What's happening folks?? Glad you're riding with me one more week. This week's subject is undoubtedly my most controversial post to date, and truthfully I may lose some with this one, but this is an area that I feel highly compelled to discuss and give my three cents in on. If you feel the need to unfriend me, please do so now and don't read any further, with your close-minded asses. This was inspired by a very touchy, yet relevant and important, video made by a widely known Atheist named Dusty Smith that had the balls to go there. Here's the video, but I will warn you if you haven't seen this video, this may make you feel some kind of way.
This video had started some heated conversations, however they're certainly way overdue. What this man pointed out was how it was Biblically okay to own slaves. He pointed out scripture that backed this up, from both the Old and New Testament. While we often use the Bible, as well as the Holy Quran, as the centerpiece for daily inspiration and instructional value for life itself, people fail to remember, or even acknowledge, that they're still historical documents. It's been widely speculated and idealized that William Shakespeare actually wrote the Bible in the 1600s. While Dusty was, at times, very inflammatory, he also told us historical truth that can be backed up and identified. We, as Blacks, should already know that our ancestors had to adapt Christianity or die, there were no other options. Keep in mind, because of fear and intimidation, we have also taught along down through generation to generation this subtle idea that 'White is right', which obviously indicates that if whites taught us something, it must be true. However, we start tapping into our pro-Blackness and start delving deeper into our history about Black inventors, scientists, and other significant pioneers within our culture, but we seemingly don't ever acknowledge our ancestors pain when it came to Christianity. It's been taught to us to never question Christianity, just believe everything in faith, but why is that?? Let me go deeper.
Let's look at the traditional holidays we celebrate. Let's look at Christmas first. In Christianity, we were taught that it was the birth of Jesus Christ. He was born to the Virgin Mary and Joseph on that day, and we commemorate it generally by showing love and exchanging gifts and eating nice sized feasts on that day. Besides the fact that this is a VERY commercial holiday, so many people aren't aware, or don't care, about the fact that there may very well be a whole other part to the origins of Christmas. Historical documents and texts have stated that the true origin came from the Roman festival known as Saturnalia, which was named after the ancient Roman god Saturn, who was traditionally seen as the god of agriculture, liberty, and money. Around the time of the winter solstice, the people would celebrate his birth by exchanging gifts and having festivals, with neither courts nor school in session during this few day period. A couple of days after the solstice, the Roman people would partake in a lighting ceremony for truth and wisdom, on December 25th. When Christianity took a hold over Rome, the ideals embedded within Christianity took over, and much like slaves of Africa, people within the Roman empire either adapted or perished, much like evolution.
Let's also examine the origins of Easter. This was originally a pagan holiday, in which the goddess of fertility Ishtar died in the underworld looking for her deceased husband Tammuz. She then dies alongside her husband, however two creatures in the underworld sprinkled them with living water and they come back to life, thus both of them go back to Earth as light of the sun for six months, thus the cycle gets repeated every six months in its duration. Christianity states the obvious story of Jesus' death on Good Friday, and resurrects on that following Sunday. The symbol of the bunny rabbit actually goes back to the goddess of Spring Eostere, who was often associated with a bunny as a symbol of the arrival of spring and its egg represented the fertility of life. However, this is never even close to being mentioned in today's society.
As far as Thanksgiving, there were a couple of stories that are associated with the holiday, neither of which are pleasant but we still celebrate them with glee. In America, a Native American tribe was slaughtered by puritans. Those that survived were sold into slavery. It was named by the Governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony as a "day of thanksgiving" for all the seven hundred men, women, and children that they killed or conquered, and it just so happened on the day known for the Green Corn Festival for the Peqout tribe. Even further back then the 1600s, The fighters on the side of the Chrisitans conquered Northern Africa, in particular Turkey. Which meant that the citizens that survived either adapted Christianity or died, or would be in exile, then would eventually die. Subsequently the "turkey" represents the country from which our ancestors were enslaved or killed during this time period.
We, as Black people, whether Christian, Muslim, Buddhists, or whatever, fail to realize that religion, at least organized religion, has divided our culture for thousands of years, and we seem perfectly content with that. As I stated earlier, we're taught to research, question, and evaluate everything in our culture, but we better not touch religion. Why not?? Is white really right?? Are we content within our ignorance? I wrote about the show "Black Jesus" a few weeks ago and how up in arms our culture and community was over that show. The question I have is, why are condemning and blasting a show about a Black version of Jesus (how many actually know his name was Yashua Bin Yosef? I won't go there), but we'll watch movies all day depicting a White version of Jesus and won't say a word?? Mental slavery people!
Listen, I'm a Christian too. I have a deep relationship with God and it's personal with me. However, I reserve and deserve the right to question the history of Christianity, and there have been things that I've discovered that are inconclusive, and truthfully in some cases hypocritical, but when I ask about it, the response I get is "Believe it in faith". Really??? I should just believe everything that was taught to me because it's seen as "the truth"? You reach a point in your life where you want to find out YOUR personal truth instead of what has handed down to you, and it may not necessarily be your particular truth and your revelation. You won't know unless you live life and let your truth get revealed to you in the way its supposed to be. I believe in guidance, but one can't teach me or spit to me truth that got revealed to them about HIS or HER own life. Don't ever be afraid to research and question ANYTHING, including your existence. If not, you'll be a legitimately confused fool adapting to anything anyone tells you.
There's no doubt that this Dusty guy will get an enormous amount of heat, probably even white heat for his views. Once you all get out of your feelings, however, will you look at what he said objectively? This was uncomfortable to me because of how truthful it was and that it took an Atheist to back up stuff that I've had convos with friends over for some time now. We, as Black Christians, go to church every Sunday (even though it should be Saturdays if you really know your Bible but I digress) and we get all this Word, but we take it and run with it without putting two and two together in many instances. This isn't an anti-Christian rant, but this is me simply stating that there's a lot more to this form of religion than what we were taught and it needs to be researched OBJECTIVELY. We'll say it's "relationship before religion", but if that's the case, why do we label ourselves "Christians?" It was truly relationship over religion, we wouldn't label ourselves anything except followers of the God that resides in us. How are we worshipping the messenger (Jesus, Buddha, Muhammed, etc.) instead of the creator of the messenger? Ever notice how Catholics worship Mary mores than Jesus himself?
I could go on and on about this highly sensitive subject, but I'll go for now. This wasn't made to dissuade anyone from what they believe at all. I must emphasize that. This is just to inform people to read, research, and ask questions. Do your homework and your history. I'm going to leave you with one of the most venomous, yet historically accurate, hip-hop cuts ever recorded. If you're scared, don't even push the play button. This is for those who aren't afraid to explore and think about their history. This is strictly for the open minded. This is the infamous Ras Kass single, "Nature Of The Threat". This is very powerful so be forewarned. Until next time, hold it down folks!
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