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We have been discussing the Nation of Islam in my African-American History class. It has been interesting. It began yesterday when Professor H. delineated the major beliefs N.O.I. members hold. The story goes that white people were created by a mad scientist named Yakub who rebelled against Allah. Consequently, white people are devils. My class, on the whole, regardless of race, thought the concept was ridiculous. I joined in the discussion by stating that I think it makes perfect sense. Not the story itself, but the reasoning behind it. I said that religion serves to explain things that we don't understand, and these people needed to explain why so much evil had been committed against them. Professor H. also pointed out the similarities between this and Christianity (Lucifer: fallen angel who rebelled against God, responsible for creating demons).

Today we continued the discussion by asking questions about the racism inherent in N.O.I. ideology. Was it okay for them to be racist against whites? Would it benefit them? Professor H. asked us, "Have white people benefitted from racism?" Most of the people who answered agreed that whites have. I said that there are two ways of looking at it. Obviously they have in economic/political/social terms, but ethically, they have not. Consequently, racism is not beneficial to anyone or to society in general. Smarty Pants (I don't mean that in a derogatory way, I really think this kid is brilliant) countered my argument by saying that ethics are set by society and therefore are subject to change at any given time. For example, when slavery was in place, it was socially acceptable and unquestioned (for the most part). We got into a debate over it (which seemed to amuse the professor) because I told him that I do not feel ethics are relative. There are certain things that may be accepted by society but are still ethically wrong. He said that he learned in his philosophy class that ethics are relative, and I told him that was merely an opinion, not a fact. Professor H. then asked Smarty Pants, "Can you give me an example of a society in which patricide was/is acceptable?" No one could. The point: we have never, in the history of the human race, seen killing our parents as an ethical action. Boo-yah.

This is somewhat philosophical, but I feel it is spiritual as well. Are there absolute truths in life, or is everything relative? Does God demand that we follow universal do's and don't's, or merely the ones society imposes? I have heard it argued that Christians should not abide by laws that contradict the Bible, yet look at what the Bible says:

"Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities,
for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been
established by God."
-Romans 13:1-