of Parliament, and Local Government Authorities etc bodes well for the transparency of future good governance, given the required constant vigilance of the country’s citizens, who should hold their Parliamentary Representatives, Local Government, AND RELIGIOUS LEADERS accountable for it.

PS3: I trust that readers shall make Archbishop Okoh aware of this challenge to his thinking, and that he will respond in terms which do not attempt to negate the full power of the quotes selected above, for it is from these thoughts, all other “good thinking” must follow.