"I say today to hell with Christianity, rationalism, Buddhism, all the lumber of the centuries. I bring you a positive and primaeval fact, magic by name; and with this I will build me a new Heaven and a new Earth. I want none of your faint approval or faint dispraise; I want blasphemy, murder, rape, revolution, anything, bad or good, but strong."- Aleister Crowley to Gerald Kelly via letter
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| Reverend Jim Jones and Fruit Of Islam |
Bilalian News Article- June 4th, 1976
Spiritual Jubilee proclaims
A New Heaven and a New Earth!
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| Bilalian News Photos |
mentality is what puts him in heaven."
Right: The Rev. Jim Jones observed that: "Whether we are Christian or Muslim, agnostic or atheist, we must first learn to forget our differences because the oppressors, be they economic or social, and the hate mongers are on our backs."
Left (Insert): Dressed in white, the Honorable W.D. Muhammad arrives at the Los Angeles Convention Center.
Right: The multi-ethnic Peoples Temple Church Choir delivers a stirring rendition of "Sing A Simple Song of Freedom."
Page 2. Opening Remarks
In opening remarks on Jubilee Day, Minister Abdul Karim Hasan, Western regional representative of the Honorable W.D. Muhammad, observed that: "The idea of bringing people together from all walks of life regardless of their color or creed is an idea that should continue to grow and develop to such an extent that all men and women can enjoy peace of mind and contentment."
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| Page 2. Opening Remarks |
Endorsees included: Dr. Mohammed Mehdi, secretary general of the Action Committee on Arab-American Relations; Rabbi Morton Hoffman of the Bureau of Jewish Education; Dr. Armando Rodriguez, president of East Los Angeles City College; and San Francisco Mayor George Moscone.
One of the first speakers, media expert Michael Prokes, lauded the multi-racial Peoples Temple Church as an institution which has "saved hundreds of people from jail sentences and hard-line drugs" while giving "medical care to thousands of senior citizens." The Temple also operates an agricultural mission in Guyana, South America, whose crops go to feed needy nations.
Mr. Prokes cited another positive example- the adoption by the Rev. Jones and his wife Marceline of six children of different nationalities.
Dr. Goodlett reminded the audience that this year's Bicentennial also marks the "200th anniversary of the exodus of Richard Allen from the United Methodist Church because he was no longer able to endure racism in organized religion."
Mr. Kenneth Hahn emphasized that: "When the Honorable Wallace D. Muhammad consented to come here, I wanted to be here to listen to him."
Mayor Bradley
Mayor Bradley characterized the Jubilee as "a magnificent occasion which will bring together diverse elements and set the tone for other communities around the country."
Angela Davis pointed to the rising up of people across the globe to challenge "the forces of disease, illiteracy and starvation. They have discovered that their most important weapon is unity." She cautioned citizens about stepped up repression in the United States.
The S-1 bill, if it is passed, "could even outlaw such wonderful gatherings as this," she said. Just last week, she added, the "Federal Center for Experimentation and Behavior Control was opened in Buckner, North Carolina." Miss Davis called for a unified struggle to free unjustly imprisoned men such as the Rev. Ben Chavis.
Mr. Dymally noted that "Fourteen years ago it wasn't safe to greet anyone with 'As-Salaam Alaikum.'" He reflected on the brutal attack of the Los Angeles Police on Muhammad's Mosque No. 27 in 1962. His support of the Nation of Islam in that case led to racist branding him as a "Black Muslim.
"My, my how times change!" he remarked. "That 'Black Muslim' is now your acting governor."
Rev. Jim Jones
The Rev. Jim Jones expressed joy in the "symbolic and literal union" of the Peoples Temple and the Nation of Islam. that union, he said, "represents a victory over the forces that seek to sow disunity."
The Native American evangelist warned that materialistic powers of racism, greed and profit now threaten to go to the extent of "destroying our planet." But oppressed people everywhere "are beginning to come into a ressurection of humanistic reality"- a keen awareness of the need to unite or persih.
Bro. Jones bore witness that: "I have recieved more acceptance and brotherhood from the Nation of Islam in these past few months than I have recieved from many quarters of the Christian Church." He paid tribute to the wise administration of the Chief Minister who has liberated the role of the womanand welcomed all races to the worship of one God.
Pic: Women members of the Peoples Temple Church actively participate in all church programs, including: homes for orphans and senior citizens, drug rehabilitation centers; legal assistance programs and an agricultural mission in Latin America.
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| Page 3. |
"If the Muslims and Peoples Temple can get together, anybody can make it," the Rev. Jones proclaimed. He advised listeners not to fall into "the trap of religious sectarianism and provincialism." All religious groupings, he observed, must forget their petty differences in order to overcome exploitation.
He mentioned that only a few days ago some misguided individuals had fire-bombed his church's property and made threatening telephone calls conserning the Jubilee, but instead of discouraging him, these incidents only "proved that this meeting was the hand of God upon us."
The Rev. Jones called the Honorable W.D. Muhammad "a prophet," and declaired, "with the alternatives I see on the horizon, I only wish he were running for President."
Turning to the pages of history, he pointed out that "Muslims made room for Jesus and gave him honor. And its high time that Christianity gave honor to Muhammad." Bro. Jones underscored the dangers of taking scriptures literally, citing the Biblical verse which reads: "Servants, obey your master."
Reffering to the example of Jesus, he observed: "Jesus said there's only one way you can be saved- 'Feed the hungry, clothe the naked, let the oppressed go free.'
"Who is fulfilling the words of Jesus? Who opened his arms and said, 'Come Christians, come Jews, come atheist, come agnostics?' Who is fulfilling the words of Jesus any better than the Honorable Wallace D. Muhammad?" The Rev. Jones concluded his speech with these words: "If you come after the Nation of Islam you better come after me."
The Chief Minister
The Honorable W.D. Muhammad voiced appreciation for Bro. Jim Jones and for "the great community that he heads- the Peoples Temple Church. In time," he noted, "maybe we will all realize just how muh the world is indebted to the step that has been taken this day."
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| Left: Warith Deen Mohammed Right: Reverend Jim Jones |
The Cheif Minister demonstrated the unity of all true believers and the oneness of all the great heroes of Judaism, Christianity and Islam. "Those who believe that they should conform to God's righteousness are all brothers in one brotherhood," he declared.
"Jesus verified the truth of Moses and continued the chain of truth....Muhammad came and supported the teachings and the teachers of the Old Testament. He spoke of Jesus as his brother in the faith."
Thus, there is no division in the family of prophets, but there is division among humanity. That alone is evidence that we have strayed from the pure teachings of those prophets," the Honorable W.D. Muhammad stressed.
"The world has become a world of enemies because religious orders have promoted this," he observed: "They have condemned the other communities as infidels." However, prophet Muhammad ibn Abdullah of 1,400 years ago (peace and blessings) "taught his followers to protect the sacred houses of other religious communities."
Today, the Lost-Found Nation of Islam pursues only one goal, Minister Muhammad boldly proclaimed: "to preach the truth regard-less to whom or what....Jesus said, "Know the truth and the truth will make you free."
The Chief Minister pointed out that Christians have been praying to an "old heaven" because God himself says that He's going to make a New Heaven and a New Earth. Minister Muhammad stressed that a wicked mentality which "portrayed itself as light" had established a false kingdom and buried the real, life-giving word of God.
We've come to see rabbis, priest and imams spit out nothing but air," because there has been "a famine in the Earth- not for food, but for the word of God." The Cheif
Minister added that it has been religious leadership which "has failed the world, not politics, nor science."
"Where are you, Pope?" he asked. "Where are you, imams?"-"Rabbis, its time for you to come out of your hiding place."
In conclusion, the Honorable W.D. Muhammad assured his listeners that: "God has ordained a natural movement to destroy the corrupt world and establish truth. This is our day!"
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| Bilalian News front page- June 4, 1976 |
By John Hart (Times Religion Writer)
Los Angeles- The Nation of Islam, once known commonly as the Black Muslims, joined Sunday in its first interfaith rally.
Wallace D. Muhammad of Chicago, Chief Minister of the Nation of Islam since the death of his father, Elijah Muhammad 15 months ago, spoke to an estimated 18,000 persons, all of whom had to pass through airport-type security checks to enter the Los Angeles Convention Center.
Muhammad criticized today's world religious leadership for failing to end oppression or achieve unity, and he noted the traditional Islamic indebtedness to Moses and Jesus as predecessors of Muhammad.
There is no division in the family of prophets, he said, but there is division in us.
Under Wallace Muhammad's leadership, Caucasians have been admitted to membership in the Nation of Islam and friendly relations have been established with Arabic Islamic representatives. Sunday's "Spiritual Jubilee" marked the Nation's first venture into interfaith cooperation.
Preceding Muhammad on the platform was the Rev Jim Jones, the white founder-minister of Peoples Temple Church, which claims more than 12,000 members in three California churches.
Peoples Temple co-sponsored the program.
Jones, a Protestant minister, recalled that several years ago, tension was high between his san Francisco church and a Nation of Islam Temple.
"But under Wallace Muhammad all those things have changed." Jones said-"peace has come."
The Peoples Temple Churches, affiliated with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), are considered unorthodox under Rev. Jones' leadership. The emphasis is on community service and support of worthy secular causes.The Rev. Jones said that even athesits and agnostics are welcome to his church as long as they agree with the gospel message to serve others.
Pointing to the fact that traditional Islam regards Jesus as a prophet, the minister declared- to the cheers of the audience- "Its high time Christianity gave honor to Muhammad."
Representatives of the predominantly Arabic Islamic Foundation of Southern California, and the Southern California Council of Churches extended their congratulations from the platform.
Some speakers began with an Arabic Islamic greeting of peace, including Supervisor Kenneth Hahn and Lt. Gov. Mervyn Dymally. The latter recalled that it wasn't safe" to give sucars ago, recalling the gunfire between police and Muslims at a Mosque in Los Angeles in 1962. Greetings were were also extended by activist-educator Angela Davis, Mayor Thomas Bradley, and a young Black woman member of the Sikh Dharma brotherhood who wore white clothing and headgear similar to the attire of thousands of Nation of Islam women in the audience.The Honorable W.D. Muhammad said those who knew of the rally but stayed in their churches or temples (the doors opened at 11 a.m. for what turned out to be a five hour event) "Stayed in the darkness of Satan."- Reprint from Los Angeles Times
The Rev. Jim Jones observed that "All around us strife and division have been rising in the land, forces which would set race against race, brother against brother, which would even bring about the genocide of people deemed unfit for survival. But people around the world are beginning to come into an awakening, into a resurrection of humanistic reality. In the face of forces of destruction, the oppressed people are coming to an understanding that if we do not unite and put aside our differences...then we will very possibly not survive on terra firma."
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