Many people listen to this song and hear another hit by Ms. Badu and it is, but it is also a very powerful song and many people don't know nor understand the message in it. I want to focus on this lyric in particular, "If we were made in his image then call us by our name, most intellects do not believe in God but they fear us just the same."
In the Bible (Genesis 1:27) it states, "God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them." To be an image of someone means that you are a representation of the external form of them. The definition of likeness is the semblance, guise, or outward appearance of something; the fact or quality of being alike. So, if we are made in God's image and likeness then we not only have the external appearance of God but we also possess His internal qualities. His being is in our nature. But wait! If we look like God doesn't that mean that God is a Man? (Let’s think on that) The next question is, who is she talking about when she says “we” and “us”? Quite a few of you may think "humanity, duh!", but can we be so sure? According to Webster's dictionary, we refers to the speaker together with other people regarded in the same category. The definition of us is to refer to himself or herself and one or more other people as the object of a verb or preposition. What is Erykah Badu's category? She's black. Now, let's put the whole thing together, "If we [black people] were made in His [God] image then call us [black people] by our names..." Some of you may be thinking "No, that's not right! We were ALL made in the image and likeness of God!" Well, the black man and woman are known to be the original people of the planet earth. It has also been proven that the white race was made only 6,000 years ago. There are many documents chronicled by historians, scientists and different religions that support this statement. The ancient rabbis use the biblical story of Jacob grafting flocks of sheep and goat to attest to this. Genesis 30:35 states that Jacob produced unusually colored livestock through the use of a breeding technique. The book of Jewish traditions called the Midrash Rabbah uses this Bible story to explain the birth of White children to Black parents. (Myth or high science? Is there evidence of Mr. Yakub?, The Final Call)
The Baptist theologian Bernard L. Ramm explained, "By scientific breeding we can shuffle these genes with their characteristics and breed traits in or breed them out. The laws of heredity plus principles of separation or selection operating over a period of time will produce the various races of the world." The English physician James Cowles Prichard also stated that the physical differences between the races of man resulted from a method similar to “the process of artificial selection carried on by plant and animal breeders.” As stated on American Egyptomania, "Prichard is an advocate for the theory that all humankind had in fact originated in Africa, or, as he put it, that it is, 'probable that the fairest races of White people of Europe, are descended from Negroes.'” So, if black people are the Original people of the planet (and we are), then doesn't that mean that God is a Black Man? (Think on it)
Let's look at the second part of the lyric, "most intellects do not believe in God but they fear us just the same." The "us" in this statement is also referring to Black people, but who are the intellects that fear us (Black people) and why do they fear us? Historically, Black people were not allowed to read. The slave-masters feared that if the Black man and woman remained in their natural state of mind (the mind of God) they would kill them in their sleep. In the book "The Making of a Slave" Willie Lynch stated that, "both a wild horse and a wild or nature nigger are dangerous...they will have the tendency to seek their customary freedom, and in doing so might kill you in your sleep...you cannot get them to work in this natural state." The intellects that Ms. Badu is referring to are white intellects. Why do these white intellects fear Black people as much as they do God? Seeing as though we are made in God's likeness, we naturally possess His spirit. God made us to be like Him. Due to years of oppression, we have lost the knowledge of our true selves and are off the path of God. This is why they (white intellects) fear us coming into the true knowledge of ourselves because if we did, they would NOT be able to get away with "passing over the Black man with a Master's degree for a promotion that is given to Jim Bob, who barely has a GED...They don't hate the Black man and woman because of the color of their skin but they fear the genius that lies within." (Fear of an Intelligent Black Man, The Final Call)
Let's put this whole thing together, "If we [Black people] were made in His [God] image [external representation] then call us [Black people] by our [Black people] names [gods], most intellects [white intellectuals] do not believe in God but they fear us [Black people] just the same."
I hope you all enjoyed this week's article! I encourage everyone, both men and women, to give their opinion on this topic and the previous topics. If there is anything you want to add or don't agree with just post a comment right below this article and let's talk about it. Please keep your comments respectable and refrain from using any profanity. Thank you so much everyone for all of your support, it is greatly appreciated!
American Egyptomania
"On the Physical Characters of the Egyptians"
The Final Call
"Myth or high science? Is there evidence of Mr. Yakub?"
"The Making of a Slave"
Willie Lynch
The Final Call
"Fear of an Intelligent Black Man"
