“BLACK LIBERATION THEOLOGY: AN INTERPRETATION”
By: FAHIM A. KNIGHT
The KEEPING IT REAL THINK TANK asked me to write more in detailed about my views on Black Liberation Theology, it seem to have aroused a lot of Americans during this 2008 presidential election. This writer had written an article on March 31, 2008 titled. “JEREMIAH WRIGHT AND THE AMERICAN DILEMMA: HE IS NOT AMERICA’S PROBLEM" The media became somewhat obsessed with Reverend Jeremiah Wright after discovering his controversial ministry, teachings and his twenty (20) year association with Senator Barack Obama, the Democratic Party presumptive presidential nominee. This over exposure of Reverend Wright just did not happen in a vacuum, but this was systematically orchestrated by some shrewd and conniving manipulators. The media is controlled by one source and they have the ability to mold and shape public opinion—disinformation and propaganda are two of their covert ploys. These mediums are designed to control the thinking of the people. The media was attempting to draw a political wedge between Senator Obama and Jeremiah Wright in order derail Senator Obama's political momentum and besmirch his character and bring into question his judgment, credibility and integrity based on association with a so-called leftwing militant clergy in Reverend Jeremiah Wright. This writer believes that even the Dean of Black preachers Dr. Gardner C. Taylor would only nod his approval of Reverend Jeremiah Wright, a true Christian revolutionary.
In truth, if black folk were honest, there was nothing Reverend Wright said that is not preached in the historical black church tradition both past and present or in black seminaries across America. This writer has visited Shaw University Divinity (Raleigh, North Carolina), one the Historical Black Colleges and University (HBCU) many times and has had intellectual dialoged and interactions with divinity professors at this black seminary; moreover, the black experience in the curriculum is directly correlated to the Christian theological creed. This is an essential component to Black Liberation Theology as a school of thought. Yes, sometimes there is an intellectual infusion of black theology and politics coming together to give meaning and to make sense in a world that is full of earthly contradictions. Reverend Jeremiah Wright should have been applauded for his honesty and forthrightness in evaluating and assessing United States Foreign Policy and expressing a critical analysis of 9/11. America as a nation and President George Bush were wrong to attack Iraq and Afghanistan, two innocent nations and people just to steal OIL and OPIUM, which has cost the United States taxpayers over three (3) trillion dollars.
Reverend Jeremiah Wright has been speaking TRUTH TO POWER for over forty (40) years and those that were familiar with his social Gospel ministry knew of his good reputation as a defender of the “have nots.” Reverend Wright has always given decisive and critical analysis of the social, political, and economic systems of America, as well as, in particular how these dynamics have affected African Americans. Reverend Wright's theology was socially and spiritually relevant, it wasn't just the ordinary Christian philosophy based on the pie in the sky doctrine that you can not attain until after you die. But his theological position and work amongst black people were extraordinary, it was no different than the ministry of Jesus the Christ—the liberator of the least of these.
Some do not want to admit or to fearful to admit that for the most part black Christianity and white Christianity are two distinct and different theologies, yet they both share the Holy Bible and the “Christian religious” experience as their fundamental basis. But the historical experiences of both people black and white, in particular in the United States and the Western Hemisphere are strategically overlooked by some theologians and social scientist when evaluating Christianity in order to perpetuate the similarities and the homogeneousness in order to justify Christianity’s humanness, it has not always been that humane towards black people neither has Arab-specific Islam. The oppressor and the oppressed do not view or share the world from the same lens and they both have two opposite worldviews. Black Liberation Theology evolved out of a social and political disparity of injustice and racism. The Black Christian church has always been confronted with social contradictions that exist in the United States, which some ministers, denominations, and theologies have dealt with these dilemmas from a conservative perspective and/or have chosen to confront the contradictions in a more radical and non compromising manner. Black Liberation Theology was a response and reaction to white denial. (Reference: C. Eric Lincoln and Lawrence H. Mamiya: “The Black Church in the African American Experience”).
This writer started studying the likes of Reverend Albert Cleage (Jaramogi Abebe AgyEman) over twenty-five (25) years ago who authored two monumental books relative to Black Liberation Theology titled, "Black Christian Nationalism: New Directions for the Black Church” and “The Black Messiah." Cleage (1911-1980) was the founder of the Shrine of the Black Madonna in Detroit, Michigan, and also founder of Pan African Orthodox Christian Church, a Black Nationalist Christian organization that placed emphasis on black values, black principles, mores, and folkways and reinterpreted the Bible to reflect an African Worldview, as opposed to the Eurocentric interpretation given to us by our former slave masters children. Minister Malcolm X in his 1964 speech titled, "The Ballet or the Bullet" mentioned Albert Cleage as a significant Christian personality in the liberation struggle of African Americans. (Reference: Alistair Kee; “The Rise and Demise of Black of Black Theology).”
Congressman Adam Clayton Powell, Jr., in the early 1960s coined the phrase "Black Power" and defined himself as the “baddest Nigger” on Capital Hill. Many have attributed the slogan "Black Power' to Kwame Ture (Stokley Carmichael) former chairman of the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee and honorary member of the Black Panther Party who was given the honorary titled of minister of information, but Congressman Powell was the first to echo black power. Black Liberation theology began to make its greatest leap as a systematic theology during turbulent 1960s. Many black clergy were faced with the question of, how do we make Christianity relevant in the context of the social and political upheaval in the United States?
The United States was in unjust war in Vietnam in the 1960s and 1970s, racial tension was tearing the nation apart and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., was preaching non-violent social change and using the tactic of Civil Disobedience to agitate the status quo. King on August 28, 1963 led the March on Washington in which over two hundred fifty thousand demonstrators were galvanized to dramatize appalling political, social and economic conditions in America. Dr. King was a preacher by profession and a well trained theologian who had earned a Ph.D in religion from Boston University. He used the Bible as his text to criticize United States Foreign Policy and the Bible gave him enough ammunition to condemn domestic oppression, injustice and paralleled black’s struggle to those suffers written of in the Bible. Dr. King was not necessarily a proponent of Black Liberation Theology, but his social theology and activism shared a deep similarity and compatibility to the philosophical tents of Black Liberation Theology, which spoke to the oppressed. (Reference: Gayraud S. Wilmore; “Black religion and Black radicalism”).
This is a layperson's analysis of the developments of Black theology. The writer will admit that this research, by no means, is an exhaustive analysis of Black theology. On the other hand, this article does articulate the perspectives determined by the Black theological process. This analysis looks at how Black theology deals with the major institutions, such as God, Jesus Christ, the Bible and the black church. The analysis, presented in this article relies largely on the scholarship of experts on the subject: theologians, religious scholars, sociologists, and philosophers. From the start, it would be necessary to provide, for the reader, a distinction of two major concepts: theology and religion.
According to the “Dictionary of Philosophy and Religion,” theology comes from the Greek word "theos" (God) and "logos" (discourse or reason). Simply stated as, man's knowledge of God and His relation to the world. Hence, Black theology as interpreted by Joseph A. Johnson, author of the book, “The Black Preacher”, he explains: “Black—because of our enslaved fore-parents appropriated the Christian Gospel articulated its relevance to our freedom struggle with incisive accents that black women and men have sounded since. Theology - because our peoples' perception of human life and history begin with God, who works in the person of Jesus Christ for liberation from every bondage.” l
Black theology has both a systematic approach and a practical approach. The two forms of methodology will be articulated in more detail. Religion, on the other hand, refers "to an institution with a recognized body of communicants who gather together regularly for worship, and accept a set of doctrines offering some means of relating the individual to what is taken to be the ultimate nature of reality."2 The sociologists, C. Eric Lincoln offers a more functional explanation of religion, he suggests, "it is an effort to do for man what must be done to save him from the consequences of his dependency, his powerlessness."3
Traditionally, religion has provided the prime cohesiveness for the black community. It is in religion, where our fragmented communities are most institutionalized. When the African was brought to America as chattel, during the infamous slave trade, they represented a variety of sociological backgrounds. The European's "stolen" cargo was made up of people that spoke different languages and practiced different customs. Although the African's previous lifestyles were respectfully different, each would later share the same humiliations and limitations. As a result of stripping the captives of their identities, during this awful period of America's history, the African religious experiences had been shattered. The transplanted Africans were thought not to be "civilized" for religious training. It was common thought by the colonist that Africans were "too brutish, too ignorant, too unlike the English"4 to receive any religious instructions. As the black presents continued to grow, there became a need to offer a "religious" explanation for the existence of black men and women.
C. Eric Lincoln explains the slave's indoctrination to the Christian persuasion:. . . in 1700s the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts, the missionary arm of the church of England, found itself with several dozen missionaries in this country without anything for them to do. . . the SPG missionaries argued that Christianity would reduce their (the slaves) proneness for lying and stealing and laziness and would in fact make them as faithful unto their masters as unto Christ himself.5
As the cry for "Black Power" became popular during the turbulent sixties, there grew an even greater since of urgency for a Black theology. It was on June 13, 1969, when the first statement on an academic Black theology was issued from Atlanta, Georgia by a group of religious scholars and theologians. Roy D. Morrison writes in the article, "Theology and Ethics,” . . . “in the seventh decade of the twentieth century, black thinkers moved into that arena known as theology." 6 Consequently, marking an academic start to erasing the myths and misconceptions in western religious instructions. The scholarship and research of the black theologian serves as the primary conductor of the systematic approach to Black theology. James H. Cone, one of the leading scholars of the subject, bluntly states, "The goal of black theology is the destruction of everything white, so that blacks can be liberated from alien gods." 7 A primary concept is that African-Americans and Africans throughout the Diaspora must refuse to let whites define what is appropriate for black religious philosophy. The notion of a colorless God does not benefit the promotion of Black theology. It is the conceptualization of a Black God that is key. Important because, “ . . the blackness of God means that God has made the oppressed condition Gods own condition." 8
Furthermore, Black theology symbolizes Jesus Christ as the black messiah, reminding black people in a most consistent manner that God through Christ takes upon himself the liberation of the suffering and humiliated. Olivia Pearl Stokes, author of the article, "Black Theology: A Challenge to Religious Education, “contends: Blackness is a symbol of the being, the humanity of black people in the context of the experience African and Afro - American, blackness has meant inferiority and oppression. Insofar as Jesus Christ was subjugated and humiliated without cause to save the world, he is recognized by black theology as the oppressed man of God who took upon himself the undeserved suffering of all oppressed people. . He is the black messiah who was raised from the dead to liberate the oppressed by the power of the God who delivered Israel from the hand of Pharaoh and revealed himself as a strong deliver and liberator from every oppression of human existence.9
Consequently, the black experience of oppression and exploitation serves as the background for perceiving the God of the Bible as the God of liberation. When analyzing Christianity as it is interpreted by its followers of the Diaspora, one must take a more objective look at the primary source of reference, the Bible. Black theology's hermeneutical (study of the interpretation of the Bible) position, according to Cone's Perspective is: “The Bible is the witness to God's self-disclosure in Jesus Christ. Thus the black experience requires that Scripture be a source of Black Theology. For it was scripture that enabled slaves to affirm a view of God that differed radically from that of the slave masters. The slave masters' intention was to present a ‘Jesus’ who would make the slave obedient and docile. . .Many blacks rejected that view of Jesus, not only because it contradicted their African heritage, but because it contradicted the witness of scripture.” 10
Considering the wickedness of the individuals who have tampered with Scripture, objectiveness must be applied when reading the Bible. The South African theologian, Itumeleng J. Mosala, emphasizes, "the insistence on the Bible as the 'word of God' must be seen for what it is: an ideological maneuver whereby ruling class interests in the Bible as in our society today are converted into faith that transcends social, political, racial, sexual, and economic divisions. In this way the Bible becomes an historical inter-classiest document." 11
To help serve the African of the Diaspora from becoming more persuaded by myths and exaggerations promoted by the Bible, Mosala recommends that, "a new exegetical starting point is established by black theologians ". . . anything else is a tinkering with what in fact must be destroyed." 12 The black church is undoubtedly the primary location, where the manifestation of black theology can develop. The church has been successful at a number of accomplishments, serving predominantly as the last existing fixture in our communities. Benjamin Mays, the longtime President of Morehouse College in Atlanta, tells about the stability of the black church during the period before 1933: The church was the first community or public organization that the Negro actually owned and completely controlled. And it is possibly true to this day that the Negro church is the most thoroughly owned and controlled public institution of the race .13
The black church is the domain of the pastoral minister. It is here, where the practical approach of Black theology is exercised. The practical approach is more compelling, more concrete, than the systematic approach. This methodology relies largely on the charismatic orator. It is the reverend's cadence and style of delivery that is oftentimes more lasting than the content of the sermon. Gayraud S. Wilmore, Dean and Professor of Afro-American Religious Studies at the New York Theological Seminary, challenges the black preacher, suggesting, "they need to be constantly reminded that the 'old religion' among our people had a powerful, though sometimes covert, social action and cultural renewal component that was utilized by our predecessors in lyceums, literary societies, benevolent clubs and abolitionist groups with the congregation..” 14
Black theology does have its skeptics and varying degrees of skepticism. Its principles are mostly challenged by fellow theologians and religious scholars. William Jones, a Unitarian minister, argues from the prospective of theodicy and black humanism. He questions, "if there is a God, why do people suffer (undeservedly)?"15 He continues his scrutiny, "since black theologians base their claims that God is the liberator of all the oppressed in the Exodus story, what proof, what historical example is there in the black experience to warrant these claims? For such claims to be justified, blacks should be able to point to events in black history which reflect the liberation acts of all the oppressed in the Exodus story, what proof, what historical example is there in the black experience to warrant these claims? For such claims to be justified, blacks should be able to point of events in black history which reflect the liberation acts of God. . Black people have no right to make claims on other people's histories' and base their hopes on them as if they were their own history, Since there is no historical event, to which, they can point to that shows that the biblical God is on their side as their liberator."16
In addition, to Jones' doubts, are more constructive analyzes, offered by fellow black theologians Cecil W. Cone and Albert Cleage. Cecil W. Cone, author of “The Identity Crisis in Black Theology” (1975), strongly contends that Black theology should build more solidly on the black religious experience and tradition, emphasis placed in this area would decrease the identity crisis in theology. Albert Cleage, author of “The Black Messiah” (1968), supports the installing of an even more dominate effort at promoting black nationalistic interpretation of biblical religion and the black church. However, a more easily detected shortcoming, is the ineffectiveness black theologians’ encounter when attempting to convey their scholarly analysis to the masses of Africans of the Diaspora. The unfortunate reality is that, theologians only seem to talk to theologians. Perhaps, because of its abstract nature, the lofty rhetoric, or the short time that it has been a practiced science, may attribute to its minimum attractiveness at this time.
The validity of black theology is not the most important element. Rather, the reality and relevance of its purpose is its most important feature. Mari Evans, writing as a young poet, captures the essence of a liberated religious posture in the poem, “Speak the Truth to the People”, she writes: the world; 5) to develop panoramic images of our experiences in the black churches. The black church is also faced with changing roles. In order to remain a viable factor, each black church must create its own community outreach agenda. without a sense of mission, the black church will become useless temples of hope, if it does not evolve within the context of an ever changing political, social and economic world—change is not stagnant it is constant. The black church must adopt new platforms which to continue to address the needs of their challenging congregation.
In an article written by Hollie I. West, "Down from the Clouds,” recent innovative ideas were discovered. "In Detroit the Joy of Jesus ministry has no congregation, cleans yards, restores houses, tutors youngsters, sends kids to camp and combat crimes The six-denomination Congress of National Black Churches, based in Washington, is working to establish economic development and anti-drug programs for individual churches in the District of Columbia, San Diego, New York City, Memphis, Atlanta, and Chicago.” 18 Innovative programs will strengthen the black church, thus creating a more stabled forum for Black theology to evolve.
Fundamentally speaking, Black theology seems simple to promote to the "lost" African of the Diaspora, but a more in depth analysis indicates otherwise. There has to be a restructuring of ideology implemented by each of the "lost" peoples of Africa. Not until individuals seek to expand their own knowledge of their existence will Black theology become a more dominant persuasion. It will be incumbent upon the black church and members to utilize its greatest potential. Black theology must take seriously the suffering and cruel treatment that its people are victims of.
However, Black Liberation Theology will always remain viable, as long as racism and injustice exist and the black church will continue to have the job, duty and responsibility to answer with a critical and decisive voice, unless it renders its-self useless and obsolete. Black Liberation Theology is not a racist doctrine or teachings of hate, but it affirms how black people see God and the prophets and interpret religion from their own theological definitions. This writer enjoys the Ministry of Dr. Pastor Frank Reid III of Bethel AME Church in Baltimore because Dr. Reid’s sermons are practical and relative to his black congregation worldview, it represents messages of a collective conscience and a collective experience rooted in the black tradition. This writer loves good ole southern black preaching; although I am far from being religious, but my spirituality helps me embrace all truth regardless of the paths and labels we apply to the Creators existence. This writer must admit he detest mega preachers and ministers such as T.D. Jakes, Creflo Dollar, Eddie Long, Fred Price, etc., and many more like them; these religious gangsters, pimps and crooks are robbing their congregations blind and many of them are to ignorant to know what is going on. These prosperity base ministries are only designed to financially empower these ego driven ministers to the detriment of a suffering black masses. They live bourgeoisie and lavish lifestyles selling the greatest con game ever invented—religion.
Fahim A. Knight Chief Researcher for KEEPING IT REAL THINK TANK located in Durham, NC; our mission is to inform African Americans and all people of good will of the pending dangers that lie ahead; as well as decode the symbolisms and reinterpret the hidden meanings behind those who operate as invisible forces, but covertly rules the world. We are of the belief that an enlighten world will be better prepared to throw off the shackles of ignorance and not be willing participants for the slaughter. Our MOTTO is speaking truth to power. Fahim A. Knight can be reached at fahimknight@yahoo.com.
Stay Awake Until We Meet Again,
Fahim A. Knight
NOTES
1 0livia Pearl Stokes, "Black Theology: A Challenge to Religious Education," in Religious Education and Theology (Maryknoll, New York: Orbis Books, 1982), 72.
2 William Reese, Dictionary of Philosophy and Religion: Eastern and Western Thought (Sussex, New Jersey: Humanities Press, 1980), 488.
3 C. Eric Lincoln, "Contemporary Black Religion," Journal of the Interdenominational Theological Center, Spring (1978), 91104.
4 Ibid., 91
5 Ibid., 91.
6 Roy D. Morrison, "Theology and Ethics," in Philosophy of Religion and Theology (Sussex, New Jersey: Humanities Press, 1975), 124.
7James H. Cone, "God in Black Theology," in A Black Theology of Liberation (Maryknoll, New York: Orbis Books, 1986), 62.
8 Ibid, 63.
9 Olivia Pearl Stokes, "Black Theology," in Religious Education and Theology, 63.
10 Itumeleng J. Mosala, "The use of the bible in Black Theology," in The Unquestionable Right to be Free (Maryknoll, New York: Orbis Books, 1986), 177.
11 Ibid., 179.
12 Ibid., 185.
13 Benjamin E. Mays and Joseph W. Nicholson, "The Genius of the Negro Church," in Afro-American Religious History: A Documentary witness, edited by Milton C. Sernett (Durham, North Carolina: Duke University Press, 1985), 338.
14 Gayraud. S. Wilmore, "Pastoral Ministry in the Origin and Development of Black Theology," The Journal of the Interdenominational Theological Center, Spring (1986), 213-224.
15 Mokgthi Motlhabi, "The Historical Origins of Black Theology," in The Unquestionable Right to be Free, 43.
16 Ibid., 44.
Selected Bibliography
The Original African Heritage Bible- Dr. Caine Hope Felder
What Color was Jesus- William Mosely
Yeshua the Hebrew Messiah or Jesus the Christian Christ-Rabbi Ben Ammi
The Messiah and the End of this World- Rabbi BenAmmi
The Black Messiah- Rev. Albert Cleage
The Black Christ- Kelly Brown Douglas
God, the Bible and the Black man`s Destiny- Dr.Ishakamusa Barashango
Afrikan People and European Holidays-Dr. Ishakamusa Barashango
Adam, Where are you- Dr. Jawanza Kunjufu
The African Origins of Judaism- Jose Malcioln
The TRUTH about Black Biblical Hebrew-Israelites- Ella Hughley
Our Black Seminarians and Black Clergy without a Black Theology- Dr. Yosef ben-Jochannan
The Black Presence in the Bible- Rev. Walter McCray
What if Blacks did not Exist- Felix Ehui
The Valley of the Dry Bones- Rudolphf Windsor
From Babylon to Timbuktu- Rudolphf Windsor
Black Biblical Heritage- Dr. John L. Johnson
TLDR
If you could provide a synopsis of 750 words or less, I might wade through it.
As as aside, it seems to me that identification of self with any race, religion, or political ideology can only serve to prevent one from realizing who, and what, they really are.
Which always goes far beyond what they may think.
Since most have no clue as to the implications of that statement, they remain blind to the truth all around them, and consequently, we remain at war on countless levels.
Time for everyone to wake up.
Best,
MH
Michael, I am Long Winded: 423 Word Answer
Thank you for your reply. You words are well taking. I think the entire question and equation of race is instigated and is given a premise to exist, which to divert attention from what is really going on and is design to consume humanity in useless battles of artificial barriers. Since I know this and is very clear about this perspective and motive, then it might appear as a contradiction to many viewers on TDG site based on the number of bloggs I have posted relative to dealing with the question of race and politics; in particular in the United States. The psyche of black humanity in the U.S. was partially shaped by oppression and racism; these variables had deep and everlasting affect on the psychological and collective conscious of these people who were deemed Chattel Slaves (1555-1865). Thus, right after slavery 1896 the United States Supreme Court in 1896 passed Plessy Versus Ferguson (Separate, But Equal), which issued in Jim Crow laws and segregation. This period lasted until 1954 (Brown V. The Board of Education) until the High Court struck down Plessy V. Ferguson and declared Separate but Equal as being unconstitutional. This social and political history created a political and social dichotomy in America—blacks were never accepted as "full Americans". So, Black Liberation Theology evolved out of a need for blacks to reaffirm their religious identity in the same way there was a need to re-affirm their "Americanism" by forcing America to live up to his creed as it was written in the language given in the United States Constitution. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. socially agitated and this led to the passing of the 1965 Civil Rights Act and 1965 Voting Rights Act. These were necessary steps to ensure that the question of race did not enter into the legality of this democracy and jurisprudence system needed to reflect these measures. But it does not matter how much you legislate, you can not dictate or control people and individual—group norms, folkways, mores, values, etc. The culture of racism had become entrenched even in the Christian and religious doctrines of America. The religious teachings, images, symbolism, etc., reflected the dominant culture and Black Liberation Theology articulated by James Cone, Cecil Cone, Albert Cleage and others sought to balance this equation. There is a good book written by a Florida State University psychologist named Dr. Naim Akbar titled, "Chains and Images of Psychological Slavery." I hope I have answered your questions.
Stay Awake Until We Meet Again,
Fahim A. Knight
Let's look at another examples
We should look at another examples of co-existence between blacks and other groups in other countries of the continent, mainly Cuba & Brazil.
In Cuba there are none of the frictions present in the US society. Blacks & whites treat each other the same—they are all on equal grounds: miserable, but that's another issue ;-)
The same goes for Brazil, where people celebrate the african traditions and the way they mixed with the rituals of the amazonian tribes and the christian faith. This is most evident during the annual carnival celebration, aswell as with the candomble religion; they have come to understand that there's no such thing as a truly isolated culture, or a pure "race" for that matter. This idea of taking the best of each culture and re-interpet it is called "Tropicalia".
We should toast to "Tropicalia" with a few glasses of caipirinha :-)
-----
It's not the depth of the rabbit hole that bugs me...
It's all the rabbit SH*T you stumble over on your way down!!!
Red Pill Junkie
Red Pill---Reverend Robert Schuller words rings loud
Reverend Robert Schuller, a renown Caucasian televangelist who had received an invitation from the late Reverend Leon Sullivan to address the African/African-American Summit in Libreville, Gabon, Africa in 1994. Reverend Schuller's recognition and admittance that Europe and Europeans by the enslavement of Africans had committed an unpardonable sin he stated,
“Leaders from the black African nations are here. Also Louis Farrakhan and the widow of Malcolm X. All of them will speak. Just listen, and when you're called to come up and talk, the lord will tell you what to say.' I listened. Speaker after speaker spoke. Coretta Scott King spoke. Following her was Andrew Young. And, yes, Louis Farrakhan too".
"I was struck by the mutual respect shown even among those who shared different faiths and contradictory philosophies. Where is the anger? I thought. I sensed none of it. Hour after hour I listened. From my seat next a window, I had a view of the beach. The ocean was clam. Form this very spot on the west coast of Africa, cargo boats had been loaded with slaves to be hauled to market. During a period of more than two hundred years, twenty million blacks had been brought from the interior in chains to be sold to the white men who landed their boats on this beach".
"The entrapped humans had been hauled from this, the eastern boarder of the Atlantic, to where waves finally stopped on the eastern shores of the United States. I was an American citizen because my ancestors had chosen, freely, to immigrate to the United States. But the black Americans in the room were not citizens of the United States by virtue of the free choice of their ancestors".
"This beautiful, kind, intelligent Americans were the living ancestors of slaves once dragged in chains in aboard the ships right here! I could see it happening in my mind's eye. Who were those white traders? Were they Dutchmen? Some of them were, yes. I was of Dutch descent. Could one of my ancestors have been in slave trading"?
"I had inherited money from my mother, whose father---had been so he claimed---a baron in the Netherlands. My maternal great grandfather, Gerrit Van Amerongen, had sold all his property in Holland and come to America with his fortune to buy a vast spread in Galveston, Texas, and established' His empire. A horrendous hurricane later wiped him out, leaving him with only a small portion of his imported wealth. But from where had my grandfather acquired his wealth? From his father? Could it be that his family from Holland was involved, directly or indirectly, in the slave trade?"
"These musings released disturbing ideas into my mind as I sat there--- a white man from America listening to black speakers, most of them, if not all, descendants of slaves. For the first time in my life, on the issue of race, I felt the sting of guilt. In my childhood, high school, college, in seminary days, I never felt superior to other races because I was white".
"I honestly looked on all colors as equals. Being better or worst was a matter of character, not color. But suddenly, here now I was drawn back into history when blacks were not equal to whites. They were better! Blacks morally better than whites? Yes! We whites bought and sold their bodies; they didn't buy or sell us. Blacks better patriots than whites? Whites love America, of course! We or ours chose to come to this great country".
"But blacks love this country with the equal passion! How proud they are to be Americans. But neither they nor their ancestors wanted to come here. They were not immigrants--they were imports. They came as products--not people. Abruptly my thoughts were interrupted as I heard my name call. Loudly! Leon was introducing me as the next speaker. "Let's welcome Dr. Schuller!” Applause broke out".
"I found myself almost stumbling through the large crowd. On stage I stepped into Leon's open arms. He beamed, smiled, laughed with pleasure, hugged me, and stepped back gesturing me to the podium. I paused. I prayed. I looked into his eyes of the famous black leaders, including Coretta Scott King, Martin Luther King, Jr.'s widow. What did I think I had to say to them"?
"My prepared speech now seemed absolutely inappropriate. Suddenly my lips trembled. My face twitched in emotional distress. My heart reached out to these people who loved me. Their grace, affection, and respect reach out to me. I didn't feel that I deserved this. Through my family history I might have been a part of the horrible history of slavery".
"I was speechless. Tears rolled down my cheeks. I prayed silently, "God, let the right words come out". The crowd grew silent, for they could see and sense something strange occurring in the white haired, white skinned television preacher they had lovingly invited into their inner circle. Finally, a few words came. "Thank you for your welcome. I'm so honored to be invited here".
"But as the only white preacher here, I suddenly, strangely sense for the first time in my life a stab of shame and guilt for what we whites did to blacks." I couldn't go on. Tears rolled down my face as I heard only a few more words tumble from my trembling lips. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I can not talk I'm so sorry". Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a tall black man standing on stage only a few feet from me. He had come up uninvited. For a brief second our eyes connected I recognized him as a clergyman of another faith. His eyes sent a message to this speechless preacher: We don't let someone stand on stage and cry alone".
"I could not deliver a speech after only a few moments on stage I turned to leave. The audience rose, applauded, and cried. We were one in heart! How strongly my soul, through prayer, had asked for and received forgiveness here in Africa."
Stay Awake Until We Meet Again,
Fahim A. Knight
Beautiful.
So what will it take? What do you think it will take for all these wounds to finally, FINALLY be healed, and the people of the United States can at last let this whole mess settled and move on to work together, in the pressing matters that they'll ALL face in this difficult century?
It's very likely—if not almost certain—that a black man will sit in the most important office in the world, as President of the United States. I think that's a darn good start, since I'm aware that the main supporters of Obama are the young people of all colors and denominations.
But what else will be needed?
-----
It's not the depth of the rabbit hole that bugs me...
It's all the rabbit SH*T you stumble over on your way down!!!
Red Pill Junkie
Thank you: The U.S. Government Could Start by Issuing an Apology
President Bill Clinton was prepared to issue Africans in this country an official United States governmental apology for the wrongs of slavery, but it was later deemed politically expedient for the president to remain quiet on such topic and not issue Africans an officially apology. I assume his legal advisors advised him not to do this because this admission of guilt perhaps could be used by Africans in their quest for REPARATIONS and legally force America to pay Africans living in America a 310 year old debt.
The Southern Baptist, a predominantly white Christian association, a few years ago, thus, had the humanity and the proper spirit of God to admit the wrong doings of the Christian church in slavery. They did not go to the grave yard and issue this apology to the dead, which would have been partially suffice, but the church issued the apology to the living ancestors of those who lived and died under the evil institution of slavery. You may take the fruit from the tree, and call it whatever, but the root of the fruit never changes, moreover, blacks in America are genetically and spiritually connected to a common past, present and future.
Here are the solutions to this Four (4) century problem, to what sociologist Gunnar Myrdal referred to as "An American Dilemma". 1). the healing process starts at admittance of the wrong doing and erasing historical denial. 2). Open and honest communications amongst the races about slavery. 3). Reparations. 4). An international call for atonement and reconciliation on behalf of all African people. 5). Pray to God for healing and guidance.
Stay Awake Until We Meet Again,
Fahim A. Knight
debt
I lived in the US for many years. I paid taxes and the usual fees (unemployment, social security, sales taxes, and the rest).
However, neither me nor any of my ancestors were involved in the slave trade, or were slave holders.
I may go to the USA again, for gainful employment and paying the appropriate taxes and similar fees.
Why should I be held financially responsible for what other people did 150 years ago?
Why should Arab and African tribes and royal families, who still are in Arabia and Africa today, who did profit from the slave trade, not be held responsible ?
Gunnar Myrdal's points are valid.
So for me:
(1) - I did nothing wrong, nor did my ancestors in this matter. I have not profited from any of the wrongdoings, even indirectly. Even though I am mostly "white".
(2) - Indeed let us be honest, and admit who all were the culprits. And who all were the victims.
(3) - I don't owe anyone anything, because of point (1).
(4) - OK, but you are assuming that only African people were the victims. This is not correct. There were, and are to this day, many other victims.
(5) - Yes that is a good thing to do. Not the only thing, but it sure won't hurt.
And ok, saying this problem is 4 centuries old is also not correct. Not even close. There has been slavery, in all cultures, for much longer than that.
There is slavery inside Africa, and inside India, today. No white people involved there. We cannot fix that inside the USA.
So I think the analysis you present is much too African-centric.
The problem is much wider and older. We should address and fight this problem in a more complete approach.
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The large print giveth,
The small print taketh away.
Poor Metaphor
Poor metaphor. You can not make the victim the criminal and the criminal victim. You make it appear like it is a crime to question the perpetrator. You went straight to the questing of money, but your metaphor example did not acknowledge the fact that a criminal act took place (Justice was over looked in your example). You can not put the cart before the horse, it will cause confusion; thus, people have to first know and acknowledge that a crime indeed took place. Educate the people on the issue do not incite people with these poor metaphors.
Chattel Slavery was a crime. I have many conversations with my Caucasian brothers and sisters (yeh my Caucasian family).They have an Organizations called Caucasians for Reparations, you probably can Google search them on line and learn more about this group if you are interested in their work. They are humane and decent people.
We may disagree on some things, but we all agree that Chattel Slavery was a barbaric act committed against African people and Reparations is a just demand. Congress John Conyers (D-Michigan) has put forth a Bill to study the question of Reparations into United States Congress.
Stay Awake Until We Meet Again,
Fahim A. Knight
Someone Profited: The Greatest Crime Ever Committed
Sir this is not about profiting, but yes it is about profiting (somebody profited yesterday and are still profiting today).The African slave trade started in the year of 1555 (slave ship named "Jesus" piloted by Sir John Hawkins and lasted up until 1865). That amounts to 310 years of free slave labor.
Now! We can not cure the problem until unless we first deal with the DENIAL ASPECT. African slavery was not a Hoax or something created in Hollywood for the benefit of an overt and covert agenda. We have not profited from our "HELLOCAUST" But most European nations are still paying reparations to the Zionist Jews for their allege suffering.
All of Europe and America got their financial start based on slave commodity. Sir this argument/debate is not going anywhere any time soon. Why not deal with it? You are the financial beneficiaries of the GREATEST CRIME EVER COMMITTED either directly or indirectly.
And I reject the notion or inference that African Americans are hustling their historical suffering. Sir! we have not even received an apology for the wrongdoings of slavery and slavery ended over 150 years ago and not to mention one cent.
Racism has the tendency of confusing and disorientating its embracers and most of all it is a social disease that blinds individual's ability to reason and accept truth. I AM NOT DEALING WITH A WELL COMMERICALIZE AND FINANCED HOAX. I DEALING WITH TRUTH.
Stay Awake Until We Meet Again,
Fahim A. Knight
Here is another Point: Jewish Involovement in the Slave Trade
"The Secret Relationship Between Blacks and Jews" a book written by the Nation of Islam's Historical Research Department back in 1994; published perhaps one of the most controversial books to be written in the late 20th Century. The research looked at credible and authentic Jews sources and historical records to assess and evaluate the Jewish involvement and role in Transatlantic Slave Trade and the Middle Passage (1440s --1807).
The Nation of Islam researchers found that there were overwhelmingly Jewish involvement on every level—buying and selling of slaves—to owning disproportional numbers of slave plantations. They discovered that some of the Jewish Slave Merchants used Gentile and European names and played a much larger role in the African Slave Trade than what was previously known. They were large on the financier end, slave brokers, owners, etc.
Moreover, the Jews equated the Nation of Islam book the ”The Secret Relationship Between Blacks and Jews" next to "The Protocols of the Learned Elders of Zion" and tried to dismissed it as anti-Semitic material. The Simon Wiesenthal Center hired Jewish Scholar Harold Brackman who wrote the anti-thesis book titled, "The Ministry of Lies: The Secret Relationship Between Blacks and Jews" tried to refute and discredit the Nation of Islam scholars as using shoddy research methods and less than ingenious Jewish scholars as their verification sources.
But the Nation of Islam research opened up a new arena and as much as the European Nations played huge roles in the African Slave Trade, but they found something more sinister relative to the "secret" Jewish involvement who even used Gentile Front men. Many scholars black and white are fearful of Zionist reprisals and even more fearful of being labeled anti-Semitic if they mention the role of Jewish Involement in the African Slave Trade, which might cost them their academic careers; if they were to touch the subject of Jewish involvement in the African Slave Trade.
Therefore, this subject has not received the needed scholarly attention to either affirm or discredit "The Secret Relationship Between Blacks and Jews". But they will not even allow a sensible debate to occur on the topic and subject without yelling "anti-Semitism". The powerful Jewish Lobby groups went after the Afro centric scholars for daring to suggest and exposed Jewish involvement in the slave trade.
They went after Dr.Tony Martin, Dr. Leonard Jefferies, Dr. Khallid Abdul Muhammad, Dr. John Henrik Clarke, etc. They also accused Minister Louis Farrakhan of being the sole author of the book and the Nation of Islam was attacked from every direction by Zionist forces. I am still objective and personally would like to see a greater debate on this issue.
Stay Awake Until We Meet Again,
Fahim A. Knight
damnation
I am so sorry.
Of course the slave trade was for money. That is a crime in most cultures but still tolerated in a few cultures.
But really, it is still a present problem, in this day. It is still present practice.
I find that very sad.
Scholarly attention or not, it is still present.
One of the few places where it is not largely tolerated is Israel, as far as I know.
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The large print giveth,
The small print taketh away.
point by point maybe ?
I am not the perpetrator of anything.
You have no reason, and no right, to accuse me of anything.
Nevermind to say that I am convicted. Which you do say, if you think twice about what you say.
Think about that ok ?
OK, let us relax, and perhaps think about these things. No hurry. Doing it to fast won't help.
How about responding to my individual points ?
When you have the time.
And No, I don't owe anybody any money.
Read the rest, when you have the time and patience.
And please do not ignore the parts about slavery BEFORE and STILL after the american example.
OK I said it wrong, you are not really African-centric. You seem to be more African-American-centric in the question of slavery.
Slavery has been a problem, race-based slavery is a specific part of it. But let us be realistic - the problem is still there. And it is in societies other than the USA. It is in Arabia and India, perhaps in China.
The reason I went to money issue was that it was the first real point your reference brought up. And no, I don't owe them anything. Why would I ?
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The large print giveth,
The small print taketh away.
Lets Not Be in Denial
Whenever so-called African-Americans mention the word slavery, which was part of the ancestral experience of our fore parents from 1555- 1865, it sends the majority of white conservatives and white liberals in to a frenzy.
They often hide their fore parent's guilt and their own guilt, with a deep sense of historical denial and in the same breath call for race reconciliation, as though we should skip over and dismiss 310 years of brutality, rape, robbery, murder, force labor, kidnap, etc., that were committed against an entire race of people.
This is the type of historical denial and sheer ignorance that keeps fueling the modern day "Civil War". How can we have better race relations, if there are still large sectors of white people and black people that are in historical denial?
Professor Kenneth Stamp referred to slavery as the "Peculiar Institution", John W. Blassingame in his monumental work referred to it as "The Slave Community" and W.E.B Dubois in his scholarship referred to it as "The Suppression of the African Slave Trade". The majority of American scholars agree that blacks in this country (in the United States and the Americas) arrived as slaves and the present generation of blacks are here based on that historical tragedy. Yet, we are 150 years removed from slavery and America and most Americans are still in historical denial.
Stay Awake Until We Meet Again,
Fahim A. Knight
bull***t
I give you a specific example, such as myself.
You refuse to accept that I am, individually, an innocent person.
That is the very same as saying that my friend "Spirit", a very good guy of somewhat African descent, should have been a slave.
I have never done anything to him, other than normal friendship.I did things for him, like normal people. He has never done anything to me, other than normal friendship. He did things for me.
Yes you want ME to pay money to some completely unrelated people?
Why do you want things from me?
To make the world better, yes that is what is needed. For the world. This takes work.
But someone wants money from me, because I am not African ? When I had nothing to do with it?
Why do you have the right? You Do Not.
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The large print giveth,
The small print taketh away.
Let's not get carried away, gentlemen
Let's not have this discussion devolve into a fight, please. We have to show decorum and civility to the other members of TDG.
Now, I do believe an acknowledgement of slavery should be done by all countries, to understand exaclty how it was carried out. As earthling posits, slavery is a very ancient and despicable practice and unfortunately it still survives in the XXIst century, although it may not be given that name.
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It's not the depth of the rabbit hole that bugs me...
It's all the rabbit SH*T you stumble over on your way down!!!
Red Pill Junkie
Furthermore
I've thought about this reparation Fahim writes about. As I wrote earlier if we look at the exaples of other countries like Brazil and Cuba, they skipped that part and so far it has worked out just fine.
My own country was a colony of the Spanish empire, but that I'm aware of, no latin american country has demanded a public apology of Spain for all those centuries of dominion.
Spain itself was first a roman colony, and later was invaded by the arabs. The spaniards have never asked the italians or the arabs for a public apology.
What I'm getting at is this: IMHO if we begin to search into the past deep enough, we might find the first member of the homo sapiens species being mistreated by another of his tribe. Should we try to make reparations to the descendants of the abused one? If we dig deep enough everybody owes something to everybody else.
But I'm not that naive. I know things are more complex in the XXIst century. For instance, the chinese demanded a public apology of the japanese for the abuses comitted by these during WWII. I suppose some descendants of the inhabitants of Hiroshima are still waitin for the american government to apologize for the dropping of the atomic bomb over people who were inherently innocent of any crime, since they themselves did not establish war to the US; that was done by their emperor in their name.
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It's not the depth of the rabbit hole that bugs me...
It's all the rabbit SH*T you stumble over on your way down!!!
Red Pill Junkie
me and Fahim
Weell, Fahim and me are debating about long term stuff. Even if someone wants "reparation" in the short term.
So either way, we won't know for decades, or centuries, if this will work.
So ok, we don't have to decide this week or this month.
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The large print giveth,
The small print taketh away.
Over Simplification : More Denial
You are trying to minimize and deemphasize the issue at hand. Let me hear you argue to the Jews on that rationale relative to the Jewish Holocaust. You sound a bit up-set and emotional lets take a deep breath and continue our discussion in a Civil and humane manner. There is no need for the inference of profanity. Slavery was an unlawful act that can be defined under United States Federal Statues as a Conspiracy. In legal terms a Conspiracy is defined as an agreement by two or more persons to commit an unlawful act: a combination for unlawful purpose.
In criminal law, conspiracy is a separate offense from the crime that is the object of the conspiracy. Who amongst the ex-slaves and descendants of Africa have the courage to charge all the said European Nations in the World Court and in a United Nations with historical crimes perpetrated against Black humanity?
The said crime is Chattel slavery and the political, economic, social effect, etc., this evil institution had on one race of people (Africans), is the single most important issue in the annals of human history and the greatest crime ever committed against humanity. Where is Hugh Price, Kwesi Mfume, Jesse L. Jackson, AL Sharpton, Henry Louis Gates, Maxine Waters, C. Delores Tucker, Farai Chideya, Danny J. Blackwell, Raymond Brown, Cornel West, Louis Farrakhan, T.D. Jakes, Tavis Smiley, Julianne Malveaux, Jamal Harrison Bryant, Michael Eric Dyson, Stanley Crouch, Lani Guinier, Charles Ogletree, etc. our so-called Black leaders and Black intellectuals on this issue?
Many of them are very much familiar with this fight, but very few of them have committed their organizations resources and expertise in a pro bono manner to allow a legitimate legal defense on-behalf of the sons and daughters of Africa. Minister Silis Muhammad of the Lost Found Nation of Islam in the West who has been at the forefront of the issue of REPARATIONS and he estimated just to file the petition will cost over USD $100,000 and estimated it will cost over USD $10,000, 000 in order to win the reparations battle. Why do not we put our resources behind Minister Silis Muhammad and Imari Obadele, the Chairman of the Republic of New Africa who has been in the forefront of the reparations struggle since 1968?
Randall Robison who authored the scholarly book titled, "The Debt: What White America Owes Blacks". However, Robinson was very late coming to the reparations discussion; nevertheless in an intellectual discourse he has laid a theoretical framework for us to follow.
Stay Awake Until We Meet Again,
Fahim A. Knight
IMO
The said crime is Chattel slavery and the political, economic, social effect, etc., this evil institution had on one race of people (Africans), is the single most important issue in the annals of human history and the greatest crime ever committed against humanity.
IMO, some people may dispute black slavery to be the greatest crime committed against humanity, Fahim.
I we were to ask a lacandon indian living in the Chiapas rain forest, who probably earns about US$1 a day, he will probably think the slavery and abuse against the indigenous nations of the American continent was the greatest crime committed against humanity.
Slavery is definitely a deep stain in the history of the US. One that should be addressed and dealt with. The sooner the better, because I fear climate change is going to hit hard on everybody, regardless of color or creed.
Ok you guys, I'm going home now. We should discuss this further —and in a civil manner—next week. Earthling is right, we are not going to solve a 300-year-old problem in just a couple of hours. Let us remember that the whole point of these comments is to try to understand the other person's point of view. If we already think we are right about something, there's no opportunity for growth.
Saludos.
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It's not the depth of the rabbit hole that bugs me...
It's all the rabbit SH*T you stumble over on your way down!!!
Red Pill Junkie
This is the Mindset I Have Been Working to Up-Root all My Life
So many early European writers had described the African continent as the "dark continent" where "savages" and "uncivilized" people lived. Therefore, these so-called "African heathens" needed to be saved by these white Europeans and Christianized by missionaries who were commissioned by God to bring salvation to a so-called backwards society.
The Europeans believed in a white manifest destiny and that they had a superior right to enslave and colonize African people. The Europeans believed that they were ordained by God and justified their conduct by using the Holy Bible in order to sanction slavery. They viewed blacks as subhuman and blacks had no rights in which the Europeans were bound to respect.
Many Europeans actually held this racist view and believed that kidnapping black people from Africa and placing them into slavery was a blessing for the Africans; however, they never asked the African how they felt about being enslaved. Yes. The Europeans thought that they were superior based on a false sense of white supremacy and based on military might. Africans have always been a determined people that had a different political, religious, social, economic, culture system, etc., than their white captives, but did not view their way of living as being inferior to whites.
Stay Awake Until We Meet Again,
Fahim A. Knight
Red Pill: Thank You
I am going to cut it short because I have been accused on this site TDG of being somewhat over opinionated. It must remain a two-way conversation. But I am very passionate as you can tell about the issue of Chattel slavery. I have no intentions of being offensive and if I have, then the board has my apology. This is just a very sensitive topic for me and I am quite sure it is equally sensitive for those who disagree with me. Thank you for evoking reason, rational and common sense.
Stay Awake Until We Meet Again,
Fahim A. Knight
yes, slowly
Manifest destiny,
yes that is a good term.
The Europeans honestly believed they could fix the world. And make tons of money at the same time.
That sounds funny, and it is. But they really believed that. And they thought that, as an uninteresting side effect, those little people in African and Asia would be better off.
Really. Sort of, when these people would accept the religionm, just after they died. This is the Spanish view, more or less.
With these good intentions, they were really brutal.
And in particular, they had no interest in individual rights to simple interests, such as happiness or life of the individual. After all life was harsh for even the rich at those times.
This is all true, and does not make sense today.
But you have to remember that the Europeans were really not the major force in collecting the slaves. And there were intermediaries.
The Europaans the ultimate customers, that is true.
For another day, who makes the money in trade ?
The source, the producers? The customer, the comsumer? Or the trader?
Let us not be hasty in this.
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The large print giveth,
The small print taketh away.