In the 2nd book of Thessalonians 2:10 are these words, in The New International Version: "� they refused to love the truth and so be saved."

These words are part of one of the most important prophecies to be found in all of the scriptures. It�s very comprehensive. It contains several vitally important elements. It centers upon the timing of what they called the return of Jesus, the Christ. Of course, this same prophecy appears elsewhere in both the Bible and the Holy Qur�an.

The words quoted above are placed in a letter which purports to explain and clarify misunderstandings that had developed among the early Christians about the timing of an event called the return or the second coming of Christ.

The author, whom most scholars agree is Paul, is striving to help the believers remain on the straight path. He is working hard to keep them from a falling away, which was predicted to occur among his followers.

Among the issues described in this letter�and throughout the New Testament�which sits within the problems and troubles that Paul and his helpers had to deal with, were the growth of misplaced priorities among the people. This was a factor in a major problem that developed in the minds of many on what was called the return of Christ.

Let�s keep in mind that there were false teachings that were being spread by vain people, some of whom were working to undermine Paul�s work for selfish reasons.

Here, I�m focusing on but a part of one seemingly small element of this most important prophecy or teaching of the scriptures.

This same clause, or part, quoted above, appears in The King James Version, this way: "� they received not the love of the truth."

What occurred, nearly 2,000 years ago, in the work of Paul was a sign or a type of the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan�s work today.

We�ve learned from the Honorable Elijah Muhammad�s interpretation of the scriptures, that the "they" who heard the truth ultimately refers, in general, to us, Black people in America.

Broadly speaking, the "truth" here refers to what Master Fard Muhammad revealed to the Honorable Elijah Muhammad. As a people, we�ve received the truth in our physical ears. We�ve heard it. However, there are many Black people who do not love this truth.

If what Min. Farrakhan teaches, from the Honorable Elijah Muhammad, is the truth from and about God, ourselves, the time in which we live, etc., etc., and it�s totally in our favor, as well as those who want right and truth, why haven�t we all accepted it with total joy?

This is something like the question scholars have raised about the Jews and Jesus of 2,000 years ago. They make points like this. The Jews were God�s choice to "square" the nations of the earth into righteousness. God sent many prophets to them. These prophets taught them of the coming of the Messiah. Jesus came in fulfillment of their prophecies. However, despite the ample proofs that were shown to them by God, Jesus and others, they rejected Jesus and his message. What is the explanation?

Now, here comes the American Black man and woman. In one way of looking at us, we�ve been slow to grasp the glorious presence of God and the wonderful events, which have flowed from His coming. Moreover, there are some of our people who have studied what the Honorable Elijah Muhammad and the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan have taught for nearly seven decades, and have rejected all or nearly the whole of it outright.

Of course, in many instances, there are people who refuse to even examine those proofs, and have yet turned it all down.

Why would a people turn down God�s truth�many even with disdain and in fact hate�though it�s from Him, Who is their Lord? Why would we become many parties about God�s plain truth, which has proven to significantly improve every aspect of the lives of those who accept it? Why have they turned down this truth, which even our enemies have publicly admitted is the truth?

Then there are questions relating to what is at the roots of why some of us "fall away" from what Allah has revealed?

Let�s look at some basic truths, placed here in a very general way.

We are the descendants of slaves. Of course, we were not always slaves. Once, we ruled this entire earth. But the hard facts are that over the past 400 and about 45 years, we�ve been the victims of the worst kind of slavery in the history of human activities.

During physical bondage we were robbed of the very basis of self-love, not to think of self-respect. After being reduced to a state of death, in mind and in morals, we were actually taught to hate, despise, abhor, the degraded self that they made us into, which they taught us was ourselves. They taught us, in many ways, both open and subtle, to think evil continually of ourselves.

As they were reducing us to as close to nothing as they could, we were giving birth to children. We were made to produce babies to be their slaves, while yet in the state of self-hate. What were the chances of those enslaved babies growing up outside of the self-hating influences of their parents and others?

Then those babies grew up and produced babies that grew up to hate themselves too. On it went, until God Himself began to produce persons and events to condition us for our rise.

As we generally know, little babies react to love one way. They react to hatred, or what is called indifference, in another way. Little babies, and children generally, learn according to how they are treated.

Of course, what happened to us earlier in our lives influences�even determines�much of how we later deal with life.

Now, into the life of each of us has come the fulfillment of divine prophecy about Master Fard Muhammad, the Honorable Elijah Muhammad, Min. Farrakhan and much more.

One of the most important things that a great many of us must learn is this. What happened to us, that injured us, when we were young, was not and is not a part of our identity. The evils that have happened to us is not who we are.

Time and again, Min. Farrakhan has clarified and taught the true meaning of a saying of Jesus, which appears in the 15th chapter of Matthew and in the 7th chapter of Mark.

I�ve read Bible commentaries on these passages, which I am not quoting. I am only going to quote the part, which contains the principle.

Mark 7:15 reads: "There is nothing that enters a man from outside which can defile him; but the things which comes out of him, those are the things which defile a man."

If you read this in context it is very plain that it needs clarifying. Min. Farrakhan, meanwhile, has illustrated the true meaning of this saying that Jesus could not have stated exactly as the scholars have written it. You�ll see that if you take the time to read the above quote from the Bible in context.

In the upcoming book, Closing The Gap, are these words of Min. Farrakhan:

"And you know, just having a knowledge of yourself and who and what you really are and to be humble to recognize the majesty of God, then what people write of you of evil; what people say of you of evil; what people plan against you of evil, never makes you evil.

"It hurts you, sometimes, to know it, to hear it, but then you get over it. As far as my own self is concerned, well, I don�t focus on those things at all. Sometimes I forget the evil that people say and evil that people plan and do that I know of them. They could come in my presence and I will treat them just as good as I will treat a member of my own family or one of my helpers in this cause.

"I guess it takes people aback to know that I may know evil that they think of me, that they say of me and yet I�m kind to them.

Because no matter what people write or say in their misrepresentations of me, I�m always thinking that one day God willing, I will win them for the cause of Islam."

A bit later he said:

"I also think the greatest factor in my being able to persevere is being blessed to be humble enough to see the greatness of God. I know that I�m just an atom in the universe of billions and trillions and quadrillions of atoms. I know that I�m so blessed to be able to serve Allah, in this time, and in this way.

"In serving God and humanity and our people as best I can and in not taking myself seriously in terms of who I am and how people view me, I think, is what is the underpinning of my sense of humor. This is the underpinning of the longevity and the perseverance. This is the reason why the evil that people do to me really does not affect me, it�s because they never reach me. They cannot find me. I am so low to the ground that every thing they shoot at me always goes above me and they could only hit me if I began to think more of myself than I should."