Many of us remember when we had our first college/secondary school experience, when our parents accompanied us, as we sought to register for classes and so on. We all remember when we spoke to the lecturers and the principal and they gave their long drawn out speech about what they expected from the child, which always seemed to coincide with what our parents wanted from us.

Our parents also never failed to capitalize on the trip back home where the all so familiar words of " your teachers seem interested in you learning, take advantage," or if you were like the many of us whose parents were not well-to-do and had to struggle to find the money, you're very familiar with the statement " Don't waste my money or yuh go have to look for ah wuk!".

What ever your experience, the bottom line was that you were expected to learn all that was being taught to you and in the end graduate!!

Very similar to the concept of school is our society today. Many of us expect that a student would past the class if they:

• attend class each day and are attentive to what is being said
• return home and do homework
• read multiple books on the subject in question
• practise with past papers and
• basically just surround himself/herself with the material.

...it seems that in society today we're being taught all the steps to Graduate with a first degree with honours in all manner of sexual promiscuity and violence...We believe that if that’s their general approach to the material they would more or less graduate in the end. But in my observation it seems that in society today we're being taught all the steps to graduate with a first degree with honours in all manner of sexual promiscuity and violence.

All the while, those who build these negative curriculums contradict their actions by saying "just don't graduate".

I would imagine that this must be a very confusing message for anyone. Especially you Mr. Radio Dj, one of our primary syllabus constructers. You play all the best "mind stimulating" music with topics ranging from:

• "How to be a Gangsta"
• "How to shoot a Gun"
• "What Guns to shoot"
• and the ever popular "What part of the body to shoot off for maximum results"

After this, you then begin to chastise the very people that were only taking what they were taught seriously - and then graduate.

It would seem that many of the staff members of our very prestigious university called society are hell bent on ensuring that students follow the school's motto that says “Do as I say not as I do”. Many of these Professors stand behind the same podiums, behind the same microphones endorsing abstinence, safe sex and supporting all major HIV/AIDS campaigns and initiatives yet they teach us with literature written by some of our most vile and morally degrading authors such as “Mavado and “Vibes Kartel” to name a couple.

It is always very amusing when I hear these artistes sit in interviews and profess their love and concern for the youths or that their music wasn’t intended for youths.

From my observation as I walk the streets, travel in taxis, or just basically deal with youths from as early as five to adulthood, the violence and sexual promiscuity propagated in 95% of these “artiste's” songs are very much on the lips and in the actions of many that I met that are capable of learning and singing the lyrics.

Society is appalled when another one is gunned down in gang violence. They scream on their radio talk shows, (mind you right after they’re going to play another “Big tune” from of these same artiste ) “Who told you to graduate! I didn’t promote Get rich or die trying so that you would seek to get rich at all cost.

“We never stuffed the Jamaican artiste’s gun violence down your stomach so you would pick up guns an idolize it”

“Who told you young ladies that you can study material from romping shop and sex in the city and graduate with a bachelors in promiscuity and sky rocket sexually transmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancies, you forgot the schools motto!”

How can one remember a motto like that when the classes are being taught with such enthusiasm? Can the entire cast of “American pie” be wrong about the longing to have sex?

Should I not want to tek way some young girls virginity after kartel gave such a vivid description of it in his song? Or after Movado gets much big ups and rewinds for another one of his shoot them up and kill them songs should I not want to do what the song says when everyone seems to like it.

Let's as a society evaluate what message we want to send to our young ones so that they can truly say a loud NO to crime and promiscuity not graduate!!

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I read a post recently in an online group about a Gospel artiste after he made a move that the writer thought was questionable. Now, I purposely tried to leave that very open, because I know that this can describe many different people, situations etc. The writer however, didn’t just query the action. The writer questioned the artiste’s Christianity.

I remember hearing on so many occasions “He can’t be a Christian because...” People say it every day. So much so, that it seems commonplace to hear it. I’m sure you can agree.

Plain and simple, we’re not called to say whether a person is or can be a Christian. We’re not in a place to do this. The simple title for this action is “Judge”. You must probably be acquainted with the word.

Now the bible says that it’s wrong to judge. The bible clearly puts it to us as Christians “Judge not, that ye be not judged.” Matthew 7:1 . Jesus warned not to be concerned with the “beam” in another person’s eye, while you had a “moat” in yours. (Matthew 7:5 ).

Be careful when you make such pronouncements on others. It may bring more for you than you may think. And these are not good things I’m referring to. Not at all.

But is that simple approach to this matter sufficient? I can most certainly hear a quote from 1 John 4 . In the very first verse, we are encouraged to test the spirits. As the verse explains “because many false prophets are gone out into the world”.

Okay. So we’ve seen that judging is wrong, but we’re asked to “try the spirits” to see “whether they are of God”. Does this confuse you? How can you test people but still not judge them?

This complex question may not have a very complex answer though. Our role is not to bare judgement and go telling the world that someone is “not Christian”. That, my beloved citizen, is far from what God wants from us.

As a matter of fact, later on in 1 John 4 , the lyrics to a song I used to sing back in Sunday School say:

“Beloved, let us love one another”

This love – this brotherly love called philos (or filus depending on what text you read it from) should simply lead you away from going crazy telling people who/what you think the person is. Try the spirit, let the Holy Spirit lead you to a conclusion, and then operate to suit. Don’t go trying to herald this to all the world.

Let the brother or sister make mistakes, and remember that no one is beyond redemption. We have all sinned (Romans 3:23 ) and we’re all imperfect. Some more than others (maybe).

It is better for you to add that person to your prayer list, or even to that of your prayer or cell group (you do pray, don’t you?) than to talk alone.  Especially if your talk is just to pull that person down, and not to lift anyone up. Just don’t do it.

Is that person a Christian? It’s not up to me or you. That’s between them and God. Why not stop questioning other people’s Christianity, and spend your time improving (or finding) yours?

As the youth say, don’t be hatin’!

1 John 4:20“If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?”

Read 1 John 4. It’s good reading!