I am not racist by any means. I do think that if it wasn't for slavery that African Americans wouldn't have taken in Christianity. I think that they would still adhere to the African gods and godesses.
Here is a list of African gods.
When white Europeans took Africans as slaves they were held under Christian beliefs. Over time these beliefs filtered into their culture. Today African Americans hold to such beliefs (most). I deduce this from prior and after. Prior to slavery they didn't know about Jesus and had their own gods. After slavery they have beliefs in Jesus. Some people in Africa still have their old gods.
Do you think that slavery played a part in Africans becoming Christian? Do most African Americans realize the connection?
African Americans and Christianity
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- Divine Insight
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Re: African Americans and Christianity
Post #2Absolutely. And Christian missionary work is the reason why people in various parts of Africa have been "converted" to Christianity as well.Nickman wrote: Do you think that slavery played a part in Africans becoming Christian?
No I don't believe they do. When I see an African American church upholding Christianity I immediately think to myself that these people are basically worshiping the God and religion of their original captors.Do most African Americans realize the connection?
Moreover, during the political elections I saw interviews with African American pastors and congregations who were supporting Romney and the Republicans because they felt that Obama was "anti-Christian" because Obama supports human rights for gays to marry whilst these African American Christians have been taught to be highly prejudiced against same-gender love.
It's unbelievable what religion can cause people to do.
Obama couldn't be anymore Christ-like if he tried.
I think if Jesus were alive today his greatest haters would be the Christians themselves. But that's getting into a whole different topic there.
But yeah, to me there is nothing sadder than to see a African Americans supporting Christianity. From my perspective that just reveals the fact that their culture truly was broken through slavery.
[center]
Spiritual Growth - A person's continual assessment
of how well they believe they are doing
relative to what they believe a personal God expects of them.
[/center]
Spiritual Growth - A person's continual assessment
of how well they believe they are doing
relative to what they believe a personal God expects of them.
[/center]
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Re: African Americans and Christianity
Post #3Nickman wrote: I am not racist by any means. I do think that if it wasn't for slavery that African Americans wouldn't have taken in Christianity. I think that they would still adhere to the African gods and godesses.
Here is a list of African gods.
When white Europeans took Africans as slaves they were held under Christian beliefs. Over time these beliefs filtered into their culture. Today African Americans hold to such beliefs (most). I deduce this from prior and after. Prior to slavery they didn't know about Jesus and had their own gods. After slavery they have beliefs in Jesus. Some people in Africa still have their old gods.
Do you think that slavery played a part in Africans becoming Christian? Do most African Americans realize the connection?
The very first Hebrew Isralites are blacks. (Line of Abraham etc.)
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Re: African Americans and Christianity
Post #4Black is a relative term. The children of Isreal were Chaldean and an admixture of people from other nations. Restrictions on marrage were primarily customary, prior to the conquest of Yehoshua. Those who left eygpt were also a mixed multitude. However, this argument is a little off topic. Nickman appears to be talking about those who were brought to these United States by force in the slave trade.
To the point of the OP. Yes, many slaves adopted the practices of their masters as a survival technique. It is my understanding that "liberation theology" and the day long assemblies of the "black" denominations come from the fact that many masters would allow slaves to avoid work on sundays, if they were attending "church". Also, the masters and straw bosses would not attend these services. Therefore, it was a perfect time to discuss politics and how they could mitigate the effects of a cruel master. That is why, for these denominations, christainty is as much or more about politics as it is about religious practices. In fact, political action is considered a religious practice.
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Re: African Americans and Christianity
Post #5bluethread wrote:Black is a relative term. The children of Isreal were Chaldean and an admixture of people from other nations. Restrictions on marrage were primarily customary, prior to the conquest of Yehoshua. Those who left eygpt were also a mixed multitude. However, this argument is a little off topic. Nickman appears to be talking about those who were brought to these United States by force in the slave trade.
To the point of the OP. Yes, many slaves adopted the practices of their masters as a survival technique. It is my understanding that "liberation theology" and the day long assemblies of the "black" denominations come from the fact that many masters would allow slaves to avoid work on sundays, if they were attending "church". Also, the masters and straw bosses would not attend these services. Therefore, it was a perfect time to discuss politics and how they could mitigate the effects of a cruel master. That is why, for these denominations, christainty is as much or more about politics as it is about religious practices. In fact, political action is considered a religious practice.
Well, that would ultimately mean the Africans in Africa are descendents of the Hebrew Isralites.(hence they are mixed). Indeed because they went against God not keeping his laws in the land of Khanaan they were enslaved again by the whites.
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Re: African Americans and Christianity
Post #6Please provide evidence that Hebrews were black. This goes against what we know about Hebrews. Also, You don't seem to understand the topic. African slaves had other gods that were not Hebrew gods or Christian gods. It wasn't until slavery by Christian captors that these African slaves began to adopt Christianity.TheTruth101 wrote:Nickman wrote: I am not racist by any means. I do think that if it wasn't for slavery that African Americans wouldn't have taken in Christianity. I think that they would still adhere to the African gods and godesses.
Here is a list of African gods.
When white Europeans took Africans as slaves they were held under Christian beliefs. Over time these beliefs filtered into their culture. Today African Americans hold to such beliefs (most). I deduce this from prior and after. Prior to slavery they didn't know about Jesus and had their own gods. After slavery they have beliefs in Jesus. Some people in Africa still have their old gods.
Do you think that slavery played a part in Africans becoming Christian? Do most African Americans realize the connection?
The very first Hebrew Isralites are blacks. (Line of Abraham etc.)
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Re: African Americans and Christianity
Post #7That is rather speculative. I would say that they where enslaved in european and american nations because they were sold to the slave traders by people from other tribes, since intertribal slavery was and still is acceptable in some parts of Africa.TheTruth101 wrote:bluethread wrote:Black is a relative term. The children of Isreal were Chaldean and an admixture of people from other nations. Restrictions on marrage were primarily customary, prior to the conquest of Yehoshua. Those who left eygpt were also a mixed multitude. However, this argument is a little off topic. Nickman appears to be talking about those who were brought to these United States by force in the slave trade.
To the point of the OP. Yes, many slaves adopted the practices of their masters as a survival technique. It is my understanding that "liberation theology" and the day long assemblies of the "black" denominations come from the fact that many masters would allow slaves to avoid work on sundays, if they were attending "church". Also, the masters and straw bosses would not attend these services. Therefore, it was a perfect time to discuss politics and how they could mitigate the effects of a cruel master. That is why, for these denominations, christainty is as much or more about politics as it is about religious practices. In fact, political action is considered a religious practice.
Well, that would ultimately mean the Africans in Africa are descendents of the Hebrew Isralites.(hence they are mixed). Indeed because they went against God not keeping his laws in the land of Khanaan they were enslaved again by the whites.
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Re: African Americans and Christianity
Post #8I agree with you DI. I find it odd that African Americans are against such issues and worshipping the deity of their captors but at the same time it makes sense due to their captivity. I think that if African Americans would look at the evolution of their culture that they would possibly denounce Christianity.Divine Insight wrote:Absolutely. And Christian missionary work is the reason why people in various parts of Africa have been "converted" to Christianity as well.Nickman wrote: Do you think that slavery played a part in Africans becoming Christian?
No I don't believe they do. When I see an African American church upholding Christianity I immediately think to myself that these people are basically worshiping the God and religion of their original captors.Do most African Americans realize the connection?
Moreover, during the political elections I saw interviews with African American pastors and congregations who were supporting Romney and the Republicans because they felt that Obama was "anti-Christian" because Obama supports human rights for gays to marry whilst these African American Christians have been taught to be highly prejudiced against same-gender love.
It's unbelievable what religion can cause people to do.
Obama couldn't be anymore Christ-like if he tried.
I think if Jesus were alive today his greatest haters would be the Christians themselves. But that's getting into a whole different topic there.
But yeah, to me there is nothing sadder than to see a African Americans supporting Christianity. From my perspective that just reveals the fact that their culture truly was broken through slavery.
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Re: African Americans and Christianity
Post #9Some have. In the 1960's, as part of the "Black Power" movement many converted to Islam. That is where the "Black Muslims", Nation of Islam and Lewis Farakan come from. They were, and I contend still are reactionary organizations. It is interesting that when Malcolm X returned from the middle east, where found out what Islam of the Karan is really about, he was assasinnated by the Nation of Islam.Nickman wrote:
I agree with you DI. I find it odd that African Americans are against such issues and worshipping the deity of their captors but at the same time it makes sense due to their captivity. I think that if African Americans would look at the evolution of their culture that they would possibly denounce Christianity.
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Re: African Americans and Christianity
Post #10Nickman wrote:Please provide evidence that Hebrews were black. This goes against what we know about Hebrews. Also, You don't seem to understand the topic. African slaves had other gods that were not Hebrew gods or Christian gods. It wasn't until slavery by Christian captors that these African slaves began to adopt Christianity.TheTruth101 wrote:Nickman wrote: I am not racist by any means. I do think that if it wasn't for slavery that African Americans wouldn't have taken in Christianity. I think that they would still adhere to the African gods and godesses.
Here is a list of African gods.
When white Europeans took Africans as slaves they were held under Christian beliefs. Over time these beliefs filtered into their culture. Today African Americans hold to such beliefs (most). I deduce this from prior and after. Prior to slavery they didn't know about Jesus and had their own gods. After slavery they have beliefs in Jesus. Some people in Africa still have their old gods.
Do you think that slavery played a part in Africans becoming Christian? Do most African Americans realize the connection?
The very first Hebrew Isralites are blacks. (Line of Abraham etc.)
Hagar and Katurah (who was a second wife and a concubine to Abraham)was black.
http://www.blacksinthebible.net/Hagardoc.htm
Now you kind of see why the Africans were enslaved and have kids dying of starvation and full of diseases (AIDS) and etc.
All cursed again for leaving God why he freed them in the first place.