Feast or Famine
For centuries, people with darker skin, often marginalized and misunderstood, have held keys to humanity’s understanding of balance and harmony on Earth. I feel a calling to explore ancient wisdom and bring forth knowledge from antiquity, illuminating paths for a more balanced future.
The First Opportunity: The Rosetta Stone
The Rosetta Stone is a granodiorite stele inscribed with a decree from 196 BC during Egypt’s Ptolemaic dynasty on behalf of King Ptolemy V Epiphanes. Its three texts—in Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs, Demotic script, and Ancient Greek—contain only minor differences, allowing the Stone to serve as the key to deciphering Egyptian script.
The Stone offers insight into moral principles that can guide humanity to a balanced existence. Among these were the 42 laws many believe were meant to guide people in pleasing God. Yet these moral codes were primarily dismissed by those involved in translating Stone’s messages, as they clashed with the prevailing narrative of the time.
Believed to have once been displayed in a temple, possibly at Sais, the Rosetta Stone was likely relocated in antiquity before being used as construction material in Fort Julien, near Rashid (Rosetta) in the Nile Delta. Discovered in 1799 by French officer Pierre-François Bouchard during Napoleon’s campaign in Egypt, the Stone was the first bilingual Egyptian text found in modern times, capturing public interest for its potential to unlock the mysteries of Egyptian hieroglyphics.
When the British defeated the French, they transported the Stone to London under the terms of the Capitulation of Alexandria in 1801. It has been displayed at the British Museum since 1802, attracting millions of visitors. Stone’s discovery occurred one year after the Alien and Sedition Acts were passed in America, sparking curiosity about whether it served as a warning against restrictive laws. This is ironic, as some attempt to reignite a curse following the enactment of this revealing legislation.
The Second Opportunity: The Papyrus of Ani
The Papyrus of Ani, created around 1250 BCE, is a beautifully illustrated scroll containing declarations and spells to assist the deceased in the afterlife. It is also known as the Book of Going Forth by Day or Book of the Dead. Commissioned for the Theban scribe Ani, it was later acquired by the British Museum.
Despite its powerful messages of moral guidance, European translators often misinterpreted or ignored the Papyrus’s wisdom, particularly the 42 laws of Ma’at, which emphasized the importance of a balanced and ethical life. This oversight occurred as slavery flourished in America, adding irony to the timing of its revelation.
The Emerald Tablet: Rejected Knowledge
From the 17th century onward, several scholars questioned the authenticity of the Emerald Tablet, an alchemical text attributed to Hermes Trismegistus. This period also saw the beginning of the transatlantic slave trade. Skeptics, like Jesuit scholar Athanasius Kircher, argued that the Tablet was a medieval forgery. This skepticism undermined alchemical teachings about the “deepest substance of all things,” dismissing a source of ancient wisdom just as humanity began exploiting others for profit.
The Third Opportunity: Henrietta Lacks and the HeLa Cells
In 1951, a biopsy taken without consent from Henrietta Lacks, an African-American woman suffering from cervical cancer, led to the immortal HeLa cell line, revolutionizing medical research. Despite the profound scientific advancements derived from her cells—including insights into cancer, vaccines, and even space travel—Henrietta’s story highlights the exploitation of Black bodies for profit, echoing centuries-old patterns of injustice. The HeLa cell legacy serves as a reminder of both progress and the ethical failures accompanying it.
The Time for Unveiling and Flaunting
As influential figures shied away from the 42 Laws of Ma’at, they sought to conceal the truth and fabricate hierarchies based on skin color. They promoted racial supremacy, undermining societies that valued inclusivity and equality. Some used their power to create illusions of superiority, dividing people and spreading unjust ideologies. This denial of the sacred principles of Ma’at fostered an environment where dictatorships and oppressive systems thrived.
Meanwhile, America’s success became an example that others sought to emulate. They took off their sheets, believing they had cleared the way to reveal their wealth and prosperity, not realizing that there was more than one dimension for which they had endowed their prey to use as energy to strengthen their resolve. However, this image of abundance was sometimes built on exploiting vulnerable groups. The world watched as America’s prosperity rose, often mistaking superficial displays of wealth as the ultimate achievement.
The Final Opportunity
Wise leaders are beginning to recognize the consequences of choosing greed over goodness. They realize that pursuing short-term feasts without regard for all humanity only leads to long-term famine. By embracing the difference between true prosperity and hollow excess, we can navigate toward a future that honors the wisdom of our ancestor's desires for a more balanced planet. They believed that saving our planet was so crucial that it was even worth indulging their offspring in slavery for a season to accomplish this endeavor.
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