Contending For The Faith---Part 23

 

In St. Jude 1:3, we read, "Dearly beloved, taking all care to write unto you concerning your common salvation, I was under a necessity to write unto you: to beseech you to contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints." [Emphasis mine]. Contending For The Faith is a series of posts dedicated to apologetics (i.e.,  the intellectual defense of the truth of the Traditional Catholic Faith) to be published the first Monday of each month.  This is the next installment.

Sadly, in this time of Great Apostasy, the faith is under attack like never before, and many Traditionalists don't know their faith well enough to defend it. Remember the words of our first pope, "But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect..." (1Peter 3:16). There are five (5) categories of attacks that will be dealt with in these posts. Attacks against:

• The existence and attributes of God
• The truth of the One True Church established by Christ for the salvation of all 
• The truth of a particular dogma or doctrine of the Church
• The truth of Catholic moral teaching
• The truth of the sedevacantist position as the only Catholic solution to what has happened since Vatican II 

In addition, controversial topics touching on the Faith will sometimes be featured, so that the problem and possible solutions may be better understood. If anyone has suggestions for topics that would fall into any of these categories, you may post them in the comments. I cannot guarantee a post on each one, but each will be carefully considered.

The Deception of Kwanzaa

In the never-ending attempt to marginalize Christmas (in particular) and Christianity (in general), it is becoming more and more common to see stores and businesses have signs reading "Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah, and Happy Kwanzaa." (At least in those places where the Masonic "Season's Greetings" or "Happy Holidays" are not used). Many people see Kwanzaa as a harmless cultural holiday for African-Americans. A good percentage of black people now celebrate both Christmas and Kwanzaa, which takes place from December 26 to January 1st each year since 1966-1967.

The official Kwanzaa website has this to say:

As an African American and Pan-African holiday celebrated by millions throughout the world African community, Kwanzaa brings a cultural message which speaks to the best of what it means to be African and human in the fullest sense. Given the profound significance Kwanzaa has for African Americans and indeed, the world African community, it is imperative that an authoritative source and site be made available to give an accurate and expansive account of its origins, concepts, values, symbols and practice...(See officialkwanzaawebsite.org). 

Seems harmless enough. So why bring this up on a series of posts on defending the Faith? The truth about Kwanzaa is dark and evil. Its founder, Maulana Ndabezitha Karenga (b. 1941) is a convicted felon, a racist, a secular humanist, a Marxist, and an anti-Christian bigot who founded the made-up holiday specifically to detract from Christmas. 

The actual origin and meaning of Kwanzaa is very different from the sanitized version now sold to African-Americans and the general public by Karenga and the media. The Vatican II sect now officially encourages the celebration of this Marxist/pagan holiday in many of its dioceses. Let this post serve as a warning of the dangers and the real purpose behind Kwanzaa.

N.B. I despise racism in all its forms; the racism of Karenga being no exception. Let it be known that I am not, nor have ever been, a "white supremist," or "white nationalist." God acknowledges one race--the human race-- for whom He died. I do not believe that any race or nationality is inherently superior to any other. To hate or discriminate against people on the basis of their race or national origin is evil, and I denounce all who do so---Introibo

"Krist Kwanzaa"

Some in the Vatican II sect call Kwanzaa "Krist (Christ) Kwanzaa" to emphasize that  Kwanzaa is compatible with Catholicism. Here's what some Dominican nuns in the Vatican II sect have written about Kwanzaa:

Kwanzaa, celebrated from December 26 to January 1, is a time for families and communities to come together to remember the past and to celebrate African American culture. Created in 1966 by Maulana Ron Karenga, Kwanzaa is an African American and Pan African holiday that incorporates history, values, family, community, and culture. The ideas and concepts of Kwanzaa are expressed in the Swahili language, one of the most widely spoken languages in Africa, according to the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

Ron Karenga, an active participant in the Black Power Movement in the 1960s, conceived Kwanzaa in the aftermath of the Watts riots in Oakland, California. He described Kwanzaa as a way for African Americans to celebrate themselves and their history. By the end of the 1970s Kwanzaa began to move into mainstream America with the publication of an article in Essence Magazine in 1979, followed by articles in Jet and Ebony Magazines in 1983. The Smithsonian Museum hosted its first Kwanzaa celebration in 1988 while some school systems, including the Catholic School system in Chicago, began to develop curriculums to teach students about Kwanzaa.

In the 1990s Kwanzaa became more widespread especially when, in 1997, President Bill Clinton gave the first declaration marking the holiday. The United States Post Office issued the first Kwanzaa stamp in 1997 and a second stamp was issued in 2004. Although Kwanzaa is primarily an African American holiday, it is also celebrated outside the United States, especially in Caribbean countries. Kwanzaa is not a religion, but was conceived as a nonpolitical and non-religious holiday and it is not a substitute for Christmas. (See adriandominicans.org/Equity-and-Inclusion/black-catholic-project-kwanzaa). 

These sisters are either culpably ignorant or purposely deceptive, as I will demonstrate below.

Dr. Maulana Karenga: Satanic Founder of Kwanzaa

Maulana Karenga was born Ronald McKinley Everett in Maryland on July 14, 1941. He was one of 14 children born to a Baptist minister. Everett became a radical black separatist during college, co-founding the "United Slaves (US) Organization" which clashed with the Black Panthers, resulting in armed conflict and often deaths. Everett claimed "US" really meant "US Blacks." (See Hayes, III, Floyd W.; Jeffries, Judson L., "Us Does Not Stand for United Slaves!", Black Power in the Belly of the Beast, [2006], pgs. 74–75).  He was a follower of the radical Malcolm X, an avowed Communist.

Everett changed his "white slave name" to the African "Maulana Karenga." In Swahili, "Maulana" translates to "Lord" or "Master" --sometimes used in reference to a deity. "Karenga" means "keeper of tradition."  “Maulana” means “Our God” or “Our Lord” in Arabic and is used by Mohammedans to refer to their false moon god "Allah." Karenga was aware of this fact because he speaks fluent Arabic. When one calls Karenga Maulana, he is being called “Our God” or “Our Lord.” Therefore, he was blasphemously calling himself "The Lord God, Keeper of [African] Traditions." 

I have read several accounts of Karenga's life, and it has been speculated that he renounced Christ and became a Marxist/secular humanist because he resented his minister-father who spent long-periods of time away from the home and he was starved for attention amidst all his many siblings. Karenga was heavily into drugs, and often became paranoid. During one of these episodes in 1971, he was convinced two of his female followers were trying to poison him. According to the May 14, 1971 Los Angeles Times, here's what happened:

Deborah Jones, who once was given the Swahili title of an African queen, said she and Gail Davis were whipped with an electrical cord and beaten with a karate baton after being ordered to remove their clothes. She testified that a hot soldering iron was placed in Miss Davis' mouth and placed against Miss Davis' face and that one of her own big toes was tightened in a vise. Karenga, head of US, also put detergent and running hoses in their mouths, she said. They also were hit on the heads with toasters

 Karenga was convicted of felony assault and false imprisonment, incurring a sentence of 1 to 10 years in prison. He maintained his conviction was "politically motivated." Intense pressure from black politicians and black activists resulted in his early parole in 1975. He was paroled despite the fact his mental state and fitness to be in society was seriously called into question:

At his trial, the question of Karenga's sanity arose. The psychiatrist's report stated, “This man now represents a picture which can be considered both paranoid and schizophrenic with hallucinations and elusions, inappropriate affect, disorganization, and impaired contact with the environment.” The psychiatrist observed that Karenga talked to his blanket and imaginary persons and believed that he had been attacked by dive-bombers. (See The Story of Kwanzaa By J. Lawrence Scholer and the editors of The Dartmouth Review, January 15, 2001; Emphasis mine). 

To this very day, Karenga does not mention his criminal past, nor does he express any remorse. (You will find no mention of this part of his life on his personal website maulanakarenga.org). He refers to himself, without further explanation, as a "former political prisoner." The Story of Kwanzaa, cited above, relates how after eight years after his parole, California State University at Long Beach made Karenga the head of its Black Studies Department. Karenga had toned down his rhetoric against the United States and abandoned his cultural nationalism for straightforward Marxism. 

As an academic, Karenga has authored various books on such topics as Egyptian art and has guest lectured at Stanford. He had obtained two earned doctorates; one in Political Science in and one in Social Ethics. (Psychosis and high intelligence are not incompatible. Many people with schizophrenia are exceptionally gifted, including Nobel Prize winning mathematician, John Nash, who had a movie based on his life called A Beautiful Mind. See pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25752725).  As of 2023, Karenga chairs the Africana Studies Department at California State University, Long Beach.

The (Not So) Quotable Karenga

Karenga mimicked Mao Zedong's strategy in making China Communist. Mao’s "Book of Proverbs" (quotes) was known as "The Little Red Book" every Chinese person was expected to keep, carry, and know. Upon joining Karenga's US Organization, the new member received a copy of  "The Little Red Book" of Mao to study as an example of the so-called Black Cultural Revolution. Additionally, the members of  the US Organization were also given a copy of Karenga’s new book, The Quotable Karenga, dubbed The Little Green Book so that they would know how to respond regarding questions that people might have about the "Black Cultural Revolution." 

Karenga also wrote two other books which, when combined with  The Quotable Karenga tells us in his own words his diabolic hatred of Jesus Christ. In 1977, he formulated a set of principles called Kawaida, a Swahili term for normal. Karenga called on African-Americans to adopt his secular humanism and reject all religion as "mythical." This was expressed in his book Kawaida Theory (1980). His 1977 book about his establishment of Kwanzaa in 1966 entitled Kwanzaa: Origin, Concepts, Practice, gives the lie to his later statements about Kwanzaa not being anti-Christian.

Karenga in his own words:

The following quotes are from Karenga's works cited directly above.

• Belief in spooks [God] who threaten us if we don’t worship them and demand we turn over our destiny and daily lives must be categorized as spookism and condemned.

• Judeo‐Christian religions deny and diminish human worth, capacity, potential and achievement…I am opposed to this white God…a spook Who threatens us. The missionaries poisoned the Black Man…Baptized him with the same Hocus Pocus that has bound white man to a corrupt religion for centuries. My hope is that those who believe in Holy Water will drown in it.

• Spookism…is intense emotional commitment to nonhuman-centered principles and practices which place humans at the mercy of invisible and omnipotent forces and thus, deny the right and capacity of humans to shape reality and their future according to their own needs and desires.

• Kwanzaa is not an imitation, but an alternative, in fact, an oppositional alternative to the spookism, mysticism and non-earth based practices which plague us as a people and encourage our withdrawal from social life rather than our bold confrontation with it

• Kwanzaa was chosen to give a Black alternative to the existing holiday and give Blacks an opportunity to celebrate themselves and history rather than simply imitate the practice of the dominant society

Karenga, a mentally unstable criminal, once had the temerity to blasphemously call into question the sanity of Our Lord. He admired those who have claimed Christ was schizophrenic. When a schizophrenic has a delusion, it’s very often about being God, or fighting Satan, or being the key figure in some enormous geo-political conspiracy. 

Kwanzaa: A Marxist and Racist Celebration

Despite Karenga’s contentions to the contrary, he created Kwanzaa with the intent to steer Blacks away from what is believed to be the "white religion" (Christianity) and toward the quasi‐religious celebration of themselves. The "kinara" which holds seven candles for the seven days of Kwanzaa was made by breaking off two holders from a Jewish menorah. Karenga believed blacks were the "real Jews," the "chosen people," and Jews were "devils."

The name Kwanzaa comes from a Swahili phrase, matunda ya kwanzaa, meaning “first fruits of the harvest.” To create his holiday, Karenga says he drew from African rituals and black national ideology. Each of the seven candles in the Kwanzaa kinara represent seven principles of African Heritage called the Nguzo Saba. They are as follows:

1. Umoja meaning “unity.”

2. Kujichagulia meaning “self-determination.”

3. Ujima meaning “working together.”

4. Ujamaa meaning “cooperative economics.”

5. Nia meaning “purpose.”

6. Kuumba meaning “creativity.”

7. Imani meaning “faith” 

The colors of Kwanzaa are represented in the kinara candles: green represents the fertile land of Africa, black represents the color of the skin of its people, and red represents the blood that was shed in the struggle for freedom. Kwanzaa decorations include colorful art and foods that represent African idealism. Ceremonies consist of showing gratitude to ancestors, drink offerings and feasts, and reading the (made-up) "African pledge" and (invented) "principles of blackness."

The Problems:

Karenga himself said:

"I created Kwanzaa,” laughed Ron Karenga like a teenager who’s just divulged a deeply held, precious secret. “People think it’s African. But it’s not. I wanted to give black people a holiday of their own. So I came up with Kwanzaa. I said it was African because you know black people in this country wouldn’t celebrate it if they knew it was American. Also, I put it around Christmas because I knew that’s when a lot of bloods (blacks) would be partying! (See nytimes.com/1984/12/26/us/blacks-to-celebrate-african-heritage-holiday.html). Kwanzaa is based on a lie of being "African," when it is the invention of a racist criminal maniac who hates Christ. 

Black Christians are being deceived to celebrate the amalgamation of Marxist ideology, 1960s‐style radicalism, pseudo‐history, and spiritualized “African” rituals that constitute Kwanzaa. 

1. Kwanzaa is a celebration of secular humanism, a worldview in which human values and fulfillment are the focus. The secular humanist proclaims people to be inherently good and moral and insists that we seek strictly secular or irreligious means to solving human problems. The principle of "Imani" or "faith" means "faith in people" not supernatural faith in God.

2. Kwanzaa’s seven principles teach that people can improve their lives by sheer will and determination without the grace of God. One need look no further than Karenga himself to see how that is seriously wrong.

3. Swahili is used as a "universal African language," which is factually incorrect. Swahili has little relevance for American blacks. Most slaves were ripped from the shores of West Africa. Swahili is an East African tongue.

3. To make Kwanzaa seem religious, it is generously sprinkled with religious verbiage taken from pagan African animism. Ceremonies consist of showing gratitude to ancestors, drink offerings and feasts, and reading the "African pledge" and "principles of blackness."  The Sevenfold Path of Blackness is to Think Black, Talk Black, Act Black, Create Black, Buy Black, Vote Black, and Live Black. Drink offerings, or libation, are ritual offerings to a "god" or spirit—in the case of Kwanzaa, they’re offerings to the spirits of dead ancestors--a form of pagan/occult animistic false worship. 

4. The principle of "Ujamaa" or "shared work and wealth" is derived from the socialist ideology that formed the basis of Julius Nyerere's social and economic development policies in Tanzania after it gained independence from Britain in 1961, and was instrumental in the African country forming close links with Mao Zedong's Communist China.

The teachings of Kawaida incorporated into Kwanzaa

Karenga's idea of Kawaida (rejecting religion as mythical, as discussed prior in this post) was incorporated into Kwanzaa before he wrote the book on it. Here, are Karenga's ideas as recorded in Subversive Influences in Riots, Looting, and Burning. Hearings, Ninetieth Congress, First [-second] Session: Pt. 3.

• Everyone but the Negro has a God that looks like him

• Christianity is a White religion. It has a White God, and any Negro who believes in it is a sick Negro. How can you pray to a White man? If you believe in him it's no wonder you catch so much hell

• Jesus was psychotic. He said if you didn’t believe what He did, you would burn forever

• Worship should be worship to power and retaining that power

• Christians do good because they feared; we do good because we love. They do good because God says so. We do good irrespective of God

• We must concern ourselves more with the plans for this life, rather than the next life which has its own problems

• We are God ourselves; therefore, it is not good to be atheistic or agnostic. To be an atheist is to deny our existence and to be an agnostic is to doubt it

• Each man is the God of his own house. Therefore, our Gods belong to our homes, not to our temples. We say we have brought God from the sky and put him in our home

• The time we spent learning about Jesus, we should have spent learning about Blacks

• Christians say everything has to have a beginning until we get to their God

• If you realize how human Jesus was you’d see he was no God

• Christianity unconsciously teaches self-hatred

• Jesus said, “My blood will wash you white as snow.” Who wants to be white but sick Negroes or worse yet — washed that way by the blood of a dead Jew?

Conclusion

Kwanzaa is not something Vatican II sect nuns (or anybody else) should celebrate. If you know any African-Americans (esp. Traditionalists) that think Kwanzaa and Christmas are compatible, let them know they have been duped. It is an abomination of Marxism dressed up with animistic "spiritual" principles that despise and stand against Christ and Christianity. Kwanzaa is just an insane criminal's substitute for the truth.