Christocentric

Creativity and eternity according to Karenga

Creativity – Kuumba (koo-OOM-bah) -To do always as much as we can, in the way we can, in order to leave our community more beautiful and beneficial than we inherited it.

The creator of Kwanzaa, Karenga’s definition of Creativity may be a little different than the average Kwanzaa participant.  Most people who celebrate Kwanzaa would attribute the great accomplishments of past ancestors as creativity. Whether they attribute the great Egyptian pyramids to their ancestors (a whole discussion on its own) or modern creativity in which many of the celebrants find in Obama, works of greatness is usually representative of creativity.

Karenga on the other hand takes creativity a little further.  He does put a lot of emphasis on leaving a legacy better than the one before it which is always desirable.  But the way he would like us all to do so has a familiar spiritual ring to it. He says in his 1997 book on Kwanzaa:

“Kwanzaa reminds us of the ancient Egyptian teaching that if we wish to live for eternity, we must build for eternity, i.e., do great works or serve the community in a real sustained and meaningful way. This reflects both a social and moral criteria for eternal life . . .” pg 63

What I find interesting in Karenga’s description of this sixth principle of Creativity, that for a man who claims that Kwanzaa is not a religious but cultural celebration, he uses religious terminology many times.  Eternal life? Moral criteria? Building for eternity?  He is essentially equating creativity with building blocks for an eternal future.  He summarizes that thought in his last paragraph on Creativity when he says the following from the same book above:

“Everyday is a donation to eternity and even one hour is a contribution to the future.” pg 64

You ever hear of the phrase, “some are so heavenly minded they’re no earthly good?” I do believe that is what Karenga appears to have people avoid doing.  Do good works here on earth, build a great legacy by building  your community.  But if Kwanzaa is not supposed to be a religious celebration, why all the talk of eternity and morality here?  That is the beef that Christians such as myself have with this religious wanna-be-without-calling-it-so celebration.

God has set the entire Bible as His guidebook to love Him so much that our lives reflect it here on earth.  This can be seen in the following verses that the Apostle Paul shares with the city of Thessalonia Christians:

“⁹ But concerning brotherly love you have no need that I should write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another; ¹⁰ and indeed you do so toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brethren, that you increase more and more; ¹¹ that you also aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you, ¹² that you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and that you may lack nothing.” 1 Thessalonians 4:9-12.

Kwanzaa is a sneak attempt to imitate a religion without calling it so.  It has the same objectives that we may find in many biblical texts – scriptures that teach us how to live among men while waiting for our heavenly Son of Man. While waiting for eternity.

Although many people celebrate Kwanzaa innocently and without knowledge of the principles behind this quasi-religion, they are without excuse as we are to examine everything for its spiritual validity and biblical compromise.  Just knowing that the prinicples are already laid out for ALL of mankind and not just a particular group of people should leave many to question the true purposes of this false spiritual celebration.

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More about Kwanzaa in the eBook:  The Truth About Kwanzaa

© 2009 – 2010, Carlotta Morrow. All rights reserved.