Mac's Musings

Hi, someone sent this to me, thought I'd share. Enjoy. There is such a thing as Nigerian English. It is the particular variety of English spoken by Nigerians in Nigeria, and it differs significantly from standard British English. This is important because English is the most commonly used language in the world, for communications, scholarship, business, international relations and diplomacy, education, science and information technology, and entertainment. Nigerian English is not the same as Pidgin. Pidgin is not English- it sounds like it, being mostly derived from English words, but the words have been so modified and other words added, that the product rather than being an English variant, is another language entirely. Nigerian English on the other hand is an English variant, just as is American English. It is said to have several sources, the major one being linguistic improvisation- the wholesale replacement of local language expressions with English words, whi...

What's Okay, What's Not, and Why by Paul H. Byerly How far can you go without a marriage license? It would be really nice if the Bible said "with thy lips together thou may kiss, but with thy lips parted thou shalt not kiss" or "above the waist you shall touch freely, but below the waist you shall not touch." Because such detailed limits are not given, some will suggest that God does not care if we slip a hand under a blouse, up a skirt, or into a pair of pants. It is increasingly common for Christians to believe, and even teach others, that as long as the penis does not enter the vagina, it's "not sex." Why didn't God spell it out for us in the Bible? Actually we think He did, but because we are products of the society we live in we don't see it. Up until very recently it was commonly accepted that stimulating the breasts or genitals directly or indirectly WAS SEX. In the days before reliable birth control many pros...

 Dear Girls, There are two kinds of men: Godly men, and worldly men. What kind of man do you want? I'm betting most of you said "a Godly man." Someday, you want to marry a man who loves God with every fiber of his being because he will be an excellent husband and father. He will honor and be true only to you. Most women want a Godly man or at least think they do. Well, I think I have found a way to tell you exactly what kind of guy you will probably get. I don't even have to know you! All I have to do is look at you. The kind of guy you want or will get is advertised by the clothing you wear. I know what men want. Trust me, I am a guy. I know more guys than you do and I know them better. I know what we think, what we talk about, what we want, and what we look for, and it is different for each one of us depending on our relationship with God. I'm sure you already know this, but men were created differently than you. We have different desires and priorities. Our...

I was just watching the movie PRIDE, about a young ‘African-American’ swim team that faced adversity, both racial and otherwise in the pursuit of their dream. ‘PRIDE’ starring Terrence Howard and the late great Bernie mac is a lovely movie which I fully recommend.  Early on in the movie there was a scene where a character was ridiculed, abused and ultimately beaten up and arrested for the ‘grievous’ crime of daring to splash his dark self in a white-dominated swim competition. Later on (and 10 years later in movie time) this same individual looks on in pain and incredulity as a group of youths he trains thoroughly shame themselves in a similar competition. And then joke about it all the way home like nothing happened. This man fought and suffered for the right for blacks and whites to swim in the same pools and compete in the same events. The same right these youths were nonchalantly ridiculing by their attitude and irresponsibility. They didn’t appreciate the sacrifices that we...

saw this and thought I could do worse than share it; Let he that hath an ear... by Conrad Mbewe  “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.  You will recognize them by their fruits… So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit…Thus you will recognize them by their fruits” (Matthew 7:15-20).  I begin this blog by apologising to all my Nigerian brothers and sisters for its title. At first sight it is rather offensive, but I hope that as you read on you will see why I elected to still use it as a title. As nations or tribes or social groupings we take on a certain characteristic that is not true about each person in the group but which we come to be identified with. Hence, Paul could write, “One of the Cretans, a prophet of their own, said, ‘Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.’ This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in ...

Every other day it seems some lucky person is winning millions in some gsm network’s promo, or a car in a bank raffle draw, or a trip to Dubai, or a scholarship to some foreign university, or a US green card, or...... you probably get the drift. Sometimes I fantasize about what I’d do with a million dollars in winnings. I think about improving the lives of myself and my loved ones through various feats of superhuman generousity, and of being set for life :) But all too soon the day dawns with its sobering realities and I’m back in the daily grind, living the life of the average civil servant in the rapidly dwindling entity that is the Nigerian middle class. Sigh Basically, I get so caught up longing for the miracles of parted seas, fiery pillars and powerful plagues that I fail to acknowledge, and be grateful for, the miracles of manna and quail. I have a job, a roof over my head, a family that loves and adores me, and I’ve never had to sit and stare at my wife wonderin...

(Article source: http://www.tomorrowsworld.org/magazines/2007/jul-aug/the-sex-age)                                                      What was once a private joy, shared between husband and wife, has become big business. Sex sells, and advertisers use it to entice adults and children alike into buying their wares. Is there anything you can do to protect yourself and your family? Archaeologists&Anthropologists have come up with names such as the "Stone Age" and the "Bronze Age" to label earlier eras of human society by their most distinctive features. Given the prominence of sex in our current society, it would not be a wonder if future anthropologists were to label our culture the "Sex Age." We are surrounded by sex. Its assault on our senses and our minds is almost inescapable. Images that were once confined to magazines sold in brown ...