If you've had sex, you know how To sell: Mace Horoff at TEDxBocaRaton

Having people skills and linking it to sex.

Elon Musk's TED 2017 Full Interview

The Future is looking exciting with all these great and amazing ideas.

ISLAMIC RACISM AND THE PENALTY FOR CALLING MUHAMMAD "A BLACK MAN"

Study the facts for yourself and use logic, intellect and rationality to debunk me anywhere you believe I am greatly mistaken. I eagerly wish and desire to hear whatever intelligent point you have to say because unlike many islamic countries such as Saudi Arabia, I totally respect your freedom of speech and expression to rationally and honestly (with all sincerity) counteract my logical arguments.

Joseph Smith (1838 - 1918)

POP QUIZ! - Who's the whitest prophet in history?

You're probably thinking "Joseph Smith" founder or Mormonism right? What if I told you that there's a prophet out there who is so white

• he makes Joseph Smith look like Malcolm X
• he makes a bowl of vanilla ice cream  yell, "get him out of here! he's blinding me!"
• his 9 years old child bride didn't need a night light because his face was radiant as if the sun were following its course across and shining from his face

What if I also told you that this pastey white prophet had black slaves, referred to Ethiopians as "raisin heads" 🤣 ... now that's a nice racist joke in action 🆒! Would you call him a racist like you would do if Donal Trump said the same thing? Or would you yet give this prophet an unfair Double-Standard free-pass because our expectations of what Teresa May calls "a great faith" automatically and disrespectfully drops to the floor whenever we discuss = THE PROPHET OF ISLAM! I mean, this prophet is supposed to be the BEST MODEL, EXAMPLE and PATTERN for all humanity to emulate. So you see why even I, as a Christian, I am taking the effort to lay upon him the world wide important, significance and respect he deserves. No need to thank me for the honor and respect I give to Muhammad while I use pure logic to critically analyze him. I'm flattered, thanks.

THEOLOGICAL DATA

Many adorable people who have not read the muhamaden-sources assume that Muhammad was dark skinned but Arabs are classified as Caucasians and they can exhibit a verity of  shades and tones; so if we are really interested in giving Muhammad the reputable critical analysis that he respectfully deserves, we're going to have to go through some of the descriptions of his appearance found in the Hadith.

1. Recognizing Muhammad: Now if Muhammad were sitting in a crowd of his fellow Arabs, how would we spot him?

Narrated Anas bin Malik: While we were sitting with the Prophet in the mosque, a man came riding on a camel. He made his camel kneel down in the mosque, tied its foreleg and then said: "Who amongst you is Muhammad?" At that time the Prophet was sitting amongst us (his companions) leaning on his arm. We replied, "This white man reclining on his arm." The an then addressed him, "O Son of 'Abdul Muttalib."...

Sahih Bukhari 1:3:63 

MAN: Hey! Which one of you is Muhammad?

REPLY: This white Tom Willis looking dude 

But lets keep reading more about this white prophet who you will soon see, he makes The Brady Bunch look like NWA

Abu Juhaifa reported:

I saw Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) that he had white complexion and had some white hair, and Hasan b. 'Ali resembled him.

Sahih Muslim 2343:30:5786

(deprecated numbering scheme, DNS)

 hmmm.... white complexion with some white hairs? Wow! Who knew that Anderson Cooper was a 7th Century prophet?! 

Jurairi reported:

I said to Abu Tufail: Did you see Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)? He said: Yes, he had a white handsome face. Muslim b. Hajjaj said: Abu Tufail who died in 100 Hijra was the last of the Companions of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ).

Sahih Muslim 2340:30:5777

(DNS)

2. Describing Muhammad: The more I read more about this pastey white prophet, he makes Queen Elizabeth look like Queen Latifah. Would you believe that the Muhammaden-Sources go out of their way in all eulogy to remind us over and over again how really white Muhammad was. They tell us about...

• ...the whiteness of his shins... Sahih Muslim 1119 (page 609)
• ...the whiteness of his thigh... Sahih Bukhari 1:8:367
• ...the whiteness of his leg... Sahih Muslim 8:3325
• ...the whiteness of his stomach/ abdomen... Sahih Bukhari 2837
• ...the whiteness of his forearm... Sunan Abu Dawud 20:3200
• ...the whiteness of his armpit... Sahih Bukhari 8:78:631
• ...the whiteness of his cheeks... Sahih Muslim 4:1208

Please, are there any "whiteness" I may have missed while from my critical analysis of islamic doctrine? Please, leave it in the comment below. 

Based on these descriptions, a friend of mine who's name I cannot disclose for security reasons and to save him from being sacked from his job; he is a Police Sketch Artist. He was able to put together a drawing of Prophet Muhammad below

Caption: Have you seen this man? His name is Prophet Muhammad

hmmm... Prophet Muhammad kinda blends in with the whiteness of the blog. On a side-note to all my Jihadi-readers, I don't know if this counts as a cartoon of Prophet Muhammad or not, but I don't really care 🤣.

3. Muhammad's Black Slaves: So, Prophet Muhammad was whiter than a bowl of Cool Whip; but when he wasn't being scooped unto a slice of Apple Pie, he was setting an example for his followers by keeping a tight reign on all his black slaves.

Narrated `Umar:

I came and behold, Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) was staying on a Mashroba (attic room) and a black slave of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) was at the top if its stairs. I said to him, "(Tell the Prophet) that here is `Umar bin Al- Khattab (asking for permission to enter)." Then he admitted me.

Sahih al-Bukhari 7263:9:91:368 (DNS)

Narrated Anas bin Malik:

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) was on a journey and he had a black slave called Anjasha, and he was driving the camels (very fast, and there were women riding on those camels). Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Waihaka (May Allah be merciful to you), O Anjasha! Drive slowly (the camels) with the glass vessels (women)!"

Sahih al-Bukhari 6161:8:73:182 (DNS)

 Here's one about a black slave which was shot to death while unloading one of Muhammad's luggage

It was narrated that Abu Hurairah said:

"We were with the Messenger of Allah in the year of Khaibar, and we did not get any spoils of war except for wealth, goods and clothes. Then a man from Banu Ad-Dubaib, who was called Rifa'ah bin Zaid, gave the Messenger of Allah a black slave who was called Mid'am. The Messenger of Allah set out for Wadi Al-Qura. When we were in Wadi Al-Qura, while Mid'am was unloading the luggage of the Messenger of Allah, an arrow came and killed him. The people said: 'Congratulations! You will go to Paradise,' but the Messenger of Allah said: 'No, by the One in Whose hand is my soul! The cloak that he took from the spoils of war on the Day of Khaibar is burning him with fire.' When the people heard that, a man brought one or two shoelaces to the Messenger of Allah and the Messenger of Allah said: 'One or two shoelaces of fire.'"

Sunan an-Nasa'i 3827:4:35:3858

 Just to clarify, Muhammad had sex with a 9 years old girl, robbed caravans and beheaded hundreds of Jews but he's good 👌. His black slave by contrast grabbed a cloak before the spoils were divided so he's going to hell 🔥. Well, Welcome to Islam 😉. 

In "Provisions of the Afterlife Which Lie Within Prophetic Guidance (By Ibn Qayyim Al-jawziya)" pages 30-31, Ibn Qayyim Al-Jawziya lists 28 of Muhammad's male slaves and 12 of his female slaves. Some of these slaves were black, some of these slaves were not black. Muhammad re-named one of his black slaves from Mahran (name meaning "cheerfulness or joy") to Safina which means "ship". He called his slave "ship" according to Ibn Qayyim Al-Jawziyya because Muhammad would load up the slave "like a ship" and make him carry everything. For those of us Africans (and probably Easterners) who understand the weight in the importance of "names" and their emotional and spiritual connotations in our culture and traditions, this is what I call an insulting "heavy blow". But don't worry, it's allowed in islam, the Mahran was already a Slave and the slave master can do whatever he wants with that name 😁.

4. Muhammad's Value Judgement on Black Slaves: Muhammad apparently thought that black slaves were worth less than Arab slaves since he once traded two oh his black slaves for one Arab Slave Muhammad wanted to set free because the Arab Slave had converted to islam.

Sunna An-Nasa'i 4625

So Muhammad valued slaves as "animals" but not all human-animals are born equal 🤔 - now that's a philosophical debate still not justified by Muhammadens. 

We know that it is theologically non-debatable in islam that Muhammad had sex with his female slaves; we also know he historically eventually got one of them pregnant (See Ibn Ishaq, p. 653). Don't worry, a white leader getting a slave girl pregnant is only creepy by the beautiful methodology of Double Standards when Thomas Jefferson does it.

Speaking of leaders, mindlessly obeying Muhammadan leaders in Chauvinism was so important to Muhammad that when he wanted to emphasize obedience, he told his followers that they had to obey even the worst leaders imaginable. Let us take a look at Prophet Muhammad's WORST CASE SCENARIO

Narrated Anas bin Malik:

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "You should listen to and obey, your ruler even if he was an Ethiopian (black) slave whose head looks like a raisin."

 Sahih al-Bukhari 7142 

Muhammad gives a similar example in Sahih Muslim 3138 of how he emphatically and linguistically values people and slaves of "black" skin complexions.

Sahih Muslim 3138

So the worst possible leader of a community of Muhammadans according to Muhammad would be a black slave. For the sake of clarity and feminism I should point out that women are excluded from the hierarchy of potential leaders. Muhammad said that a nation will NEVER be successful with a woman as the leader

Narrated Abu Bakra:

During the battle of Al-Jamal, Allah benefited me with a Word (I heard from the Prophet). When the Prophet heard the news that the people of the Persia had made the daughter of Khosrau their Queen (ruler), he said, "Never will succeed such a nation as makes a woman their ruler."

Sahih al-Bukhari 7099

 Wow! I wonder where Disabled Ethiopian Black Women Slaves are at the bottom of the food chain! lol. 

5. Muhammad the White VS Satan the Black: But it gets worse. Oh yes it does. Most arguably, historically, Muhammad tells his followers how Satan looks like in Ibn Ishaq page 243

"I have heard the Apostle say: 'Whoever wants to see Satan should look at Nabtal.' He was a sturdy black man with long flowing hair, inflamed eyes, and dark ruddy cheeks. He used to come and talk with the Prophet and listen to him. He would carry what he had said to the hypocrites. Nabtal said, 'Muhammad is all ears. If anyone tells him something he believes it.' Allah sent down concerning him: 'To those who annoy the Prophet and say that he is all ears, say, 'Good ears for you.' For those who annoy the Apostle there is a painful punishment."

 Now compare the logic of the above to this:

It was narrated from Jabir that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:

“Whoever sees me in a dream has (really) seen me, for Satan cannot appear in my form.”

Sunan Ibn Majah 3902

 Here is the logic

How does the Prophet look like? = This White Guy!

How does Satan look like? = That Black Guy!

SYSTEMATIC ANALYSIS

Now how did a religion that was inaugurated by a White Prophet who had black slaves and referred to Ethiopians as "Raisin Heads" and said that Satan looks like a black man; how did he ever get the commendable reputation he has among any black Muhammadans today? 

1. Atmosphere of Ignorance: As I said earlier, "Arabs are classified as Caucasians and they can exhibit a verity of  shades and tones". By this, I mean that the Heteronomous leaders in Islamic countries hide this from them especially in the East. But there is also the autonomous ignorance where individual black Muhammadans do not know this especially in the West. These Muhammadans don't know and aren't educated even in the most basic facts about Muhammad and the Quran in a very rational critically thinking manner. Criticism of Islam is Haram according to Islam because when you intellectually wrestle with questions to the point of being distressed regarding the logical validity of Islam, the Quran says that there is a high chance of you apostatizing then incurring the death penalty - Surah 5:101-102 and Sahih Bukhari (52:260). This  conceptual model is a haven for the free course of Muhammadan Preachers to say whatever they want in they want in the propagation of Islam (by Taqiyah or not) because no one in all of Islamdom is gonna correct, criticize or challenge them. 

When a Muhammadan preacher who is talking to a woman who is interested in women's rights or in feminism, they will say, "Muhammad was a champion of women's rights" or "Muhammad was the best of feminists 🤣".

When a Muhammadan is talking to someone who has a high regard for science, they will say, "the Quran is a scientific MASTERPIECE filled with Miraculous scientific insights that were only verified centuries later."

If a Muhammadan is talking to someone who is concerned about racial justice; they will say, "Islam is the religion that liberates slaves because Muhammad freed more salves than he bought" and "Islam is the religion that establishes racial equality because Muhammad was so white and Satan 😈 looks like a black man!"

Absolute Nonsense 🤣!

But people convert to Islam and believe what they are told because they do not bother reading the Muhammaden-Sources to verify if the preacher's story checks-out. Now, to those of you who've bought this mess, believed the Muhammadan preacher when he said, "Hey! If you really wanna stick it to whitey, you need to convert to Islam - the religion of a white man who bought, sold and traded black and African slaves and who's followers further institutionalized black-African slavery centuries long before Europeans joined in and then opted out, but Muhammadan Countries continue till today to enslave black Africans - and you have realized your greatest blunder because now you cannot leave Islam for fear of the punishment of its apostasy (death!), I say it and I'll say it again! You been 

• had
• took
• hoodwinked 
• bamboozled
• led astray 
• run amoked

THIS IS WHAT THESE WHITE PROPHETS WITH BLACK SLAVES DO AND THIS IS THE INHERITANCE IDEOLOGY THEY LEAVE FOR GENERATIONS UPON GENERATIONS OF OTHERS TO COME!

Pillsbury Doughboy

But now you've seen with your own eyes what the Muhammadan-Sources say. Now that you know that you've been deceived, you have a choice! You can either use every tact in your whole life to leave Islam without incurring the penalty of apostasy (death!), or you can continue kissing the bum by serving a prophet-man who's most Sahih/ Trusted/ Authentic sources make him completely indistinguishable from the Pillsbury Doughboy and who's teachings legitimized race-based-slavery long before 14 centuries.

Twinkie

Just remember my fellow black brothers and sisters; that if you continue honoring a slave-trader in a religion who's epitome ideal of divine relationship is to be a slave of Allah, and who is as dark as the cream-filling of a twinkie, who had black slaves, called Ethiopians "Raisin Heads", said that Satan looks like a black man...

...then you need Jesus for some serious psychological deliverance from your lack of self-esteem.

You're not a freedom fighter, or a Social Justice Warrior (SJW) or a champion of civil rights. 

But if you still have self-esteem and turning a blind eye to this, then you are the ULTIMATE UNCLE TOM.

CONCLUSION

6. Penalty for Calling Muhammad a "Black Man": Let me leave you with this conclusion/ finishing blow on how True Islamic Theology as a set of beliefs takes Prophet Muhammad's whiteness (although the people adhering to Islam may not take it seriously) so seriously! One of the HEAVIEST lies punishable by DEATH you can ever use to disparage/ insult/ curse/ blaspheme the utmost beloved white prophet of Islam is to call him, A BLACK MAN.

Ahmad ibn Abi Sulayman, the companion of Sahnun, said, "Anyone who says that the Prophet was black SHOULD BE KILLED." (Muhammad Messenger of Allah (Ash-Shifa of Qadi 'Iyad), Qadi 'Iyad Musa al-Yahsubi, translated by Aisha Abdarrahman Bewley [Madinah Press, Inverness, Scotland, U.K. 1991; third reprint, paperback], p. 375)

Ahmad ibn Abi Sulayman, Sahnun's companion, said that whoever says that the Prophet was black IS KILLED. The Prophet was not black. (Ibid., p. 387) 

There is no debate that the penalty for insulting prophet Muhammad is death in Islam. You can give Muhammad 201 Names/Titles more than twice as long as the 99 Names/Titles of Allah and that would be a blessing on Muhammad. Apart from the 201 Names/ Tiltes given to Muhammad, Muhammad was an illiterate, but lie by calling him "the highest intellectual in the world 🌎 " and no Islamist will desire to kill you for that lie - in fact, they may take it as a effort towards a blessing. You can lie against muhammad and call him a feminist; you can lie and call him "a man who never killed a soul"; you can lie and call muhammad a man who never had sex with 9 years old or Slaves; you can lie about muhammad and say he was a scientist - and nobody in all of islamdom would think to kill you. But Calling Muhammad a Black Man is always regarded as a fatal Insult because of all the negative connotations Islamic Theology puts on being black. Don't we all just love Prophet Muhammad too much to inherently associate him with anything "black"? 🤣

SUNDAY SERVICE – 30/04/2017 – CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM

5 THINGS DONE WELL

1. Choir Ministration: The choir today was amazing. The songs that just kept on pouring were direct from the throne of heaven. Our spirits were lifted up; Jehovah Daddy God came down! It was amazing! It was glorious! We really worshiped Daddy God like there is no-tomorrow - ah! From eternity to enternity, praises and worship will never cease from our tongues in Jesus' name. Amen 
2. Children Control: I really want to appreciate the fantastic and marvellous parents for taking care of your adorable children. They were not disturbing people in the church; many of them looked like they were really engaging. This is wonderful. We can thank God, may our children always grant us peace and never give us trouble in Jesus' name. Amen
3. Concurrent Activities: no matter how good we are at this. I want to appreciate you. Because this is very important no matter how diligent you are at it but it expresses your heart. Thank you for your dedication and hard work. Daddy God will continue to let the lines fall for you in pleasant places in Jesus' name. Amen 
4. Cleanliness: as little as it may be. Wow! Who ever has been maintaining the church, what a blessed person you are. We came in today to meet a spanking clean church! We could not believe our eyes. I mean, you mean after the night vigil you still had time and the opportunity to come into the church and clean up? You are blessed and highly favoured in Jesus' name.
5. Spirit Socialism: the way everyone has been urged to care about themselves and the way we continue to show it to ourselves, this is amazing and this is how we show everyone that we are children of God indeed. I love your love, and Jesus loves your love too. May love and care never ever cease from your hearts in Jesus' name. Amen

5 THINGS TO IMPROVE

1. Health and Safey: our health and Safety is impeccable. I love it. However, there are few health and safety concerns that must be brought to attention. The fluorescent Tube, on the path to the sound mixer. This resource is not just unresorceful here, but it is also posing a health and safety problem for little children whom it may fall on.
2. Systematic Operations: I want to assume that the reason that we do not have anybody really doing or taking actions to embetter the church, is because we do not have any systematic operations of assigning roles to people. So, if a coordinator can be employed, that would be very lucrative so that it's not just that people are pointing out potential modes of progress for the church but so that someone responsible can be assigned and delegated the duty of accomplishing it.
3. Modes of Extra-Communication for Rehearsals: the church needs other better modes of communication. I believe that the church will progress far if we are deligent. And not just merely deligent, but deligent in well-doing. We need to improve our rehearsal for choir and Sunday school.
4. Church Van: to the hardworking church van driver who always drives and maintains the church van, a big well done. We know that you are doing everything you can to add more value to this church. God will reward your efforts in Jesus' name. We want you to continue more of your valuable work towards the church and clean up the church van so that it is presentable for God's use. More favour and Grace in Jesus' name.
5. Evangelism/ Publicism of Church: not only do we need to go out and evangelise, but there are different ways to evangelism/ publicise the church. There is face-to-face, there is evironmental analysis of the market, there is prayer and fasting for the land that we need to do, there is door-to-door flyer dropping, there are BBQ events. Webber to sit down and plan ahead and God will help us and see us through in Jesus' name. Amen

If any man does not believe that Jesus is the Father will die in their s...

I agree with @OurHumbleLife because you seem to be subtracting your
"Logical" from "Theoo" (God) in your theo-logical doctrine.



Let me appreciate your logic and relate to your point to show that I
have listened to and accept your point. However, you are conflating your
logical laws of identity (1). You logically argued the Son of God who is the Father revealed
... to which I refute: Just because the Father is revealed in Jesus
does not necessarily make Jesus identically equally God the Father. For
example, look into a mirror. That mirror reveals you. Is the image in
the MIrror revelation of you identically equally you? no... you are you
and you expressed revelation is your expressed revelation. The analogy
also works for John 14:7-9 ... when I see your mirror image, I have seen
you too. But it still does not mean that your mirror image is you. You
are greater than you mirror image just as God the Father is greater than
God the Son (John 14:28
same chapter).



God in HIS infinite essence cannot be revealed to man. Only when God
lessens HIS energies (2) to the level of man's perception and cognition
can HE only be partially revealed in that way to us. 1 Corinthians
13:9-12



You need to study your trinitarian doctrine because you seem to be
preaching a unitarian God by confusing law of identities which is not
ELOHIM (collective/ unified plural of oneness) I know. The ELOHIM I know
is ECHAD! (3)



Keep up the Good work

Great video! Great Passion! God bless you



REFERENCES


(1) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_of_identity

(2) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Essence%E2%80%93energies_distinction

(3) http://www.bible.ca/trinity/trinity-oneness-unity-yachid-vs-echad.htm

SUNDAY SERVICE – 23/04/2017 – CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM

5 THINGS DONE WELL

1. Children's Sunday School: I can see the desire to impart into our children everyday. We want to see our children being taught and related to spiritually on the childish level that they are on. Today we accomplished this. The children were praying. We are preparing many future generations of Christian warriors. As we continue to build our children God will keep them, promote them, make the great abover their peers forever in Jesus'. Name. Amen
2. Participation: oh what a joy it is to see brethren worship together. It is my utmost joy to see that many people came in today - people whom we thought would not show up, still showed up and see the wonderful way they are adding to the church. You all are our wonderful assets. As you are participating in the church and we highly appreciate you, Daddy God won't just spectate your life but HE too will participate in your life in Jesus' name. Amen
3. Choir: How joyful it is to see our wonderful and beautiful choir. We had a full house today. I mean, we had the drummer, we had the keyboardist, we had the choir ... it was all wonderful and beautiful. The choir is growing and very soon, we will have  is he mass choir, is the violinist, the saxophonist etc ... we will wax records in Jesus' name. WELLDONE choir ... the Lord is moving higher and higher.
4. Temperature: whoever was thoughtful in feeling the temperature and was considerate enough to go on and regulate the temperature for us, thank YOU very much. At first, the church was at normal temperate then it become colder and everyone or someone knew what to do. We need to appoint you as an usher. Please, make yourself available and God will bless you all the more in Jesus' name.
5. Concurrent Activities: now, in the midst of no formal plan, no formal strategy, no formal assigned responsibilities etc... I can see everyone finding ways to be planted and Serve in this church. This is how heaven is; you all are our family to us and we love you so dearly much. We want to appreciate you; we want to appreciate each other. If we could give you gifts, we would. All we can do for now is write on this blog, thank you very much and God bless you.

5 THINGS TO IMPROVE

1. Table by fire-exit: Even though we are going through many things in the church such as the uncertainty of a future church venue, I really believe that this is the time that we honour, respect and strengthen our modes of practices. We already come in to church faithfully, we already take accounts of people and choir practice already takes place. All this is amazing! Let us not rest on our oars with our Good Works. Let us remove that table that is considered a health and safety hazard away from the fire exist of this building.
2. Back of House Organisation: I truly appreciate that there are not many workers available in the house and we are trying all that we can to move the church forward. However, we have a lot of resources yet, not resourceful with it. We are getting there; that state where we can express our standing as good stewards of God. We need to manage all of God's resources which will open the door for fruitfulness and multiplication. So, let's organist the back of House please and make plans for them.
3. Project Manager: I believe that have many dreams and prospects for the church. However, imagine that Mr A has a plan/ idea for the church and Mr B has another plan/ idea for the church. But the plans of Mr A clashes with the plans of Mr B. I promise that if we can outsource to a project manager who can use the proper management skills, then this will help to reconcile differences and move the church forward.
4. In-Church Computer: now this may not be very important. But I promise that this is will help the church. For example, imagine we have several computer work to do in church. If Mr Tunde (for example) decides to take his church-computer work home, his wife can invite him for pounded yam and then he will forget about it. But imagine that the church has a computer where the accountant can input the offering, the video/ audio editor can edit, upload and share the sermon for today. All this can be done while using the church as a valid working environment. So I believe that having a church desktop computer would be highly beneficial in the long run.
5. Work-Flow Activities: I promise you that this church can run without any prior training. Now imagine we write down a work-flow activities and tick the boxes. Then a new comer comes in and immediately wants to be an usher. This is a wonderful thing right? Then we can give them a work-flow for them to access and make sure they do all that hey can do to be useful and planted in the church. Think about it, this can be really lucrative and effective in making sure that we can concentrate more on other progressive activities like getting new members and taking care of the members we already have. 

FATHER FORGETS

Listen Son, I am saying this as you lie asleep, one little hand crumpled under your cheek and blonde curls sticky over your wet forehead. I have broken into your room alone. Just a few minutes ago, as I sat reading my paper in the library, a stifling wave of remorse swept over me. Guilty, I came to your bedside.

There are things which I am thinking, son; I had been cross to you. I scolded you as you were dressing for school because you gave your face a mere dab with the towel. I took you to task for not cleaning your shoes. I called out angnly when you threw some of your things on the floor.

At breakfast I found fault, too. You spilled things. You gulped down your food. You put your elbows on the table. You spread butter too thick on your bread. As you started off to play and I made for my train, you turned and waved a hand and called, "Goodbye, Daddy!" I frowned, and said in reply, "Hold your shoulders back!".

Then it began all over again late this afternoon. As I came up the road I spied you, down on your knees, playlng marbles. There were holes in your socks. I humiliated you before your friends by marching you ahead of me to the house. Socks were expensive, and if you had to buy them you would be more carehl! Imagine that son, fiom a father.

Do you remember later, when I was reading in the library, how you came timidly, with sort of a hurt look in your eyes? I glanced up over my paper, impatient at the interruption; you hesitated at the door. "What is it that you want?" I snapped.

You said nothing, but ran across in one tempestuous plunge, threw your arms around my neck and kissed me, your small arms tightened with affection that God had set blooming in your heart, which even neglect could not wither. Then you were gone, pattering up the stairs.

Well, Son, it was shortly afterwards that my paper slipped from my hands and a terrible sickening fear came over me. What has habit been doing to me? The habit of finding fault, or reprimanding; this was my reward to you for being a boy. It was not that I did not love you: it was that I expected too much of you. I was measuring you by the yardstick of my own years.

There is so much that was good, fine and true in your character. The little heart of yours was as big as the dawn itself over the hills. Thls was shown by your spontaneous impulse to rush in and kiss me good night. Nothing else mattered tonight. Son, I have come to your beside in the darkness, I have knelt there, ashamed!

It is a feeble atonement; I know that you would not understand these things which I have told you in the waking hours. Tomorrow I will be a real daddy! I will chum with you, suffer when you suffer and laugh when you laugh. I will bite my tongue when impatient words come. I will keep saying as if it were a ritual: "He is nothing but a boy--a little boy."

I am afraid I have visualized you as a man. Yet as I see you now, Son, crumpled and weary in your bed. I see that you are still a baby. Yesterday you were in your mother's arms, your head on her shoulder. I have asked too much, too much!

by W. Livingston Larned