Pele o Ogunmola.

I feel some of your points but I have to ask everyone here certain questions. For instance I do not speak Japanese. Therefore, if you spoke japanese to me I may be able to assume something or GLEAN what you are trying to say by your body movements and expressions. Still, I do not know what you are really saying.

Christianity and Western culture postulates such false ideology about universal spirit. What I am addressing here is their distorted idea of such a concept. Them being a people of no culture at all have to postulate a bunch of fake ideas about "god hears all prayers, ..." blah blah. Our Ancestors never taught that and I have learned when you see that within the Orisa tradition that is was certainly an interpolation of foreign indoctrination.

Back to the analogy about me not speaking japanese. If you call me a name that was even equivalent to what the Yoruba name Awotunde means in japanese I would not answer or turn around because I would not know who you are talking to. These deities walked the earth and NEVER spoke english (which was not around) or any other non-Afrikan language. Our language are sacred. And for a lack of a better term there are certain aspects of our languages when it comes to prayer that are "liturgical". What we have done in this tradition is allow many excuses for not moving forward full steam. The statement "The Orisa understand all languages" does not come from an Afrikan center. The only reason that the Odu are translated to english is for people to overstand. Personally, I have NEVER prayed to an Afrikan deity in english. How was I able to navigate not "knowing" Yoruba or Fon. I READ THE PRAYERS ORIGINALLY. Even the ones that were taught to me I would write them down so that I could read them until I knew them in spirit and would not have to use a piece of paper.

I am not trying to down play anyone's opinion. I just feel it is time for us to stop making excuses for anything that is less than true Afrikan liberation. The awo of Ifa, the Okomfo of the Abosom, the Bokonon of the Vodun tradition, kwk should REALLY be on it better when it comes to language. And I overstand we are in this country and have been cut off. What I am directly addressing is how people consciously reject the importance of Afrikan language verses buckling down and learning along the way.

odabo