Allow me to introduce myself. My name is DeWayne, and I’m a Christian. Now that’s probably not the type of introduction that you were expecting, but I included it, as my faith is a large part of who I am. It leads me; guides me; and ultimately serves as the compass that directs my life’s path. With that being said, I’m also well aware that millions of other people don’t share my faith. With Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, and a host of other religions currently being practiced, one would be foolish to assume that the person next to them was automatically a member of the same religious clan. It’s just a part of life. People are different, so it’s only natural that we believe in different things, right? Well, that’s what I thought.
Until recently, I lived by the principle that mankind’s ability to believe in a higher power — no matter the source — is ultimately what connects us all as human beings. Apparently I was wrong. Upon reading the story of Jamila Bey, I discovered a whole new culture. It is a culture of people who basically says, “we don’t believe in anything … we are anti-faith … we are atheists.”
The fact that Bey and her entire group (African Americans for Humanism) are all black, forces the conversation to devolve into a referendum on black America’s “acceptance” of non-believers. Widely considered the most religious group in the United States, African Americans have longed viewed faith — particularly Christianity — as the foundation of the community. So for Bey and her counterparts to speak out against organized religion, one can only imagine the type of backlash that they’ve received.
“You commit social suicide as a black person when you say you’re an atheist,” Bey shared, when articulating the community’s response to her views. “You renounce your blackness. You almost denigrate your heritage and history of the people if you claim atheism. You expect it from white people, but it’s rare for African American people to talk critically about religion.”
According to a study by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life, 87 percent of African Americans described themselves as belonging to one religious group or another, as compared with 56 percent of the general U.S. adult population. And what does that number suggest? For starters, it means that black atheists are finding it much tougher to have their beliefs accepted within their community.
“My family, my friends, my co-workers, my identity — everything was ripped away from me when I left Christianity,” lamented engineering student Duen McLean.”
There are others just like him. So the question begs asking: is it right for blacks to ostracize atheists in their community? I contend it is not. When you look at the foundational principles of any religion, kindness and love towards your fellow man are always somewhere near the top of the to-do list. So as a Christian, while I don’t agree with their position, I won’t condemn them nor will I condone the venom that is currently being spewed at them by others.
It’s already tough enough being black in this country, so I’d rather not add any extra weight to an already difficult journey. What are your thoughts? –dewayne rogers
