Why are Black people still Christian?
Summary
TLDRThis video explores the complex relationship between Black Americans and Christianity, questioning why 79% still identify as Christians despite the historical role of the religion in their oppression. The host speaks with Claudia Allen, a Christian preacher, and Dr. Anthony Pinn, a religious scholar turned atheist, who offer contrasting views. The discussion touches on slavery, the exploitation of Black communities, and the role of the Black church in social justice. It ultimately asks deep existential questions about faith, suffering, and whether God is on the side of Black people.
Takeaways
- 📜 Christianity has been historically used by white Christians to justify slavery, often manipulating Bible verses and theology to support their actions.
- 💒 Despite Christianity being used as a tool of oppression, a significant majority of Black Americans (79%) still identify as Christians, more than any other group in the U.S.
- ❓ The existential question posed: Does God hate Black people? This is driven by the fact that darker-skinned people face discrimination globally, often being at the bottom of social hierarchies.
- 📖 Religious scholar Anthony Pinn argues that there's little historical evidence to suggest that God is on the side of the oppressed, particularly Black people, citing their continued suffering.
- ✝️ Claudia Allen, a Christian preacher, argues that Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection are deeply tied to the suffering experienced by Black and brown people, positioning Jesus as a figure of liberation for the oppressed.
- 🌍 The conversation contrasts historical Black Christianity and its ties to African origins, such as in Ethiopia and Ghana, with the colonizer's manipulation of religion to subjugate African people.
- 🏛️ The Black church has historically been a platform for political and social progress for Black Americans, with leaders like Henry McNeal Turner asserting a strong sense of racial pride, including the idea that 'God is a Negro.'
- 📉 However, the Black church has also been critiqued for its shortcomings, particularly in addressing issues beyond race, such as gender, sexuality, and respectability politics.
- 🧠 Increasing numbers of Black people are identifying as atheists or secular humanists, questioning the role and relevance of the church in their lives and responding to movements like Black Lives Matter.
- 🤔 The speaker reflects on their own journey through Christianity, noting that reading the entire Bible reveals a message of liberation for the oppressed, and that anti-Blackness is a choice made by people, not a product of God's will.
Q & A
Why does the speaker believe Christianity has been a tool of oppression for Black people?
-The speaker argues that Christianity has historically been used to justify and maintain systems of oppression, including slavery. White Christians used Bible verses to justify enslaving Black people, and some even refused to baptize them at one point, fearing it might conflict with enslavement. Christianity has also been exploited by prosperity preachers who have taken advantage of Black communities.
What is the paradox the speaker highlights about Black Americans and Christianity?
-The paradox is that despite Christianity being historically used as a tool of oppression, a staggering 79% of Black Americans identify as Christians, which is higher than any other group in the U.S. This contradiction leads to the speaker questioning why Black people continue to adhere to a faith that has been used against them.
What key question does Dr. Anthony Pinn raise about God and Black suffering?
-Dr. Pinn asks whether God hates Black people, given that they have disproportionately suffered throughout history. He questions why, if God is loving, kind, and compassionate, Black people continue to endure more suffering than other groups, suggesting that this might imply divine indifference or even dislike toward Black people.
How does Claudia Allen counter Dr. Pinn’s argument about Black suffering and Christianity?
-Claudia Allen counters by arguing that Black and brown people’s experiences of suffering are akin to the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. She claims that no other group has endured suffering in a way that mirrors Christ’s story, which is why she sees Jesus as experientially, if not racially, Black.
What historical argument does Claudia present to suggest that Christianity is not solely the religion of oppressors?
-Claudia highlights that Christianity was present in Africa long before European colonization, citing Ethiopia’s Christian heritage and the Akan people of Ghana, who had creation narratives similar to those of the Hebrew Bible. This indicates that Christianity had African roots, contradicting the notion that it is purely a 'white man's religion.'
How did the Black church historically function as a political and economic force in the U.S.?
-The Black church served as one of the first organizations that was for and by Black people. It provided an economic foundation for Black ministers and communities, allowing them to advocate for the well-being of Black people without fear of losing their livelihood. It also became a center for political mobilization and community empowerment.
What is Dr. Pinn’s critique of the Black church’s handling of issues beyond race?
-Dr. Pinn critiques the Black church for focusing almost exclusively on race while failing to adequately address other forms of oppression, such as gender, sexuality, and economic issues. He argues that the church’s respectability politics often prevented it from engaging more expansively with these other dimensions of marginalization.
Why are more Black people identifying as atheists or secular humanists today, according to Dr. Pinn?
-Dr. Pinn suggests that more Black people are becoming comfortable naming themselves as atheists or secular humanists because the dominance of the Black church is being legitimately challenged. Movements like Black Lives Matter, the rise of social media, and cultural shifts in thinking have provided new frameworks for Black people to engage with the world outside of religious traditions.
What personal reasons does the speaker give for continuing to identify as a Christian?
-The speaker cites three reasons: (1) Christianity is an Eastern religion that needs to be understood separately from its Westernized, capitalist form; (2) he has read the Bible and sees that it presents God as being on the side of the oppressed; and (3) the Bible emphasizes human choice, and he believes much of the harm done in history is the result of human decisions, not divine will.
How does the speaker reconcile the Bible’s portrayal of Jesus with the suffering of Black people?
-The speaker suggests that the Bible, when read in its entirety, shows Jesus as someone who lived in poverty, challenged systems of oppression, and identified with the marginalized. This portrayal of Jesus resonates with the Black experience of suffering and offers a message of hope and liberation for oppressed people.
Outlines
🚢 The Dark History of Christianity and Slavery
This paragraph explores the historical relationship between Christianity and the oppression of Black people, beginning with the slave trade. It highlights how Christianity was used to justify slavery, with white Christians manipulating theology to enslave baptized Black individuals. The paragraph critiques the role of prosperity preachers in exploiting Black parishioners and raises the provocative question: why do so many Black people still identify as Christians despite this history of oppression?
📉 The Global Disparity for Darker-Skinned People
This section questions whether God favors or dislikes Black people, citing the global mistreatment of darker-skinned individuals. It discusses the pervasive social hierarchies that place Black people at the bottom, even in Black-majority nations, where skin-lightening products are popular. The paragraph reflects on Africa's immense resources and rich cultural history but laments how colonial powers have devastated the continent without consequences. It calls into question the role of divine justice in alleviating centuries of suffering.
✝️ A Personal Journey with Christianity and Doubt
The speaker reflects on their personal experience with faith, once a pastor who traveled the world preaching, baptizing, and teaching. They mention how persistent questions have gnawed at their belief system, leading them to seek answers. This search led them to interviews with two individuals—Claudia Allen, a devout Christian preacher, and Dr. Anthony Pinn, a former pastor turned atheist—both offering different perspectives on Christianity's role in the Black community.
🧐 Dr. Pinn's Critical View on God's Relationship with Black People
In this section, Dr. Anthony Pinn, a scholar and atheist, challenges the notion that God is on the side of the oppressed, specifically Black people. He questions the historical evidence supporting the idea that God has acted on behalf of Black people in North America, arguing that every moment of progress is countered by systemic setbacks. Pinn provocatively suggests that if God exists, He may not favor Black people, given their disproportionate suffering.
📖 Claudia's Argument: Jesus as a Symbol for Black Suffering
Claudia Allen offers a counterpoint to Dr. Pinn, arguing that Jesus Christ's life mirrors the suffering of Black and brown people, though not racially Black, but experientially. She recounts the story of Jesus, born into poverty and subjected to state-sanctioned violence, drawing parallels to the struggles of marginalized people today. Allen asserts that Jesus' life and resurrection are a reflection of the lived experiences of Black and brown communities, suggesting that Christianity is deeply connected to their narrative.
🌍 Black Christianity's Ancient Roots and Misconceptions
This part debunks the myth that Christianity is merely a 'white man's religion,' by emphasizing its deep historical presence in Africa, particularly Ethiopia. Claudia highlights the continent's rich Christian tradition that predates European colonialism, pointing out that Christianity in Africa was not simply imposed but organically evolved in various regions. The paragraph also reflects on how Christianity has historically been both a source of empowerment and a tool for oppression within the Black community.
⚖️ The Black Church's Dual Role in Social Justice and Conservatism
This paragraph explores how Black churches have historically navigated the intersection of religion and politics, producing leaders like Henry McNeal Turner who challenged white supremacy by asserting that 'God is a Negro.' While the Black church has been pivotal in fostering community and social justice, it has also struggled with issues like gender, sexuality, and respectability politics. The focus on racial justice has often sidelined other forms of marginalization, such as those faced by women, LGBTQ individuals, and other minorities.
🎤 Secularism and the Growing Challenge to the Black Church
This section addresses the rise of secularism among Black people, particularly in the wake of movements like Black Lives Matter, which has challenged the traditional dominance of the Black church. It points out how new cultural influences, such as hip-hop, have reshaped religious thought, with artists like Tupac and Jay-Z reinterpreting religious themes. The influence of secular humanism and the growing number of Black atheists reflect a shift away from institutional religion as Black communities rethink their spiritual and social engagement.
🤔 Deconstructing Faith: The Author’s Personal Reassessment
In this segment, the speaker confesses to going through a 'deconstruction' of their faith, grappling with discomfort around modern Christian nationalism. They explain why they still resonate with Christianity despite its flaws. First, Christianity’s Middle Eastern roots separate it from the modern Western version. Second, reading the Bible holistically reveals that God sides with the oppressed. Third, they highlight the Bible’s recurring theme of choice and human responsibility, suggesting that anti-Black oppression is a product of human choices, not divine will.
📚 Colonialism, Christianity, and the Power of Choice
The speaker challenges the notion that God is responsible for the historical and ongoing oppression of Black people, arguing instead that these are the consequences of human choice. By revisiting the writings of white colonialists, they show how anti-Black policies were deliberate decisions. The paragraph emphasizes that understanding the Bible correctly involves recognizing that human free will plays a central role, and blaming God for systemic oppression is a misreading of scripture.
🙏 Hope and Resilience: The Black Church’s Legacy
The final paragraph reflects on why many Black people remain Christians despite a long history of suffering. The speaker suggests that the promise of a better future, as outlined in the Bible, offers powerful hope. They acknowledge the therapeutic role of faith and how the Black church, despite its flaws, has been a vehicle for creating art, expression, and movements that have profoundly influenced the world. The speaker concludes by inviting discussion on faith and Christianity within their community.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Slavery
💡Prosperity Preachers
💡Oppression
💡Colonialism
💡Theology
💡African Christianity
💡Black Atheism
💡Respectability Politics
💡Jesus as Black
💡Black Church
Highlights
One of the first slave ships that brought black people to the New World was named 'Jesus,' and white Christians used Bible verses to justify slavery.
There was a time when white Christians wouldn't baptize black people because they were unsure if it was acceptable to enslave fellow Christians.
Black and white prosperity preachers have scammed millions of dollars from faithful black parishioners living in American slums.
Despite Christianity being used as a tool of oppression for black people, 79% of black Americans identify as Christians, a higher percentage than any other group in the U.S.
Dr. Anthony B. Pinn, a religious scholar and former pastor turned atheist, questions if there is any historical evidence that God is on the side of the oppressed.
Claudia Allen, a Christian preacher, argues that no group has experienced suffering akin to the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ like black and brown people.
Dr. Pinn challenges black Christians by arguing that perhaps black people are not God's 'favored community' like the Israelites but rather more akin to the Canaanites, who suffered.
Claudia Allen presents the argument that Jesus, while not racially black, was experientially black due to his lived experiences of poverty, oppression, and unjust execution.
African nations, such as Ethiopia, had direct connections with early Christianity, receiving teachings from disciples of Jesus, dispelling the notion that Christianity is solely a 'white man’s religion.'
The black church in the U.S. became the first organization by and for black people, playing a crucial role in nurturing the political and social activism of black Americans.
The dominance of the black church has been increasingly challenged, particularly by the rise of secular humanism, atheism, and the spiritual but not religious movement within the black community.
The hip-hop community has contributed to the rethinking of religious identity, with artists like Kanye West, Tupac, and Jay-Z referencing themselves as gods or religious figures.
Henry McNeal Turner, a black preacher from the late 1800s, boldly claimed that 'God is a Negro' and argued that the U.S. flag was a 'dirty rag' until black people were treated properly.
Slave owners deliberately removed parts of the Bible, such as the Book of Exodus, from 'slave Bibles' to prevent black people from being radicalized by stories of liberation.
The Bible, when read in full, reveals a narrative where God is on the side of the oppressed and against the oppressors, even when the oppressors are his chosen people.
Transcripts
one of the first slaveships that brought
black people to the new world was named
Jesus white Christians used Bible verses
and bible stories to justify slavery
there was a time when white Christians
wouldn't baptize black people because
they weren't sure if it was okay to
enslave Christians they quickly changed
their theology baptized their black
slaves and forthrightly sent them back
to the fields to work four both black
and white Prosperity preachers have
scammed millions of dollars from
faithful black parishioners living in
American slums five it is an undeniable
fact that Christianity has been a tool
of Oppression for black people all
throughout the world and yet today black
Americans identify as Christians at a
staggering 79% higher than any other
group in this country so the question is
why are black people still Christians
and and while we're at it I I actually
think there's a more pressing more
existential question that needs an
answer does God hate black people in
nearly every country on every continent
around the world darker skinned people
are treated poorly by nearly every
measurable standard so-called black
people are at the bottom of the social
hierarchy everywhere so much so that a
majority black countries like Haiti and
Nigeria skin lightning creams are wildly
popular anything to gain some proximity
to whiteness and some distance from
Blackness Africa is Rich with natural
resources boundless human potential
unfathomable wisdom and Brilliant
cultural traditions and yet Colonial
Powers have have pillaged exploited and
divided Nations and people in ways that
are frankly irreparable all without
consequence I mean I don't know you
think that God would help us out a
little bit we've been through a lot God
maybe there's a there's a Bible verse
that that we can look to and the Lord
will make you the head and not the tail
you shall be above only and not be
beneath who is this verse about not only
do black people identify as Christians
at a higher rate half of black Americans
report attending church at least once a
week I was one of them in fact I was a
pastor for a number of years I've
preached all over the country and world
I've given Bible studies I've baptized
folks I have been in it and these
questions have been nagging me for a
while so in this video we're going to
get some answers I talked to a couple of
people one of them is my friend Claudia
uh my name is Claudia Allen she is
easily one of the most conscious people
I know she's well read tapped into
history and literature A person who is
thinking about race class and Power in
very critical ways but she's also a
Christian a preacher and a committed
member of her church there is no other
people group on the face of the planet
who has experienced the kind of
suffering that is akin to the life death
and resurrection of Jesus Christ like
black and brown people no other group
since she is well aware of what's
happening in in the world I wanted to
hear her reasons for Keeping the Faith
but I also spoke to Dr Anthony B pen
well my birth name is Anthony Bernard
pen but most folks over the course of my
life called me Tony he's a religious
scholar a former Pastor just like me and
now an atheist and I think his
perspective is important in this
conversation where is the historical
evidence to support the claim that God
is on the side of the oppressed right
what is the historical evidence that
suggests God is on the side of black
folks in North America working on their
behalf because every moment of progress
has been countered and if you stick
around at the end I'll share how I'm
thinking about my faith today so let's
dig
in I first encountered Dr pinn's work
when I was in seminary I couldn't find
the exact article that I read way back
when but it essentially argued that
there is no God but if there was a God
he clearly hated black people does God
hate black people I mean I I I think
that's an important question a question
that too many black theists have ignored
right if you look at our experience it
is overwhelmingly tied to suffering and
true all folks suffer but this is
disproportionate and unto death and it
ought to force us to raise the question
if God is loving kind just and
compassionate and concerned with folks
and can make stuff happen and black
folks still still suffer
disproportionately then maybe that God
doesn't like black
people cuz white folks in general right
as a group seem to be doing all
right black folks as a whole not doing
so well and forget about the kind of
misery that black women
face or black Trans folks I forget about
that kind of misery just in general
there is an overwhelming experience of
misery and again if God is loving kind
just compassionate concerned with folks
and can make stuff happen and black
folks are disproportionately suffering
then maybe God doesn't like black folks
it's a wrestled it's a question that's
got to be wrestled with and black
Christians in particular haven't
wrestled with it because they read the
Bible assuming they are the favored
Community right they are the equivalent
of the children of Israel but if you
look at our experience in the context of
North America you can make a reasonable
argument perhaps a more reasonable
argument that we are the Canaanites the
moabites the Hittites the folks who get
a
whooping right so it seems to me that is
a question that is Central that has to
be wrestled with but black theists have
ignored it on the other hand Christians
like Claudia would argue that Dr pin is
wrong and that the life of Jesus is
proof that he is wrong the reason I I
would would say there is a case for
Christ as black as res and not
necessarily racially got to be clear not
necessarily racially black but
experientially black and that case is
that this God put on human
flesh and when he was born was born in
the midst of a
genocide flees to Egypt with his parents
as a Refugee seeking Asylum to then grow
up in a working class community of
Nazareth black and brown people who were
uh had no socioeconomic wealth or uh
political position or station and this
brown
man um who hid in
Egypt uh
literally um goes about the Gaza
Strip teaching brown people about
Creator God he was disrupting the
cultural system of not speaking to women
he disrupted the cultural system of of
not engaging with the unlearned he
touched the lepers he healed the sick um
and then because he did all of those
things he is falsely
accused and he's arrested in the middle
of the night and we just got out of
Easter weekend right they take him all
right and he's literally before the
Sanhedrin they are desperately trying to
pin him for a crime he did not commit he
dies in the middle of two criminals with
the ex with the greatest grossest
execution known to human history there
is no other people group on the face of
the planet who has experienced the kind
of suffering that is akin to the life
death and resurrection of Jesus Christ
like black and brown people no other
group in human history and what is
fascinating about that to me Garrison is
that black and brown people make up 80%
of Humanity on the globe a very
small m minority group is currently
experiencing Global power and their
lived
experience is not that of a crucified
savior it is that of a Roman and
religious
power that is why we can say like James
con that Jesus was black I grew up in
the West End of Atlanta which means that
for as long as I can remember I've heard
Hebrew Israelites and five perers and
folks in the Nation of Islam describe
Christianity as the white man's religion
this idea that black Christians were
essentially worshiping the god of their
oppressor and Claudia had something to
say about the history of Christianity in
black or African possession I think
everyone knows that Ethiopia has always
been a Christian Nation um but Ethiopia
also was at this really important
intersection of international trade we
get Ethiopia as this Christian Nation
because they had constant contact with
the direct Disciples of Jesus Christ who
were eyewitnesses to his life death and
Resurrection um but then even outside of
Ethiopia even if we go to Ghana with the
aan people um who also had their own
creation narrative that is very similar
uh to the creation Narrative of the
Hebrew scriptures where they even name
deed the Creator God uh the god of
Saturday right so there has always been
this uh very
present um belief in the judeo-christian
God on the continent far prior to the
the Portuguese first coming um to take
slaves in 1471 and while Christianity
has been an incredibly powerful and
positive force in the black community
Community nurturing our most Progressive
and effective voices it's impossible to
ignore the most regressive elements
present in the FI well from very early
on black church figures tried to
publicly reimagine the position of black
folks within the context United States
yeah so one of my favorites is Henry
mcneel Turner Henry mcneel Turner in the
late 1800s in Atlanta Georgia argued
that God is a Negro
pause
1800s Atlanta Georgia God is a Negro he
also argued that the flag of the United
States is a dirty Rag and will remain so
until black folks are treated
properly so you get these sorts of
figures who are moving between the
church and political life right he holds
several
appointments other ministers are are
moving into political office and then
you move through the decades and you get
someone like Adam Clayton PA Junior
right so you get churches that are sure
enough involved in the political process
and this was fruitful one because these
churches were economically
independent so these ministers by and
large could work for the well-being of
black folks without worrying about
paychecks the black church was the first
organization for and by for and by black
folks so the church becomes an easy
mechanism black folks could use to be be
involved it gave them a theology that
included them they were made in the
image of God yes that black folks had
deep importance and and significance and
provided them with opportunities to live
that in public both as individuals and
as a
collective so the black church has
played that sort of role but the black
church has played that role almost
exclusively in relationship to race so
it hasn't dealt well with issues of
gender and sex ISM forget about its
ability to deal with sexuality what
happens to a trans population within
black churches right so they worked hard
to try to get race right but we are not
onedimensional beings right we are not
beings who are simply defined by
anti-blackness in terms of race there
are a variety of ways in which this
Society has tried to marginalize if not
kill us and black churches have been
reluctant to address that I think one of
the short shortcomings of black churches
why they have not been willing to engage
a much more expansive agenda is because
of respectability
politics if we look like white folks if
we sound like white folks if we
structure our individual and Collective
lives in ways that mimic white folks
they will have to appreciate us so we've
reached the point again where black
churches the the dominance of black
churches is being consistently
challenged by pointing out its
shortcomings and we also have new
vocabulary new grammar new ways of
naming our positions in the world that
are enhanced and spread so very
effectively through social media so
black folks know their options they know
I'm a secular humanist and I'm not alone
why is that why are more black people
identifying as atheist um today wh why
is that happening why are more black
folks identifying as atheists today I I
think what is happening is um a greater
degree of comfort with naming what they
have
been right black atheist and secular
humanist didn't just pop on the scene
recently we have
existed but we've reached a moment in
history in which the dominance of the
black church
is being legitimately challenged right
legitimately challenged and this has
been more graphic over the past three
decades with the spiritual but not
religious right or the those who claim
no particular religious affiliation the
percentage of black folks who move in
one of those two directions is
noteworthy the dominance of the black
church has been
fractured in more recent years I think
some of that is a result of the ways in
which black lives matters for example
has given us opportunity to rethink our
engagement with the world and to rethink
our meaning making processes and to
think black life in ways that push
against the ways in which black churches
have confined it it's also the case that
if you think in terms of hip-hop a major
influence within the context United
States there has been a softening a
signifying a rethinking of these
dominant the IC themes so Tupac is Black
Jesus the patron saint of
thugs or on Crown Jay-Z says you're in
the presence of King scratch that you're
in the presence of a
God or Kanye West says I am a
God right so you get this kind of
rethinking that has been in place for a
while cuz the 5centers for example argue
we getting this all wrong cuz the black
man is God this is where the Nation of
Islam falls short for them Nation of
Islam says created in the image of Allah
5% are say no we are Gods right so there
has been a softening a
reworking a rethinking of these
categories for a good stretch of time
okay so confession time I'm a Christian
you're probably not surprised by that
but I will say that I've gone through a
kind of deconstruction I don't like that
term I think it's a bit overused but
these for me are shifts and Evolutions
in my faith that that often leave me
feeling uncomfortable with all of the
assumptions and baggage present in
calling myself a Christian most of that
discomfort is because of the way
Christians have chosen to represent
themselves in politics over the last 20
to 30 Years Christian nationalism is a
mind virus it is a cancer in the church
titles in nomenclature aside here's why
I still resonate with the Christian
faith I have three reasons first
Christianity is a middle eastern or more
accurately a NE Eastern religion which
means it should be rightly understood
within an Eastern framework for me in
order to give Christianity a fair Shake
I have to understand it separately from
the bastardized version we know today
I'll come back to that in my third point
the cultural context of the Bible's
authors and main characters would not
align with the money hungry capitalistic
structures we know today this means that
success in the biblical narrative exists
almost exclusively outside of the
confines of worldly possession or wealth
accumulation our top- down precon
ception about who is favored and who
isn't simply do not fit within the
framework of the biblical narrative in
fact the ultimate main character of the
book Jesus was a middle eastern Jewish
man who was born in a barn lived as a
nomad owned no earthly possessions
believed in sweeping debt forgiveness
and constantly criticized the
exploitative practices of businessmen
church grifters and oppressive
governments second and this is connected
I've read the book slave owners
frequently cut out critical parts of the
biblical iCal narrative to stop black
people from learning the whole story
books like The Exodus were removed from
slave Bibles because those stories were
too radicalizing for the enslaved to
have access to this is one of the great
ironies of the anti-black book bands
taking place across the country they're
acting just like their grandfathers who
thought they could ban radicalizing
books from the Bible slave preachers
were brought onto plantations to preach
about how the Bible commands the
enslaved to obey their masters that's
Ephesians chapter 6 but they were not
allowed to preach verses in the book
just before Galatians chter 3 which says
that the slave and the free are made
equals in Christ Jesus when you read the
book the whole book it is clear that God
is squarely on the side of the oppressed
and decidedly against the oppressor even
when the oppressors are his people more
on that in a bit I've read the New
Testament like the Book of Luke where
Jesus says that his singular mission is
to bring Liberation to the oppressed
Jesus goes on to present a powerfully
progressive vision of something close to
Universal Health care uh debt
forgiveness and a kind of Criminal
Justice Reform the third reason why I
still identify as a Christian is a bit
more logical and directly connected to
reading the book The Bible presents A
Narrative of people doing what they want
to do often in direct opposition to what
the god of scripture tells them to do
one could argue that one of the central
themes of the Bible is choice and how
the Divine is navigating people's
freedom to choose from Adam and Eve
choosing to eat the forbidden fruit of
the garden to David choos choosing to
step up and fight Goliath to some people
choosing to accept or reject Jesus as
the Messiah choice is woven throughout
the text and what comes with that choice
is a great deal of risk human error
exploitation and wrongdoing are often
the fruit of that risk this is for me
where faith has its limits because we
all have choices to make if I choose to
harm someone it doesn't matter how many
Bible verses I quote I will be
responsible for my actions it would be
silly for me to place the blame for my
actions on God similarly hundreds of
years of Europe and the West's non-stop
Colonial exploitation of African people
and land is a choice a choice that has
produced far-reaching outcomes to this
day I would challenge you to go back and
read the writings of white people living
in what would become America in the
1600s and the 1700s they knew what they
were doing America's enslavement
segregation mass incarceration and
continued exclusion of black people
is a choice and if God exists I don't
think it's fair to blame that on them
anti-blackness is real and and it isn't
of God's making the Bible basically
describes Jesus as a black person in the
Bible is Jesus um is his appearance in
the Bible uh I believe they describe him
with like feet were bronze and hair was
his feet was black as brass and his hair
was out of wool James
Harden James Harden LeBron you what in
some ways I think this is why black
people are still Christians the bible
promises A Better Tomorrow despite the
trials of today and you may scoff at the
therapeutic nature of that claim and I
get it but there's also something
powerful about Hope and the black church
despite all of its flaws has harnessed
that hope producing art expression and
movements that have changed the
world okay that's it for this one thank
than you for watching and subscribing I
think about faith a lot in real life but
I actually rarely explore those thoughts
in my content so in some ways this is
kind of an experiment and if you watch
to this point you now know about my
little experiment I'll be checking out
the likes and the comments on this video
to get a sense of how you're feeling
about it uh so subscribe drop a like and
I have to tell you this isn't a
transactional community we talk we argue
we disagree so get into the comments I'm
reading every single one would love to
know what your thinking as always I'm
grateful that you're here my friends
peace
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