How did American slaves know the stories of Jesus and Moses before being taught Christianity?

Question

Why did they sing ***** spirituals asking God to save them as he saved their ancestors?

they were not taught because it was against the law. christians at that time didnt believe everyone was worthy of christ.

from about:Spirituals were influenced by the culture of Africa. Africans used songs to recite history, express feelings about each other, and it was tied it to all aspects of life. Influenced by traditions of Africa, spirituals were created by individual and group contribution. Songs were constantly re-created from bits of old songs and then formed into new songs with new tunes and lyrics. They were not always created in church, but were often constructed and sung while working.

The most notable spirituals were those that described slaves as the chosen people. This idea provided slaves with the comfort that God was with them and freedom would soon come. They sang: "We are the people of God" and "To the promised land I'm bound to go." Although their master's had told them they were the lowest of all people, these lyrics reinforced the belief that God chose them.

Answer 1

It was safer for the slavemasters, who were usually heavily outnumbered to whip slaves into believing god would save them than to have them attempt to save themselves.

Answer 2

First of all, twenty percent of the slaves brought to America were Muslims. In Islam, Jesus and Moses are prophets of God, and their stories are recounted in the Qur'an. (Just an interesting fact, but because they were Muslim, these slaves were literate in Arabic, the language of the Qur'an, when many of their white masters could not even read or write. This was seen as a threat because slaves were not supposed to be able to read.)

Secondly, I don't completely agree with you on the fact that they weren't taught Christianity. They were forbidden to practice Islam or other religions brought over from Africa, although some continued to do so in secret. Notice how spirituals use the English names "Jesus" and "Moses" instead of the Arabic "Isa" and "Musa"? How would they have known these names unless they were taught by English-speaking Christians?

Also, there were Christian missionaries who were in Africa at the time, and would have taught them these stories. Some of these missionaries, however, did not have good intentions. Whenever they made new converts, they could then easily convince them, "in the name of Jesus," to board ships headed to the Americas, and therefore sell them into slavery for the rest of their lives.

Answer 3

They were taught Christianity (and English!) first. They had watched their ancestors perish during the Middle Passage and in some cases they must have thought that dying at sea was better than what they were suffering.
When they sang "Soon I will be done with the troubles of the world" or "Sometimes I feel like a motherless child a long way from home", God and ancestors are mentioned but not Jesus and Moses. Later came "Joshua fit the battle of Jericho" and "Steal Away to Jesus" after Christianity was forced on them.

Answer 4

American slaves were taugh christianity as soon as they came off the boats from Africa as a way to control them. They were taught that if they were good slaves in life then they would go to heaven. Although they couldn't read they were told the stories from the slave owners and then they passed the stories among themselves. By the way, the Egyptian slaves were Jews and were not the ancestors of the American slaves, but the American slaves realized the similarities between themselves and the Jews, and anyone who helped large amounts of slaves escape (harriet tubman) were seen as a sort of Moses.

Answer 5

They did not know about christianity before arriving in america. They were no allowed to read or write and could only learn about the one religion of chrstianity. The reasons they sang songs was to communicate with other slaves without being punished and for overall well being. Slavery was cruel and nexst to the holocaust of germany one of the worst thing that humans have ever done to each other. Slaves were trying to make a life and over time adopted the warped culture that exist in black americans today. Its an unfortunate and lasting fact

Answer 6

They didn't. They were taught Christianity by missionaries to Africa, as well as by slave owners and others. The stories of Exodus resonated with African Americans because of the Israelites being slaves to the Egyptians, and the theme of God as a liberator on the side of the oppressed. Alot of the spirituals also had double meanings, spiritual meanings as well as codes for safe places and directions.

Answer 7

Maybe the gospel was spread to Africa a long time before the English started selling them as slaves. Also, if a person responds to the light reavealed to them through creation more will be revealed to them.

Answer 8

Shock horror, perhaps they believed in another deity?

Lets see some evidence of the songs they sang specifically of Jesus and Moses before misinterpreting them to into a twisted zealous Christian POV.

Answer 9

Because it wasn't only Europeans (American settlers) who knew about it. There were the Spanish, Italians, Egyptians, Greeks etc... it did get down to Africa pretty easily.

Answer 10

Uh, I think the slaves, at least in the US, were taught Christianity. They just weren't taught to read.