I am a Black woman atheist. I am not on #teamjesus #teamgod or whatever.
Yes we exist! How am I an atheist even though studies say Black women are super religious? Well one day I decided religion for me was bullshit. OK, it was a gradual process. It was sort of like year after year putting pieces of a logical puzzle together and by the age of 30 I had all the pieces. For me, it just made sense that religion just didn’t make sense. Before you go around claiming I hate religion, I don’t. I just don’t believe in it. So how did Euro Jesus (I like to call him euro Jesus because of the pictures on church fans) become my ex lord and savior?
I grew up in a household full of Catholics, Pentecostals and Baptists. They weren’t fundamentalist but it wasn’t as if I had a choice. I was your typical Black child raised in a Christian home. I went to church EVERY WEEK. It was from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm. If you are a football fan it was pure torture. This was before the internets were on cell phones. Heck, it was before regular folks could use the internet. I was forced into the choir (I eventually liked it because I love to sing). I did the church plays, went on trips, church fashion shows, etc. My earliest memory of speaking in front of my church was when I recited the shortest bible verse there is, “Jesus wept.” AW right! At six I didn’t know what any of it meant. I just remember the mother of the church and my Nana smiling at me and radiating with approval and pride as I stood in front of Emmanuel Baptist Church. Of course with my over-sized fancy red and gold choir robe on.
As I said before giving up religion was a gradual process. As a kid I saw how the women ran the church but somehow the males were given all the credit and respect. The male word was literally church law because the bible said so. And even though pastor got busted for cheating on his wife he was darn near worshiped by everybody. That bothered me. The cheating part and who he did it (half of the damn church pews) is another story.
When I was thirteen I remember when my Nana was dying in the hospital after falling into a diabetic coma. We knew her time was ending and asked for her preacher to come to pray for her as she transitioned. Well after giving thousands of dollars of her retirement money to the church the pastor asked my mother for more money just to visit her. I was shocked but not surprised.
Image via nationalhumanitiescenter.org/
I remember learning about Black American history and realizing that Christianity was the religion of my ancestors enslavers. It was not my ancestor’s religion. The enslavers would quote bible verses to maintain White supremacy, justify slavery, colonization and keep my Black ancestors from fighting for their freedom with promises of riches in heaven. Sadly, I see the great-great grandchildren of slaves accept the same slave mentality of despair on earth so they can be rewarded with streets of gold in heaven today. I see how these same people would rather worship the god of the enslavers and hate and reject the religion of their own flesh and blood. That bothered me.
My next realization came when was I was about 18. I was heavy into politics and saw that religion was being used to limit the reproductive choices of women and the rights of our LGBTQ family members by our government. Even though I was still person of faith, I knew my religion should not impose on the lives of others. The constitution, as I understood it, encourages the free exercise or lack thereof of religion but prevents the establishment of religion by government. Why were religious people trying to impose 2,000 year old religious laws on others? Hmm? Don’t we believe in limited government? After leaving the service I started advocating against Don’t Ask Don’t Tell. A majority of those for DADT never served in the military let alone a sandwich. As a service member, quite honestly we didn’t care who was gay or straight just as long as you had my back.
And then college came! In my religious class (I went to a Jesuit college) we discussed these same topics and how the bible saw them. I realized then that I could not be on the side of a document that claimed mental illness was a sign of the devil. I could not be a part of a religion that claimed I was meant to be enslaved or punished because of some story that happened thousands of years ago. I could not be a part of a religion that justified bigotry, sexism, slavery, murder, violence and genocide in the name of a God I couldn’t even prove that was real. I could not betray my ancestors and worship the god of the enslaver. Talking snakes, women made from ribs, marrying your rapist, worldwide floods, burning bushes, sacrificing and hell? None of it benefits me and just didn’t make sense. Scientifically it has never made sense and it never will. So I said enough and left it all behind.
I have been without a faith for a while and I do not regret it AT ALL. In fact, I feel free. I am free to believe what I like. I am not tethered to patriarchal bigoted doctrine that goes against my political, emotional or financial interests. In case you are wondering what do I believe in. I believe in the greatness of humanity. I see the cars that we drive, the clothes we wear and even this computer I type on and it’s awesome. Most importantly, I see every single day as a true blessing because it just may be my last. I never ever forget to tell my family and friends I love them. I am trying to leave my impact on this floating rock we call earth and I do not take my life or time for granted. Well this is my story. I hope you come into your journey whether you have a faith or are like me, a faithless heathen! If you ain’t sinning you ain’t living baby. Just kidding.
Remember the only limit is the one you place on yourself. Think and be limitless.
BBG
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I’m glad you posted this. I myself find that as I become more aware of the injustices done to my family by our church and as I experience life in general I am not too supportive of Christianity anymore. Weirdly enough, I recently started dating an atheist and I find that we have more similar values than any man I have ever met in my church.
Awesome. Thanks for reading.
Remember even if you are not ready to come to the dark side (lol) there is beauty and freedom in being spiritual. One can be spiritual and follow the teachings of Christ.
Thanks! I think I’m in a spiritual place right now.
Love your post! I myself have realized none of it makes sense! Grew up in the chuch and did all the good church girl duties. Then one day it clicked. One day Ill be able to freely write about it all.
Awesome!! I know how you feel.
great post! Glad to see you represent. And for explaining what you DO believe. I get so irritated when people say ‘Atheists don’t believe in anything”.
I get it all the time!
Congratulations and welcome to freethought. Many of us went through the same gradual process of liberation from religiosity. May critical thinking, logic and reason continue to guide your way.
Thank you
Yo Babe,
Tell the “sisters”, they were lucky, they could have been brought up Mohammedans!
MARRIAGE IN ISLAM:
A WHOREHOUSE FOR MEN, A JAILHOUSE FOR WOMEN
In the Quran, there is no word for marriage. The only word used is nikah, which means ‘having sex’ or ‘sexual intercourse’ in Arabic.
WIVES IN ISLAM
According to Quran a wife is some one with whom you have sex with.
Different types of wives are:
1. A paid wife with an open ended contract (House wife)
2. A paid wife with a fixed term contract (Muta wife)
3. A paid visitation only wife with a visitation contract (Misyar wife)
4. Slave girl (bought gifted or captured)
The price paid for vagina is called Mahr. Thus according to Quran a contract wife is like a whore who gets paid for her vagina called Mahr while a slave girl wife is like a whore who does not get paid a Mahr for her vagina.
Q 4.24: Seek out wives by means of your wealth, and give those with whom ye have cohabited their price.
APPROACH HER IN ANY WAY YOU WANT
A wife has no say in the way the husband approaches her for enjoyment.
Prophet said (Bukhari: Volume 7, Book 62, Number 81): “you are given the right to enjoy the women’s private parts”.
Q 2.223: Your women are a tilth for you, so go to your tilth (have sexual relations in any manners), when or how you will. (trs. Hilali & Khan)
WIVES CAN BE DUMPED AT WILL
Like a client can dump a whore at will and pick up another one, the Quran says a husband can dump his wife and get another one.
Q 4.20. If you want to exchange one wife for another than don’t take back any part of what you paid her.
Hadiths say that Hasan Bin Ali, Prophet Mohammad’s beloved grand son, who died young, went through more than 70 wives in his short life.
The husband is like a client of a whore. Once a wife is paid Mahr she is obliged to submit her private parts 24/7 to him.
WHORES CAN DUMP A CLIENT, MUSLIM WIVES CANNOT DUMP HER HUSBAND
If a whore changes her mind and does not want sex she can. She can return the money and kick him out. However, in Islam a wife does not have that liberty. Once the Mahr is paid her vagina is his to enjoy. She must submit to him any time he gets an urge.
Ibn Majah 1854: “Prophet said if he asks her to surrender herself to him for sexual intercourse on a camel’s back, she should not refuse him even on a camel’s saddle.”
However in our prophet’s case, whenever he had a huge urge (erection) and his child-wife got scared and ran away during foreplay, he had to catch her, bribe her with a new doll and drag her back to bed.
SAYING NO COSTS ISLAMIC WIVES WHIPPING AND DIVINE CURSING
If a wife refuses sex to a husband Allah ordered husbands to give her a good whipping.
Quran 4.34: Scourge (whip) your wife if she does not obey.
And ordered angels to curse her all night.
Bukhari 4.54.460: “If a husband calls his wife to his bed for sex and if she , he angels will curse her till morning”.
A WHIPPED WIFE MUST BE PUT ON AN INJURED LIST
Once a wife is whipped badly, she cannot lie down and have sex without severe pain, seriously limiting the ways a husband can approach her thus violating aya 2.223. Our prophet told the momins to postpone sex with her.
Bukhari Volume 7, Book 62, Number 132:
The Prophet said, “When you flog your wife like you flog your slave then postpone the sexual intercourse.”
VAGINA CONTRACTS:
OPEN-ENDED CONTRACT (REGULAR WIFE)
A n open ended contract is signed for a negotiated price for an undetermined period. In addition wife gets boarding lodging and clothing. However if the husband decides to dump her, he can break the contract verbally and kick her out (4.20) any time he wants to but he cannot get any money back he paid for her vagina even if he used it for five minutes.
Q 4.20: if you replace a wife by another, you cannot get any part of Mahr back even if it was a large sum.
A broken contract cannot be renewed until the her vagina is used by another momin and is then released (halala).
Q 2.230: And if he has divorced her, then she is not lawful unto him thereafter until she has sex with another husband. And if he has divorced her then she is not lawful unto him thereafter until she has married another husband. Then, if the other husband divorces her, it is no sin on both of them that they reunite.
On the other hand a wife has no right to break a contract similarly. She can only break it if she can prove him to be impotent or insane in a court of law.
SHORT-TERM CONTRACT or MUTA WIFE
A man can sign a contract with a woman to use her vagina for a pre-determined period at negotiated price.
The contract can be renewed without the requirement of interim use of her vagina by another man.
VISITATION CONTRACT (MISYAR WIFE)
In this contract a husband visits a misyar wife for sexual pleasure and pays her for each visit. The husband does not have to provide her boarding and lodging.
WAYS TO ACQUIRE SLAVE GIRLS
A slave girl doesn’t get paid Mahr for her vagina. She is acquired as a free gift (Maria was a free gift for Prophet from Egyptian king), bought from another owner (sometimes prophet took away pretty girls for free from their owners*) or captured after killing her father or husband (prophet took 20% of the captured women from a raid booty).
Sahih Muslim, Book 019, Number 4345:
It has been narrated on the authority of Salama (b. al-Akwa’) who said: We fought against the Fazara and Abu Bakr was the commander over us. Abu Bakr bestowed a young girl upon me as a prize. She was one of the prettiest girls in Arabia. So we arrived in Medina. I had not yet disrobed her (had not have sex with her) when the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) met me in the street and said: Give me that girl, O Salama. I said: Messenger of Allah, she has fascinated me. I had not yet disrobed her. When on the next day, the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) met me again in the street (Salama was parading the young beauty to make other jihadis jealous). Prophet said: O Salama, give me that girl, may God bless your father. I said: She is for you. Messenger of Allah! By Allah, I have not yet disrobed her.
SLAVE GIRLS ARE THE BEST BARGAINS IN ISLAM
Quranic ayas 4.3, 4.24, 23.6, 33.50 & 70.30 allow a Muslim man to have sex with slave girls. A slave girl can be bought or acquired by killing infidels and capturing their wives and daughters.
Slave girls are the best bargain Islam has to offer to Muslim men but unfortunately Muslims are denying themselves this great reward from Allah just to appease infidel west. The uses of a slave-girl are:
1. They provide sex 24/7.
2. They are used as house maid
3. Offered as sex partners to overnight house guests.
4. Offered as gifts to family and friends for a few days or for good*.
(*The History of Tabari, vol 8, pge 29-30: From his share of captive women, prophet gave his son-in-law, Ali a slave girl, Raytah bt Hilal to enjoy her at his will. He also presented Uthman b. Affan, his son-in-law, another slave girl Zainab b. Hayan, and bestowed another girl (name unknown) to his father in-law Omar Ibn Khattab. Omar gave that girl to his son Abdullah. Most of Prophet’s other elite companions received slave girls as gifts).
5. Sold to raise cash, if the need be.
SLAVE GIRLS ARE INCOME PROPERTIES
Islam is the only religion which allows momins to pimp the bodies of their slave girls for side incomes. Thus Quran taught 1400 years back what modern day pimps are learning now, that is to control many prostitutes and get rich on their income.
However Islam is a very compassionate religion. While many pimps force their prostitutes to sell their bodies, Islam prefers that momins avoid coercion.
Q 24.33. Do not compel your slave girls to prostitution to drive income from her body if they are not willing.
But of course Allah is a forgiving God. In case momins do beat them up and force them to prostitute, Allah said he will forgive them.
Q 24.33. (continued) But if you did force her to prostitute Allah can forgive you because he is forgiving and compassionate.
susie’s big adventure
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Saudi Arabia: Blaming the Victim
Posted: 07 Jan 2014 04:41 PM PST
Many other parts of the world have come a long way since the days of blaming a rape victim for the attack because of the way she was dressed, or because of the way she was acting, forever implying that “she was asking for it.”
Not so in Saudi Arabia. Women are routinely blamed and punished for crimes of a sexual nature committed against them. In rape cases, the woman is nearly always faulted, no matter what her age or what she was wearing. More than likely she was dressed in the all too familiar Saudi female’s uniform of a black cloak from head to toe, but even then, she is considered too sexy for men to be expected to control themselves around her.
So it should come as no surprise that in a recent poll, morethan 86% of men blamed women’s eye makeup as the leading reason for the increase in the number of cases of men molesting women. This, despite the fact that in Islam men are required to “lower their gaze” and not to look at women, so as not to be tempted. The articles I read didn’t say what the women polled thought about
The survey was conducted by the King Abdul Aziz Centre for National Dialogue and queried almost one thousand Saudi men and women.
Another high ranking reason thought to be responsible for the rise in attacks on women was the lack of accountability and punishment. Eighty per cent of the respondents felt that men can simply get away with behaving badly because, in this society, they can! There is no fear of recrimination for their actions and no consequences. I believe that this has always been a valid reason since men here are rarely held responsible for their actions against women and are not expected to be able to control themselves around them. However, this doesn’t account for a rise in the number of cases of harassment of women as nothing has really changed within the law or the punishment.
When are the people and the government of Saudi Arabia going to get with the program and stop blaming the victim?
Saudi men, you need to accept responsibility for your actions, learn how to control yourselves around women, and stop blaming women when you harass them. Sheesh!
Saudi survey shows men blame women for rising cases of molestation
Survey conducted by Riyadh-based King Abdul Aziz Centre for National Dialogue
By
• Staff
Published Monday, January 06, 2014
Saudi men believe women are to blame for the rising cases involving molestation of females on the grounds they are seduced by women’s excessive make up.
The findings were included in a survey conducted by the Riyadh-based King Abdul Aziz Centre for National Dialogue and involved 992 males and females.
The survey, carried by Saudi newspapers, found that 86.5 per cent of the men polled believe that women’s exaggeration in wearing make-up is the main cause of the rise in molestation cases in public places in the conservative Gulf Kingdom.
About 80 per cent of the total persons polled believe lack of deterrent penalties and the absence of specific anti-molestation laws are also to blame for the phenomenon.
The report said 91 per cent of the respondents, all aged above 19, believe another key factor is the “poor religious sentiment” while nearly 75 per cent said the problem is caused by lack of awareness campaigns and warning notices at most public places.
In Saudi… who is to blame for high divorce rates
Men say wives care only for make up and women accuse husbands of betrayal
By
• Nadim Kawach
Published Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Saudi Arabia has one of the world’s highest divorce rates as nearly a fifth of the marriages do not last. Women blame “unfaithful” men for this negative phenomenon while husbands accuse “cosmetics loving” wives.
Although women say they spend much money on make up to look better and please their husbands, men appear to be no longer attracted to external looks as there have been many cases involving men having an affair with less beautiful women or sleeping with their housemaids.
In a report published in a Saudi newspaper this week, experts estimated Saudi women spent at least SR1.5 billion on cosmetics in 2010 and are projected to spend SR1.8 billion in 2014. But divorces are also expected to remain widespread as the number of spinsters will likely more than double in the next few years due to the negative impact of divorces on Saudis seeking marriage.
“I married my relative, who had always told me that I am his dream girl and that he sees no one else in the world except me…like other women, I believed him and agreed to marry him,” Fadwa, a Saudi woman, told Sabq newspaper.
“After we married, I started to care more for my appearance to please him…but then he began to change and started to spend more time outside…he was coming up with too many excuses until I found out about his relationship with a nurse…I controlled myself and started to think what has attracted him to a less beautiful woman…I could not find any reason so I simply asked for a divorce because I would rather be a divorced than a foolish woman.”
Another woman, identified as Maha, said she believes Arab men “love relationships outside marriage.”
“Even if the most beautiful woman in the world goes out with an Arab man, he will forget about her beauty just after their first relationship…the Arab man if fond of betrayal ,” said Maha, who was divorced just after marrying a Saudi man.
“Just three months after my marriage, I found my husband sleeping with the housemaid despite my efforts to please him..…I then asked for a divorce because it was a matter of dignity…he strongly refused but I filed a divorce case at court and I won it…thanks God that we did not have any children.”
Official data showed nearly a fifth of the marriages in the largest Arab economy and world’s dominant oil power ended up in divorce last year, an average of one divorce case every half an hour.
Total marriages stood at 90,983 in 2010 of which 18,765 ended up in divorce, showed the figures by the marriage court in the western Red Sea port of Jeddah.
“It is time for authorities to force any Saudi couple seeking marriage to undergo a training course before marriage…this system has been enforced in some countries and it has contributed to a large decline in divorce cases…the high divorce rates in Saudi Arabia show there is a large gap in the concept of marriage and divorce,” the court said.
Newspapers in the Gulf Kingdom have reported many cases of hasty divorces by men, who are permitted to divorce their wives under Islamic law without reason. Women can not do the same but can file court cases.
One case reported last year involved a Saudi husband who divorced his wife by sending her a text message on her mobile phone.
The woman from the western town of Madina asked court to officially endorse her divorce and supported its complaint with the SMS from her husband.
“The husband told the judge he sent the message after an argument with his wife but that he did not mean to divorce her,” a newspaper said.
“But the judge considered the SMS as a real divorce under Islam and decided to support the wife’s plea for divorce.”
According to a local study, Saudi Arabia had nearly 1.5 million spinsters at the end of 2010 and the number could soar to more than four million in the next five years because of the high divorce rate.
During 2010, nearly 60,000 national couples tied the knot in the conservative Moslem kingdom but there were more than 18,000 divorce cases.
“This means that the kingdom is suffering from a marriage failure rate of nearly 30 per cent,” said the study. “As a result, Saudi Arabia is suffering from a high number of female spinsters, who are now estimated at 1.5 million….the number could rise above four million in the next five years.”
Sabq also published comments by husbands, who defended themselves and accused women of lacking genuine feelings and caring only for cosmetics.
“Saudi women lack the language of genuine feelings and sentiments…I don’t care if the woman is very beautiful…all I want is a women with a beautiful temper, feelings and personality…external appearance is not my main concern” said a Saudi husband, identified as Ali.
Another husband said his dream was first to marry a pretty woman and that it took him nearly three years to fulfill that dream.
“After marriage, I felt that my wife care only for make up and this has cost me large sums of money…I noticed that she exaggerates in looking after herself to show off in front of her friends,” said Ahmed, who has been married for 10 years.
“I found that my wife’s personality is unbearable…she has double faces—one at home and one in front of people…I could have divorced her long time ago hadn’t we got children….but I decided to keep her and marry again.”
12-years old Rahima was gang-raped by warlords
Translated from Shafaq Monthly (published from Kabul), November 2004
On October 21, 2004, 12-years old Rahima daughter of Abdul Karim students of class 4 in Fatima-tul-Zahra school in Kundoz Province in north of Afghanistan was abducted while she was on the way to home from school. She was living with her family in the Madarassa-e- Khyaban area of Kundoz.
She was abducted by gunmen in a red Broadway car by Anzar Gul (from Panjsher), Daoud son of Rajab (from Orta Blaq), Allah Mohammed brother of Commander Abdul Kundozi and Agha Jan Panjsheri, who all live in Konduz. After abduction she was drugged by placing a cloth laced with a drug to make her unconscious.
While she became conscious, then realized she was in Dashte-Abadan, where she was continuously raped for several hours. The next day they took her to Agha Jan’s house in Kundoz, where they spent the night, and again Rahima is being gang-raped by a number of gunmen. The next day she was taken to the home brother of General Khalil Andarabi. Upon arriving at General Khalil’s house she was again subjected to more torture and raped repeatedly. On the next day she was taken to Charekar, to the residence of Haider Painsheri, where again she was tortured.
Over the next several days she was taken to Pule-Khumri, Charekar, Kabul (in the house of Haider Panjsheri) then Mazar-e-Sharif, and back to Pule-Khumri, over these days she was subjected to inhumane actions.
Then finally Anzar Gul is arrested by police and openly confessed to the raping, without any remorse for his actions. Then he allowing with police and father of Rahima come to Pul-e-Khumri where they recover Rahima who was then taken to the house Azam Burdi, village leader in Kundoz because her family fear further attack on her by warlords.
The ringleader of this atrocious group is the brother of General Abdul. Last Year General Abdul’s group did the same thing to a 13 year old girl from the same school as Rahima. The human rights outlets and Radio Azadi had sufficient news and information about the incident, but no one paid any attention, since the perpetrators were all people who have authority
Luckily Rahima was recovered by her father after weeks of torture, the memories she has will haunt her for the rest of her life. Just imagine how many other Afghan women have been objected to this torture but unfortunately in Afghanistan only few of rape incidents are publicized and victims usually keep silence fearing more defamation in society.
The case of Rahima was widely covered by Afghan media and Persian language Radios but unfortunately no foreign media published her sad story.
I don’t blame you. I am not exactly an atheist but I don’t really believe in Christianity either
Do you. That’s where your happiness is
Welcome to the secular side! Your blog title alone made me jump for joy! It’s great to see more Black women walking away from Team Jesus. Given how devout our people are coming out as a Black female atheist can be hard. I applaud your courage!
Thank you for your support. I appreciate it.
From one Black Heatheness to another, Thank you!!! You spoke my heart!
Wooohoooo
I’m an atheist as well. I’m married to an atheist and we are raising our child without religion.
I was a literal kid so I pretty much knew after I finished reading the bible that it couldn’t be real. I then took a lot of religious studies classes because I was scared. Religion is a major part of my culture and I knew that my family would be devastated (which they were) so I kept my decision to myself until I was 22.
Since I’ve “come out”, I’m happier and freer and I’ve found that it is possible to live culturally as a black Jamaican woman without religion.
Yay
I am a Christian ( Roman Catholic) & there’s nothing here that I haven’t thought of or heard before in discussions. All this is old news to me, but then I’m over 50 & heard all this in college & high school discussions with other students. People go thru this questioning phase & then decide whether or not to have any faith & which one if any. I follow the teachings of Christ & always will. I did not abandon religion because of the stupid twisting of the scriptures that they all…and not just Christians.. seem to do to further their own ends, like justifying slavery, exerting power 7 control over people for their own ends & promoting bigotry against LGBT people & people of other races & faiths. MY MIND IS ALWAYS MY OWN & I THINK FOR MYSELF. I have walked out of Mass when some pro life creature got up & said rape victims should welcome their rape babies as a “beautiful end to a horrible experience”. Don’t get me started on the religious right, which is neither & full of racists & bigots. I have issues with Catholicism & I hope the new Pope continues to modernize things & get some sense. I go to church with friends whose churches don’t indulge in petty control tactics & nonsense but are devoted to helping the poor & downtrodden, & following the golden rule. Most religions seem to be male dominated & twist things so that men get to have their way: multiple wives, unlimited tail chasing, coercing young girls to marry old men & “having babies for Jesus”, blaming women for rape, but women have little or no freedoms & very restrictive rules. That’s NOT what black people need. People need to get a grip,read Christ’s teachings & learn to do their own thinking. When you run up against a church with crazy misogynistic ideas & cultish ways, GET UP & LEAVE ! Someone in my extended acquaintances has fallen for one of those cultish churches & continues to try & get us to join his church. Biggest phonies on the planet. Talk Christian but don’t act it A local family,whom they know well, had a weather related disaster & their home was severely damaged several years ago. That person & their church, never contacted the family, offered any assistance or anything else. Still haven’t.Got some nonsense going that doesn’t believe in modern evolutionary science, believes that even good deeds & a righteous life won’t get you into heaven & the only way is their way,everyone else is going to hell because they’re wrong. Even passed out that Campion book years ago called 1994 about the end times coming or something stupid like that. Gave me one & I put it in recycling bin. When you encounter that mess LEAVE THOSE FOLKS ALONE. . If you can’t find a good church home then worship at home. All you need is your Bible & your brain. These narrow minded churches prey on folks who’ve had chaos & dysfunction in their lives. People like that are often attracted to religions & groups that are highly structured & loaded with a lot of “thou shalt nots” & RULES because they need structure in their lives &need to be told exactly what to do,when & how. It gives them a sense of belonging & an “us against the world & we’re right” kind of feeling. They become like sheep,blindly following. Some pastor recently had his followers eating grass & there’s a picture of them on the ground doing it ! WHY? No way am I gonna do that. My parents always told me to be careful of some religious people out for their own ends & don’t be afraid to walk away when stuff goes south. Use your common sense & have your own mind. You CAN do that & still be a good Christian no matter what folks say. I have plenty of friends who have good churches & feel the same way.
I am glad you have chosen to walk your own path.
Another black unicorn checking in!! I didn’t grow up with quite as dramatic of experience in Christianity as you did but there were definitely church doctrines and biblical accounts that I had a hard time dealing with growing up. When I became an adult I decided to explore other religions. I became very critical of their claims and realized that I had to put my own beliefs in Christianity through the same critical process. Well, that did it! I stopped calling my self a Christian and over several years, through a long process of agnosticism, I am settling into my atheism. I haven’t looked back since and I couldn’t be happier.
Yay!
I loved this! Thank you for writing this. I have been an atheist since I was 17, possibly before then. I applaud you for coming out and writing about this. I would love if I could repost this on my blog. Please let me know. Email: [email protected] and check out my blog when you have time.
Welcome to Freethought lol
LOVE LOVE LOOOVE this post! It’s wonderful seeing people (esp. black people) free from any shackles that hold them. For some people religion is freeing … so to each their own. But for me it’s constricting, and I’m pleased to find that I’m not alone and that there are other happy, eloquent, moral black atheists/agnostics in the world.
Wooohooo
I’m a South African, albeit a guy, who has unshackled himself from the suffocating grip of religion. I faced ostracisation from the community and family for finally seeing the light(ironically, they believe that I’m darting towards darkness by oscilating between agnosticism and atheism). I googled black women atheist and your article came up and it was refreshing. There’s no need to rehash what made me desert religion because I pretty much went through the same path that you did.
I AM AN IGNOSTIC
Ignosticism or igtheism is the theological position that every other theological position (including agnosticism and atheism) assumes too much about the concept of God and many other theological concepts.
It can be defined as encompassing two related views about the existence of God:
The view that a coherent definition of God must be presented before the question of the existence of God can be meaningfully discussed. Furthermore, if that definition is unfalsifiable, the ignostic takes the theological noncognitivist position that the question of the existence of God (per that definition) is meaningless. In this case, the concept of God is not considered meaningless; the term ”God” is considered meaningless.
The second view is synonymous with theological noncognitivism, and skips the step of first asking “What is meant by ‘God’?” before proclaiming the original question “Does God exist?” as meaningless.
The best THEOLOGY is PARASITOLOGY!
Get the book, PARASITE REX, by Carl Zimmer.
ALL MAN-MADE RELIGIONS & GODS, IGNORE MOST OF CREATION.
When you read about Parasites, it will blow your mind!
Google:
The Jewel Wasp & the Cockroach
The IGBO tribes believed in Ikenga and several other Gods and Goddesses, until those beliefs were LITERALLY beaten out of them by their captures. Our North African/ East African sisters are generally Muslim as is most of Africa where they tend to go toward the Muslim faith. And even that Arab faith was brutally and violently beaten into them as well. It’s interesting to note that when the Africans first arrived by ship to the “new world” they were very resistant to change, they didn’t want to become Christian at first, or give up their God’s and Goddesses, after all it was their ancestral land they had to leave, and many committed suicide due to severe depression. .
The Puritans thought the Natives in New England were “black and evil” and said that the Indian worshiped demons. You will even hear some black people “thank” white people for introducing Christianity. Their excuse is always how Christianity stopped human sacrificing, when in fact the Christian religion is BASED on their Savior’s blood sacrifice. I still don’t know why black people buy the BS? It makes no sense.
The truth is Constantine repackaged the Christian religions and put a face to GOD which was Jesus, thus Catholicism was born. The problem is many black people don’t want to know the truth.
Even though I am Christian l(I just believe in Christ and God, but I’m not church going or bible thumping. Most people don’t even know until they ask), I respect your choice and opinions. I don’t know where people got the idea that black atheist don’t exist. I’ve met a lot of them.
Please seek a personal relationship with our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, the Son of God. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. - John 3:16
Good for you! I hate how many of us atheists are so passive though. Like practically walking on egg shells as to not offend anyone. I don’t think atheists should be crazy and pushy like some religious people are, but I do think you should stand up for what you know is right and what you know is wrong, and SPREAD THE GOOD WORD to other black women and men. It’s DESPERATELY needed in the black and urban community.
Another unicorn checking in. Thank you for sharing your story. It makes me feel less alone.