xmlns:fb='http://www.facebook.com/2008/fbml'> Thinking Out Loud : 2012

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Saturday, March 31, 2012

"WE ARE TRAYVON MARTIN"



Trayvon Martin
This is an article Pastor Nimmons wrote for the April edition of the Greater Grace Temple Newsletter regarding the case surrounding the death of slain teen Trayvon Martin.
 
It seems that the spirit of violence has encapsulated not just the city of Detroit but the entire country. Everywhere we look there appears to be some more news about a violent altercation or event that’s taken place in one of our cities across this country. Recently, the nation and even the world has come together in support of the family of slain teenager Trayvon Martin, who was tragically killed by self-proclaimed neighborhood watchmen “George Zimmerman” for simply looking “suspicious.” Trayvon was shot and killed inside a gated community in Sanford Florida by Zimmerman; who has yet to be arrested, because of the State of Florida’s “Stand Your Ground” law. Protest and demonstrations have taken place all across the country, in hopes of shedding more light on this case and ultimately bringing Zimmerman to justice. 
Abreya Jones & Ashely Brown; two Hamtramck women recently killed
 This case hits home in so many ways and for so many people, as we see this spirit of violence plaguing our city.  During a rally for Trayvon Martin in this past Monday, people dawned hoodies and held picket signs demonstrating and protesting this senseless killing. Some also spoke out about the recent homicides and murders in our city. What about the Bianca Jones, or the two women who were killed in Hamtramck, along with countless others. While it is easy to separate and segment each of these crimes by location and circumstance, there are more things that tie them together than what separates them. If we want this violence to end, we can no longer see this as a Detroit problem or a Sanford problem, but this is a people problem. And, ultimately when we cry out for Trayvon, we are also crying out for the hundreds and thousands of young people that are loosing their lives everyday around this country. John Donne said it best, No man is an island entire of himself, every man is apart of the continent, apart of the main. If a man dies it diminishes me for I am involved with mankind. So, never send to know for whom the bell tolls. It tolls for thee.”

All of us are affected by the loss of even one life, and not knowing someone shouldn’t preclude us from empathizing with their personal pain and struggles. At the end of day we all are human, regardless of race creed or color. At the end of day, we all ARE TRAYVON MARTIN!

Friday, February 17, 2012

THE EXCORCISM OF NICKI MINAJ




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I have debated back and forth about whether I should write a post regarding Nicki Minaj's Grammy performance, primarily because it was so outrageously blasphemous that I believed the average person didn't need convincing. In fact, during her performance as well as several days later people were still talking about how sacrilegious and utterly profane it was. If you missed her performance, feel free to click on the video player at the top of the blog to see for yourself. However, BE WARNED, you are clicking this button at your own risk.  What prompted me to write this blog is again the growing boldness and the audacity for which the music industry continues to target the church as the subject of their blasphemous antics.Here again, is prima-facia evidence of the music industry using one of its biggest stages to take aim at the church as well Christians across the globe.

Nicki Minaj's Grammy debut was entitled, "The Exorcism of Roman." And, for those who don't know who Roman is, it is Nicki's alter ego. Which as she describes is her rougher, tougher personality that "likes to fight." Here she is giving a more detailed description of her alter ego "Roman."



We've seen an increasing number of celebrities mention their "alter egos." Beyonce had "Sasha Fierce" even though, recently, she claims to have "killed" Sasha Fierce because she really didn't need her any longer. Beyonce went on to indicate that her two personalities seemed to have "merged."Lady Gaga channeled her male alter ego "Jo Calderone" in the 2011 MTV VMA's. Is this becoming a trend? Where artists are introducing the world to an alternate personality to give people a closer look at another side of themselves, or is there something far more sinister going on? I tend the believe the latter is true, what Hollywood is calling "Alter Egos" I call "Demon Possessed." There is absolutely no other rational way to analyze this irrational behavior. What's also interesting about these "alter egos" is; at least for Lady Gaga and Nicki Minaj, they both are male. Why is that? What message are they trying to send to their millions of impressionable fans out there? That gender is a matter of choice rather than it being purely biological. Even though, the Gay and Lesbian movement wants you to believe that sexual preference is indeed biological or a result of a chemical imbalance in their DNA, forcing a person to prefer one sex over another. However, this couldn't be any further from the truth. But, it seems with the appearance of these 2 male alter egos, that the over-arching message is that gender is relative. And, a person is free to choose what gender that want to be, instead of that being decided by the one who created us in the first place; God. Sending an even more confusing message to the young impressionable children that follow these artists, that it's ok to want to be a boy if you are a girl, or to desire to be a girl if you are a boy.

Nicki Minaj
But, I digress. Now to her performance, which was loosely based on the movie "The Exorcist." After seeing it performed live, you couldn't help but feel confused and at the same time upset with the boldness and the audacity with which the church of God continues to be targeted by the music industry. The Catholic Church has already expressed their displeasure with Ms. Minaj's performance, as it included a pseudo Pope, a priest along with several other references to the Catholic Church. Even some of her own fans took to social networks like "Twitter" and "Facebook" to express their displeasure with her performance. Her performance was being "billed" as something we have never seen before, which raised some viewers expectations of what they were about to see. While my expectations were lowered even the more, because that is usually code for a more edgy, irreverent, raunchy and profane display. And, I was not disappointed from that perspective. There was a mixture of live and recorded moments during the performance that added to the dramatic presentation.  And, Nicki acted as well as rapped during her Grammy debut. There was even a scene where she crawled up a wall, reminiscent of "The Exorcist" movie.

Then of course, there were the occult as well as Illuminati images and references made during the performance that continued to beg the question of what is really going on here? At one point Nicki was handcuffed to an elevated gurney, where she seemed to have been taken captive. Surrounded by robed dancers; who appeared to be her captives, in what seemed to be a church like setting. She's ultimately released and amidst simulated sexual acts with these priest-like figures, Nicki is now becoming entranced by her captives. And, if you've ever read any of the blogs from the Vigilant Citizen, you will know and understand how all of this appears to be apart of a greater message concerning the inner workings of the music industry. This elaborate staging and special effects, was really a way to demonstrate to those on the outside looking in just how sinister and evil the industry-itself is. And, what you have to become to achieve the heights of success and fame that is the prize of every aspiring artists. There are really two (2) ways to look at Nicki Minaj's performance. On one hand it could be viewed as a celebration or a tribute of sorts; a dark and sinister ceremony which seems to be the rite of passage for every artists seeking fame and notoriety. And, on the other hand it offers great insight into the world of music and celebrity that the average fan may never see. One that should be extremely "eye-opening" and revealing; providing valuable information to those who look at the exterior profiles of these celebrities and want to be so much like them. A word of warning to those who are reading this with a strong sense of skepticism, if nothing else her performance should have at least shown us the line of demarcation between the world and the church. Her performance speaks volumes about what the music industry thinks of the church. And, it not very much at all!

In light of all of this, how did seeing Nicki Minaj's Grammy performance make you feel? Personally, I'm not as upset with her as I am with the real purveyors of these blasphemous messages; who remain nameless, faceless puppet masters controlling the puppets of the industry from behind the scenes. Ms. Minaj, is indeed a puppet that is being used because of her willingness to be used.  She, like many of the other puppets of the Entertainment industry have been coerced into submission, because of their strong desires for wealth, fame and notoriety. An artist willingness to do anything to fulfill these desires is the fuel that drives the puppet masters of the industry to use these unbridled desires to entice their unsuspecting puppets to promote their sinister agenda. So, for me while watching artist like Nicki Minaj, Lady Gaga, Rick Ross, Jay-Z, Beyonce and many others perform; their performances are just answers to the question of how much am I willing to do to show how committed am I to the agenda of those responsible for my new found success. At the end of the day, how much is success worth? Is it worth my continued exploitation, or more importantly is it worth my soul?

Your thoughts?


Pastor Nimmons





Thursday, January 19, 2012

"Who Told You Were Naked?"



Here is some morning inspiration from #PSTRNIMMONSTV to get your day started off right!

Be Blessed!

Pastor Nimmons