Kevin Campbell 4:52pm Aug 10 As [founder of Black Nonbelievers, Inc.Mandisa Lateefah] Thomas, explains it, “Because of the historical role that religion and the church played in the black community, many tie in belief as being inherently part of black identity. Therefore, to be someone that doesnt believe in God is to be considered a traitor. Most of our community – from the people to the leaders – incorporates belief in almost every aspect of their lives, and it is assumed (and sometimes expected) that we all do. So it can be extremely intimidating and stigmatizing to openly admit to being a nonbeliever.” But why does Christianity still have this allure after having been forcefully foisted so many centuries ago? “The historical aspect of Christianity’s influence in the community plays a huge role in why many blacks still believe. While it was used to justify slavery and was imposed on people of color, the church also served as a system for support at a time when legislation discriminated against blacks. So there is a strong loyalty, although the doctrine is very detrimental to growth and development.” rationalist.org.uk/articles/4723/the-growth-of-african-american-atheism
Posted on: Sun, 10 Aug 2014 23:06:43 +0000