In this episode, Dr. Negus sits down with Dr. Yusef Ben-Levy, a scholar of ancient Egyptian, Hebrew, Greek, and Gnostic literature, for a deep dive into what the Bible actually says in its original languages. From the true pronunciation of “Amen” to the feminine grammar of God’s name, to the African roots embedded in the Greek alphabet, this conversation dismantles centuries of mistranslation and reveals truths that most churches never teach.

Dr. Negus and Dr. Ben-Levy trace the hidden histories and linguistic realities behind familiar scripture, unpacking how translation, culture, and power have shaped belief for thousands of years. This is not just biblical scholarship — it’s a lens into African heritage, philosophy, and the stories that have been lost or obscured over time.

Whether you’re exploring theology, African history, or linguistic truth, this episode challenges assumptions and opens a new way of seeing the Bible’s African and feminine foundations.

00:03:38 – “Without Hebrew and Greek, you cannot be a reliable interpreter of the Word of God”
00:08:17 – “Amen” in Egyptian vs. Hebrew: they don’t mean the same thing
00:17:56 – Genesis 1:26 “Let us make man”: what it actually says in Hebrew
00:29:45 – “Yahova is a feminine word. When did God become a man?”
00:43:08 – The Negative Confessions vs. the Ten Commandments: “I have not” vs. “Thou shalt not”

• Hebrew and Egyptian language insights into scripture

• The feminine grammar of God’s name

• Origins of the Greek alphabet in Africa

• Translation, mistranslation, and cultural erasure

• African and Egyptian influence on biblical texts

• Moral philosophy: Declarations of innocence vs. commandments

Many of the words and concepts we take for granted in scripture have been mistranslated, misunderstood, or culturally reframed over centuries. This episode uncovers the African roots, feminine grammar, and philosophical insights hidden in the Bible, giving listeners a fresh lens on faith, history, and identity.

Dr. Negus and Dr. Ben-Levy’s discussion invites you to question what you know and explore the truths that have been overlooked or erased. It’s challenging, eye-opening, and absolutely essential for anyone interested in the intersection of African history, linguistics, and religion.

Subscribe to Babylon Makes the Rules for bold, unfiltered analysis on culture, history, religion, and identity.

Key TimestampsTopics CoveredWhy This Episode Matters

Savoy, founder of Focus Inc. in Ankeny, Iowa, sits down with Dr. Negus on Babylon Makes The Rules to unpack a decade on the front lines of youth mental health in Polk County. His story is raw, complex, and unflinching — a mirror of the struggles many communities quietly face every day.

Growing up in an environment marked by addiction and neglect, Savoy faced choices that no kid should ever have to make. He hated the streets. He hated the drugs. He hated what his circumstances were forcing him into. And yet, somehow, he became what he most despised. That lived experience — messy, painful, and real — is what now fuels his mission to guide the next generation away from the same traps.

In this conversation, he dives deep into:

• The pandemic’s hidden toll on youth: How COVID-19 amplified mental health crises, leaving schools, families, and social services scrambling to catch up.

• The school-to-prison pipeline in the Midwest: Why systemic failures are particularly stark here, and how policies often punish kids instead of supporting them.

• Moments that define a life: The unforgettable story of handing a book to a teenager — an act so simple yet powerful it literally stopped a suicide.

• Leadership and loneliness: Why being the person everyone turns to for guidance can feel isolating, and what it truly costs to step up for your community.

• Community accountability and redemption: What it takes to confront failure — both personal and societal — and still make real change happen for the kids who need it most.

This episode is more than a memoir. It’s a blueprint for understanding the complicated intersections of environment, choice, trauma, and service. It’s about how one man’s journey from the streets to leadership offers lessons, hope, and challenges for all of us who care about youth, equity, and community.

Recorded last year and released now as part of Babylon: Unearthed, these conversations are raw, unfiltered, and urgently needed.

In this solo episode, Dr. Negus reads and unpacks his nine-page article on what he calls “The White Jesus Syndrome” — a psychological and spiritual condition rooted in European colonialism that reshaped African identity, theology, and self-perception for generations.This is not a surface-level critique of imagery. It is a deep examination of how power works.Dr. Negus traces how Christianity — a faith with early African foundations — was recast through European imperial expansion, producing a racialized image of Jesus that functioned as more than art. It became hierarchy. It became theology. It became psychological conditioning.Drawing from thinkers like Frantz Fanon and scholars such as David W. Noble, the episode connects colonial religion to internalized inferiority, disrupted cultural memory, and the erasure of African-centered spiritual systems.Dr. Negus argues that the “white Jesus” construct was not accidental — it was strategic. A tool that aligned faith with empire and equated holiness with European identity. Over time, this visual theology reshaped imagination, self-worth, and even our understanding of God.But this conversation is not just critique.It is reclamation.The episode calls for decolonization of the African mind, restoration of historical truth, and spiritual healing rooted in cultural authenticity. It closes with a powerful personal reflection on what it means to speak boldly in Des Moines and embrace the responsibility of leadership in real time.“I guess that’s my job — to be the Black man that Des Moines really needs.”This is history.This is psychology.This is identity work.And it’s a necessary conversation.

Dr. Negus sits down solo on Babylon Makes The Rules to trace a harrowing line from the 1944 execution of 14-year-old George Junius Stinney — the youngest person ever executed on death row in the United States — to the systemic discrimination facing African-American men today.In this episode, Dr. Negus unpacks how structural racism, compounded by “double discrimination” — being Black and carrying a criminal record — continues to exclude millions from economic opportunity. With 6 million jobs open across the country, countless qualified Black men remain shut out, illustrating how America wastes both human potential and moral responsibility.Listeners will learn:George Junius Stinney’s story: A 14-year-old boy executed for a crime he did not commit, and the chilling historical context surrounding his death.Crime and structural racism: How systemic barriers have historically shaped disproportionate rates of incarceration and surveillance of African Americans.Double discrimination today: The intersection of race and criminal records in employment, and why the U.S. economy is failing millions of workers.Resilience despite oppression: How communities survive, adapt, and resist even when “Babylon makes the rules.”This episode is a hard but necessary conversation about history, justice, and the ongoing consequences of systemic inequity. It challenges listeners to confront the past while understanding the moral and economic costs of letting talent go to waste.Part of Babylon: Unearthed, this solo episode is as urgent today as when it was recorded.Key Timestamps00:01:07 | George Junius Stinney: The youngest person executed on death row00:04:25 | Crime rates and structural racism in America00:11:57 | Millions locked out of opportunity00:12:42 | “Double discrimination”: complexion plus criminal record00:18:43 | “Babylon makes the rules, but yet we live on”

Dr. Negus sits down solo on Babylon Makes The Rules to revisit the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, framed around Iowa’s recent House File 424 and the ongoing fight for equity and accessibility.From the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 to the ADA Amendments Act of 2008, Dr. Negus breaks down the legislative history and explains the five key titles of the ADA — showing how far we’ve come, and how much is still at stake.In this episode, he dives deep into:Iowa’s House File 424: Why proposed changes threaten rights of millions of Americans with disabilities.Historical context: The road from the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to the ADA, and the pivotal role of Senator Tom Harkin of Iowa.Barrier vs. person: Why discrimination is environmental, not individual, and how society often punishes people for systemic failures.Employment gaps: Only 30% of Americans with disabilities were employed in 1980 — a shocking number that still resonates today.Allyship and accountability: How everyone, regardless of personal experience with disability, must advocate for a more inclusive society.Moral and societal challenge: What it truly means to live in a land of freedom when access and opportunity are not equal.This episode is a masterclass in policy, advocacy, and ethical responsibility, making complex law accessible, urgent, and actionable.Key Timestamps00:00:48 | Why Iowa’s House File 424 prompted this episode00:03:29 | The Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the road to the ADA00:06:32 | Senator Tom Harkin and the birth of the ADA00:12:21 | The 2008 Barrier Approach: discrimination is environmental, not individual00:17:42 | Closing challenge: “The land of the free and the home of the brave”

Dr. Negus sits down solo on Babylon Makes The Rules to expose the illusion of racial progress in the United States. Despite landmark civil rights legislation, centuries-old structures continue to enforce inequality, leaving Black families, communities, and individuals systematically behind.In this episode, Dr. Negus draws on Derrick Bell’s interest convergence theory and hard empirical evidence from the Federal Reserve, Brookings Institute, and the National Academy of Sciences to illustrate how legal victories have not dismantled the systems that enforce disparity.Listeners will explore:The wealth gap today: Why the median Black family owns $24,100 while the median white family owns $189,100, and how homeownership and policy choices created and maintain this divide.Policing and systemic violence: Black Americans are 2.5x more likely to die at the hands of law enforcement — a stark illustration of persistent racial disparities.Redlining and generational inequity: How 1930s housing policies continue to affect access to capital, education, and opportunity.Oligarchy and influence: How 11 billionaires now hold outsized influence over government decisions, concentrating power while structural inequality persists.The illusion of change: Why visible progress, symbolic victories, and legal reforms often fail to address deep-rooted systemic inequities.This episode blends data, historical context, and critical analysis, revealing that without structural transformation, the promise of civil rights remains unrealized.Key Timestamps00:01:48 | 11 billionaires in government and the rise of oligarchic influence00:06:08 | Redlining: the 1930s housing policy still destroying Black wealth00:08:17 | $24,100 vs $189,100: the median wealth gap by race00:14:02 | Black Americans are 2.5x more likely to be killed by police00:20:38 | “We see changes in society. I want the public to know.”

Join Dr. Negus and Emmett Phillips in an engaging discourse on American ways in our latest episode. Don't miss out as they delve into the origins of religious practices, the meaning of civilization, the transformation of ancient traditions and more!

Phillips is a first generation Liberian American, artist and educator specializing in poetry, hip hop and theater.

In this powerful episode, Dr. Negus fearlessly confronts the complexities of the political and social landscape in America. Opening with the resolute mantra, "I speak my mind, I fear no evil, I take my time, I help my people, I stand my ground, I will not crumble, I keep my crown, here in this jungle," Dr. Negus sets the tone for an unapologetic exploration of the challenges and triumphs facing society today.

Dr. Negus focuses on historical and contemporary data that members of the African Diaspora are encountering while they meander through this maze known as American society.

Negus sits down with Broadlawns clinical health coach Corey Dion Lewis to shed light on healthcare disparities that lead to an overall poor health within the local Des Moines community, and more specifically "Blacks' mistrust in the U.S. healthcare system".