HORATIO MELBOURNE BENNETT was born in Linstead, St. Catherine, Jamaica, W.I. He migrated to the United States in 1967 as an exchange student. He took residence in Detroit, Michigan, where he became a radio broadcaster (a 12-year stint) and in 1973 created the now-annual Detroit Caribbean Carnival, an event bringing thousands into the city each year. Horatio was awarded the “Spirit of Detroit" from the late honorable Coleman A. Young, and later, the honorable Kwame Kilpatrick, both mayors of Detroit. He was honored by the Detroit City Council, and received several awards from other government, social and civic entities, including recognitions from two governors of Michigan. Horatio, a Cancer survivor and non-active Minister of Religion, and his wife (‘best friend’) NATASHA, who holds degrees in Elementary Education, are both living in Georgia. Natasha hosts her own web-based classroom instructional media site for elementary students:
www.HelpMyGrades.com. As an entertainer and actress, she has recently completed her music CD, and has appeared on the Tyler Perry’s House of Payne television show.
All books are available in Audio CDs & Cassettes, and are in several languages.
www.HelpMyGrades.com. As an entertainer and actress, she has recently completed her music CD, and has appeared on the Tyler Perry’s House of Payne television show.
All books are available in Audio CDs & Cassettes, and are in several languages.
How Good Are We?
We can never become that ‘ultimate character of perfection’ because we can be very good today, and then be very bad tomorrow. The object therefore, is to be as good as we can, to as many as we can, for as long as we can.
When a person is declared a ‘good person,’ it is because of some act of goodness they have done, over a period of time, or it might even be based on one single, solitary act. No one is born ‘a good person.’
Some famous king wrote somewhere: “…we are all born in sin and shaped in iniquity.”
Although we are the principal of a Good Creation, we are still ‘rotten to the core.’ So, in essence, we are labeled ‘good’ because we did something good. It is not because we are good, but because we did ‘good.’
In the English language, as it is in many other languages, the word ‘good’ is defined as an object of character – “High quality, respectable, noble, virtuous…”
Note: It is not a tangible object, something we can feel by touching. It is an adjective, a word that describes a condition…
“It is a ‘good’ day”
“It will be ‘good’ for you”
“Good’ morning”
“It was a ‘good’ deed”
So, a person who is described as being ‘good’ is actually a person who had done something ‘good.’
We can see here that the transition from being a bad person to be a good person is the act of doing ‘good.’ This is why we can be very good today, and then be very bad tomorrow, the difference being what we did; a ‘good’ deed or ‘bad’ deed. This character trait changes as we make choices that govern our activities, and those of others. We can be a good person, or a bad person. It is a matter of choice…
‘Good’ is an acquired characteristic, though not permanent, but one of emotional convenience and subjection. That is, we act on a concentrated desire to do a good deed. We think about it and did it, instantly or eventually. Sometimes the deed is done hours, days, months, even years after we were ‘moved’ by the desire. We are walking down the street and encountered a lost child. We are ‘emotionally’ moved to act; take the child to safety, return him or her to his or her parents, alert the proper authorities, etc. We acted immediately.
On the other hand, we might contemplate even getting involved. Is it my business? Is there an immediate danger? Will the child be OK? Sometimes in the future, the plight of lost children may then dawn on us, and so we begin contributing to the causes of lost children. We contemplated the situation, and then acted. We see then that the act does not necessarily have to immediately follow the desire.
Truth is, we all have that desire to do good deeds. It is the act of actually performing that deed that is important. How close to the desire and the actual act should depend on the need to act immediately, or weigh the consequences of any action at all. To be a good person is not only based on having good thoughts or intentions, but rather to act on those good thoughts and intentions as soon as possible.
While the thought of a good deed may lead to creating a personality, the act of a good deed has immediate results. We are to be as good as we can, to as many as we can, for as long as we can, NOW!!!
It is important to note that this book is not about ‘becoming a good person.’ That would imply that with proper training, motivation, incentives and any of the many other psychological stimuli available we can ‘become good.’
Not so!
Becoming good is the goal we must seek, and should continue to pursue, and in this book we are simply trying to motivate humanity to ‘do good.’ We hope that with the repetition of constantly doing ‘good works’ we will develop the characteristics of ‘a good person; kind, wholehearted, considerate, conscientious and
forgiving…’
“Theories of moral goodness inquire into what sorts of things are good, and what the word ‘good’ really means in the abstract. As a philosophical concept, goodness might represent a hope that natural love be continuous, expansive, and all-inclusive. In a monotheistic religion context, it is by this hope that an important concept of God is derived —as an infinite projection of love, manifest as goodness in the lives of people. In other contexts, the good is viewed to be whatever produces the best consequences upon the lives of people, especially with regard to their states of well being.”
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
‘Good and Evil:’
I Feel Good…
Have you ever heard the phrase, “I feel good” when referring to one’s health? Some may say, you feeling good do not necessarily mean you are in good health. You might be feeling good, but your hair may be falling out, or your blood pressure might be high, or low. The word good is a powerful statement in itself. It is not just an adjective that describes how you feel, but an
ultimate assessment between two conditions:
Good and Bad.There is never a contradiction between what is good and what is bad. On most occasions the difference is evident.A good apple, a bad apple.A good idea, a bad idea.A good feeling, a bad feeling.A good book, a bad book.We can basically identify the difference between the good book and the bad book, yet on the other hand, while we can safely identify a good apple from a bad one, it is much harder telling if a book is good or bad. One reader might like the book for some personal reasons, while the other might find it offensive or an unfit documentation to deal with the subject matter.A good or bad feeling is dependent on a personal emotion. No one should contradict you if you are feeling good, or bad, yet a good idea might be challenged by someone who considers it as surreal.
Good People, Bad People
The bombing, or attack on the Twin Towers in New York by some very bad persons would not imply ‘good works,’ but ‘bad works.’ Yet, in spite of the elements of ‘bad people,’ there are some supposedly ‘good people’ around to balance the scale. Dozens of firefighters, law enforcement and other rescue personnel rushed into the burning towers, knowing that it may collapse at any moment, but went in anyway.
These are ‘good people;’ people who risked their own lives to save others. History will remember every one of them as ‘good people.’
But are they, really?Possible, but we do not know, and as in this case, we really do not want to believe otherwise. We do not want to believe that our loved one is a cheat, or a thief. We do not want to believe that Superman was using trick photography, cleverly-placed invisible suspension wires and smoked mirrors. To ensure the stability of our delusion of safety, all our heroes are ‘good people.’We do need to know that there are still some caring people in our midst. We need to have something on which to hold and sustain our faith in humanity. We do need to cherish the moments as we watched that day, or see the numerous reruns on national television as those brave souls stormed the burning towers before eventually disintegrating, to save lives. These are just a few of the positive things; we need as reminders that the world has a chance - and to dispel our anxiety that it might not.
A Thin Line
Society would have us believe that there is ‘a thin line between good and evil.’ If we look at it radically, it is really a choice between two acts; good and evil, and whichever one we chose it is a decision of our own doing, so it is justified in our own eyes. If we chose to do good it is because that is what we want to do, and if we chose to do evil that is the choice we make.
Our choice.
As citizens in a ‘free, democratic society,’ we are hampered only by the choice we make; the choice between doing good and doing evil. It’s just a split decision, no big thing. It goes one way, or the other. Still, there is a contradiction of the two words; ‘good’ and ‘evil.’ One word, ‘good,’ denotes a soul-felt, spiritual, inner feeling of worth. A person who does good feels good. On the other hand, a person who does bad has a feeling of guilt, knowing the action emits ill-will. As will be discussed several times in this book, a person who does an evil deed is burdened with the result(s) of such action.
Interestingly enough, there are very bad persons in this world that will do very evil acts and not be bothered by them. Look at Adolph Hitler, Jim Jones and such others. These are people who have convinced themselves that what they did, or are doing is OK. It is good in their own eyes, and hearts. They have caused undue burdens, sufferings and deaths to thousands, hundreds of thousands, and millions, yet they did not seem to be bothered.
How could this be?
Some people are simply over-whelmed by their evil actions that they actually believe they are doing good. Adi Amin, the bloated little African dictator, Francois “Papa Doc” Duvalier and his equally-despicable son, Jean-Claude “Baby Doc” Duvalier, both Haitian tyrants, never repented for their acts. Papa Doc is long dead but his son is still alive, living many years after being disposed by his own people, country and government, and still living in the self-pride of this evil deeds. Jeffery Dahmer, one of America’s most dreadful serial killers died in the gas chambers without repenting of his evil deeds. Yet we will see that the supposedly ‘thin line between good and evil’ is not so thin after all.
The line between good and bad is no closer than the choice between kindness and insensitivity. It is no closer than having mercy and doing vengeance. It is no closer than offering a drink of water and shedding blood… They are as far apart as “the east is from the west, and may the twain never meet…”
When we do bad we know it, just as we know the warmth of doing good.
If we are to believe the story of Adam and Eve and the serpent, we will see that the woman, Eve, knew that the line between good and evil was not to be crossed, confused, or taking lightly. When confronted for her disobedience, she tried to defend herself by blaming someone else, the serpent. (If you are not familiar with this story, you can read the entire event in the Holy Bible (Genesis, chapter 3).
We know the difference between good and bad, and the consequences of the choice we make. We know it is better doing good than doing a bad thing. When we do a good thing, we feel good, and when we do a bad thing we feel bad. So if we want to feel good more often, we should do good more often. It is a choice we should make. It will not come naturally. There are many obstacles out in the world that want to prevent us from ‘doing good more often.’ One of the problems of continually doing good becomes evident when we begin to think more of secular or personal satisfaction, rather than the overall good of humanity. We act selfishly. We close our minds to what is good rather than what we gain....
We can never become that ‘ultimate character of perfection’ because we can be very good today, and then be very bad tomorrow. The object therefore, is to be as good as we can, to as many as we can, for as long as we can.
When a person is declared a ‘good person,’ it is because of some act of goodness they have done, over a period of time, or it might even be based on one single, solitary act. No one is born ‘a good person.’
Some famous king wrote somewhere: “…we are all born in sin and shaped in iniquity.”
Although we are the principal of a Good Creation, we are still ‘rotten to the core.’ So, in essence, we are labeled ‘good’ because we did something good. It is not because we are good, but because we did ‘good.’
In the English language, as it is in many other languages, the word ‘good’ is defined as an object of character – “High quality, respectable, noble, virtuous…”
Note: It is not a tangible object, something we can feel by touching. It is an adjective, a word that describes a condition…
“It is a ‘good’ day”
“It will be ‘good’ for you”
“Good’ morning”
“It was a ‘good’ deed”
So, a person who is described as being ‘good’ is actually a person who had done something ‘good.’
We can see here that the transition from being a bad person to be a good person is the act of doing ‘good.’ This is why we can be very good today, and then be very bad tomorrow, the difference being what we did; a ‘good’ deed or ‘bad’ deed. This character trait changes as we make choices that govern our activities, and those of others. We can be a good person, or a bad person. It is a matter of choice…
‘Good’ is an acquired characteristic, though not permanent, but one of emotional convenience and subjection. That is, we act on a concentrated desire to do a good deed. We think about it and did it, instantly or eventually. Sometimes the deed is done hours, days, months, even years after we were ‘moved’ by the desire. We are walking down the street and encountered a lost child. We are ‘emotionally’ moved to act; take the child to safety, return him or her to his or her parents, alert the proper authorities, etc. We acted immediately.
On the other hand, we might contemplate even getting involved. Is it my business? Is there an immediate danger? Will the child be OK? Sometimes in the future, the plight of lost children may then dawn on us, and so we begin contributing to the causes of lost children. We contemplated the situation, and then acted. We see then that the act does not necessarily have to immediately follow the desire.
Truth is, we all have that desire to do good deeds. It is the act of actually performing that deed that is important. How close to the desire and the actual act should depend on the need to act immediately, or weigh the consequences of any action at all. To be a good person is not only based on having good thoughts or intentions, but rather to act on those good thoughts and intentions as soon as possible.
While the thought of a good deed may lead to creating a personality, the act of a good deed has immediate results. We are to be as good as we can, to as many as we can, for as long as we can, NOW!!!
It is important to note that this book is not about ‘becoming a good person.’ That would imply that with proper training, motivation, incentives and any of the many other psychological stimuli available we can ‘become good.’
Not so!
Becoming good is the goal we must seek, and should continue to pursue, and in this book we are simply trying to motivate humanity to ‘do good.’ We hope that with the repetition of constantly doing ‘good works’ we will develop the characteristics of ‘a good person; kind, wholehearted, considerate, conscientious and
forgiving…’
“Theories of moral goodness inquire into what sorts of things are good, and what the word ‘good’ really means in the abstract. As a philosophical concept, goodness might represent a hope that natural love be continuous, expansive, and all-inclusive. In a monotheistic religion context, it is by this hope that an important concept of God is derived —as an infinite projection of love, manifest as goodness in the lives of people. In other contexts, the good is viewed to be whatever produces the best consequences upon the lives of people, especially with regard to their states of well being.”
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
‘Good and Evil:’
I Feel Good…
Have you ever heard the phrase, “I feel good” when referring to one’s health? Some may say, you feeling good do not necessarily mean you are in good health. You might be feeling good, but your hair may be falling out, or your blood pressure might be high, or low. The word good is a powerful statement in itself. It is not just an adjective that describes how you feel, but an
ultimate assessment between two conditions:
Good and Bad.There is never a contradiction between what is good and what is bad. On most occasions the difference is evident.A good apple, a bad apple.A good idea, a bad idea.A good feeling, a bad feeling.A good book, a bad book.We can basically identify the difference between the good book and the bad book, yet on the other hand, while we can safely identify a good apple from a bad one, it is much harder telling if a book is good or bad. One reader might like the book for some personal reasons, while the other might find it offensive or an unfit documentation to deal with the subject matter.A good or bad feeling is dependent on a personal emotion. No one should contradict you if you are feeling good, or bad, yet a good idea might be challenged by someone who considers it as surreal.
Good People, Bad People
The bombing, or attack on the Twin Towers in New York by some very bad persons would not imply ‘good works,’ but ‘bad works.’ Yet, in spite of the elements of ‘bad people,’ there are some supposedly ‘good people’ around to balance the scale. Dozens of firefighters, law enforcement and other rescue personnel rushed into the burning towers, knowing that it may collapse at any moment, but went in anyway.
These are ‘good people;’ people who risked their own lives to save others. History will remember every one of them as ‘good people.’
But are they, really?Possible, but we do not know, and as in this case, we really do not want to believe otherwise. We do not want to believe that our loved one is a cheat, or a thief. We do not want to believe that Superman was using trick photography, cleverly-placed invisible suspension wires and smoked mirrors. To ensure the stability of our delusion of safety, all our heroes are ‘good people.’We do need to know that there are still some caring people in our midst. We need to have something on which to hold and sustain our faith in humanity. We do need to cherish the moments as we watched that day, or see the numerous reruns on national television as those brave souls stormed the burning towers before eventually disintegrating, to save lives. These are just a few of the positive things; we need as reminders that the world has a chance - and to dispel our anxiety that it might not.
A Thin Line
Society would have us believe that there is ‘a thin line between good and evil.’ If we look at it radically, it is really a choice between two acts; good and evil, and whichever one we chose it is a decision of our own doing, so it is justified in our own eyes. If we chose to do good it is because that is what we want to do, and if we chose to do evil that is the choice we make.
Our choice.
As citizens in a ‘free, democratic society,’ we are hampered only by the choice we make; the choice between doing good and doing evil. It’s just a split decision, no big thing. It goes one way, or the other. Still, there is a contradiction of the two words; ‘good’ and ‘evil.’ One word, ‘good,’ denotes a soul-felt, spiritual, inner feeling of worth. A person who does good feels good. On the other hand, a person who does bad has a feeling of guilt, knowing the action emits ill-will. As will be discussed several times in this book, a person who does an evil deed is burdened with the result(s) of such action.
Interestingly enough, there are very bad persons in this world that will do very evil acts and not be bothered by them. Look at Adolph Hitler, Jim Jones and such others. These are people who have convinced themselves that what they did, or are doing is OK. It is good in their own eyes, and hearts. They have caused undue burdens, sufferings and deaths to thousands, hundreds of thousands, and millions, yet they did not seem to be bothered.
How could this be?
Some people are simply over-whelmed by their evil actions that they actually believe they are doing good. Adi Amin, the bloated little African dictator, Francois “Papa Doc” Duvalier and his equally-despicable son, Jean-Claude “Baby Doc” Duvalier, both Haitian tyrants, never repented for their acts. Papa Doc is long dead but his son is still alive, living many years after being disposed by his own people, country and government, and still living in the self-pride of this evil deeds. Jeffery Dahmer, one of America’s most dreadful serial killers died in the gas chambers without repenting of his evil deeds. Yet we will see that the supposedly ‘thin line between good and evil’ is not so thin after all.
The line between good and bad is no closer than the choice between kindness and insensitivity. It is no closer than having mercy and doing vengeance. It is no closer than offering a drink of water and shedding blood… They are as far apart as “the east is from the west, and may the twain never meet…”
When we do bad we know it, just as we know the warmth of doing good.
If we are to believe the story of Adam and Eve and the serpent, we will see that the woman, Eve, knew that the line between good and evil was not to be crossed, confused, or taking lightly. When confronted for her disobedience, she tried to defend herself by blaming someone else, the serpent. (If you are not familiar with this story, you can read the entire event in the Holy Bible (Genesis, chapter 3).
We know the difference between good and bad, and the consequences of the choice we make. We know it is better doing good than doing a bad thing. When we do a good thing, we feel good, and when we do a bad thing we feel bad. So if we want to feel good more often, we should do good more often. It is a choice we should make. It will not come naturally. There are many obstacles out in the world that want to prevent us from ‘doing good more often.’ One of the problems of continually doing good becomes evident when we begin to think more of secular or personal satisfaction, rather than the overall good of humanity. We act selfishly. We close our minds to what is good rather than what we gain....
Horatio M & Natasha Bennett
Heaven did not want them,
Hell could not keep them,
So they came back…!
An explosive religious-drama fiction by Horatio M. Bennett - Jamaican-born writer, and wife Natasha, authors of :
“Angry white male, pissed-off black man,”
“When it’s time to leave the church – the book most pastors will hate,”
“Black America, we are depending on you,”
“How to be a good person – without being religious,”
“In Search of An Orgasm – The Deadly Sexual Sin - what people will do to achieve one.”
An Excerpt of A SECOND CHANCE...
“...Yes, Fannie Mae died on her way home from the Center. But let me tell you about Fannie Mae, the Fannie Mae you did not get to know. Sandra Hollis convinced her to turn over her life to Christ two weeks before she died. She had the chance to visit her mother, and had the forgiveness of her entire family. Her niece, who was living in Toledo in a halfway house, heard about her aunt’s conversion, came here to the Center to share in her aunt’s new experience. Both she and her fourteen year old brother gave their lives to Christ. Fannie Mae died the next day.”
Once again the room became quiet.
“Oh Lord, we got ourselves a pooh ass prostitute preaching…” thought Lucie Burns, rifling through her purse nervously.
Mary Moses stirred uneasily in her seat. Her eyes met Sarah’s. Sarah knew Mary wanted to say something, but she saw the reluctance in her friend’s eyes. She smiled at her, and stretched her hand towards her and spoke gently.
“I believe our friend, Mary wants to say something. Come on up Mary,” Sarah beckoned. A horrified look came on Mary’s face. She had never spoke in a public setting like this before and she was scared stiff.
Mary Lou spoke audibly from the back.
“It is o.k. Mary. You tell your story the same way you told me. We are among friends here girl. There no need to be scared, or shy. Go on girl, do your thang.”
This seems to encourage Mary because she slowly rose from her seat, turned to her friends and spoke…
“We all was there that day at Fannie Mae funeral, an' y’all was able to offer condolences to har family. Y’all knows what the preacher said ‘bout Fannie Mae. He says that Fannie Mae is gone on to a better place. Neither har daughter, har niece, or any of har family cried. Jus us ‘cause we not knows what better place Fannie Mae gone to, or where such better place is. I here today to fine out where that place is, an' how I goin’ get there. That’s all I have to say. Thank you.” Mary Moses actually bowed slightly as she regained her seat.
Sarah’s eyes swept the room and pierced the crowd. There were moist eyes everywhere. It was time to zero in on these women. It was time to renew the camaraderie. She could not lose them now…
“How many of y’all can say the same about the person sitting next to y’all? Y’all will die someday, and there be crying,’ but will it be tears of joy over y’all life, or tears of regret?”
Quiet...
A few sobs...
Restlessness...
Sarah continued..
“I know of’ sure y’all not scared of dying. If y’all was scared you wouldn’t be in the business y’all in...”
Quiet...
“Y’all real fear is loneliness. The fear of rejection. The fear that no one really cares. That’s why y’all all gravitate to y’all pimps, these bloodsuckers who tell y’all they love y’all, yet abuse y’all at every chance they gets...”
“Yu’ got that right baby!”
“Yeah, them make us depends on them!”
“An’ then beat the shit outta us!”
“Ain’t that the truth...?”
Sarah’s eyes scanned the ladies sitting in front of her. Her eyes wandered to the doors, noticing that the women who were standing, awaiting the opportunity for the hasty exist was now cautiously slipping into empty seats.
“I know, because I was one of y’all. That’s why I’m able to stand here and tell y’all that there’s a better way. Y’all can make a difference in y’all own life. You don’t have to depend on no pimp-ass nigga to be lookout fo’ you. You can do that fo’ y’all self...” Sarah said.
“Like po’ Fannie Mae? Who did look out fo’ har?” It was one of Cut-throat’s plants, Brenda.
Sarah did not miss a beat. “Yes girl, like Fannie Mae. She made her decision, and now she don’t have to depend on Cut-throat or Joey Simms, nor any of y’all to cut her no slack. Fannie Mae is much better than y’all and I right now! No pain, no worry, no crooked cop cutting into her profits, no pimp taking her away from her only daughter, and turning around beating her ass off. No chile, Fannie Mae has arrived!”
“You tell her Sarah!”
“Fannie Mae is better off without us...”
“Wish I was where she is...”
Sarah eyes flashed at the last speaker, Lottie Gardner.
“No Lottie, don’t you say that. We all want to go to heaven, but believe me chile; we don’t want to die, no, not in this condition...”
“Wha’ you talkin' ‘bout girl? Now we confused...” It was Brenda again. All eyes were upon Sarah, but switching to and from each interjector. Sarah moved down from the podium, walking slowly towards the fifth row of seats where the Cut-throat women were sitting. They stirred uneasily as she approached. The other women sitting nearby sort of leaned away from the group, as if to let Sarah knew that they weren’t part of that clan.
There was compassion in Sarah’s voice when she looked Brenda in the eyes.
“Yes, Brenda, confusion is one of the weapons against us. Y’all so confused y’all don’t know who’s for y’all and who’s against y’all. Y’all don’t know if you to take a secret cut from the night’s take or just hand it all over and hope y’all gets a little extra, or even a smile, or a nod of appreciation. Sometime y’all get so confused y’all don’t even ‘member if the trick paid you before, or will he pay you after. Yes, girlfriend, y’all confused!” Sarah stopped abruptly, centered her steady gaze on the group, then turned suddenly and retraced her steps to the podium.
Quiet.
Lucie Burns squinted furiously, trying to hold back the tear that was threatening to soil her heavy mascara.
“No one here wants to die now. Death to any of y’all now is a final destination someplace y’all don’t want to be. I know y’all know the choices. That place or the other...”
There were restless movements again.
This time it was Francis, from Brenda’s group who spoke.
“Y’all talkin’ ‘bout heaven and hell Sarah?”
“Yes Francis. I’m talking about the choice between heaven and hell. You see, the Book says that it be appointed unto y’all once to die, and when y’all die y’all have to face the judgment. Y’all have to give an account of everything y’all ever did to anyone, and even to ya’ll self. So we certainly don’t want to die, yet...”
Her gaze searching anxious faces.
“Wha’ you mean, yet?” A voice from the front seat.
Fixed gaze.
“Yes, Joan, YET! Y’all needs to take care of some business ah’fore y’all ready to face that judgment. It’s like going for that drug test to get y’all food stamp. Y’all know what I mean...”
“You mean like first getting’ Sammie to fix us that mixture to fool the test?” bellowed someone from the rear. Everyone laughed.
“Yes. It’s much like that. You see, y’all gotta be prepared to face this judgment thing. Only thing is that y’all ain’t gonna fool nobody but y’all self.”
Forced laughter.
Quiet.
Sarah continues...
“It ain’t worth dying and going to hell. Not because of what some pimp wants y’all to do...”
“How can we prepare for this judgment?” Brenda.
“The Good Book says that if y’all confess with y’all mouth and believe in y’all heart, the Lord Jesus, and that God raised Him from the dead, and then y’all be ready for the judgment...”
That mean we be dead after that?” Brenda again.
Forced laughter.
Quiet.
“It’s not that way Brenda. Life is good and precious, and y’all should cherish it until it’s gone from us, but y’all shouldn’t invite death.”
Quiet.
“Brenda, there be lot of women who going through things, and they be need support. The kind of support y’all can give if y’all have a heart of compassion.”
“Compassion baby? Like we care?” Brenda.
“Yes Brenda. Like y’all care about someone else other that y’all self. I know that some of y’all come from good families, while others didn’t get the chance of any upbringing. But a heart of compassion is something that only God can put in y’all. No matter y’all background, there’s only one heart of compassion, and that’s from God.”
“But I care about people, Sarah!” protested Brenda.
“I know Brenda, like when Kelli got beat up, I know it was you who paid for her hospital stay, and it was you who sent that money to Phyllis’ son in Chicago. Yes, Brenda, you care about people, but y’all need to understand that it was the Good that was working in y’all when y’all do things like Brenda did. Not y’all own good, but a God-given Good.”
Kelli stood up quickly and turned to the young woman sitting two rows behind. She knew Brenda, but hardly ever spoke to her. Brenda’s group worked the east side of town, she worked on the north. Brenda had heard about Kelli’s plight from one of the other girls.
“Brenda, you pays for my hospital?”
Brenda ignored her. It wasn’t important that she knew. No one knew she had sent money to Chicago. She didn’t know how Sarah knew. Not even Phyllis’ son knew from whom it came.
“You mean God was working in me even then, when I was on the street and things?” Brenda asked Sarah.
“Yes. God sees only the good in us. In His eyes we be precious to him. That’s why He sent His Son, Jesus to die for y’all.”
Quiet.
“How did you feel when you did all those things, Brenda?” Sarah asked.
“It felt pretty good. It wasn’t like I was getting praise or nothing. I just wants to do something for them poor girl family.” Brenda responded.
“You see Brenda; it was God who gave you that compassion. That certainly didn’t come from the devil. The devil only comes to y’all to kill and destroy y’all. That is what I mean when I say that y’all have a God-given Good in y’all. Everyone ah y’all.”
“So then, why we have to be different and things?” asked Kelli.
“What do you mean Kelli?” asked Sarah.
“Well, since we already have this Good in us, why we have to confess and believe and all that...?”
“A lot of people do good things Kelli, but are they all good? No! Look at politicians? They pass good laws, and even do a favor for someone, but does that mean they are God-faring people? No, most are not! They gets rewards for the good they do from the community and the people who votes for them, but when we do good as God’s children He rewards us.”
Quiet.
Somewhere in the crowd a cellular rang. Apparently its owner chose to ignore it because it rang incessantly. Everyone ignored the interruption until Frankie Bell from lower Dumas held up her hand and stood up.
“Jus’ a minute there Sarah. Hey, if y’all not want to hear what Sarah an them talkin’ ‘bout, you should leave, otherwise just shut off that damn phone so we can continue this here meeting. Thank you,” and she sat down heavily, scraping the metal chair against the hard concrete floor. Whoever had the noisy phone took the cue from Frankie and turned it off. The room became quiet for a moment, then someone near the front began applauding, and instantly everyone followed.
“Thank you Frankie…” said Sarah, laughing as everyone simultaneously reached for their cellular to shut them off. She returned her attention to Brenda who was showing signs of irritation. Sarah could not afford to lose her now. She knew that Brenda was under tremendous pressure from Cut-throat…
“Who would y’all like to reward you for the good things you do, Brenda? God or your friends?”
“Well Sarah, I’d prefer very much for God to reward me.”
“Why Brenda? Why would you prefer God’s reward over your friends?” asked Sarah.
“Well, God is be more powerful, and do lots more for me than common people,” answered Brenda, with a smile. She was regaining her confidence, momentarily forgetting about the consequences that might be awaiting her, if she did return to Cut-throat.
“You be right again Brenda. You see, the Good Book says that if God be for us, it doesn’t matter who’s against us. Y’all want God on y’all side...”
Sandra quietly walked up and stool beside Sarah. Mary Lou also took her position beside her two friends. Mary Lou moved toward the center of the isle and spoke softly, but audible enough for everyone to hear.
“We here at this Center are inviting you all to join us in assisting you in making a change in yourselves, and in the many others who still believed that the streets is the answer. The Good Book says that if you hear His voice you must not turn away from Him. If you all will believe He spoke to you today, right here in this here meeting, then I ask for you to make that step of faith. Now.......!”
Heaven did not want them,
Hell could not keep them,
So they came back…!
An explosive religious-drama fiction by Horatio M. Bennett - Jamaican-born writer, and wife Natasha, authors of :
“Angry white male, pissed-off black man,”
“When it’s time to leave the church – the book most pastors will hate,”
“Black America, we are depending on you,”
“How to be a good person – without being religious,”
“In Search of An Orgasm – The Deadly Sexual Sin - what people will do to achieve one.”
An Excerpt of A SECOND CHANCE...
“...Yes, Fannie Mae died on her way home from the Center. But let me tell you about Fannie Mae, the Fannie Mae you did not get to know. Sandra Hollis convinced her to turn over her life to Christ two weeks before she died. She had the chance to visit her mother, and had the forgiveness of her entire family. Her niece, who was living in Toledo in a halfway house, heard about her aunt’s conversion, came here to the Center to share in her aunt’s new experience. Both she and her fourteen year old brother gave their lives to Christ. Fannie Mae died the next day.”
Once again the room became quiet.
“Oh Lord, we got ourselves a pooh ass prostitute preaching…” thought Lucie Burns, rifling through her purse nervously.
Mary Moses stirred uneasily in her seat. Her eyes met Sarah’s. Sarah knew Mary wanted to say something, but she saw the reluctance in her friend’s eyes. She smiled at her, and stretched her hand towards her and spoke gently.
“I believe our friend, Mary wants to say something. Come on up Mary,” Sarah beckoned. A horrified look came on Mary’s face. She had never spoke in a public setting like this before and she was scared stiff.
Mary Lou spoke audibly from the back.
“It is o.k. Mary. You tell your story the same way you told me. We are among friends here girl. There no need to be scared, or shy. Go on girl, do your thang.”
This seems to encourage Mary because she slowly rose from her seat, turned to her friends and spoke…
“We all was there that day at Fannie Mae funeral, an' y’all was able to offer condolences to har family. Y’all knows what the preacher said ‘bout Fannie Mae. He says that Fannie Mae is gone on to a better place. Neither har daughter, har niece, or any of har family cried. Jus us ‘cause we not knows what better place Fannie Mae gone to, or where such better place is. I here today to fine out where that place is, an' how I goin’ get there. That’s all I have to say. Thank you.” Mary Moses actually bowed slightly as she regained her seat.
Sarah’s eyes swept the room and pierced the crowd. There were moist eyes everywhere. It was time to zero in on these women. It was time to renew the camaraderie. She could not lose them now…
“How many of y’all can say the same about the person sitting next to y’all? Y’all will die someday, and there be crying,’ but will it be tears of joy over y’all life, or tears of regret?”
Quiet...
A few sobs...
Restlessness...
Sarah continued..
“I know of’ sure y’all not scared of dying. If y’all was scared you wouldn’t be in the business y’all in...”
Quiet...
“Y’all real fear is loneliness. The fear of rejection. The fear that no one really cares. That’s why y’all all gravitate to y’all pimps, these bloodsuckers who tell y’all they love y’all, yet abuse y’all at every chance they gets...”
“Yu’ got that right baby!”
“Yeah, them make us depends on them!”
“An’ then beat the shit outta us!”
“Ain’t that the truth...?”
Sarah’s eyes scanned the ladies sitting in front of her. Her eyes wandered to the doors, noticing that the women who were standing, awaiting the opportunity for the hasty exist was now cautiously slipping into empty seats.
“I know, because I was one of y’all. That’s why I’m able to stand here and tell y’all that there’s a better way. Y’all can make a difference in y’all own life. You don’t have to depend on no pimp-ass nigga to be lookout fo’ you. You can do that fo’ y’all self...” Sarah said.
“Like po’ Fannie Mae? Who did look out fo’ har?” It was one of Cut-throat’s plants, Brenda.
Sarah did not miss a beat. “Yes girl, like Fannie Mae. She made her decision, and now she don’t have to depend on Cut-throat or Joey Simms, nor any of y’all to cut her no slack. Fannie Mae is much better than y’all and I right now! No pain, no worry, no crooked cop cutting into her profits, no pimp taking her away from her only daughter, and turning around beating her ass off. No chile, Fannie Mae has arrived!”
“You tell her Sarah!”
“Fannie Mae is better off without us...”
“Wish I was where she is...”
Sarah eyes flashed at the last speaker, Lottie Gardner.
“No Lottie, don’t you say that. We all want to go to heaven, but believe me chile; we don’t want to die, no, not in this condition...”
“Wha’ you talkin' ‘bout girl? Now we confused...” It was Brenda again. All eyes were upon Sarah, but switching to and from each interjector. Sarah moved down from the podium, walking slowly towards the fifth row of seats where the Cut-throat women were sitting. They stirred uneasily as she approached. The other women sitting nearby sort of leaned away from the group, as if to let Sarah knew that they weren’t part of that clan.
There was compassion in Sarah’s voice when she looked Brenda in the eyes.
“Yes, Brenda, confusion is one of the weapons against us. Y’all so confused y’all don’t know who’s for y’all and who’s against y’all. Y’all don’t know if you to take a secret cut from the night’s take or just hand it all over and hope y’all gets a little extra, or even a smile, or a nod of appreciation. Sometime y’all get so confused y’all don’t even ‘member if the trick paid you before, or will he pay you after. Yes, girlfriend, y’all confused!” Sarah stopped abruptly, centered her steady gaze on the group, then turned suddenly and retraced her steps to the podium.
Quiet.
Lucie Burns squinted furiously, trying to hold back the tear that was threatening to soil her heavy mascara.
“No one here wants to die now. Death to any of y’all now is a final destination someplace y’all don’t want to be. I know y’all know the choices. That place or the other...”
There were restless movements again.
This time it was Francis, from Brenda’s group who spoke.
“Y’all talkin’ ‘bout heaven and hell Sarah?”
“Yes Francis. I’m talking about the choice between heaven and hell. You see, the Book says that it be appointed unto y’all once to die, and when y’all die y’all have to face the judgment. Y’all have to give an account of everything y’all ever did to anyone, and even to ya’ll self. So we certainly don’t want to die, yet...”
Her gaze searching anxious faces.
“Wha’ you mean, yet?” A voice from the front seat.
Fixed gaze.
“Yes, Joan, YET! Y’all needs to take care of some business ah’fore y’all ready to face that judgment. It’s like going for that drug test to get y’all food stamp. Y’all know what I mean...”
“You mean like first getting’ Sammie to fix us that mixture to fool the test?” bellowed someone from the rear. Everyone laughed.
“Yes. It’s much like that. You see, y’all gotta be prepared to face this judgment thing. Only thing is that y’all ain’t gonna fool nobody but y’all self.”
Forced laughter.
Quiet.
Sarah continues...
“It ain’t worth dying and going to hell. Not because of what some pimp wants y’all to do...”
“How can we prepare for this judgment?” Brenda.
“The Good Book says that if y’all confess with y’all mouth and believe in y’all heart, the Lord Jesus, and that God raised Him from the dead, and then y’all be ready for the judgment...”
That mean we be dead after that?” Brenda again.
Forced laughter.
Quiet.
“It’s not that way Brenda. Life is good and precious, and y’all should cherish it until it’s gone from us, but y’all shouldn’t invite death.”
Quiet.
“Brenda, there be lot of women who going through things, and they be need support. The kind of support y’all can give if y’all have a heart of compassion.”
“Compassion baby? Like we care?” Brenda.
“Yes Brenda. Like y’all care about someone else other that y’all self. I know that some of y’all come from good families, while others didn’t get the chance of any upbringing. But a heart of compassion is something that only God can put in y’all. No matter y’all background, there’s only one heart of compassion, and that’s from God.”
“But I care about people, Sarah!” protested Brenda.
“I know Brenda, like when Kelli got beat up, I know it was you who paid for her hospital stay, and it was you who sent that money to Phyllis’ son in Chicago. Yes, Brenda, you care about people, but y’all need to understand that it was the Good that was working in y’all when y’all do things like Brenda did. Not y’all own good, but a God-given Good.”
Kelli stood up quickly and turned to the young woman sitting two rows behind. She knew Brenda, but hardly ever spoke to her. Brenda’s group worked the east side of town, she worked on the north. Brenda had heard about Kelli’s plight from one of the other girls.
“Brenda, you pays for my hospital?”
Brenda ignored her. It wasn’t important that she knew. No one knew she had sent money to Chicago. She didn’t know how Sarah knew. Not even Phyllis’ son knew from whom it came.
“You mean God was working in me even then, when I was on the street and things?” Brenda asked Sarah.
“Yes. God sees only the good in us. In His eyes we be precious to him. That’s why He sent His Son, Jesus to die for y’all.”
Quiet.
“How did you feel when you did all those things, Brenda?” Sarah asked.
“It felt pretty good. It wasn’t like I was getting praise or nothing. I just wants to do something for them poor girl family.” Brenda responded.
“You see Brenda; it was God who gave you that compassion. That certainly didn’t come from the devil. The devil only comes to y’all to kill and destroy y’all. That is what I mean when I say that y’all have a God-given Good in y’all. Everyone ah y’all.”
“So then, why we have to be different and things?” asked Kelli.
“What do you mean Kelli?” asked Sarah.
“Well, since we already have this Good in us, why we have to confess and believe and all that...?”
“A lot of people do good things Kelli, but are they all good? No! Look at politicians? They pass good laws, and even do a favor for someone, but does that mean they are God-faring people? No, most are not! They gets rewards for the good they do from the community and the people who votes for them, but when we do good as God’s children He rewards us.”
Quiet.
Somewhere in the crowd a cellular rang. Apparently its owner chose to ignore it because it rang incessantly. Everyone ignored the interruption until Frankie Bell from lower Dumas held up her hand and stood up.
“Jus’ a minute there Sarah. Hey, if y’all not want to hear what Sarah an them talkin’ ‘bout, you should leave, otherwise just shut off that damn phone so we can continue this here meeting. Thank you,” and she sat down heavily, scraping the metal chair against the hard concrete floor. Whoever had the noisy phone took the cue from Frankie and turned it off. The room became quiet for a moment, then someone near the front began applauding, and instantly everyone followed.
“Thank you Frankie…” said Sarah, laughing as everyone simultaneously reached for their cellular to shut them off. She returned her attention to Brenda who was showing signs of irritation. Sarah could not afford to lose her now. She knew that Brenda was under tremendous pressure from Cut-throat…
“Who would y’all like to reward you for the good things you do, Brenda? God or your friends?”
“Well Sarah, I’d prefer very much for God to reward me.”
“Why Brenda? Why would you prefer God’s reward over your friends?” asked Sarah.
“Well, God is be more powerful, and do lots more for me than common people,” answered Brenda, with a smile. She was regaining her confidence, momentarily forgetting about the consequences that might be awaiting her, if she did return to Cut-throat.
“You be right again Brenda. You see, the Good Book says that if God be for us, it doesn’t matter who’s against us. Y’all want God on y’all side...”
Sandra quietly walked up and stool beside Sarah. Mary Lou also took her position beside her two friends. Mary Lou moved toward the center of the isle and spoke softly, but audible enough for everyone to hear.
“We here at this Center are inviting you all to join us in assisting you in making a change in yourselves, and in the many others who still believed that the streets is the answer. The Good Book says that if you hear His voice you must not turn away from Him. If you all will believe He spoke to you today, right here in this here meeting, then I ask for you to make that step of faith. Now.......!”
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Shipping & Handling are Included in price...
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