For centuries, Christianity has been used by white supremacists as a tool of oppression against people of color. More recently, Christianity has been used to justify the subjugation of black people through their enslavement and later segregation. Despite this, the black community has often been attracted to Christianity, “the religion of their oppressors,” for numerous reasons, including the hope for liberation (Brown Douglas xii). Black people raised in the Christian tradition have also rejected the religion in recognition of its unjust qualities. The challenge facing black Christians and those who deny white supremacy is whether to have faith in the liberating and positive aspects of Christianity, or to doubt the religious institution in light of its history of oppression. …show more content…
The book begins with anecdotes about the defamation of black bodies by white people and by Christianity itself. When speaking about his adolescence, Baldwin writes that “Owing to the way I had been raised, the abrupt discomfort that all this aroused in me and the fact that I had no idea what my voice or my mind or my body was likely to do next caused me to consider myself one of the most depraved people on earth” (Baldwin 17). The platonized Christian tradition that Baldwin was a part of saw the body, and especially the black body, as a symbol of sin, and so the onset of puberty became a source of guilt because of its association with sexuality (Brown Douglas
As a witness for blacks who were voiceless and ignored, he speaks out against the white church for saying little about slavery and racial justice. His passion for social justice comes from growing up in Arkansas in the Jim Crow era. The memories of his father and lynch mobs never left him. Black church comforted him, but made him wonder. “If the white churches are Christian, how come they segregate us?
The author of “Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl” noticed the hypocrisy of southern Christians as well. For instance, Brent mentioned an occurrence when her mother was promised freedom for her children by a woman who claimed to be a good Christian and a friend. This woman also taught Brent that she was expected to “love thy neighbor as thyself” [page 16]. Yet, Brent was not freed, but managed as a piece of
1. Fredrick Douglass witnessed harsh and violent actions throughout his slave life, as slave owners utilized Christianity as a justification for these actions and for the system of slavery. Douglass experienced this religious abuse throughout his life as a slave. However, in 1832, when he began working for Captain Auld, he witnessed the misuse of religion in the setting of a violent action. After Auld whipped a young woman, he justified his actions by quoting the Bible: “He that knoweth his master’s will, and doeth it not, shall be beaten with many strips” (33).
It is mainly about his relationship with his father and how after his father passed away he realized how his anger and rage, which was depicted as a disease, was legitimate. His father was a paranoid, bitter old man who had a very profound hatred of white people. He used to warn his son that they were “not to be trusted.” Baldwin never understood his father’s hatred for white people; he did not understand that because his father was of the first generation of African Americans to be free that he faced a lot of racism growing up. They never understood why this bitter old man hated the white race so much; all they knew was that his hatred consumed him so much that in the end it was what killed him.
In The Fire Next Time, author James Baldwin describes with graphic detail the struggles of the black community. “The whores and pimps and racketeers on the Avenue had become a personal menace…my friends began to drink and smoke, and embarked-at first avid, then groaning-on their sexual careers” (Baldwin 16). The African-American community is plagued with an economic problem; jobs and money have been cut off from the grasps of families, and desperate men have often turned to habits of drinking, gambling, and drug abuse. Even (insert however many years ago it was) years ago, black communities faced these problems.
He had a revelation about religion and it was that “Christ himself was hiding in weakness,” therefore real faith comes out of those experiencing hardships. (p.118) Here, he became truly interested in the oppressed, confused by how Christianity and racism—paradoxical in his mind— can coexist. His “six-month immersion in American black Christianity” can be construed as the foreshadowing of his passion for resistance against the German Christians and Nazi regime who were persecuting the Jewish people.
Dailey stages the allegation of miscegenation being the root religious civil rights issues with the theology of Segregation, the effects of the Brown decision, and the Ministers march. As a whole, Dailey emphasizes the importance of the testimonies that segregation was “the commandment and law of God”. Also, that most historians tend to “pass” over this topic, condemning “the most lasting triumph of the civil rights movement: its successful appropriation of Christian Dogma” (Dailey 122). “…why
Some people would even go as far into believing that without the Christian religion then African Americans would still be enslaved and/or would still be living without equal rights, because Christianity not only gave African Americans hope but the empowerment to make change. However, people forget the vast history of countries, empires, and even people who fought against oppression, slavery, and tyranny without the Christian religion but with the knowing of right
Douglass’s words that captured such “veracity” is his saying that “slaveholder’s profession of Christianity is a palpable imposture” (xiv). The strong declaration, which gained many witnesses, proves his first-hand experience with slavery and therefore, justifies his credibility, regarding his religious persecution. Through this, he proves that Christianity, as they call it, is an illicit form of religion bent toward justifying white slaveowners’ actions while praying for “heavenly union” (Douglass 106). In the following occurrences, Douglass provides insight into the religious masking that Christian slaveholders use to cover-up the unjust treatment of their slaves, shining light onto the misinterpreted cult they have formed to justify their crimes and the effect religion has upon the white dominant culture
In this analysis of religion in the Civil war south, Paul Harvey uses race and culture in describing southern religion in both priestly and prophetic. Paul Harvey argues the profound faith of believers in the civil war south. Harvey bases his analysis on three major points. First, theological racism, second racial interchange and third, Christian interracialism. Harvey concludes that even though theological racism dominated in the beginning, interracial exchanges and Christian interracial encounters fueled the civil rights movement and reversed racism in the post civil war south.
One of his most powerful aphorisms reads as follows: “You were born where you were born and faced the future that you faced because you were black and for no other reason” (Baldwin 7). This aphorism makes the reader (his nephew) feel like a victim
In Albert Raboteau’s Slave Religion, I expected to read a book dripping with rant-filled commentary. Judging the book solely on its cover, I would not normally pick up –or even read– a book that did not jump out at me from the design on the cover, and this book did not jump out. However, Raboteau’s depiction of the life of the slave did jump out at me. In elementary and high school, teachers briefly touch on the topic of slavery and its role in America, but religion is never touched on with slavery –at least my teachers never taught them together. So finally getting to learn the two side by side, it was fascinating to see how Africans created a version of their own religion of Christianity.
In black theology the goal is to discern what God is up to and how God is working on behalf of the downtrodden and fighting for them against their oppressors. This line of thinking led Cone to make the bold claim, which must have been quite shocking and offensive, especially to white Christians in the late 60s and early 70s, that “any message that is not related to the liberation of the poor in the society is not Christ 's message,” which for him meant that “Christian theology must become Black Theology” that has as its primary consideration the needs of the oppressed and marginalized in society
The way in which Baldwin describes his first encounter with what would become his church home is important to the narrative that follows and shows a remorseful recollection of the events. Baldwin describes the event as becoming involved in “the church racket” as he “surrendered to a spiritual seduction” (5). As Baldwin was young at the time, his decision to use the word “seduction” showcases a predator- prey relationship that was used to lure him into the church. It also alludes to the pimp/prostitute relationship that he mentions became a way of life for some of the people he grew up with. This was a clear and direct choice that Baldwin made to connect the church and the streets and show that their lifestyles were ultimately not very different from one
The Reality of Religion Religion is a thing that brings people together, but in some cases, it’s the very force that tears people apart. When people are first introduced to it, it can either be a blessing or burden. In the narrative Blackboy, by Richard Wright, Richard describes his life growing up in the South during Jim Crow laws. He faces a great deal of oppression during his lifetime, but some of the most difficult conflicts he faces are with religion and his own family. Since a young age, Richard’s family was very religious, and they wanted Richard to follow in this path as well.