The Right ?uestions

In the music industry there are few artists that use the brain God gave them to ask sensible questions. In fact, I think we can expand that statement to cover the entire human race; but since the majority of us do not have the platform that they have our lack of thought will get a brief pass. As I was perusing through my favorite sites I stumbled across this article by ?uestlove.

In the beginning of the article he talks about his friend that was brutally raped and murdered. He speaks about how his initial reaction was anger; this is understandable, we all feel some sort of rage whenever we see stories of injustice, if you don't then check your pulse to see if you are alive. It was the reaction he had when he saw the criminal that made me write this column.

Then they caught the guy yesterday, and I almost wanted to break down and cry—literally, like a baby. Because he [the suspect] just turned 18 years old, and there was something in his eyes. It was like: ‘Yo, I was not expecting this to be the animal.’ So I kinda went long on Twitter yesterday about how I think that, more important than getting justice for our friend’s murder, we actually sort of need to investigate what would make someone 18 turn this nihilistic.”

It's not the typical response, especially when it is someone who you know that was victimized. Normally we would call for swift judgement, not even considering the thing that makes them do the things they do. ?uestlove goes the other route this time, instead of immediately condemning the guy he began to wonder. That wondering is the place most people refuse to go, but I'm interested in knowing how he would answer the question.

You don't have to be particularly deep to ask probing questions either. My 2 year old daughter, and your toddlers, do it all the time. One day they walk up to you with the TV remote and say, "What's this?" You tell them what it is and then they walk away. They probably have no idea what a TV or remote is, but they're satisfied with your answer. A few weeks later, as their cognitive abilities sharpen, they come back to you with the same remote and say, "What is this for?" That simple process is what many of us do not do when it comes to our own selves.

If you are reading this blog ask yourself these three questions:

1. What am I?

I'll help with this one. Answer: Human

2. How did I get here?

3. What am I for (or, for what purpose do I exist?)

The way you answer question 2 will be a great starting point for the answers to the rest of your questions. In the article, he (?uestlove) wondered what it was that made such a young kid commit such a heinous crime. I'll let you do your own research on that one, but if you were to ask me I would turn you to the beginning of the Bible. There, by saying "Bible" I have probably lost the majority of readers, but I challenge anyone to find a better (more logical) answer to his question than the one the Bible gives.

You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you. - Augustine's Confessions


My Opinion,

God's Court Jester