con .
Reality is , we are not born with any of these attachments . We have to be indoctrinated into them which means , from birth , we have old and ancient beliefs installed into us which are not to be questioned . If grandma and granddad were Christians , and they made mom and dad Christians , then we , as children , were to automatically assume the same . As a result , our thinking remains the same , European operating system intact . Quality contextualization is that there were generations of us born on plantations who were terrified of the prospect of leaving them . The grandparents and parents instilled in the children an unhealthy fear that rendered them allergic to freedom . The plantation was home , master and family were custodial parents . They provided all basic needs , and there was nothing worthwhile beyond the threshold of the plantation ’ s gates . We were taught to feel “ blessed ” to be so fortunate , a misfortune fostered and cultivated through fear . However , there were always a few “ rebel rousers ” who didn ’ t quite adapt to master ’ s version of freedom or his wholesome hostility . SHANGO was ready to GO . There were always those who were scheming to get off those plantations , unafraid of the unknown , but fully aware that what existed as life for them wasn ’ t as it should be . The ability to read precipitated much of that rebelliousness , along with common sense , and an unyielding desire to be free . Evolution is inevitable , and eventually , more and more Africans began to rebel , wreaking havoc on the entire South , stories we seldom hear about . But imagine if we all simply adhered to what was told to us from previous generations and didn ’ t bother to do the legwork , asking those questions , quenching what comes natural as curiosity .
Most of our marches today are against the violent behaviors too many of our children have adopted due to societal sickness : poverty , disenfranchisement , poor mental and physical health exacerbated by food deserts and the lack of access , schools that disengage , negative , toxic , and degrading media , and politicians and public policies that craft the contrived reality that exist for many Black people in America . We also march against genocide and discrimination .
Do we discriminate against and divide amongst ourselves ?
Not all Black people subscribe to religions which incorporate a belief in “ sky daddies ”. There are Africans who choose to not subscribe to any of them . They are known as agnostics or atheists . Agnostics doubt the existence of gods , and atheists simply do not believe in gods . I am an atheist who is a humanist in many aspects . I do not believe in gods and I strive to be the best possible human being I can , on purpose and with purpose . I believe NATURE ( NTR ) to be the higher and highest power . Nature is universal balance , it is sustaining , and it is the provider of all . Nature is tangible , I can see , hear , taste , feel , and embrace it and all it ’ s wonderment . Most importantly , nature features the SUN at it ’ s pinnacle . Without the SUN , there is no life . The most ancient spiritual systems subscribe to the notion of the SUN as a main principle . Many religions came on-board later and misconstrued the SUN to mean a SON , or they simply changed its meaning to suit their own cultural beliefs . Heru , an Egyptian principle or god , represents the SUN . I ’ ve done substantial research on the subject as a teacher of history , but I encourage others to do the same to see what you discover or uncover . One of the many reasons I cannot subscribe to the existence of gods or a God is because I ’ m quite certain a god of us would not be a spectator to what is offered as life for the vast majority of the world . While a relative few greedily prosper , the rest of the world suffers either physically , socially , or economically . Being in America gives us such a narrow view of the reality of so many . Life for the majority in the U . S . isn ’ t quite par either , it ’ s far from what one would consider paradise , an economy bolstered by the exploitation of poor people domestically and abroad . Black people in America remain the most religious group among all ethnicities , yet suffer the most from carefully constructed inequality . No , I can ’ t fathom praying to a god that would bear witness to what exist and have no reaction , and my lifespan does not allow me the privilege of waiting for a god ’ s return to fix our very real problems . Lastly , many religions , especially Christianity , socialize its participants to embrace individualism and prosperity as key tenets . They see themselves as “ blessed and favored ” based on material gains , possessions , and fortunate situations , while ignoring the plight of many when it comes time to give praise . I ’ ve often noticed how a god is acknowledged when “ good ” occurs , but not spoken of when “ bad ” happens , beyond praying that a god fixes it . No judgment , but if I see a person drowning or burning , it is me who will save that person . It will be me who dives into or fetches water . . unless they ’ d rather me just pray , and stay dry . What would I look like standing there praying for help ? If someone callously kills a member of my family , the judgment and execution will come from me . I won ’ t have a prayer for that person . I will not ask a god to forgive that person . Praying after such egregious acts kind of leaves the impression that it ’ s ok to keep attacking , to keep killing , and to keep oppressing . Solely praying only opens the door for a person or people to continuously be preyed upon , there ’ s zero incentive for the antagonists to stop . If I ’ m your friend and someone walks up and punches you in the mouth , do you want me to pray or do you want me to muscle up ? Here we are though .
Are we divided on too many fronts to solidify our families and communities ?
I am 100 % certain that as many African women or men are reading this , they are shuddering at the thought of a Black man who doesn ’ t look to the skies for answers and they are already conjuring up those adjectives ; crazy , foolish , and confused . I ’ m actually very clear . My thoughts are completely lucid , and I work actively to evolve my thoughts through constant reading and research , through introspection , and continuously entertaining other perspectives , never settling for what I think I know . The sad part is , many of our people , especially some of our sisters , do not find suitable mates in Black men who don ’ t subscribe to religions or gods , as if a man is incomplete without these beliefs . They will not embark on a relationship with , and , as evidenced , are active in judging and ostracizing them as well for not accepting what they accept and perceive as direction .
Crazy thing is , I don ’ t judge or seek to ostracize religious Africans for believing as they do . I understand clearly why they believe and the roots of their beliefs . I come from a family that is 99 % Christian , with that 1 % probably containing just me and one cousin . At the end of the day , we ’ re ALL Africans and that is the sole reason why we are oppressed , not because we ’ re Christians , not because we ’ re Islamic , or any other denomination . Malcolm said it best , keep your religious beliefs in the closet when it comes time for us to assemble for the common good , to grow as a collective . There is no place for any divisive energy in Black Nationalism , a philosophy we all should be adhering to in order to truly heal as a whole . I don ’ t see crucifixes when it ’ s time to fix this , not until someone asks that I drop to my knees to speak with a god to ask him / her to help us . From my vantage , we have all we need . It ’ s a matter of mental and spiritual elevation , organization , and re-allocation of our vast resources . Just a quick note , about a half-trillion of our dollars go into church collection baskets each year .
Are “ free-thinkers ” persecuted among Africans ?
As an African male , I unfortunately have to say yes . I ’ ve seen and lived it . I ’ ve seen many a relationship or potential courting situation go south due to my refusal to acknowledge the existence of gods . I ’ ve lived it in Chicago , I ’ ve gone through it in D . C ., and I ’ m feeling it here in Dallas . If you don ’ t outwardly profess to be a man who fears gods , you are stained immediately as an undesirable . There isn ’ t much room to move around Black social circles for the Black man who doesn ’ t
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