BlackPerspective.net
Discussing the Diaspora as seen through an internal Black lens
Why Do Blacks Follow Their Oppressor’s Religion
July 11th, 2008
Blogger Bluelinchpin, a white atheist, asked me to comment to her question about Christianity and:
“how sad it is to see that many blacks still subscribe to the religion that was historically forced upon them and used to mentally enslave them as well as physically.
So why do those who have historically been oppressed rally so hard against the racism and sexism of those who oppressed them and their ancestors, yet still follow the religion that was used to do it?”
Since I wrote a somewhat elaborate answer, figure I might as well share it with you guys as a post. I guess I could have added more to it since I’m making a post out of it, but I’m too lazy. Eh, maybe I’ll do a part 2 some time to elaborate some points.
Anyway:
Why do Blacks follow their oppressor’s religion?
Well the simple answer is that proud, racially conscious Black Christians don’t. Confused by that statement? Let’s break it all down.
I was in a Black Arts and Literature class my Sophomore year of college, and there was this essay we were supposed to go to the library and read. It was in a resource book, so you couldn’t check it out.
I was an A/B student, but I wasn’t always up on every assignment; and never made it around to reading the essay. On our next test, we had an essay question about it. The question asked about how Christianity affected Black slaves as far as their response to their enslavement.
My professor had made a comment in class that the essay would not be what you think in explaining the issue. So based on my knowledge of how Christianity and Black oppression is usually framed, and having a deeper knowledge of how it has really worked for Black liberation; I winged my answer. I stated an answer to the effect that the essay says that liberation message of the Bible, and Jesus coming to “set the captive free”, and the message of all people being equal in Christ inspired slaves desire for freedom. I got full credit for the question.
The greatest slave revolt in America was led by a slave preacher, Nat Turner.
Blacks have long not followed their former slave masters religion to the point that in 1787 Richard Allen, Absalom Jones, William Gray and William Wilcher started the African Methodist Episcopal Church because their former masters religion did not regard and accept them.
Marcus Garvey, the greatest precursor to what would be come the Black Power movement, pan-Africanism and Black Nationalist thought was a devout Christian. He wasn’t a preacher, but if you read many of his speeches, you’ll see that he might as well have been.
The civil rights movement of the 50s and 60s was largely led by Christian preachers. It started with the Montgomery Improvement Association (MIA) and the Montgomery Bus Boycott. Almost everyone on the MIA board was a preacher, including Martin Luther King. Their religion informed their direr belief in their right for to freedom.
MLK’s understanding of Christianity amalgamated with Black Nationalist thought (which their isn’t a big gulf anyway if you know where King really stood) is what lead to the formation of Black Liberation Theology. The same BLT that has white folks in fervent hatred of Pastor Jeremaih Wright. Does he seem like an oppressed, mentally enslaved Black man to you?
The fact of the matter is, whites do not, and never have had a sole ownership license to what is called Christianity. For which, anyway, has varied manifestation in which one chooses to understand and practice it.
The fact of the matter is that Christianity was in Africa before the invasion of White people. I’ve studied the issue, and much of the Bible takes place in Africa. Babylon which is modern day Iraq; where Abram ham hails from was a Black populated land in those times. I can speak more to that.
Those who read the Bible know of the Ethiopian Queen in the Book of Acts who takes on Christianity and takes it home with her. The Ethiopians, though mostly becoming Orthodox Christians since; have also maintained a very primitive form of Christian practice since the Days of the Apostles until right now. Ancient Hebraic practice can be found amongst the Fulani of Nigeria and else where in Africa, dating back to ancient times.
I’m a Christian, and I’m an unapologetic Black Nationalist.
My faith informs my Nationalist stance. Why, because I know I’m an equal creature to any man; created of God; and have an unyielding God given right to be free and treaded equally.
Knowing that by dictate of God Yehova that I’m equal to any other man, disallows me to accept being given or being treaded less than any other humans; hence my fervent resistance to such mistreatment, and hence my strong humanitarianism as well.
You will find my practice of Christianity to differ in many ways than my oppressors’ version of religion and Jesus created in his own image
posted in Cultural, Faith, Racial Injustice | | | View blog reactions |
2 Responses to “Why Do Blacks Follow Their Oppressor’s Religion”
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Yobachi Boswell is creator and publisher of BlackPerspecitve.net. I’m a writer, activist and political watcher based in Nashville, Tennessee. I’ve also been know to do some spoken word and MCing in my day.
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Again, thanks for the explanation
I disagree, but respectfully, and can see your point–just know that there are those of us who find all people equal and don’t need a God to tell us that. 
No problem. I’m glad you asked rather than stated what we should believe.
And yes, I’m familiar with the atheist spiel. Your morality is greater because you don’t need some boogey man in the sky to convince you of it.
I used to argue with atheist on college club message boards for at least 2 years.
Oh, my favorite one is the ever convincing argument of comparing a belief in God to the all powerful flying spaghetti monster. I’m betting that out of the tens of thousands of times it’s been used it’s probably moved about 6 people.