YeKengalé

Well, thank God for youtube so I didn’t totally miss out on what may be the funeral of the century. A must watch experience, from beginning to end:

Ian Boyne Funeral (FULL SERVICE)

or listen to clips of the

• tributes from family
• tributes from journalistic colleagues
• tributes from religious clergy
• tributes from National leaders

Dont waste your energy on American made movies. Real life is better (more entertaining, and often stranger) than fiction.

Not everyone was glad about the glorious way in which Ian transitioned (the venerable send off words which enshrine him in our collective memory and give life to his spirit amongst us). In fact, I heard some invective, or close to that, from a few people peeved that he should be so honored (the flames of jealousy I suppose).

Well, the people have spoken. Ian has been recognized as that one from amongst us who practiced not only preached Medu Nefer – True Respect for All, privately and publicly. He has been pronounced by priests, princes and the people Maat Kheru – true of voice. He has been honored by the nation and become a Sheps – a venerated ancestor, a national hero of sorts – a flame of inspiration and a signpost of righteousness. He has joined the Heb 12 Shekinah of witnesses – saints and angels that surround and support us daily. I add my own voice: Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! – from Imhotep to Ian Boyne. [see this article for understanding of the highlighted words.]

One of the heartening things for me that I sense, is that for all of Ian’s work, relationships and personal attitudes, his life has become the most convincing language to support the thesis I have passionately defended. *Christianity is essentially a value system, although its adherents often seem to think otherwise ( a belief system).

Of course, as Ian knew only too well, (he wrote the book) – Ideas do matter – but not in the way we think they do who are ready to take Jesus to task again for breaking corn on the Sabbath.

The Sabbath (and every other spiritual doctrine/precept/principle) was made for Man, not vice versa. We are the pearl of greatest price to our Loving Father who laid it all down through His son to raise us up. The tablets of stone can always be smashed, lost or broken….it is our brokenness that moves Him – Eternal Father he is, even though we are still petrified (pun intended) of the image of powerful judge quick to anger and slow to mercy.

Just 25 years ago we can remember our piggish attitudes (disdain and snobbery) toward cults like the Armstrongites, The Mormons, even the 7th Day Adventists. Wiki defines a cult as   “a social group defined by its religious, spiritual, or philosophical beliefs,” among other things. There are hundreds in Jamaica, registered and unregistered from Baptist to Revivalist. (Yes – cult is not a pejorative term – cults are for cultivation of values). Why should they waste time and energy seeking to defeat, disprove and discredit each other while the nation perishes for lack of vision?