How many black atheists/agnostics do you know? (soul, sunday, cross)
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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.
I am black and agnostic, and have lived in both the south and northeast.
A large part of the reason black Americans are very religious is the same as why rural southern whites are very religious. Most blacks in this nation regardless of region are not more than a couple of generations removed from rural southern culture, and many rural southern traits endure within black america.
One of the biggest flaws in the AA comunity is the embrace of emotionalism and undervaluation of critical reason and objectivity.
This is in large part a blue collar rural southern cultural trait and is promoted by southern baptist worship traditions
Not sure if he counts as an Atheist/Agnostic, but I'm currently dating a black man who doesn't "subscribe" to any religion... he does claim to believe in G-d, but I think he says that mostly out of habit (and to avoid upsetting his religious family). In all honesty, I believe he's more of an Atheist than he admits.
I am black and agnostic, and have lived in both the south and northeast.
A large part of the reason black Americans are very religious is the same as why rural southern whites are very religious. Most blacks in this nation regardless of region are not more than a couple of generations removed from rural southern culture, and many rural southern traits endure within black america.
One of the biggest flaws in the AA comunity is the embrace of emotionalism and undervaluation of critical reason and objectivity.
This is in large part a blue collar rural southern cultural trait and is promoted by southern baptist worship traditions
You hit the nail square on the head. I observe this frustratingly every day and think the same. I am in total agreement here.
One of the biggest flaws in the AA comunity is the embrace of emotionalism and undervaluation of critical reason and objectivity.
This is in large part a blue collar rural southern cultural trait and is promoted by southern baptist worship traditions
Amen! I used to live in the south and became an agnostic down there. I realized how much the version of Christianity that has been beaten into black people for centuries has been one of the most effective tools at keeping us as a people mentally enslaved and docile. Of course, this doesn't go over very well with a lot of people in the Bible Belt (black or white), but it's my opinion. To me, seeing how many slick-talking huckster charlatan false prophets preying on weak and gullible people really sickens me. Too many people mistake "waiting on the Lord" as literally waiting for things to happen without understanding the concept of faith without works. A lot of people don't read the bible for themselves and just go by what "pastor said"
Not to mention that there are some white Christians who still believe in the Curse of Ham or that blacks were put on earth by God as "beasts of burden" to serve them. Now why would I want to be a part of something where you have people who believe that?
Last edited by Overcooked_Oatmeal; 10-20-2011 at 07:00 AM..
Amen! I used to live in the south and became an agnostic down there. I realized how much the version of Christianity that has been beaten into black people for centuries has been one of the most effective tools at keeping us as a people mentally enslaved and docile. Of course, this doesn't go over very well with a lot of people in the Bible Belt (black or white), but it's my opinion. To me, seeing how many slick-talking huckster charlatan false prophets preying on weak and gullible people really sickens me. Too many people mistake "waiting on the Lord" as literally waiting for things to happen without understanding the concept of faith without works. A lot of people don't read the bible for themselves and just go by what "pastor said"
Not to mention that there are some white Christians who still believe in the Curse of Ham or that blacks were put on earth by God as "beasts of burden" to serve them. Now why would I want to be a part of something where you have people who believe that?
I only know one: me. I'm not culturally African-American, though. Most true AAs that I know are either very religious or completely apathetic to it all.
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