Author Topic: Why Are Black People Christian More Often Than Other People?  (Read 17949 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Carnivore_Rabbit

  • Neonate
  • *
  • Posts: 8
  • Gender: Male
Re: Why Are Black People Christian More Often Than Other People?
« Reply #15 on: October 06, 2012, 12:44:41 am »
I actually think this is an interesting question. Best guess, Western attitudes achieved dominance long enough to become the new norm. And there has been some pushback - the Nation of Islam might be an example.
You know, I've always find it funny when someone from the NOI tells me my name is a slave name and I have to remind them that Arabs plundered Africa for slaves long before Western Europeans. 
That and a lot of Europeans bought their slaves from other Africans. A few of the more enterprising African tribes worked out that they can sell slaves to the Europeans, use the money to buy modern weapons and then use the weapons to raid neighbouring tribes for more slaves.
Then it shouldn't surprise you how often that part is glossed over.  My cousin stoped talking that nonsense to me when I told him that factoid a few years ago.

Offline SpaceProg

  • What you read is what you get.
  • The Beast
  • *****
  • Posts: 5507
  • Nocturnal
Re: Why Are Black People Christian More Often Than Other People?
« Reply #16 on: October 06, 2012, 12:52:29 am »
Yeah, strange how a lot of people forget that.  The institution of slavery corrupted a lot of societies.

Offline Smurfette Principle

  • Will Blind You With Library Science!
  • The Beast
  • *****
  • Posts: 1639
  • Gender: Female
  • Pedicabo ego vos et irrumabo.
Re: Why Are Black People Christian More Often Than Other People?
« Reply #17 on: October 06, 2012, 01:09:53 am »
I actually think this is an interesting question. Best guess, Western attitudes achieved dominance long enough to become the new norm. And there has been some pushback - the Nation of Islam might be an example.

The Nation of Islam is to Islam as the Heaven's Gate people are to Christianity. Nation of Islam is some fucked-up shit.

And the actual answer is: it's a variety of things. For slaves in America, Christianity actually did itself in; while white Christians would argue that Africans were lower than Hebrews and that their situation was incomparable because of the curse of Ham and stuff, religiously literate slaves drew parallels between Exodus and their situation. Furthermore, certain sects of Christianity (Quakers, for example) were abolitionists and helped slaves, so it wasn't like Christianity was entirely bad. And in both colonial Africa and with slavery in America, practicing native religions and cultures were either discouraged or entirely banned, so a lot of them were forgotten.

Of course, a lot of black people in America are not Christian, and there are black Jews, black Pagans, and even (though I can't for the life of me understand why) black Mormons.

Offline Carnivore_Rabbit

  • Neonate
  • *
  • Posts: 8
  • Gender: Male
Re: Why Are Black People Christian More Often Than Other People?
« Reply #18 on: October 06, 2012, 01:24:25 am »
I actually think this is an interesting question. Best guess, Western attitudes achieved dominance long enough to become the new norm. And there has been some pushback - the Nation of Islam might be an example.

Of course, a lot of black people in America are not Christian, and there are black Jews, black Pagans, and even (though I can't for the life of me understand why) black Mormons.
Yeah, I can never understand why blacks would want to be Mormon.  Hell, even Scientology is more palatable than that.

Offline VirtualStranger

  • Blinded with Science
  • The Beast
  • *****
  • Posts: 946
  • Gender: Male
Re: Why Are Black People Christian More Often Than Other People?
« Reply #19 on: October 06, 2012, 01:39:09 am »
but then you'd expect black Christians to be more socially progressive than other Christians, when this is not the case. There is less tolerance for gay people among black Christians than other Christians (though it's not like whites have a stellar record there either).

Just want to point out that this isn't true. Support for same-sex marriage in white christian and black christian communities is about the same.

Offline Fpqxz

  • The Beast
  • *****
  • Posts: 903
  • Gender: Male
  • Generic forum poster #666
Re: Why Are Black People Christian More Often Than Other People?
« Reply #20 on: October 06, 2012, 02:32:11 am »
I actually think this is an interesting question. Best guess, Western attitudes achieved dominance long enough to become the new norm. And there has been some pushback - the Nation of Islam might be an example.
You know, I've always find it funny when someone from the NOI tells me my name is a slave name and I have to remind them that Arabs plundered Africa for slaves long before Western Europeans. 
That and a lot of Europeans bought their slaves from other Africans. A few of the more enterprising African tribes worked out that they can sell slaves to the Europeans, use the money to buy modern weapons and then use the weapons to raid neighbouring tribes for more slaves.
Then it shouldn't surprise you how often that part is glossed over.  My cousin stoped talking that nonsense to me when I told him that factoid a few years ago.

I've seen that same sort of nonsense spouted on this very forum.

As for the OP, I'll just leave this here:

http://blackatheistsofamerica.org/
http://www.infidelguy.com/article75.html
http://blackfreethinkers.com/

Historically, churches served as a focal point of the African-American community after the Civil War, and as organizations which fought for civil rights.  Today, it seems that more African-Americans are beginning to question both the validity and importance of religion as a social institution.
Read some real news:  Allgov.com, JURIST

Quote
Step down Mr. and Mrs. Politically Correct.
It's so easy to be "punk" and "aware" living at home.
You can't change shit, you're too self-righteous;
you're the bigots you flaunt to loathe.
--Thought Industry, Boil

Offline largeham

  • Dirty Pinko
  • The Beast
  • *****
  • Posts: 1326
  • Gender: Male
  • The first thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers.
Re: Why Are Black People Christian More Often Than Other People?
« Reply #21 on: October 06, 2012, 10:31:11 am »
The clergy were pretty big supporters of slavery in the South before the civil war. I'm guessing two things:

1) Christianity being the white religion, many blacks may have seen it as a way to gain acceptance and respectability,

2) Some civil rights leaders were churchmen, MLK being the most famous.

My Little Comrade
My Little Comrade
Ah ah ah aaaaah!
(My Little Comrade)
I used to wonder what socialism could be!
(My Little Comrade)
Until you all shared its materialist dialectic with me!

Offline Sigma

  • Neonate
  • *
  • Posts: 27
  • Gender: Male
Re: Why Are Black People Christian More Often Than Other People?
« Reply #22 on: October 06, 2012, 08:01:09 pm »
Black church is just far more appealing.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAYfIzQpja0" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAYfIzQpja0</a>

At least according to Hollywood, my only source...

Offline kefkaownsall

  • The Beast
  • *****
  • Posts: 3253
  • Gender: Male
Re: Why Are Black People Christian More Often Than Other People?
« Reply #23 on: October 06, 2012, 10:43:20 pm »
Even black catholic churches tend to be more happy

Offline TheL

  • The Cock Teasing Teacher
  • The Beast
  • *****
  • Posts: 2220
  • Gender: Female
  • Fly like cheese sticks.
Re: Why Are Black People Christian More Often Than Other People?
« Reply #24 on: October 07, 2012, 10:29:07 pm »
I don't think it's in spite of racism and dominance, but rather because of it. Christianity tells people that it doesn't matter what their race or economic status is, they can go to heaven if they have faith. When people are in poverty or discriminated against it probably feels good that their position is irrelevant to the creator of the universe and they'll be in a better place when it all ends. It also gives them a tighter sense of community.

Also, lest we forget, there is very little remaining of the native West African religions or culture.  This is for several reasons, nearly all of which boil down to Europeans being horrible racist fucks for a very long time.  Specifically:

1. When you're forcibly removed from your home and sent to an entirely different continent, housed with people who don't share your language, culture, or gods, and sold to people who don't share any of those things or skin color, it's really hard to participate in anything that requires a group.  It's also hard to participate in things requiring a trained priest or priestess if you aren't one.

2. When you're working from can to can't every day but Sunday, you don't exactly have much time to pass on your religious or cultural heritage to your children.  This goes double if you're expected to attend church on Sunday with the people who own you and control your life.

3. It wouldn't surprise me (although it would be pretty horrible) if slaveowners and overseers beat the "superstitious heathenry" out of their slaves if the latter were ever seen practicing their native religions.  It was also easy to blame a slave for casting hoodoo curses on your household or livestock (see also Tituba, the slave woman who was essentially the first accused witch in Salem, MA).

4. The colonization of Africa in the 19th century basically did all of the same things, in new and horrible ways.

5. Not all of the West African peoples still practiced their native religions when the Europeans started enslaving them; Islam made it to Africa within about 200 years of Mohammed's death, and spread through pretty much all of the Sahara region.
"Half the reason that I like foreign music is because I can kid myself that "Shake dat ass" is more poetic in Hindi."
--Sanda

Move every 'sig.'  For great justice!

Offline Undecided

  • The boring one.
  • Bishop
  • ***
  • Posts: 152
  • Gender: Male
  • Amateur Obfuscator
Re: Why Are Black People Christian More Often Than Other People?
« Reply #25 on: October 08, 2012, 04:51:13 pm »
I am absolutely astonished that this thread has not turned into a flame war.
You mad, you lose.

People do not like to think. If one thinks, one must reach conclusions. Conclusions are not always pleasant.
Helen Keller
Le doute n'est pas une condition agréable, mais la certitude est absurde.
Voltaire

Offline SpaceProg

  • What you read is what you get.
  • The Beast
  • *****
  • Posts: 5507
  • Nocturnal
Re: Why Are Black People Christian More Often Than Other People?
« Reply #26 on: October 08, 2012, 05:00:27 pm »
We're all groovy, man. 

Offline KZN02

  • The Beast
  • *****
  • Posts: 881
  • Gender: Male
  • The Master of Tediousness
Re: Why Are Black People Christian More Often Than Other People?
« Reply #27 on: October 08, 2012, 06:28:46 pm »
I am absolutely astonished that this thread has not turned into a flame war.
I guess we are more smarter and wiser than we think.
What is, is not; what is not, is.

Distind

  • Guest
Re: Why Are Black People Christian More Often Than Other People?
« Reply #28 on: October 09, 2012, 11:04:03 am »
I am absolutely astonished that this thread has not turned into a flame war.
I guess we are more smarter and wiser than we think.
That'd be nice.

That said, the heavily religious community is having it's own issues. I've come across a few articles highlighting issues that African American women involved in church are having rather difficult times getting married, as the men are expected to fit both categories as well. So the trend may not hold a great deal longer.

Offline SpaceProg

  • What you read is what you get.
  • The Beast
  • *****
  • Posts: 5507
  • Nocturnal
Re: Why Are Black People Christian More Often Than Other People?
« Reply #29 on: October 09, 2012, 02:24:33 pm »
Does anyone want this thread to become a flame war?  Let's don't and say we did.