Why Blacks Should Deny Christianity

In support of my views on why we as African-Americans should not have anything to do with Christianity, I will present some of the tactics used by White Christians to mislead blacks, and justify their enslavement. The Bible was not just a random tool used to justify slavery, it was the CENTRAL tool. The claim goes back to the Old Testament where Ham looks upon the nakedness of his father Noah, and tells his brothers. Interestingly, Noah rattles off a curse, and viola, Ham is banished to be a slave of slaves. Here are the Biblical verses that support slavery: A disciple is not above the teacher, nor a slave above the master (Matt. 10:24) Who then is the faithful and wise slave, whom his master has put in charge of his household, to give the other slaves their allowance of food at the proper time? Blessed is that slave whom his master will find at work when he arrives. (Matt. 24:45-46) Although Jesus is using slavery in order to illustrate larger points, the question still remains why he would directly acknowledge the existence of slavery without saying anything negative about it? The letters (rightly or wrongly) attributed to Paul are even worse, making it clear that the existence of slavery is not only acceptable, but that slaves themselves should not presume to take the idea of freedom and equality preached by Jesus too far by attempting to escape their forced servitude. Let all who are under the yoke of slavery regard their masters as worthy of all honor, so that the name of God and the teaching may not be blasphemed. Those who have believing masters must not be disrespectful to them on the ground that they are members of the church; rather they must serve them all the more, since those who benefit by their service are believers and beloved. Teach and urge these duties. Whoever teaches otherwise and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that is in accordance with godliness, is conceited, understanding nothing, and has a morbid craving for controversy and for disputes about words. From these come envy, dissension, slander, base suspicions, and wrangling among those who are depraved in mind and bereft of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain. (1Tim. 6:1-5) Slaves, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, in singleness of heart, as you obey Christ; not only while being watched, and in order to please them, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart. (Eph. 6:5-6) Tell slaves to be submissive to their masters and to give satisfaction in every respect; they are not to talk back, not to pilfer, but to show complete and perfect fidelity, so that in everything they may be an ornament to the doctrine of God our Savior. (Titus 2:9-10) Slaves, accept the authority of your masters with all deference, not only those who are kind and gentle but also those who are harsh. For it is a credit to you if, being aware of God, you endure pain while suffering unjustly. If you endure when you are beaten for doing wrong, what credit is that? But if you endure when you do right and suffer for it, you have God's approval. (1Pet. 2:18-29) I can go on and on about the atrocities committed against Africans but I must bring to your attention that it didn't stop with us. The indigenous Americans were slaughtered by the millions, for their refusal to accept Christianity. I will not expound on these crimes, although they are worthy of mention, but what I would like to do is highlight the patterns of European aggression under the banner of Christianity, and its long reaching effects on other groups of people. The Bible was used to justify the injustices committed against not only non-white people, but sadly, against women. This is an issue that is rarely discussed, but deserves much attention. The Bible has been used and is continued to be used as a tool for oppression. What I find shocking is that the slaves were not allowed to read this book, which gave the whites so much authority over them, which reminded me of the fact that in the early Church history the Church had full control, over the Bible. There was not a King James version readily accessible in the pews. Protestants (meaning those that protested papal authority) initiated the movement to have scripture in the hands of the layman, and commoners hand. I see that Protestant, white Christians in the South, developed this same strategy, and keep a ignorant populace of slaves blind as to what the scripture actually said. This all seems ironic, as today, we remain just as blind to biblical and church history. The Bible was never intended to be in our hands, and as documented in history, Africans were never intended to be literate, informed, and empowered religiously. It strikes me oddly to have discussions with my community and it is discovered that they are not biblically literate. Of course, they are aware of Bible verses, but the understanding of how this all came to be is beyond their comprehension. Without a doubt, I am convinced, that it was intended to be this way, thus I write. This excerpt from a great book shows how interwoven the thought of slavery was to religion in white southerners. There was not a separation of slavery and religion, both supported each other, and one could not exist without the other. In Rebuilding Zion, The Religious Reconstruction of the South, 1863-1877, Daniel W. Stowell writes: Methodist Ell Gertrude Clanton Thomas, a member of the planter elite in Augusta, Georgia, owned more than ninety slaves; the Civil War destroyed much of her wealth, and she and her husband were “reduced from a state of affluence to comparative poverty.” Until emancipation, she had not realized “how intimately my faith in revelations and my faith in the institution of slavery had been woven together ... if the Bible was right then slavery must be — Slavery was done away with and my faith in God’s Holy Book was terribly shaken. For a time, I doubted God.” ... Reluctantly she admitted, “Our cause was lost. Good men had had faith to be lost? I was bewildered — I felt all this and could not see God’s hand.” To me, it is dangerous whenever the destiny of a race of people is defined by an interpretation of a religious book, that the people are not allowed to read, and once allowed to read the book, they can only envision themselves as slaves forever. The psychological impact of such a belief is devastating! It from the depths of this madness I write.