“Used to be my homie, now you act like you don't know me.” – Ice Cube
I started off quoting a verse from Ice Cube from his diss song “No Vaseline” where he responded to his former group N. W. A. who dissed him on their second album because he left their group.
If you ever listen to No Vaseline, you would feel Ice Cube lyrics and you would sense the pain he probably had when writing it. If you saw the movie “Straight Outta Compton” you would know the reason why Ice Cube left N. W. A. and went solo.
Nevertheless, before Easy – E died, him and Ice Cube atoned. They talked about doing a third album and in hopes to atone with Dr. Dre so they could have all the original members on the album. M. C. Ren and DJ Yella was already planning to be on board. They just needed Ice Cube and Dr. Dre.
Unfortunately, the album never happened. One of the main reasons because Easy – E passed away. Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, and M. C. Ren made attempts to record and possibly dropped a third N. W. A. album but they never made it happen!!
In the book Matthew chapter 18 verse 21. Peter asked Jesus how many times should he forgive his brother that sins against him? Till seven times? Verse 22. Jesus responded seventy times seven.
I know and understand it is hard to atone/forgive someone who you feel have wronged you. Jesus says, “to forgive and forget.” I have heard people say, “I can forgive but I can’t forget.”
We don’t know how deeply we hurt someone because we can’t feel their pain…. We just know what they tell us or what we can see like their tears or their anger.
In closing: The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan give us 8 Steps of Atone to assist us to reconcile our differences. Those 8 Steps of Atonement are:
1. Someone must point out the wrong
2. Acknowledgement of wrong
3. Confess the fault; first to Allah (God), then to those offended
4. Repentance; a feeling of remorse or contrition or shame for the past conduct which was wrong and sinful
5. Atonement; meaning to make amends and reparations for the wrong
6. Forgiveness by the offended party; to cease to feel offense and resentment against another for the harm done
7. Reconciliation and restoration; meaning to become friendly and peaceable again
8. Perfect union with Allah (God) and with each other.
I pray and hope this blog help some of us to atone and reconcile our differences. In the spirit of The Million Man March. “LONG LIVE THE SPIRIT OF THE MILLION MAN MARCH!!”
