Why do so many African Americans continue to practice Christianity when it was a forced relgion?

Question

Okay, so I am african american and I want to know why so many of us are out there practicing christianity as though it wasn't a forced religion back during times of slavery. I dunno, maybe I have the facts wrong, so hopefully someone can enlighten me. I'm not a Christian- but the reason that I'm not is for the simple fact that evolution makes too much sense to me- however, what I want to know is why so many african americans continue to practice Christianity, while all the other have been abolished (or at least are seeming to be) in this century.

Answer 1

The vast majority of the the Christian world is made up of peopel whose ancestors had Christanity imposed upon them, be it by direct or indirect coercion. Most Europeans did not take to Christianity voluntarily per se. They were for the most part pagans and then their emperor, or king would say, "We are all Christians." Old beliefs lost official sanction and were forgotten.

Part of that is because the old pagan religions, as well as the African religions were community based religions. They depended on the village or state to have the festivals, participate in the customs and retell the old stories. In the case of slaves, families and towns were ripped apart and what was left bore no resmblance to what they used to practice. Christianity became the defacto religion, the main religion the new slave communities knew. After three hundred years of it, there is no going back. They key is that African is the adjective. Blacks are Americans and their history is American. To say otherwise is disingenous.

Answer 2

Practice Christianity

Answer 3

St. Augustine was African. Christianity was on all continents prior to any slave trade in North America.

You might be interested in reading what an African scholar has to say about this. Lamin Sanneh is professor of History and World Christianity at Yale Univeristy. His books include "Whose Religion is Christianity" and "The Gospel Beyond the West" and
"The Changing Face of Christianity."

Answer 4

The Christian faith had spread to Africa long before some selfish, inconsiderate profiteers began capturing people as slaves.

It began in Egypt and spread from there.
It was being practiced about 500 years before the Muslim faith came into existence so to claim Islam is the religion of the black race is flawed.

There were slave masters, (this may seem hard to fathom) who took good care of their slaves and allowed them some freedoms, one of which was to practice religion. I am certain there were few as kind as that but there were some. There is an underground facility near my home that has a lot of information regarding the slaves who passed through there.

And yes there are hipocrites in every faith. They are not strong enough to comprehend what God has to offer them. They hang on to their petty sins and lose the greater reward.

Answer 5

Hello dear!If you think Christianity was a forced religion for African Americans, you would be shocked when you fond out how it was implied to Europe and how the Europeans treated Americans 3 - 5 centuries ago!

Answer 6

I believe they still believe in Christianity because it is what has always been taught and to go against would mean a massive change in their belief system. Some of this has to do with not wanting to change a way of life or to be different from the rest of the community. A lot of his has to do with a lack of knowledge on the history of Christianity and how it was used throughout history to subjugate people.

It especially takes a lot to change people who were repressed, abused and mistreated and all they had was the belief in a divine savior who would free their souls. This further would ingrain their belief into their culture and way of life.

As with any learned behavior or belief it takes time and education to change the norm. Also remember Christianity was actually a large part of the African American Civil Right Movement. That has not been that long ago, less than 50 years.

Answer 7

The times of slavery were hundreds of years ago. Let it go. As long as you keep bringing it up it will continue to be an issue. Since evolution makes too much sense to you any logical argument is lost on you. Anyway, what does it matter? No one is forcing you to do anything today. You are given every last little thing you can want.

Answer 8

The majority of the Theist world was forced to practice their belief by their parents. If African Slaves weren't forced to practice Christianity they'd be forced to be Muslims or forced to worship whatever their parents told them to.
Maybe African Americans should be more concerned about what those who are currently enslaving are forcing them to do rather than obsessing about what happened some indigo farmer did 10 Generations ago.

Answer 9

Christianity wasn't forced on the slaves. Slave masters forbade their slaves from practicing religion of any type. Eventually the slaves picked up bits and pieces of the religion and made their own aspects of Christianity.

Answer 10

i applaud your honesty. I guess it is because ppl, no matter what color they are, have different views on what is right for them. My dad was a Methodist minister, who later became an athiest. I started having many questions about the Bible,God,and Christianity in general. I began questioning my beliefs and i read the Bible myself and stopped going to church, so I could decide what was right for ME, and to decipher the Bible my way. i found many ppl in the churches to be hypocrites,and I didn't want that for myself. I pray, ( daily,I might add) I don't read my Bible all the time, but I do have one and I read it when I wish to, and in answer to your question,I have to say this: they do because it feels right to them, just as evolution makes sense to you.