How many black atheists/agnostics do you know? (born, abortion, Earth)
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Lost all contact with my family. Can't be myself or I will lose business. Dating has been a challenge. The sheer volume of emails I have gotten from men, particularly Black men, after I told them I was an atheist could be made into a book. I used to lie, but I just couldn't do it. Lying to them would have been wrong. Just not my thing. Have lost a lot of otherwise good friends after the "revelation" was revealed. Some were more traumatic than others, but losing people you love over this crap is a pain in the a**!
It has been a lonely road... But there have been some bright spots. I have met so many people who sympathize/empathize with my situation who were NOT Black. It has been comforting and given me the micro perspective of human beings. Go with the individual. The group is a red herring.
But knowing that I have ONE life to live has been a relief. Knowing that things don't happen for a reason, keeps me grounded. Knowing that doing the right thing is a choice I make, independent of a higher power, is empowering. Experiencing a world of science and nature has been beyond anything that could ever be written in the Bible. There has been a freedom to this life I have led so far, and I am grateful, to myself, that I have chosen to be brave and live it. There is just no other option for me.
Just my $.02....
This hits entirely too close to home, myself being a black male (you're female I'm assuming".
Since becoming comfortably enough to declare my lack of faith, my family has essentially stop talking to me. I have two close friends who genuinely don't care despite them being Christian. Same goes for dating, once its established that I'm an atheist most women don't immediately write me off but better yet invite me to church in attempts to "convert" me. This is highly annoying as it shows absolutely zero respect for ones personal beliefs (or lack there of in our case).
I think the true problem is that
1.)Blacks (and other minorities) are indoctrinated from birth.
2.) Its considered HIGHLY taboo to challenge what your parents teach you.
3.) Blacks often look to God in times of need instead of looking within themselves. I'd 85% of blacks feel that they are powerless without gods help. The irony in this statement is that the ones who subscribe to this belief are constantly at odds....economically, socially, etc....
4.) Not fitting in within the black community is social suicide.
5.) Afrocentrism plagues the black community.
I could go on and on but you know EXACTLY the points I'm going to make. We just have to surround ourselves with like minded individuals however rare they may be.
Its, very rare or in other words extremely rare to have a Black Athiest or Agnostic. For many Black Americans the Baptist church is part of there daily lives from community organizations to lending money and to even dating. The Church is the backbone of the Black community as it is with thier Wasp counterpart. Sadly enough the Black American community have alot of crime and they tend to hide behind thier beloved Jesus for forgiveness. I think Church and being African American is inseperable just how Jews and money is inseperable.
For the most part you are correct. I don't personally know of any other black atheist other than myself. Circumstances are indeed dire, but its not my job to hold someone else hand simply because we share the same skin color. Our ideologies are polar opposites.
For the most part you are correct. I don't personally know of any other black atheist other than myself. Circumstances are indeed dire, but its not my job to hold someone else hand simply because we share the same skin color. Our ideologies are polar opposites.
This is what I noticed, I live in NYC and I have alot of Black American friends and associates, they have a strong faith in there Jim Crow Baptist church. Its extremely rare to have a black athiest. I used to be a Catholic before I was an Athiest and Black AMericans thouoght Catholics were wierd. But What I find it sad that many Blacks in NYC commit majority of the crime in the city. Many of them come from god church loving families and these people end up serving felonies for long periods of time. I wonder if Black AMericans started believing less in god would they use better moral judgement in thier desicion making instead of beating up or shooting people, just talk it out, avoid and walk away, if trouble starts then use self defense and not pre emption like GWB.
I'm a little curious to the OP's question, since "atheism" should include ALL variations to a Higher Power, not just the Christian religion. Sure, the question pertains to people today. But have not Africans believed in a Higher Power (even the power of worshipping ancestors) since before recorded history, as the Native Indians have, and ancient Asia (India in particular)? These ancient beliefs have been the foundations for evolving religions in old parts of the world.
When slaves were brought here they were likely already servants to their own "tribal" (as someone described) religious practices.
I, personally, know no atheist/agnostic blacks. My neighbor next door is an agnostic, and I'm sure I work with several, but religion is never discussed and I don't socialize with them.
Thank-you so much for clarifying what I've been trying to say about Atheism. That is has to include ALL variations of a "higher power". Pseudo-Atheist are getting away with taking pot-shots at Christians for believing in a higher power when they do as well but somehow they think their belief does not count as "religious". I had an Atheist attacking Christians in one breath and in the next breath telling me that we have to take care of "Mother Earth". She was very worried about the PAIN "Mother Earth" was experiencing because of human beings and their "greed". And she thinks she's an Atheist!
By the way, my son and I are the only "descendants of American slaves" that I know who are Atheist- truly Atheist. My father was a Pseudo-Atheist. He was a Communist and "the Communist State" was his God and the 'Communist Manifesto' was his Bible.
It is certainly amazing to me how great of a stranglehold the Christian faith has on black people, most notably. It is so great that I am almost sure many of us who are black barely know 3 black people within our circle of family and/or friends who are avowed atheists or agnostics.
Thoughts.
Well, Atheism and level of education go hand in hand...so....I personally am not surprised at the stats. In fact, it's exactly what I would expect.
(Note: I know there are educated black people around, but I’m talking strictly statistics)
Only myself, and my cousin, although he is mixed, but we grew up in the same place. I'm friends online with some black atheists, but I don't actually know them.
This hits entirely too close to home, myself being a black male (you're female I'm assuming".
Since becoming comfortably enough to declare my lack of faith, my family has essentially stop talking to me. I have two close friends who genuinely don't care despite them being Christian. Same goes for dating, once its established that I'm an atheist most women don't immediately write me off but better yet invite me to church in attempts to "convert" me. This is highly annoying as it shows absolutely zero respect for ones personal beliefs (or lack there of in our case).
I think the true problem is that
1.)Blacks (and other minorities) are indoctrinated from birth.
2.) Its considered HIGHLY taboo to challenge what your parents teach you.
3.) Blacks often look to God in times of need instead of looking within themselves. I'd 85% of blacks feel that they are powerless without gods help. The irony in this statement is that the ones who subscribe to this belief are constantly at odds....economically, socially, etc....
4.) Not fitting in within the black community is social suicide.
5.) Afrocentrism plagues the black community.
I could go on and on but you know EXACTLY the points I'm going to make. We just have to surround ourselves with like minded individuals however rare they may be.
Congratulations on freeing yourself from religion. Doesn't work for everone. It's amazing that 3 of the largest religions all come from the middle east and control the minds of so many around the world today!
It is said that God created everything, both good and evil. Ok, so why then is it said that God is all good when he created evil 2. Sounds 2 me like God is bi-polar. and the whole fallen angel mythology of lucifer's fall from grace. Have u ever wondered why Lucifer rebelled against God? perhaps, Lucifer knew that God is a tyrant and a power mad individual who wants 2 subjegate the universe 2 His will. I remember a line from the animated movie based on the video game "Dante's Inferno" where Satan tells Dante as he seeks 2 slay the Devil in hell's 9th circle, "If you knew the true nature of God, you would rebel also" God says he loves u so much, yet stands by and does nothing when millions of innocent lives are destroyed everyday by evil people. at least with Satan, u know where he stands. but with God, he is wishy washy and flip flops on u. Religion is pure BS thats why i stopped believing all the nonsense of it. and another thing, who created God? we're supposed 2 just blindly accept he always was. total BS
i liked ur post. Black people have been systematically brainwashed by religion. so many african americans "Praise Jesus! Oh, praise the Lawd!" "He can make a way out of no way!" "He may not come when u call, but He's always on time!" being a black person myself i have seen dumb negroes constantly praising and praying 2 a God who doesnt give a squirrel fart about them. i believe black people couldve freed themselves from slavery way b4 Lincoln (and he didnt not out of genuineness any ways) had they not accepted the oppressive BS of Christianity. and all those simple minded black fools who follow Louis Farrakhan, Islam is just as oppressive. The arab, just like the white man, foced that nonsense on the Africans also
Thank-you so much for clarifying what I've been trying to say about Atheism. That is has to include ALL variations of a "higher power". Pseudo-Atheist are getting away with taking pot-shots at Christians for believing in a higher power when they do as well but somehow they think their belief does not count as "religious". I had an Atheist attacking Christians in one breath and in the next breath telling me that we have to take care of "Mother Earth". She was very worried about the PAIN "Mother Earth" was experiencing because of human beings and their "greed". And she thinks she's an Atheist!
By the way, my son and I are the only "descendants of American slaves" that I know who are Atheist- truly Atheist. My father was a Pseudo-Atheist. He was a Communist and "the Communist State" was his God and the 'Communist Manifesto' was his Bible.
Ok...so you a realo trulo atheist. Odd that you couldn't see that while this Atheist you claim to know and have a bit of an issue with her 'attacking Christianity' you couldn't see that, while presenting the very real and scientifically - demonstrated ecological concerns we have in a poetic and even anthropomorpized manner, you couldn't see that in no way makes her a theist.
I also have some reservations with your depiction of your father as a pseudo atheist and his 'god' being Communism.
While it is true that the cult of the Great leader and the mystique surrounding a lot of leaders takes on an almost religious aspect and the literature upon which that party Dogma is based can almost become like Holy writ - to be memorized and not questioned - I wonder whether someone not actually living in a communist country would actually be part of that quasi - religious community.
True, he may have been convinced by it and thought it the best plan for a state, but that is rather less than having a 'God' and 'Bible'.
It seems a bit too close to the accusations of Theists about Evolution and Science being the atheist Gods and the writings of Darwin and Dawkins our Holy Books. Are you sure you are for real an atheist? Frankly you don't sound like one.
"Pseudo-Atheist are getting away with taking pot-shots at Christians for believing in a higher power when they do as well but somehow they think their belief does not count as "religious".
Well, no, it doesn't. They don't because we don't have a God or a Dogma. We have no god - belief and a skeptical view of all claims without adequate evidential support. The claims of science are always under scrutiny and open to question. That is part of science and reasoning and we atheists wholly endorse that. It is the very antithesis of Dogma, much less quasi - religious Faith. I have sometimes been accused of reverencing science and logic like a religion, but that has always been by theists.
I'd be sorry to have to cross an atheist off the strength, but you really don't sound to me like one.
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Ok...so you a realo trulo atheist. Odd that you couldn't see that while this Atheist you claim to know and have a bit of an issue with her 'attacking Christianity' you couldn't see that, while presenting the very real and scientifically - demonstrated ecological concerns we have in a poetic and even anthropomorpized manner, you couldn't see that in no way makes her a theist. 
