Reputation versus Character and the Types of Responsibilities

I believe there are three main types of Responsibilities: Personal responsibilities, extended personal responsibilities, and collective responsibilities. "Your reputation is how people perceive you and your character is how or who you really are ', your choices. Whereas I do not want to run from any type of due responsibility, I am not interested in adding responsibilities on myself. Instead I want to remind people to remember the importance of collective responsibilities to ease the burden. Naturally, people will focus on personal responsibilities first, because there is almost no way of escaping them, a big percentage of them are imposed on us. Extended personal responsibilities can vary from the family you made like your children, but your parents and Extended fam

ilies are also part of them. Of course some neglect such responsibilities or focus on one or few aspects. Collective responsibilities are largely easy to neglect or at least easier to neglect than the other two types of responsibilities. Collective responsibilities at the national and international levels must also be on character, not just finance. Super blessed are those who have both finance and character, and spreading both internationally.

Financial responsibilities are very vital, but the Lord of Mizghalazaratin (atom's weight) or even His chosen ones think beyond Money. You will need at least work to fulfil your personal financial responsibilities, or you will somehow depend on others' work. Will such benefit or suffer from your prayers or advice through ripple effects? Why you couldn't find work, it could be your fault, your parents faults, local society, poor national leadership, or even questionable international laws and regulations. Aha! You failed on your responsibility to learn or why are you barely employable , 'unemployable ' , or not a hot cake to employers? Well, education is a major branch of learning, but how well you do on the other branches, especially thinking? You can write a book on just personal financial responsibilities, so we must select what to discuss as examples.

So you are highly educated, have a well paid job or business, and have a reputation of a 'very Responsible person'. How about your character at work or beyond? You can be a corrupt African leader, taking few hundred thousand dollars and sharing even with your extended family? Indeed you will have a reputation of kindness. Fighting corruption is a collective responsibility or should we leave it with only those employed to fight it and if such are also corrupt or not blessed with an idea that may help? May be you are a corrupt western leader, taking millions for yourself or taking billions for your national family? Until that corruption is exposed, your reputation at home will be good and the money worshipping dumb African+ may say at least 'they care for their people '. Social justice is not the ministry of Justice, but some voters value only ministry of finance or economics? May be some victims are partial victims, but when will you confront/arrest the culprits and biggest partial culprits?

'At least' mindset is a survival mindset, but those who meet or once met their personal responsibilities, they know how collective responsibilities are vital and do actually trickle down, trickle against, and/or trickle up. The u.s Republicans give huge tax breaks to the wealthiest claiming it will trickle down at the national level and trickle against the world? Such policies attract greedy rich folks towards investing in the u.s, but workers and politicians have to fight at times, or no good will trickle down. Elon Musk was born in South Africa, but world realities show he could have been a billionaire in Africa, but less likely the wealthiest person on Earth, unless he moves to the top five countries? Which countries are top five in character or can you be better than their average from any country? In Business, you have different types of partners: government, workers, consumers and their spending powers, etc. To be successful. So Republicans mindset can attract Elon Musk+, especially when rich, but the mindset of Democrats may attract even the poor immigrant? Once you meet at Tesla or xyz, character will still matter even when negotiating for position or pay rate. It takes courage to ask reasonably or you can assume they will use conscience , or your personal or collective responsibility excludes raising others' Conscience? You can ask greedily or risk refusal... u.s job employment forms will ask 'expected pay rate', because if expectations are not met, you will likely divorce...

Tesla or xyz may fire you because of marijuana test policy or xyz? Now that you are jobless, how will you meet your personal responsibilities and extended personal responsibilities? Now you may know our collective responsibilities on social justice matters. Social injustices can make you poor through denying education to slaves or women+, through denying work to marijuana users, through denying you business through unjust cancel culture? Yes personal choices have consequences, but collective choices are not always right and trying to change them can be very costly. It can be responsibilities bigger than personal and extended responsibilities, combined. However, read ch.26, try to do enough for the world , but never worry about others too much. Advise and let God change them when they try, or judge when He wills.

The president, minister, successful business folks etc can easily meet financial responsibilities, but may not even give enough time to families, let alone meet international responsibilities. I do not think we should ask women or children do you prefer a husband/Dad who gives you enough money or time? The smartest will say proportionate? The dumbest will say he is a sexist, how about the hard working mum who gave both to children and lazy husband? We can debate endlessly, but if your quota on collective responsibilities is in the negative or very low number on many vital aspects, then you can appease yourself with 'at least' mindset, 'at least I take care of my family or country'?

You can blame the African voter as the worst on choosing leaders for money or even questionable money, but are western voters worst, worse, bad, OK, or xyz? Bernie Sanders may seem to be the most caring u.s politicians, dubbed as socialist, but he certainly does not have socialising views on world economics. A family may Rob a tribe or tribes to financial success, a tribe or country may rob other countries, etc. Success is not a qualifier of the best category, but an attribute of passing the worst; similarly, failure is not a qualifier of the worst category, but largely an attribute of missing the best.

Humans tend to ignore collective responsibilities because our African parents ignored or still ignoring the importance of collective responsibilities? They are proud of village mindset, but towns , countries, etc are waiting for you or may come for you. History have huge lessons, from slavery , Apartheid, or brutal dictatorship in the Gambia as example. No, I am not Kanye West to claim slavery was a choice, but I am not impressed in How blacks under fought slavery, fight for self now, or indifferent until affected. Inherited Debt is not just financial, if you do not fight needed battles, your children inherit such as debt or who will ever fight? Of course collective responsibilities are not always about fighting, but often demand at least words of confrontation. Ch.103 says to 'exhort each other to truth and patience ', and in such context , it will mean the mistaken culprits, the total culprits, and victims have responsibilities to meet. You have to at least speak up. This is true because many people do not like giving up even unjust privileges. The son of a slave master get indoctrinated that it is normal, it is a blessing, you did not make them black , needy man, or animal to eat... The son of a slave get indoctrinated that survival is the most important thing; God will understand fears, its effects on sins between creatures, and you do not have to speak up like Frederick Douglas or you may get killed. When you choose fear and assume the worst, you have already disrespected the many Verses that warn against fear and failed to reflect on why ch.49 says: ' some assumptions are sin'. Some is a crucial vague word, because lack of assumptions can also be sinful, 'refusing to use your eyes, ears, and faculties', as per ch.70. Assuming good is not just courageous, but assuming God will make the freedom fighters triumph, sometimes after challenges, is vital.

Of course a bachelor may fear due to parents' indoctrination, but once you have children, it becomes easier for the devil to seed more fear+, tell you to focus on one or two responsibilities and ignore the third? Your children inherit money, national debt, and social injustices, or the ones that rise or die through fighting are seen as stupid or losers? Well, the spirit of the worst slave master may appeal to racist whites, but the spirit of the best resisting slave will claim you can win both worlds or at least one world? The God of all races will inspire the trying living whites to be better than their average parents, but won't blacks+ get similar messages? Thank God or your buried ancestors who may be questionable? So we can skip Apartheid and use current battles.

It takes a coward to think fear is the best way to raise children, so they may not just use fearful tactics at home , but will select bullying politicians to help satisfy their personal fears against innocent people, just like some use politicians to satisfy their personal greed. They may try to justify their fears through far fetched assumptions and similarly with the greedy groups. You truly think government should punish adults over marijuana because you or your teenagers may use marijuana? You want the bullying law there as fear tactic or you will run bail your children from the police? You can say five percent of people will abstain or become better through prison or say even a criminal record against a neighbor's teenager, over 'self hurting' or self helping is absurd. Regulate to keep children and teenagers from super powerful or questionable products and services. Every generation may likely have good and bad laws, and it takes those who understand collective responsibilities is as important as personal responsibility or higher, to act. I am not highly interested by how many millions use marijuana in the u.s+ today versus then, or how many of them may abuse it, instead I calculate how many poor folks are not paying billions in fines, the millions not having arrest record, the millions not in prison, the millions that get medical marijuana, etc. Both routes have pros and cons, but you cannot tell me the jobs of private prisons+ is worth sacrificing the lives and freedom of how many?

Your reputation is at risk when ever your character demands lifting the character of your fellow humans. Sometimes even your life is at risk, not just your reputation, but character is holy and God emboldens whom he wills to effect change, towards the day when 'no soul will have power over another', including police arresting any over marijuana in your home? Even Questionable Abraham Lincoln understood the risks of freeing slaves. Martin Luther King, Malcolm X , and others had families to care for, but understood collective responsibilities matter, despite the evident risks. Will God ask them you should have focused on blood family, you contributed to their mourning and those you fought for may never care? No, they focus on God/time will pay...

So if your father was a respectable religious and cultural person who supported FGM, he may have good reputation, but time will reveal Character was shortcoming. Through learning (iqra) , you may actually have a bigger test than your father. Trying to stop FGM may directly set you against your father or his relatives, but for how long? By helping erase culture of FGM you may actually save your father+ from sins of culture. Similarly, your father may have been an Imam who opposed marijuana than alcohol; or a pastor who insists marijuana users should get harder sentences than Rapists and child molesters? With the exception of a female Black Secretary (minister) who was fired by Bill Clinton for suggesting decriminalising cannabis ... A prominent white Religious leader , Pat Robinson, said 'the u.s is harming blacks through marijuana laws' before any major u.s politician or so called prominent black leaders said similar, lot later . He put his reputation at risk, but was character not going up? He was criticised and some may have accused him of setting up racial differences or stating facts for rectification? The one with the best reputation does not necessarily have the best character. God may give your father or xyz knowledge and/or money; give one child more money than your father, give another child more knowledge or better character than your father. However, just like money can go up and down, so is character. And if you do not use good character, you missed opportunities or may even fall. Once you agree evident knowledge reveals cannabis helps beyond health, but who will educate and help effect change for and beyond his country of birth? Character will demand actions, but keeping reputation will have to compete with raising or building a higher reputation and character? Legalising marijuana is a Godly thing or may it be Godly. People can gossip against you, sinning against themselves, but you may be better In character than your father, their fathers, and the gossiping folks? Like the FGM example, by removing the injustices we place on people over marijuana, you may save your father sins or if his sermons contributed more than atom's weight to public faulty opinion and unjust laws? Even those who insist marijuana is sinful must be reminded humans were not sent as guardians over each other, but as advisors to each other, at least on faith and personal sins. The Koran repeatedly told Muhammad (pbuh) that 'You were not sent as guardian over any, but as a warner and witness...' So any Imam, MP, or president who thinks they are above Muhammad on such may be arrogant, mistaken, or choosing reputation over humble character. I am not saying reputation does not matter, but character matters more; I am not saying personal and extended personal responsibilities are not important, but our collective responsibilities may be the most important final test. They may affect each other, but when we have deep sense of public responsibility, especially tolerance, we reveal the best of each other and make personal responsibilities+ easier. The sick person may get perfect strain or chemical extraction to work and thank God more. Society will reduce stigma, giving working opportunities to marijuana users before street gangs give them opportunities. Suppose we see abuse, we refer them to the kind or robbing doctors, not robot oriented heartless police and painful prisons. May God bless us with Showlove Trinity: Let's learn, let's work, let's have fun.

By Jarga Kebba Gigo

An Activist and Transformer.

Optional Note:

When you are sick, one can understand you may not care much about even a roommate, but remember your medicine may come from the farthest country, the one you once said we should be indifferent to? Sometimes you do not have the option of not taking sides, but take sides based on character, not just because Ukraine have wheat and you refuse to listen to the hemp man wishing for hemp bread+ in Africa? Survival mode or financial interest is killing humans, especially Africans. How many African countries will fight like Ukraine, Vietnam, and Afghanistan, or say survival over freedom, they are more powerful? How many western leaders say , ' is it in our [financial] interest ' first, only, or before any other interest? Our voters want us to focus on u.s economy or covid may come to take away the Trump presidency and what else? They accuse me and many others of talking about the u.s than my precious Gambia or Africa? Partly because I sincerely care about the u.s on collective responsibility, gratitude, but also because I know Africans can be harder to convince on change, especially if the preacher is poor like me or u.s+ is threatening them. Richer siblings within Africa deserve a voice than poorer siblings with character shaping future? Richest Nations also have higher voices even during Noah's time, or go read the bible and Koran. Should I cry God refuse to give me financial wealth so far, or be thankful for character and keep working hard?

Reputation and financial interest should never suppress good character. Where I am not sure like the Russia Ukraine war, I take a leaning and pray , not a side. I learned lessons and understand how strong culture of cameras would have helped in Ukraine. So when I say u.s+ should sell or give Taiwan hundreds of millions of body cameras, it is our collective responsibility I am trying to fulfil than many Americans+... Whereas we see many African indifference in Ukraine-Russia war, many Africans may openly support China over Taiwan due to financial interest. Some Devils say character does not matter in international affairs, only interest matter, but good Africans should know better or deserve no mercy when God judges against us , on earth or beyond? Look at me , I happen to be Gambian and my country is surrounded by much bigger Senegal. There are countless facts that the Gambia was part of Senegal, and should Senegal forcefully take the Gambia, especially if we legalize marijuana first and they claim endangering than u.s and Canada importing...? Should the world then side with Senegal for financial interest in such? Let us wake up to the importance of character or no form of development matters.

Beside Urging for character, a culture of cameras is needed worldwide, but Africans are yet to wake up or may even resist it for reputation, reputation, reputation. If the pros are more , be ready to sacrifice, especially if only the guilty may change or suffer. After agreeing it will boost security, improve learning, and other blessings then please do not tell me an anti LGBTQ Imam or pastor may be caught in a brothel or hotel room. You can argue their children will suffer shame than a UK MP watching porn in parliament or understand it may prevent the child of that Imam or pastor from being raped or robbed... Your assumptions are sinful and based on exiguous realities, my more realistic assumptions are it will pressure the pastor or Imam to explain why for study or abstain from shameful situations. Just like we fight for personal rights, we are vehemently opposed to sins between creatures and see cameras will greatly help curb them. You like to praise the African woman as hard-working neglected Angel, but if my camera caught her putting scary mystics on the junction of public road, I will likely put it in social media and call for much tougher laws. You may think I am trying to shame one person, but are you indifferent to the countless s/he may put in fear? Hundreds or thousands may pass through that junction causing fear to many children, but children deserve many forms of debt in Africa? Charge him/her with public littering, causing probable fear on minors, etc. If she tell us the man or woman who instructed such, then an undercover cop should visit the marabout or voodoo person with body cameras for formal and informal courts. We have to transform Africa, and suggestions should be published, followed with discussions and more urgings until realised. We demand billionaires, states, and even average individuals to donate cameras than animals , colanuts, white papers, covid vaccines, etc

Optional note 2:

Welcome to a challenging world, where even animals have the power of co-creation. Your mum and dad may or may not have a choice , when they had you. Still character and reputation was always at play. Even idol worshippers bragged at lot of children and sure did some good and bad to them. If the God of creation and God of sustenance were different, then I rather worship the God of sustenance, guidance+. Adopting children for fun or to sincerely help them, and expect who to repay? S/he said, 's/he won't adopt, s/He wants her own for reasons best known to God. So S/he lives a full life with children and wealth, but how was her character beyond adoption? S/he wants to build his or her own kingdom and neglect even the siblings, except with cultural free smile gifts and/or rescues? So when death knocked on her door, who will take care of the children? The Siblings s/he took care of or neglected are now forced to adopt or neglect. Choice or resort choice, a smart God ends the test of one to start with another in a relay? These children may have conflicts with their adopting parents and may misinterpret some choices as 'if my parents were alive'? Even your biological parents come with conflicts, but even biological parents can be cruel, so how can I rule out your adopting parents will be free of cruelty? I told you it is a challenging world and there is a book that recommends patience among others in ch.103. Patience is very hard and have many branches. Or now you are a teenager rushing to have children for good or bad reasons? Wishing good is part of character, but character is way beyond wishes and even words. Character is about choices, proportionate to the power given at the time. Character can influence your earthly rewards and/or punishment, but it is still largely a choice. Character is largely about how and why, but do I dare disrespect what, who, when, and where of life?

How hard did God work in your creation, when your parents were enjoying? Some say at six weeks, many women do not even know they are pregnant? Their periods failed to come, not a cue, or just abortion rights claims? A very light weight or heavy at how many months? No! Come out of me, come taste this challenging earth. How hard will God work now compare to your conception versus new born to adulthood? Do you prefer a mum who learn how to take care children or indifferently act ? The God of knowledge must teach the baby and parents? Stupidity may be a crime, but how does it compare to lying and cruelty? How many times your parents lied to you versus you to them is all recorded, beyond why. Then similarly on cruelty or indifference. The world of finance, finance, finance, can make many a man the hero; and the world of service for how many years was to be repaid as how many years to woman and/or man? Taking care of the excrete of babies is really hard , but that of an adult is much harder. So death can be a blessing not due to the burden of caregivers, but the pain of leaving the earth is often harder than the beginning or challenges that frustrate teenagers or even adults.

Remember our topic is character versus reputation. We all worked to build our reputation, sometimes with lies or very childish bragging. Then we grow and some of us understand the importance of character. Since character is balance or more about responsibilities than rights, then reputation will likely be more about rights than responsibilities. Anyway, both are important, it is our responsibility to fight for ourselves and sometimes others. Some fought for us, so is paying in gratitude not easier than pioneering loaning? The children of Adam owe what to Adam or more importantly to God? Gratitude in character than in reputation. Since life is a distinctive test from collective tests , then worry less and work where you can. Reminding others may help you on earth and beyond. Some get reminded by God directly, or at least not by humans. Extending families versus extending messages. Even after decades, sometimes after parents die, you will need God's help. You can help your parents with money , but also with character. The greatest parent give beyond money, but similarly are blessed adult offspring. If a parent prefers just money, then pray for the parent(s) and do your part of character to the world. Sometimes you have to help others' parents and children before your parents and children , or how many you buried before your parents? You don't have a choice on how long you will live on earth, but you do have a choice on how you live with the limited or much power given. Like presidents change ministers between ministries, sometimes your focus or acts on earth may switch. How you were brought up and you want to live or believe you should live may differ. May we go higher in every minute of our life. How much intelligence, truth, and kindness you received versus give is just a what, but how and why matter. If it was all your choice, wouldn't you be perfect in every sense of the word and have perfect things, thoughts, etc? Give thanks and do not let the reputation leaning folks distract your efforts to uplift character beyond your self and man made borders. The Lord of character knows you were/are not perfect, but are you not improving and helping others with the revelation of God?

They accused me of being obsessed with marijuana, but I am actually obsessed or focused on minimizing evil and optimizing good. What is so hard in stopping the punishing of marijuana folks where they are harmless or beneficial? Not seeing them in prison or as co-workers give you what type of pain? I called for culture of cameras to reduce lies and cruelties, including the workplace to control some co-workers or protect them from lies to bosses who believe in culture of assumption than cameras? Did your character or actions support culture of cameras or one line of marijuana turned you off? I called for free global Internet, but what did the good and evil ones of the west+ claim on that? Poor Africans+ want it, but may buy excuses on it feasibility, should , and should not? Why didn't you support it, initiate the call, or think legalising marijuana will boost it support or give me time to do your part of the collective responsibility to push for good? I called for free water movement for drought resistant and year round farming; called for Badafos Green Fence; called for Adfec zones and many other good, not just marijuana. I have to talk about marijuana more because if your son was in prison or in hospital and need medical marijuana then your personal or extended personal responsibility instinct may understand the urgency ? Our Lord of collective responsibility will likely be a witness for me? When you bailed your family member on cannabis charges, you did a direct favor to one, who may appreciate you and who may help on lawyer fees; if you have the opportunity to contribute to the bailing or preventing of arrest to millions, you should use it. Our level of Love may be different, but it is not very hard to learn we should be humble on what helps millions or you claim is 'self hurting'. Do not say your personal responsibility to protect your child or teenager warrants not thinking about the best way to help the very children you claim to love. Physically or mentally Visit Canada or u.s, and please do not focus on the worst of cannabis users. The Koran and best of conscience support education, tolerance, and patience on disputable good and personal sins. Remember supporting legalisation means stopping cruelty, regulating it, and not necessarily recommending for people to use. There are different types of pro legalisation folks and for different reasons, or study Trudeau, Fetterman, Obama, Pat Robinson, etc. Grow! In character beyond finance, home or even country. What are you obsessed with on national and international Collective Responsibilities?