Ebony S. Muhammad (EM): Brother Marcus you are a proud member of Nation of Islam, Fruit of Islam, student ministry class, the host of the Brother Marcus Radio Show, a mentor, a motivational speaker, a marriage retreat coordinator, and a loving father and husband.
There is a story behind all of that in which you do. What brought you to this dispensation in time?
Brother Marcus Muhammad (BM): I was born and raised on the mean streets of Brooklyn, New York to my parents, Joseph and Carol Girard. I had three older brothers and three younger sisters and I was the middle child. I observed many things growing up in Brooklyn. One of those things was watching my father and mother physically fight each other like the proverbial cats and dogs many, many times. My dad stood 6’4′ and weighed approximately 450 pounds. My mother was only about 5’4′ and weighed about 200 pounds herself.
Those were very frightening and disturbing scenes to witness. My mother could not physically beat my father, but she found very skilled and calculating ways to deal with my father. Looking back over my childhood as an adult, I now believe I learned a lot of good and not so good things from both my mother and my father. There was so much drama at my home it forced me to go outside of my home for love and guidance and to manifest my budding leadership skills. It was what appeared to be a negative circumstance that would later cause me to connect so deeply with the message of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad as it was being taught and explained from the powerful oratorical genius of his student, the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan! The teachings that I have already received and will continue to receive with the Dianetics auditing has been and will continue to be of immeasurable value in helping and aiding me to overcome all of the childhood drama I have experienced and help me to reach my full potential.
EM: I recently saw a news report that there has been a 25% increase in men and women living together (shaking up) and preferring that to getting married. From your knowledge and expertise on the subject of marriage, why do you believe this increase has taken place in the lack of desire to get married but to just “shack up”?
BM: Some men and women have been made to believe that cohabitation is a good way to test their marriage beforehand, but studies into this have revealed just the opposite. The Sociology Department of both Duke University and Michigan University interviewed 30,000 couples who married after living together. The Sociologists found that 80% of the marriages arising from cohabitation or living together ended in separation or divorce. Living together offers little or no guarantee of a happy, successful marriage. Freedom without responsibility is the opposite of love. The greater the sense of commitment, the more a person is willing to give of themselves and this is an indispensable requirement for marriage. The more often and the longer that men and women cohabit or live together, the more likely they are to divorce later, which means that they will be using such services as https://www.thetxattorneys.com/ to settle. Cohabitation undermines this trust because both partners are aware that it is perfectly possible for them to bail out at any point. Cohabitation is not good preparation for marriage: it does not involve the building up of the virtues- rather it is an exercise in convenience rather than purity and true love. My grandfather used to tell my sisters, “Why buy the cow if you can get the milk for free?” This question is still extremely relevant in 2011.
EM: There are numerous talk radio shows that bounce opinions, reports and trending topics around with its listeners. What sets the Brother Marcus Show (shout out to your co-host and wife Sister Cecelia) apart from other shows? What topics do you discuss that many other shows do not?
BM: What makes our show different is because the Spirit of the Lord is upon me. I feel God’s presence all in me and around me. I am not moved by hot topics. I am moved by the Spirit of the true and living God. I am learning to wait for His sweet and Holy inspiration to guide my next step on what should be discussed with the people. Many people discuss the topics that we discuss but they may not go deep enough to the root of the problem and they may not be willing to draw upon the wealth of valuable information that we have been given by the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan and many other great men and women!
EM: As a member of the Nation of Islam and Fruit of Islam contrary to what mainstream media reports, what misconception would you like to clear up about the NOI and Muslims in general?
BM: The Fruit of Islam is God and everything that God is, is found in the body of men who have been called to be a Fruit of Islam. I have always felt unworthy to be called an FOI, and too many men in my humble opinion take that title for granted. An FOI is a supremely organized and disciplined man. He is quick thinking and fast moving and operates right down to the modern science of time. He has been well trained and understands the time and what must be done. He is of great consequence wherever He is at all times. I am striving to live up to this high post that Almighty God Allah, the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad and the Honorable Louis Farrakhan has called us as men to become.
One of the biggest misconceptions I find out there is that an FOI is only security in the very limited sense of the word. The world knows that the very best security force on earth is the FOI. But in addition to that we are also scholars, healers, peacemakers, businessmen, coaches, fathers, husbands and most of all we are learning to be brothers. The men of the FOI are some of the most talented, loving, sophisticated, and distinguished men you will ever meet. We are all constantly at work in whatever field or endeavor we find ourselves, helping Allah, His Christ and their Apostle to secure the earth and usher in His kingdom.
EM: What do you see in the significance of the recent weather conditions?
BM: The significance of the weather to me is that the Kingdom of God is at hand and He is not playing with any of us in today’s times. All of us have to beg Allah for His divine and holy forgiveness for our wrongs and shortcomings and for His guidance that we might take our rebellious and wayward lives and place them on the path that Allah has bestowed favors and not upon the path of those whom Allah’s wrath is brought down.
EM: Briefly tell us about your mentoring program; vision, mission, target mentees, activities, etc. What has been the most memorable moment for you as a mentor?
What are the challenges and rewards? Why do you feel it’s worth the effort?
BM: I love giving back to our youth, because I was mentored so heavily back in New York City. If it were not for the people who saw some value in me in the early days and invested their time, their energy and their money in me, I wouldn’t be having this interview with you. Our Mentoring program has been in existence for nearly 20 years and we have been blessed to mentor thousands of young people throughout America. We have been blessed to conduct many Motivational training sessions over these years.
We try to focus on black boys, because they are the problem everywhere I go. But the need for guidance extends to the Mexican youth, the Hispanic youth, the Chinese youth, the Vietnamese youth and even the Caucasian youth and all of the girls need help and guidance. If there ever was a generation that needed someone to look beyond their faults and see their needs it is this generation. Very few can reach the mindset that these young men and women are in today and all of our children are at risk in such a wicked and duplicitous society as this one that our youth have to wade through. We teach boys how to be men. We teach them how to walk, how to talk, how to dress, how to think and act like a man thinks and acts. I have been blessed to write a book for them that is based on the secrets of manhood that I observed by watching our Minister called, “The Wise Men and Women Have Sent Me to Tell You” that is available at Amazon.com.
The most impacting moments for me are always those times when I meet a young man or woman again who gave me pure hell when they were younger in my class as a student and now they have grown up a bit and I meet them somewhere and maturity has finally dawned on them. We laugh together and they always say something to the effect of, “Thank you for continuing to work with me and not giving up on me. I love you Brother Marcus.” It often brings tears to my eyes when they walk away because I know that this is the work of God that I am doing.
EM: Is there anything else you wish to add?
BM: I don’t want to just to be a hearer of the word anymore. God knows we have been thoroughly taught by the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan. I want to become a doer of the word. I want to be with him through doing the work of resurrecting his people. He never called us to be his cheerleader. He called us to follow him that where he is, we may be. I want to be the kind of follower that he doesn’t have to wonder about when he ascends to the father, whether I will do the work or will I fall off somewhere. I want him to know that right now while he is still with us that he has a young man out here that is working hard to help him reach the people and is growing in understanding the reality of who he is among us. I so dearly love him and I love his followers and his people!
EM: Do you have any upcoming events, projects, etc? What are the Brother Marcus Show days and times? Do you have a web site/blog/etc. where the readers can learn more?
BM: We are striving to effectively implement the work that the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan has asked us to do! We accept the responsibility to build our own community! We ask your readers to join us in Atlanta on Saturday June 18, 2011, the day before Fathers Day at the College Park Auditorium in College Park, Georgia! We have conducting a workshop will really help us to see how we are all being heavily influenced by this sub-culture that is dominating our young people today in 2011 as well as many, many adults. Are your children hard to reach? Why are so many of our teenagers so sexually promiscuous? Are they growing more and more rebellious and out of control? Why? Why are we not being transformed? Why are we being deformed by the “lifestyles” that are constantly being promoted to us? Come to learn and also come to share.
Also on the same evening, we are conducting a terrific talent show and Hip Hop Concert. Aren’t you tired of these entertainers disrespecting you and your family when you have paid your hard earned money to attend their shows? Well, come to our show then! We won’t allow any of our performers to disrespect you or your family! We have put together a quality family show! There will be some hip hop, some poetry, some modeling, some drill exhibition, some singing, some dancing, some comedy, some laughing, some clapping, and some cheering. We are 100% sure that with the help of God you are going to have a very good time at our event. Tickets and vending to attend our first fundraiser is only $10.
Insha’Allah we have the 2nd Annual Marriage Retreat coming up in November 2011. Last year we successfully had the first one in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. This year our Sister Student Coordinator, Debra X. is asking us to join her on a Cruise to the Bahamas from November 27 – December 1, 2011. We have found many couples that didn’t take a honeymoon, or have never been on a Cruise Ship. We have found many who have said, “We are always doing something for the Single brothers and sisters. When are we going to do something for the married brothers and sisters?” Well here the opportunity that we may have been waiting for. Anyone desiring more information about the 2011 Marriage Retreat can log onto: www.blackmarriageretreat.com for more information. Once again, my wife and I have been asked to serve as the Facilitators again for this retreat. We have to continue to promote Marriage and healthy relationships in the Nation!
Our Main website is www.marcusgirard.com. To add your name to our weekly mailing list simply email: marcusgirard34@yahoo.com. Anyone who needs to contact me for any reason can reach me at 404-542-3808.
