VALENTINES DAY: A PAGAN CELEBRATION?

February each year is synonymous with VALENTINES DAY celebrations and the hype can be felt as early as mid January. WHAT is Valentines day? According what a majority of people want to hear it is the Day observed by Loved ones... gifts etc are exchanged here. This begs the question, dont people love during the rest of the year? BUT what TRUELY is VALENTINES? Just as the Widely marked and Celebrated Christmas, it is a PAGAN FEAST that was incorporated into the Roman Catholic Calender by Pope Gelasius in 496 AD. In the Pagan times, Valentines was marked as LUPERCALIS or LUPERCALIA. This day was marked as Fertility celebration day on February 15 in honour of the goddes of fertility but the afforementioned ‘modernised‘ it and set the date a day ealier. During the rise of ‘christianity‘ in the early times, Pagan festival were renamed and dedicated to ‘Martyrs‘. Roman Catholic has had around four Valentines and both are believed to have been martyred around February 14. This day is however believed to be linked to a St. Valentine who secretly administered matrimony against the wish of a Roman empire Claudius II who had issued an edict against it. It is then that he was purpotedly killed and later beatified and canonized as parton saint of Lovers. HOPE YOU KNOW

Church of Satan opens in Nairobi.

According to the Nairobian church of satan has opened in Nairobi.
In their church, you are forbidden from stating the name of Jesus Christ, and treating your visitors with kindness if they annoy you.

Instead, the church advocates for treating annoying guests “cruelly and without mercy” and promotes an “eye for an eye” morality.

The sins in this church are not things like coveting your neighbour’s wife or committing adultery (the church okays you to make s#xual advances if you are given the mating signal) except being stupid, pretentious or self-centred.

The members believe in magic and do not worship—nor believe in—the Devil or a Christian notion of Satan but its adherents see themselves as truth-seekers, adversaries and sceptics of the religious world around them.

For them, “It’s indifferent. There’s no God, there’s no devil. No one cares!”
Welcome to the Church of Satan, a religion that is now facing a new challenge in Kenya – an exceptionally high ratio of scam artistes conning people who willingly want to join the church where prayers start with “Hail Satan.”
“I have wanted to join the church but I have been asked to give an amount of money that I cannot only afford over a long period of time,” Papre, a Kenyan who wants to join the church told The Nairobian. “I have already paid Sh4,000 and I am only left with Sh4,000 to pay.”

Papre is one of the many Nairobians, who are investing to join the Church of Satan, founded on April 30, 1966 by Magus Anthony Szandor LaVey with the aim of being “openly dedicated to the acceptance of man’s true nature—that of a carnal beast, living in a cosmos that is indifferent to our existence.”

LaVey was an American author, occultist, and musician.
He was the church’s High Priest until his death in 1997 after which his position was passed on to his common law wife, Blanche Barton.

Since his death, the church has grown around the world with a branch in Nairobi at a location that is not exactly known to the public because of the high level of confidentiality exhibited.

Membership is strictly private, making it difficult for The Nairobian to establish the number of the members of the church of Satan in Kenya. The head office in New York did not reply to our request for information about the membership and activities of the church in Kenya.

Members of the Church of Satan are strictly forbidden from “outing” other members who have chosen to remain underground. All memberships are processed only through the New York office.

There are two basic degrees of membership in the Church of Satan – “active” and “registered” – whereby every member, upon induction, begins as an active member and becomes registered if they are invited to do so by church leadership.

The church believes one can be a Satanist without being a member of their organisation.

Although the church does not solicit for memberships, one can pay membership fees of two hundred dollars. A registration form is downloaded online and strictly sent through postal mail.

Upon payment of the registration fees, you are given an embossed crimson card declaring you a member of the Church of Satan.

When the members meet, they have to produce the cards for identification.

However, a rising number of people willing to join the church are posing the new challenge of protecting them from scam artistes especially in Africa.

Recently, the church came up with measures for those willing to be members with rules that now require a sort of screening before recruitment.

Kenyans willing to join the Church of Satan like other residents of countries in Africa are advised against trying to register with the church unless they have first been in contact through email and gained pre-approval.

Kenya is one of the countries in Africa where unscrupulous residents are attempting to get money from the government on behalf of the Church of Satan, its websites claims.

It however does not explain the link between the government and the scam.

There are individuals who are not happy that they are asked to give a lot of money before they can join the church.

“Why are you asking people to pay money to join? According to the ‘Gospel of Satan’, that’s wrong. Satan is rich and he doesn’t need anything,” one of the members asks.

Papre told The Nairobian that this is the third time that he is paying to join the church after two unsuccessful bids. “I have been conned twice but I am not giving up,” he said.

So as to increase openness, members of the church have now opened a Facebook page, the Church of Satan Kenya through which willing members are contacted through the phone number 07XX 666 666 (the two digits omitted by this paper), which interestingly makes use of the numbers 666, the mark of the beast in the Bible.

In the Facebook page, one of the members quips: “There is no God but yourself and Satan is your friend.”

The recruitment for membership of the church has some questions that can tickle your mind. The church asks if you are satisfied with your sexual life, you are ideal physically attractive sex partner, how many years you could like to live, the kind of car that you could like to drive, questions that largely touch on material well-being.

“I play rugby. I want to join because I want to be successful in life,” Weslay, a 23-year-old told us.

Members of the church carry red cards that they use to identify themselves as members and things like “group hugs” are forbidden.

Satanism holds individualism as one of their values simply stating: “we don’t expect all of our members to agree on everything, or even to ‘get along’ with each other.”

A fundamental “house rule” for the church is that “those who affiliate are not required to like, appreciate, or praise one another—which should be expected with an association of wildly diverse individuals. However, they must refrain from publicly attacking or antagonising each other.”

“To us, Satan is the symbol that best suits the nature of we who are carnal by birth—people who feel no battles raging between our thoughts and feelings, we who do not embrace the concept of a soul imprisoned in a body. He represents pride, liberty, and individualism—qualities often defined as evil by those who worship external deities, who feel there is a war between their minds and emotions,” the website of the church reads.

The church is guided by nine satanic statements that are a sort of the ‘10 commandments’.

The nine satanic statements outline what ‘Satan’ represents in the Church of Satan. They state that Satan represents indulgence instead of abstinence, vital existence instead of spiritual pipe dreams, undefiled wisdom instead of hypocritical self-deceit, kindness to those who deserve it instead of love wasted on ingrates, vengeance instead of turning the other cheek and responsibility to the responsible instead of concern for psychic vampires.

 According to the Satanic statements, Satan represents man as just another animal, sometimes better, more often worse than those that walk on all-fours, who, because of his “divine spiritual and intellectual development”, has become the most vicious animal of all. He represents all of the so-called sins, as they all lead to physical, mental, or emotional gratification, and is the best friend the church has ever had, managing to keep it in business all these years.

According to teaching in the Church of Satan, “satanic sins” are stupidity, pretentiousness, solipsism, self-deceit, herd conformity, lack of perspective, forgetfulness of past orthodoxies, counterproductive pride and lack of aesthetics.

Via krazygossip

ADDRESS BY HIS EXCELLENCY HON. UHURU KENYATTA, C.G.H., PRESIDENT AND COMMANDER IN CHIEF OF THE DEFENCE FORCES OF THE REPUBLIC OF KENYA AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE COUNTER-TERRORISM OPERATION AT WESTAGATE MALL, 24TH SEPTEMBER 2013

Fellow Kenyans and Friends of Kenya, the operation is now over. Fellow Kenyans, Last weekend, terrorists alighted in Nairobi and unforgivable atrocity on Kenyans and our visitors. unleashed unspeakable and

The agents of Terror themselves craven wretches and lowly cowards had the agenda of perpetrating grievous mayhem in our country, senselessly killing, maiming and traumatizing harmless, innocent people. We confronted this evil without flinching, contained our deep grief and pain, and conquered it. As a nation, our head is bloodied, but unbowed. The criminals found us unafraid, as we ever shall be.We cannot be conquered. Our confrontation with the terrorists at Westgate Mall left 240 casualties. I report with great sadness that 61 civilians lost their lives in the attack. 6 Security officers also made the ultimate sacrifice to defeat the criminals. Forensic teams are still at work at the scene of the tragedy and will put together a final report. Towards the tail end of the operation three floors of the Westgate Mall collapsed and there are several bodies still trapped in the rubble including the terrorists'. Starting tomorrow, I have instructed the Interior Ministry to keep Kenyans informed of the progress of the forensic investigations. Of the injured, 62 were operated on and remain hospitalized. Many others suffered non- physical trauma and shock and are receiving counseling at various facilities throughout the city. It has not been an easy time for anyone of us, least of all the affected. Our losses are immense.To honour the memory of those who lost their lives in this attack, I have declared 3 days of National Mourning starting tomorrow, during which official flags will fly at half-mast throughout the country. Ladies and Gentlemen, As I had vowed earlier, we have ashamed and defeated our attackers. That part of our task has been completed by our multi-agency security team. 5 terrorists were killed with gunfire.11 suspects are in custody in connection with the attack . Intelligence reports had suggested that a British woman and two or three American citizens may have been involved in the attack. We cannot confirm the

details at present. Forensic experts are working to ascertain the nationalities of the terrorists. I promised that we shall have full accountability for the mindless destruction, deaths, pain, loss and suffering we have all undergone as a national family. These cowards will meet justice, as will their accomplices and patrons, wherever they are. Fellow Kenyans, Friends of Kenya, Our solidarity, patience and resolve has seen us through the worst of this crisis. It is to you that I turned, for strength, love and aid to those afflicted by this encounter with the forces of evil. You came out in ways that exceeded the wildest expectations. You have been generous, compassionate and patriotic. I am deeply moved and very proud to be your President. To the survivors of that terrible ordeal, the entire nation has waited anxiously for your safe deliverance, and we are all relieved to see you. Fellow Kenyans, The response of the people throughout the country has been nothing short of wonderful. I have always known that our country is a splendid nation of fine, patriotic citizens. The unity, selflessness and empathy shown to the affected over the last three days has been touching and exemplary. We could not, in all fairness, ask more of you, and yet the revelation of your nobility continues to amaze. Without a task force, organizing committee or chain of command, you have risen up as one and stood firmly with your country, your brothers and sisters. You have raised more than 60 million shillings through mobile money to help the affected. You have also donated food, clothing and other supplies, not only for the afflicted, but also to keep the volunteers going. You have gifted fellow Kenyans, and our visitors blood, without pausing to consider whether they were Giriama, Dasanach, Turkana, Kuria or Embu, West African, Pakistani, British or German. Your response to appeals for blood donations has been literally overwhelming. There is, evidently, no limit to your patriotic sacrifice.

I am humbled and encouraged. Thank you all for your patience and understanding in the anxious moments when we waited for this nightmare to end. My Brothers and Sisters, I thank the doctors, nurses, counselors and other volunteers who thought nothing of their comforts and personal engagements when called upon to be their brother's keepers. We have all been touched by your selflessness. I appreciate the excellent work of our security forces. The dedication and professionalism of the valiant officers in containing a delicate and dangerous situation has made Kenyans proud. You continue to exemplify our national values in action. No one among us take for granted the fact that every time you accost evildoers, you put your life on the line for our sake. For this reason, I stand here to pay a special tribute to our security forces. I salute national leaders of every stripe who stood together to reassure the nation that deep inside, where it counts most, we are one, indivisible national family. For sharing the nation's pain and anxiety, and for reaffirming the core principles of leadership, you have encouraged the nation. Let no one amongst us ever be blamed for dividing the people of Kenya. Friends of Kenya, Terrorism is a global problem that requires global solutions. Kenya will stand with our friends in tackling terrorism and I ask our friends to stand with us. Our many friends throughout the world came through with moral support and offers of various forms of ssistance. This solidarity has encouraged us immensely, and we will never forget your brotherly concern for our wellbeing. My brothers President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania, Paul Kagame of Rwanda, Salva Kiir of Southern Sudan and Pierre Nkurunziza of Burundi have called daily to encourage us. Other African and global leaders, including presidents Goodluck Jonathan of Nigeria, Jacob Zuma of South Africa, and Hailemariam Desalegne, Prime Minister of Ethiopia, as well as United States president Barack Obama, the prime ministers of Israel and Britain have also expressed their sympathies and best wishes. The people of Kenya thank you.The operation to contain terrorists, pacify and stabilize our region and continent continues, and there will be opportunity to consult and cooperate in future. My People, Our Friends, The majority of the people who lost their lives to the terrorist attack were innocent, harmless civilians. They were people of various

nationalities, races, ethnic, cultural, religious and other walks of life. They were in Kenya, and in Nairobi because the people of Kenya welcomed them warmly and freely. As one family, the people of Kenya continue to mourn them. We must never forget them. Just like their lives, their memory will remain precious in our hearts. Let us always remember that they were compelled by the mindless actions of evil, cowardly terrorists, to make the unnecessary, yet ultimate sacrifice. We will stand by each other, and we must stand by the families of the fallen. My Government will assist the families to cope with their grief and loss. We pray that God, our Creator, will comfort them with divine hope and assurance, and give them strength to face the coming days. I ask all of you, brothers and sisters, to remember them by staying united, tolerant, caring, generous and loyal to one another, and to our nation. There are many people who have suffered painful bodily injury, and those who suffer afflictions invisible to the eye. We pray for your quick and full recovery. Fellow Kenyans, We have been badly hurt, and feel great pain and loss. But we have been brave, united and strong. Kenya has stared down Evil and triumphed. We have prevailed just by being who we typically are, and have been from the time of our forefathers. In caring and giving; in loving and uniting; in never tiring, and not hesitating, in resolutely looking forward and never turning back, we have defeated our enemies and shown the whole world what our values can accomplish. As we put this tragic period behind us, let us stay true to who we are. Our attackers wished to destroy the essential character of our society. They failed. Kenya endured. Kenya endures.With our openness and inclusivity, we shall confront and overcome all the challenges facing us as a nation. We shall rise as one, defend and build this nation together. In one accord we have triumphed. In one accord, we shall prosper. The incident which we now put behind was certainly not welcome.Yet it has strengthened us and renewed our resolve to live as one strong, open, stable, democratic and prosperous Republic, where people of all races, cultures and faiths pursue happiness together. We must live as a diverse, tolerant society with neither bias nor barriers to all people of goodwill. Our openness, enterprise and generosity have brought us through adversity to where we are, and will impel us achieve our collective and individual dreams.

Amid the horror and confusion of the past few days, you have found it in yourselves to be incredibly strong and generous. You have held each other's hand, and extended this love to our visitors.Your resilience and compassion have saved many lives and brought hope and comfort to countless families. I have drawn strength and inspiration from your wonderful example. My resolve to ensure that my Government delivers to you is strengthened even more by the certainty that I lead a nation of fine folk who deserve our best work. Let us work in unity, in the spirit with which we defeated the monster of terrorism, to heal the wounds inflicted on us, and to confront the obstacles in our way to prosperity.We must put development and happiness within our reach. We will ensure that Kenya always retains its honour among nations. The Glory of Kenya, is the Fruit of our collective Labour. That is what our founding fathers inscribed in our National Anthem. Because of what we have done, we have not been shaken. As long as Kenya remains our home, we are indomitable. I urge you to remain calm and vigilant. Our country is safe.

God bless you all, and God bless Kenya.

WHITE WIDOW

So maybe Wednesday it will be Jannah, (Islamic paradise) I look around at how beautiful Jihad is, It’s alive in Kenya, It’s alive in me, And I’m breathing Jihad, It’s my time.”

Samantha Lewthwaite 

This is an excerpt from a poem written by Samantha Lewthwaite, the most wanted woman in the world. She is sought by security agencies in Kenya, South Africa, Britain and the US.

She has long been believed to be hiding in Kenya and posted the poem on Twitter in September last year.

The 29-year-old mother of three reveals her ruthless intention: “I’d rather be receiving my martyrdom, think I’ll get ready… and buy a vest.”

As gunmen stormed the Westgate mall in Nairobi at about mid-day on Saturday, unleashing indiscriminate violence on defenceless men, women and children, some witnesses recalled spotting a veiled woman in the group. They said she appeared to be commanding the others to shoot non-Muslims.

Lewthwaite, nicknamed “The White Widow” by Western media, was once married to Jermaine Lindsay, the bomber who blew himself up in a train at London’s King’s Cross on July 7, 2005, killing 26 other people.

Lewthwaite denounced his actions and soon disappeared with the children. Her name only came to light again when she was linked with an investigation by Kenyan police into an Al-Shabaab terror cell planning attacks on Western targets in Mombasa early last year.

Their suspicions were raised when in November 2012, Briton Jermaine Grant was charged in a Mombasa court with being an Al-Shabaab terrorist. Police said a woman escaped during his arrest.

Grant’s home was described as a “bomb factory” by the prosecution after chemicals similar to those used in the July 7, 2005 London blast were found.

Lewthwaite’s name has cropped up in other investigations and she was recently linked to British terror suspect Habib Ghani aka Osama al Britani, who was killed recently in Somalia after falling out with Al-Shabaab.

She remains the main suspect in a grenade attack at Jericho Beer Garden in Mombasa where three people died and over 30 were injured.

Al-Shabaab spokesperson Mohammad Usman Arus, though, denied on BBC radio that any Briton, American or woman had taken part in the attack, saying: “We do not send our sisters out on missions.”

The Sunday Mirror reported in September last year that detectives in South Africa were leading the hunt for Lewthwaite, whose South African passport bears the name Natalie Faye Webb. They were investigating claims she was hiding in central Kenya.

Chief of General Staff Julius Karangi on Monday said the army had “an idea who these people are but due to the sensitivity of the operation we will not divulge.”

Story by
 NATION 

INVADE MY PRIVACY

THE MARXIST THEORY OF STATE FORMATION

By; +Timoth Mugo 

It is noted that the Marxist state theory provides a powerful critical and analytical tool in the interpretation and interrogation of actually existing capitalism. In this it can contribute to the understanding of processes as seemingly diverse and as far from the gaze of Marxist orthodox as the reproduction of patriarchal relations in contemporary societies. The analysis of Marxist theory proceeding three stages which involve: considering why Marxist required a theory of the state and how Marxists have conceptualized the focus of their attention. Marxist theory of state was founded by founded by Karl Marx, Fredrick Engel’s, Lenin and Gramsci.

The Marxism theory of state states that the state emerged due to the internal warfare within the society. The theory further postulates that there was no government in the most primitive stage of social life as there was an egalitarian existence and hence no contending classes.

The modern state being an amorphous complex of agencies with ill defined boundaries performing a variety of not very distinctive functions. The prevalent concept of the state within the Marxist theory is that, a state is an instrument of the ruling class. There are various concepts that depict the understanding of a state in terms of its effects and in the role in maintaining unity and cohesion of social formation by concentrating and sanctioning class domination.

What is a State? Marx Webber captures the State, further, as “that authority which gives order to all but receive from none”. It is the State, therefore, that provides the structures through which people and resources in a society are organized and policy and priorities established (George-Genyi, 2005).

Marx and Engels jointly expressed in the “Manifesto of the Communist Party” that “the executive of the modern State is but a committee for managing the common affairs of the whole bourgeoisie”, mostly at the expense of the poor (Marx and Engels, 1975:37).

Classical Marxist‟ View of the State therefore shows that it is an institution with established apparatuses purposely and directly meant to defend and maintain a class domination and class exploitation. Thus, the control of the State apparatuses by the ruling elites is for, and in the whole interest of the bourgeoisie (Abbass, 1990; Shaapera, 2009 and Abbass, 2010).

Marxists thus say the state originated in conflict situation and operates as a form of Instrument of domination.

This then divides the society into two major groups:

1. Bourgeoisie: 

According to Marxist vocabulary, this means management or those who control the means of production.

2. Proletariat: 

This is the industrial working class or those who provide wage labour.

This theory dwells on two main ideas;

1. Materialism
2. Class struggle.

Marx maintained that the forces of production in any given society constitute the basis of all social relationships while the State rests (or is founded) upon economic conditions. Thus, the mode of material production in social life preconditions the general character of socio-political and spiritual processes in the society (Mahajan, 2000).

Marxian Scholars thus believe that the development of the productive forces in the capitalist society produced surplus value, and thus the appropriation of property for private use that necessitated the constitution of the State. This state then becomes an instrument in the hands of the powerful dominant class for accumulation and exploitation of the dominated members of the society. According to Hembe (2003:38) and Fadahunsi (1988) this then turns to an organ of exploitation and is not capable of pursuing policies, or invariably politics, that would promote the interest of all.

Fadahunsi, A. et al. (1988). Issues on Development: Proceedings of a Seminar held in Zaria, 21-22 January.

Alavi (1979) further says that, because of the absence of a fully developed indigenous class, the State - mostly in under-developed economies- has largely remained an instrument of the ruling class in the promotion of capitalist accumulation under the pretext of national development. This in the long run sees the public policy thus determined by International Finance Capital, using the local bourgeoisie in its formulation and implementation in the national economy (George-Genyi, 2005).

Here the state sometimes enjoys relative autonomy and becomes “independent” from and becomes superior to all social classes as the dominant force in the society rather than instrument of the dominant class and function in the interest of all in the society.

The Marxist then envisages the state as withering away with the resolution of class antagonism when the proletariat seizes power.

MERITS

• Inequality is evident in many developing countries in the world. We see that there is a big gap between the rich and the poor where the rich struggle to maintain their status by ensuring they earn more and the poor since they have no say in the society, they continue to live in sheer poverty.
• In many developing countries, there are conflicts challenging those in power. This has been evident in Egypt where the former President Hosni Mubarak was evicted from power. There is also war still on in Syria wanting their President out of power.
• State is not just an instrument of class domination but sometimes enjoys some relative autonomy to function in the interest of all in the society. This is true as some states show interest for those in the state through public policy. This they do through having security forces to guard the state from invasion by enemies. Social systems like courts of law are also built so as to solve issues that might arise in the state.
• The state withers away with the resolution of class antagonism when the proletariat seizes power. This was evident in the case of Somalia where President Said Barre was overthrown from power in the year 1991 and Somali stayed without a government up to the year 2012.

DEMERITS

• This theory does not explain state formation through external conquests. The Marxist theory claims that the state if formed through internal warfare and thus does not capture the states that form through external warfare.
• This theory claims that there was no state in the most primitive stage of social life hence no classes. In other words it reflects real communists’ societies. Communists may have the best intentions in mind, as far as wanting to make sure we all have what we need, but the truth of the matter is that people individually value their personal freedoms and liberties over the wellbeing of others. A communist government therefore practices harsh enforcement of laws that are set up to make sure everything you say and do conform to the wishes of society.
• Marxist is very vulnerable to corruption. Marxism hands over all means of production to the state, the state have to have regulation to ensure that the citizen and groups are not conducting anything without the government. Since the owners of the means of production accumulated their capital through exploitation of workers, the state was developed internally to acquire some authority to protect their interest.

References

George-Genyi, M. (2005). “The State, Privatization and Consolidation of Democratic Governance in Nigeria”. A Paper presented at the National Political Science Association (NPSA) Annual Conference, held at BSU, Makurdi, Nigeria.

Marx, K. and Engels, F. (1975).“Manifesto of the Communist Party”, in Marx, K. and Engels, F. (Eds), Selected Works. Moscow: Progress Publishers.

Marx, K. and Engels, F. (1975).“Manifesto of the Communist Party”, in Marx, K. and Engels, F. (Eds), Selected Works. Moscow: Progress Publishers.

Alavi, H. (1979). “The State in Post-colonial Societies: Pakistan and Bangladesh”, in Politics and State in the Third World. Macmillan Ltd.

Hembe, G.N. (2003). “The State, the Economy and Mass Participation in the Current Democratic Experiment in Nigeria”, in Jibo, M. &Simbine, A.T. (eds), Contemporary issues in Nigerian Politics. Ibadan: Jodad Publishers.

Shaapera, S.A. (2008), “Jean Jacques Rousseau and the Social Contract Theory: An Analytical Perspective on the Origin and Purpose of the State”. M.Sc Seminar Paper presented in the Department of Political Science, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria – Nigeria. (2009), “The State and Economic Reforms in Nigeria: A Study of the Impact of NAPEP on Kwande Local Government Area of Benue” State (2001-2009). M.Sc Thesis, Department of Political Science, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria-Nigeria.

Mahajan, V.D. (2000). Political Theory. New Delhi: S. Chand and Company Limited.

Fadahunsi, A. et al. (1988). Issues on Development: Proceedings of a Seminar held in Zaria, 21-22 January.

Fuck the police!! If it were in WESTERN KENYA!! NO need to say.

Fuck the police!!: Fuck the police!!