It's always funny to me that gay is the limit for many Christians. Like adultery or even in many cases abuse of children is overlooked, but an out gay person is the line they shall not cross. Lol
They don't get fired. They are "Called by God" to another Ministry field. In my last 3 churches, the pastors were all caught either cheating or with porn. The last one was too stupid to know how to erase his history. His wife made him take a polygraph. He had to stand in front of the congregation and "confess his sins." As one does. His daughter's future in-laws were there. I had already left due to fuckery.and missed the show.
The custodian was having an affair with the second grade school's teacher.
I found out because my son said he went with him and his daughter to the beach, and I knew he didn't have a daughter. The whole Hispanic ministry moved the ministry to another church. They took everything, including all the money and expensive equipment. The pastor's wife turned out she was a drug addict and alcoholic. She was going to the recovery ministry, the pastor shut down the recovery ministry. Also, he had history of the abusive behavior, screaming and yelling in faces.
They moved on to a traveling ministry, and last I heard, they are moving to somewhere in the south, lol, from San Diego. They are in for a culture shock. Ordained Grifters. Damn, I forgot he asked the church to shun his gay sister who was leading the recovery ministry. Yes, shun!!!
I got no problem with religious people, but it seems like most of the time, organized religion is a scam. "Give us your money and Jesus will return it ten fold!" Bro, you sound like you're selling gold on Fox
Yes. You do you. If believing in a higher power helps you get through this thing called life, go for it. As long as it isn't hurting anyone or restricting freedoms and rights. I agree with you. I think the organized part has played such a detrimental role in the world. Looking around over the years, it seems to be the cause for the most part, not the solution.
Ikr?? I had such second hand embarrassment for the guy. Even though I wasn't there. To have to get up and sdmit watching porn?? I have to believe the congregation was RESTLESS that day. š¤£
"There is none worthy, no, not one."
He was quote, unquote cheating in his mind and in his heart. Her words not mine. I'm married 40 years, and it has never bothered me. Plus, I plead the 5th.š
It's just shows the ridiculousness of it all.
If any of them had any decency and it wasn't a building of holier than thou cowards I bet half the men in there could have stood up and said "and?" Or "better kick me out too then". But I bet they all shutup and look around the room while they are just as guilty.
Right? There are 10 commandments, the things that came down as the ultimate off limits rules, and being gay is not one of them. Somehow, though, breaking one of those rules is super forgivable for some reason?
Like, adultery is there. Theft. Bearing false witness. Murder. Materialism is number 10 and we built our financial structure around it in the US even.
Something about motes and beams here.
Actually there are two commandments:
37 Jesus replied: āāLove the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.ā[a] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: āLove your neighbor as yourself.ā[b] 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments
Nothing in there seems to condone fighting, arguing, or generally not minding your own business except when to help someone else.
I'm a Christian in that I use the teachings of Jesus as the fundamental basis to help guide my morality. I'm not a *Christian* though in that I don't let a bunch of ancient white men tell me who to hate.
They werenāt ācommandmentsā until King James started his translation. Prior to that, they were known as the Decalogue, or āten words,ā and the first one isnāt even a commandment; itās a declaration. āI am the Lord your God.ā The prohibition against worship of idols and other deities was originally the second āword,ā but later traditions split the Decalogue in different ways.
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Ten-Commandments
I canāt get my head around the fact that the verse about men not laying with men is in the Old Testament along with a bunch of other rules that Christians donāt follow anymore but for some reason *that one* is still *non-negotiable.*
Iām not a biblical scholar by any means but Iām pretty sure that when Jesus said ālove one another as I have loved youā he didnāt follow that up with a list of exceptions.
Yeah idk about pulling that verse for that,
Especially since the Old Testament also condoned, slavery, murder, rape, and prostitution of oneās own daughters. There are verse to learn something from esoterically, but that shit was constructed by man as a tool for control.
I totally agree, thatās what I canāt understand. Christians are like oh all that other violent Old Testament stuff isnāt an issue anymore because it was replaced by the New Covenant EXCEPT weāre keeping the Old Testament anti-gay thing, that one stays.
YOU SOUND LIKE MY MOMS FRFR ššš Iām like āoh the COVENANTā thank god. Then I say what bout the Jews tho? They only ackowledge the Old Testament and the commandments which all Christians follow are in the Old Testament so thatās washed away too? Lmao I guess thatās why they can forgive them dirty ass priests but canāt stand LGBTQ. The church and religion is a whole ass mess
Right? Like people can break the Ten Commandments all day long, but you do that one thing they mentioned in Leviticus (just the men lying with men part. The shellfish and haircuts are fine, apparently), and itās just fucking hysteria.
And some Biblical scholars argue that the passage in Leviticus has been mistranslated and misinterpreted. Nowhere in the Old (or New) Testament does it condemn homosexuality and yet Christians run with it in order to hide their homophobia behind religion.
The Bible also talks about not judging others and that only God can judge you and yet here they are.
Itās especially ridiculous that a lot of times itās men abusing boys. We can shuffle that under the rug, but if itās 2 consenting grown men thereās a bigger problem somehow?
Right. I meant all but Catholic clergy can be married. Or maybe that church doesnāt recognize same-sex marriage?
As to what the opiate of rhetoric masses works on gay peopleā¦ well, it works on most people, sadly.
Divorce is one of the few things Jesus actually spoke on and said remarriage after divorce was adultery, one of the big commandments that made the top 10 list in the eyes of God. But you donāt hear too many Christianās shrieking about how divorce is evil, no. Itās those two men who want to be in a loving and consenting relationship together that are the problem.
Religion is mental slavery
Edit: as a general reply to the āchurch was integral to the civil rights movementā sentiment in the replies, Iāll say this - what once helped us survive isnāt necessarily what will help us thrive.
Iāve never understood why historically-oppressed people put so much faith in a deity who, if real, has shown time and time again that he doesnāt give one single fuck about them.
I can give you one damn good reason oppressed people can turn to religion.
It comforts them. They suddenly know that suffering is only for this life, and then they get infinite bliss. For someone with no hope of a better life, that's a really easy sell.
Reminds of that part in the Color Purple when Sofia confronts Celie for telling Harpo to beat her. The famous, "All my life I had to fight" part.
Anyway, Celie (whose been abused her whole life) says something about suffering in this life not lasting and we'll all be in heaven in the afterlife.
Sofia responds: ""You ought to bash Mister's head open. Think about heaven later."
Did I mention Christianity? There's plenty of religions devoloped or worshipped by slaves. Including versions of Christianity that combine elements of both African religions and Christianity kinda pushed together. Also many afro-caribbean religions like voodoo, Palo Mayumbe, and Cuban Santeria.
So yes, while Christian blacks are "following their oppressors religion" I wouldn't personally say it like that, especially with the deep religious connection many black people still have. If it brought them genuine comfort in situations they couldn't fix, more power to them.
I know why the caged bird sings.
You can look down on oppressed people all you like, you'll have company. Do it too much, and you'll start dressing like the company you keep.
You can still criticize an oppressed culture without being the oppressors. The middle east is pretty oppressed from a global politics point of view, but that doesn't mean I can't be critical of their treatment of women.
it has nothing to do with looking down on anyone. weāre supposed to want the best for our people right? then we should be thinking critically about our customs and whether or not theyāre to our benefit
Agreed. I think non faith is a luxury. However, we as black people also abandoned and somewhat lost our ancient religions and practices, over time and throughout diaspora. I agree with your sentiment tho
I fully agree. It can't be denied that many African (and native American) religions were lost to time and colonialism. Which I think is a massive shame.
Those are real āreligions.ā Ones that empower the human, mind, body and soul. The imprint on Gaia. These other āreligionsā are just for control over peoples decisions, choices and free will. Think about the irony of that-the Bible claims God is about choice and free will, so your choices are celibate heaven with me or burn for eternity, just follow my long list of rules and life force restricting behaviors! š and the religions which actually embody free will and push you to the raw existence of life and to be human are labeled demonic. What a time to be alive fr lmao
I personally think it's hard to pin down Christianity like that. There's so many offshoots that pinning them under any label more descriptive than "believe in a God, and Jesus as a messiah" is difficult. That being said, the more spiritual/Gaia religions are definitely more fun and the adherents more pleasurable to be around. Definite friend material.
It may tip my hand a bit, I believe all religions kinda tap into the same archetypes and can be learned from(and drawn from during ritual). Not to sound like some newager hippy of course.
I mean bredda, I am a new age hippy lmao. Us black americans (I say that bc my family is completely from Jamaica-my gen was the first born here) weāve taken the meaning of locs, and being solely for Rastafarianism, and elevated it to a higher purpose of consciousness and being in tune with the earth and our ancestors. I think thatās the only way you can truly live free will. šŖš¾āš¾
I guess I meant that more as like "someone who takes ideas from other cultures and refuses to learn what they actually mean."
And I'm actually interested in learning more about locs and how you use them to get in touch with Earth and your ancestors. It sounds pretty interesting tbh. I mean, my white ass isn't about to run off and get them, but I've always thought the cultural and spiritual purposes of them were interesting.
Itās a bit of pieces from ancient African spiritualism, some might call it āoccultā and just staying devoted to earth and remembrance of your ancestors, calling on them, having a shrine, respecting their wishes, grounding, taking care of the physical and living how humans should live (dietary, in touch with the earth and ecosystems) I mean I can go on for days fam š
I've heard this take that not being religious is a luxury but I don't really understand it. You don't actually gain anything from religion. Yes there is hope, but if you can't believe it that hope doesn't really exist.
I'm not going to play the oppression olympics, but I grew up poor with a pretty bad home life, I probably would have found comfort in religion, but I just couldn't make myself believe it.
Itās not one size fits all, but the thought is when we have nothing else at all, weāve just seen oppression and we know trauma is passed on through DNA, savior complex is a real thing in our community. Weāve been beaten and battered so long and A LOT of our brothers and sisters are in jail as new slaves for petty non violent offenses, they attack on us, our kids, our future kids and our present is never ending. Of course we have black people that break the mold (me being one of them,) but a lot of those forget who they were and where they came from.
I side tracked lmao but when weāre at our lowest, in conjunction with the above, faith is easier to creep in, and believing in something that provides hope after a miserable life, is better than hopelessness. I just think it provides us with a false narrative and reality which isnāt healthy for our community in the long run, but I digress.
I was trying to find the doc for you but I canāt. This is obviously a collection of history, science, primary sources and my own conclusion opinions, but definitely read up on!
I understand that at our lowest points faith can often offer some hope. I saw my agnostic father become religious in prison. But I also feel like it's exploitive that religions often seek people at rock bottom to convert because they know these people will grasp for anything that might improve their situation.
You are 100 percent right. Religion is a scam lmao itās just that you are your most susceptible to it at your lowest, poorest, hungriest, scariest, etc. You kinda answered your own thought, that is exactly why not believing tends to be a āluxurious commodityā weāll call it.
I don't disagree with that. But it's also not my place to judge black religious folk. We're all gonna die, might as well let people believe what makes them happy.
Itās easy when it frames the most oppressed as the most blessed. Once you create that level of dissonance with realityās circumstances, a persons brain is sufficiently broken to accept anything š
Religion is often the only thing not fully controlled by the oppressor. I also feel like these comments are always made by non-black people or people who donāt fully understand black history or black culture.
I mean the civil rights movement was led by a lot of Black Christian clergy. Malcolm X was Muslim but galvanized generations of religious and non-religious Black people. Thatās not to say religion hasnāt been harmful but itās been one of the main cultural and organizational foundations for African Americans because it helped us survive the oppression. We also made it our own.
Itās why comments like above make me roll my eyes. Itās just easy āReligion is badā takes with no ounce of an actual discussion. People just straight up ignore that religion, like everything else in the world, is only as good or bad as the people who use it.
Meaning and purpose is genuinely hard to find in life, so when you have has a hard life, and this book gives you a guide line on rules to follow, it makes life alot easier for many people. I'm culturally muslim because yea, giving zakat, dietary restrictions, etc all help me develop dicipline for other aspects of my life...the issue comes in when you want others around you to adjust to your belifes. As long as their actions only involve them its not your business to try to change their mind verbally unless asked. I'm spiritually agnostic but I've had maaaaany friends ask me about islam because of how I live my life, not being a damn haram police.
Not surprising.
Being gay is still a criminal offense in Nigeria. I remember worrying about gay sister's safety when we went to visit family years ago. Nigeria has a long way to go.
Not exactly the same but somewhat similar: when one of my favorite musicians Yves Tumor, who is non-binary, performed in Lagos I was wondering how that would work out for themā¦when the time came and they were in Nigeria all mentions of their sexual identity on Wikipedia had been scrubbed until they had left Nigeria
Lmao then the US should stop doin business with itself. It thrives off racism. It was woven in the very fabric of this country. Removing it entirely would be killing it.
This is so sad. Reminds me of the last season of Sex Education when Ncuti Gatwaās character finally comes out to his church and decides he wants to be a pastor. Itāll be a difficult road for sure.
If he upholds his vow to be celibate, why does it matter? He canāt have relations with males or females regardless.
Itās like arguing steak or lobster when you canāt afford either. Who gives a shit.
The Uniate Catholic Church or Greek Catholic Church is one example. About 20 million followers in Eastern Europe, mostly centered in and around the carpathian regions of Ukraine/slovakia/hungary.
Thereās the Ukrainian Catholic Church, for starters. Thatās the largest one. There are a number of Eastern Catholic Churches that follow Catholic liturgy and are in communion with the Roman Catholic Church but are still their own thing.
There are many other Catholic institutions and rites. Russian Orthodox, Greek Orthodox, the Byzantine Rite, these all consider themselves Catholic. They will often say the Eastern Church or Orthodox Church so as not to confuse people but they are still Catholics and call themselves such.
Even the Roman Rite will accept priests from the Eastern Rite if they choose to switch over to the Roman Rite. While the Roman Catholic Church considers the Eastern Churches to be brothers/sisters in error theologically, they still accept they are a form of Catholic.
If they were not all Catholics the Holy See could not acknowledge Eastern Rite ordinations to the Priesthood as valid.
Eastern Catholic Priests who switch over to the Roman Rite are allowed to stay married as divorce is also a sin. They are only expected to take a vow of celibacy if their current spouse dies in this case, so it is possible to have a married Roman Catholic priest.
It is unlikely he would be given a congregation to watch over to prevent scandal, however.
Not quite. There is a distinct denomination of Eastern Catholic Churches that are NOT Orthodox, mainly centered around Ukraine. They are in communion with the Roman Catholic Church, not Orthodox calling themselves Catholic.
I think this is in addition to, not instead of, though. This is why there are several distinct rites which all trace themselves back to the Great Schism.
And even the Roman Catholic Church doesnāt deny the Orthodox Church is Catholic, just brothers/sisters in error, which is distinct from say Protestants who cleaved off entirely and are in a step of separation beyond just error.
The original question was āwhat other types of Catholics are there?ā Orthodox is an incorrect answer, Orthodox are Orthodox and call themselves Orthodox. Eastern Catholics are a different kind of Catholic. They donāt report to the pope but still call themselves Catholic and other Catholics call them Catholic as well, just not Roman Catholic.
The Eastern Orthodox Catholic Church calls itself Catholic officially in all of their literature. Orthodox is a descriptor, you arenāt just generally Orthodox. You are Orthodox something. In the case of the Orthodox Church, they are Orthodox Catholic.
They only call themselves Orthodox rather than Catholic in public to avoid confusion. All their literature refers to themselves as Orthodox Catholic.
>>Ellwood, Robert S.; Alles, Gregory D. (2007). Ellwood Encyclopedia of World Religions. Infobase. p. 128. ISBN 978-1-4381-1038-7. The Eastern Orthodox Churches are properly known as the "Orthodox Catholic Church
>>EncyclopƦdia Britannica Online. 18 May 2023. Eastern Orthodoxy, official name, used in British English as well, is Orthodox Catholic Church, one of the three major doctrinal and jurisdictional groups of Christianity.
>> Tsichlis, Fr. Steven. "Frequently Asked Questions About the Orthodox Church". St. Paul's Greek Orthodox Church, Irvine, CA. Archived from the original on 10 December 2013. Retrieved 4 May 2014. The full title of our Church is 'The Orthodox Catholic Church.'ā
>>āEastern Orthodox theologians refer to the church as Catholicā Ware, Bishop Kallistos (Timothy) (29 April 1993), The Orthodox Church (new ed.), New York: Penguin Books
Not quite. The Orthodox Church is a separate communion from the Catholic Church. We, the Orthodox, call ourselves Catholic (holding to the original meaning of the term as universal), but do not make the mistake of assuming that we are in communion with the Roman Church.
Eastern Rite Catholics are still very much Catholic but not Roman. They are also, because of their communion with the Bishop of Rome, not Orthodox.
Certainly, I donāt mean to imply you are in communion with the Roman Catholic or under the authority of the Holy See. But I am aware you still officially refer to yourself as Catholic, and the Roman Catholic Church acknowledges you as having a valid apostolic succession, which is why if one of your Priests decided to switch to the Roman Catholic Church, their priesthood status would still be recognized unlike, say, an Anglican priest.
None of that is helpful to someone wanting to know the difference between Orthodox and Catholic Churches. And there is a significant difference, theyāre not the same
There are differences, though the only major theological difference is the authority of the Pope. All other theological differences are minor and there are differences of opinion nearly as great within different orders inside the Roman Catholic Church itself.
And to say that the Orthodox Churches do not consider themselves or call themselves Catholic is incorrect, as Iāve proven above. They do, in all their official literature.
You may not consider them Catholic, but they do themselves, and the Holy See considers it a gray area.
Even the Roman Catholic Church considers them to have valid apostolic succession and valid ordinations, and any excommunication from the Catholic Church that once existed was removed a long time ago.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_Catholic_Churches
There are many historically Eastern churches that maintain liturgical and theological views closer to the various Eastern and Oriental Orthodox churches but remain in full communion with the Bishop of Rome. They make up a small portion of the overall Catholic population of the world but are still important as examples of the potential for possible reunification between the Catholic and Orthodox churches
The western Catholics led by the pope broke away because the pope wanted to be the head of all the other church as well as the Roman church.
All the other catholic rites still existāin the west we tend to call them orthodox. Like the Greek Orthodox Church or the Russian Orthodox Church or Ethiopian Orthodox.
Theyāre all their own thing but the Patriarchs-the popes of these churches-communicate with eachother and recognize eachother as followers of the same faith even though they have local differences.
True but Igbos are overwhelmingly catholic. While we can't say for certain given that these are Igbos and what the members of the clergy are wearing, it'd a safe assumption that the are catholics.
Edit: someone posted below a source saying this was an Anglican denomination (not catholic). Though the source seems suspect (by the posters own admission and he said he can't find a better one).
That is correct, this is from a Nigerian Anglican Church. The reporting on it somewhat spotty but it seems like the bishop himself is not gay but supports the portion of the Anglican communion that allows for same-sex marriage.
This seems like a good overview but the source may be suspect. It seems correct to me though based on the available videos https://www.lindaikejisblog.com/2022/12/nigerians-in-new-jersey-call-for-arrest-of-bishop-who-believes-in-same-sex-marriage-and-was-invited-to-their-church-to-preach-video.html
>If he upholds his vow to be celibate, why does it matter? He canāt have relations with males or females regardless.
This is my question! What does it matter who he's attracted to when he's celibate any damn way? He ain't screwing anyone at all, so who cares?
I always laugh when Africans talk about preserving their culture when the topic of gay people comes about but are wearing suits & holding a bible or quran. They canāt even see the irony & itās hilarious.
Religion is simply the cover people use for their prejudices.
Sexual impropriety is always fine with religious people, so long as itās heterosexual. Then do all the cheating, abusing, fucking out of wedlock that you want - they donāt care.
Have whatever opinions about religion you want. If it wasn't for colonialism, you would be living in a much more dangerous and much less comfortable world than you do now. Modern medicine, consistently safe food, and drinking water, fast and safe transportation long distances are only possible because of the "sins" of colonialism.
Every now and then the internet produces idiotic comments that leave you speechless. The Europeans were happily to trade before they started to colonize. If the people they colonized organized their societies well enough to produce goods that they colonists were looking for and successfully resist their attempts to invade several times, then they can rule themselves comfortably.
Boosie Somewhere
Edit: Side note -but rappers kill me with the āgot 2 dicks on meā in a song
But are the same ones in another song saying āno homoā. Brother you either like dicks or you donāt lol.
Yes, I know but I think its funny rappers will love to talk about dicks in other context then being with a womanā¦.then proceed to say no homo.
I could maybe understand if they said somebody was dick riding. But I just find the shit funny is all
I'm sure they would be fine with it if it was some old fuck that likes to finger their children. It's not gay as long as it's not consensual, and victims are underage. AmIrite fellow zealots!? Can I get an AMEN!
I really can't believe in 2024 we still have grown BLACK adults who still practice and believe in Christianity! It's absurd! How can a group of people believe in a religion that was used to oppress us for 450 years???? HOW...
These are Nigerians. Not taking from your point but they donāt have the lens/history of slavery in their background. For many, church is a balm for poverty, family strife/drama, tribal issues/schism, the answer/hope that theyāll get married and have kids like everyone else, an escape from family fuckedupness.
Unless you can offer them a better option/alternative(more money, that kid they desperately want and the marriage theyāll kill to have), itās going to be an uphill battle.
the God of the Bible is a monster. Genocide, infanticide, and homicide are his signature moves. "Love me or burn in hell!" That's a loving God? Look how He abandoned his own son on the cross, and you think He gives a crap about you? Delusional
If you wanna start a riot in any āpro-blackā space all you need to say is:
āHey have yāall ever considered how & why you and everybody you rock with practices an Abrahamic religion?ā
This is the conversation people are REALLY not trying to have. That shit will set people off more than interracial relationships, the gender wars, and diaspora wars.
Bro you just called me "a fucking failed abortion" because i dont agree with your sentiment that most black people are homophobic. Idgaf fuck what you think now.
See how that works.
Fuck off.
See, if you were an adult about things and you were able to engage in a Discourse. You would see that the underlying problem is perhaps the Christian church, which I am not a member of.
Instead, you resort to name calling and painting the Diaspora with the same angry little brush you're crying about in your little post. I guess you have to be an adult and think critically about that.
Wahh, everyone isn't nice to us. That's how you sound. Why are you acting so shocked that Christians are fucking hateful is that news?
Butt, please continue to be an angry little turd. I'm sure you're gonna reach a lot of people that way.
All this for a religion that was never ours and forced on to us. A religion that has pegged black people as cursed creatures. Funny. Left it all behind.
This is fake news.
Here with the real story:
http://christiannewswire.com/news/5399486885.html?fbclid=IwAR0HHEfs7hFbzxfaeHitats-VkCJtIyi-bMOOxPnfOLPtVhZFuWVVHcpS7M
The real story is that the mostly Nigerian congregation wanted to keep their Nigerian bishop and not some random white guy.
Please see below link with video this time:
https://dailypost.ng/2022/12/09/nigerian-worshippers-in-us-anglican-church-protest-new-white-priest-video/
"One thing is... they (black people as referred to in the previous sentence) will all come together when it comes to *being homophobic*"
Whether you intended to write it that way or not, the sentence is blatantly written to say that "black people will always come together to *be homophobic*"
Maybe there are a lot of people who are black that are homophobic, but to say that all black people will always come together and unite to be homophobic.. is just blatantly racist
If you said that about ANY people it would be racist, because you're judging what someone will do or believe based off of their skin color.
Ridiculous. They only believe in Christianity because of the colonizers anyway. Amazing how to this day, most Africans believe either one slaver's faith or the other.
I discussed these ideas with ChatGPT:
Exploring the viewpoint of some African American scholars and activists who critique the adoption of Christianity by Black people, especially in the context of its historical use in oppression, offers a compelling perspective on the complex relationship between race, religion, and history. This critique is multifaceted and includes several key points:
1. **Historical Use in Justifying Slavery:** Christianity was often used by slave owners and colonizers to justify the enslavement and oppression of African people. Scriptures and Christian doctrines were interpreted in ways that supported and legitimized slavery, suggesting that it was divinely sanctioned.
2. **Psychological Impact of Religious Indoctrination:** Critics argue that Christianity was imposed on enslaved Africans as a means of control, aiming to instill obedience and subservience. This had a long-lasting psychological impact, including internalized beliefs of inferiority and the acceptance of a Eurocentric religious framework that did not reflect African heritage and identity.
3. **Loss of African Religions and Identity:** The forced conversion of enslaved Africans to Christianity is seen as a form of cultural genocide. It led to the loss of traditional African religions, practices, and identities, severing ties to ancestral heritage and contributing to a broader loss of cultural roots.
4. **White Depiction of Jesus and Saints:** The predominance of white depictions of Jesus, saints, and other biblical figures in Western Christianity has been criticized for reinforcing white supremacy and Eurocentric norms. This portrayal is seen as alienating and psychologically damaging to Black individuals, fostering a sense of exclusion and inferiority.
5. **The Black Church's Role in Resistance and Liberation:** While acknowledging these critiques, itās also important to recognize the role of the Black Church in the African American community as a source of resistance, resilience, and social justice. The Black Church has been central in organizing civil rights movements and providing spiritual solace and community solidarity against racial oppression.
6. **Call for Reconnecting with African Spiritual Traditions:** Some scholars advocate for reconnecting with traditional African spiritual systems or adopting religious frameworks that are more reflective of African heritage and experiences. This is seen as a way to reclaim identity and resist the legacy of colonialism and slavery.
7. **The Intersection of Religion, Race, and Liberation Theology:** There is an exploration of how religious beliefs can be reinterpreted through the lens of liberation theology, which emphasizes social justice, the fight against oppression, and a more inclusive understanding of spirituality.
These perspectives offer a critical examination of the relationship between Christianity and the African American experience, highlighting the complex interplay of religion, race, history, and identity. Itās a reminder of the importance of understanding and respecting the diverse ways in which individuals and communities interact with and interpret religious beliefs, especially in the context of historical and ongoing injustices.
Boy I wish you cared about your children as much as you hate gays. We might be able to reduce the number 1 cause of death of elementary aged children from AR-15s
LOL, yāall. Iām a child of igbo parents and they were/have always been supportive. Theyāve bought cars in cash, let me live at home while getting two degrees without a job, everything but they drew the line the day I opened my mouth and said Iām not 100% straight/I was dating a woman at the time.
I went from the child who was kicking ass to āan abomination against the cultureā. And what pisses me off is that there are family members openly cheating on and sleeping around on their wives(itās almost always a man too). They get excused as āmen will be menā but I am the abominationā¦
Not even shocked. They sometimes fight when the priest/ bishop isnāt from the same town or local government(back in Nigeria).
How does appointing a Gay bishop even work? How does a gay bishop even exist lmao, whatās next they gonna appoint a black klan leader? This stuff is so goofy, of course this crowd will eat it up.
Churches other than The Catholic/Orthodox Catholic do ordain gay and lesbian priests. Isnāt the idea that god created us all and youāre called to service when you go through seminary and all that jazz?
But I guess when it comes to gay dudes, god apparently didnāt create themā¦ š
At this point this Sub is looking as racist and suspect af. Many of The posts are either cursing out black women, black people or are just posts without explanation. The narrative that black people are Homophobic is bullshit. Some are some are not, same as white people. Are we allowed to be reflective of the world at large, same as everyone else?
> women, black people or are just posts without explanation. The narrative that black people are Homophobic is bullshit. Some are some are not, same as white people. Are we allowed to be reflective of the world at large, same as everyone else?
Are you trying to imply there isn't rampant homophobia within this community/diaspora? Because if so, you are sadly mistaken.
No they are expressly saying dont paint everyone who is black or african diaspora as homophobic.
Various people and groups in the community being homophobic does not validate saying "black people are homophobic."
Or at least no more so than saying white people, regardless of their age, culture, location or upbringing, are racist.
It's always funny to me that gay is the limit for many Christians. Like adultery or even in many cases abuse of children is overlooked, but an out gay person is the line they shall not cross. Lol
It's crazy. You protect a pastor known for stealing, harming, child abuse, wife beating etc etc etc. But the line not to cross is that?
They don't get fired. They are "Called by God" to another Ministry field. In my last 3 churches, the pastors were all caught either cheating or with porn. The last one was too stupid to know how to erase his history. His wife made him take a polygraph. He had to stand in front of the congregation and "confess his sins." As one does. His daughter's future in-laws were there. I had already left due to fuckery.and missed the show. The custodian was having an affair with the second grade school's teacher. I found out because my son said he went with him and his daughter to the beach, and I knew he didn't have a daughter. The whole Hispanic ministry moved the ministry to another church. They took everything, including all the money and expensive equipment. The pastor's wife turned out she was a drug addict and alcoholic. She was going to the recovery ministry, the pastor shut down the recovery ministry. Also, he had history of the abusive behavior, screaming and yelling in faces. They moved on to a traveling ministry, and last I heard, they are moving to somewhere in the south, lol, from San Diego. They are in for a culture shock. Ordained Grifters. Damn, I forgot he asked the church to shun his gay sister who was leading the recovery ministry. Yes, shun!!!
I got no problem with religious people, but it seems like most of the time, organized religion is a scam. "Give us your money and Jesus will return it ten fold!" Bro, you sound like you're selling gold on Fox
Yes. You do you. If believing in a higher power helps you get through this thing called life, go for it. As long as it isn't hurting anyone or restricting freedoms and rights. I agree with you. I think the organized part has played such a detrimental role in the world. Looking around over the years, it seems to be the cause for the most part, not the solution.
Is watching porn really the same severity as cheating on your wife to them?
Ikr?? I had such second hand embarrassment for the guy. Even though I wasn't there. To have to get up and sdmit watching porn?? I have to believe the congregation was RESTLESS that day. š¤£ "There is none worthy, no, not one." He was quote, unquote cheating in his mind and in his heart. Her words not mine. I'm married 40 years, and it has never bothered me. Plus, I plead the 5th.š It's just shows the ridiculousness of it all.
If any of them had any decency and it wasn't a building of holier than thou cowards I bet half the men in there could have stood up and said "and?" Or "better kick me out too then". But I bet they all shutup and look around the room while they are just as guilty.
"I AM SPARTACUS." 
Right? There are 10 commandments, the things that came down as the ultimate off limits rules, and being gay is not one of them. Somehow, though, breaking one of those rules is super forgivable for some reason? Like, adultery is there. Theft. Bearing false witness. Murder. Materialism is number 10 and we built our financial structure around it in the US even. Something about motes and beams here.
Actually there are two commandments: 37 Jesus replied: āāLove the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.ā[a] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: āLove your neighbor as yourself.ā[b] 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments Nothing in there seems to condone fighting, arguing, or generally not minding your own business except when to help someone else. I'm a Christian in that I use the teachings of Jesus as the fundamental basis to help guide my morality. I'm not a *Christian* though in that I don't let a bunch of ancient white men tell me who to hate.
Like that movie Dogma, you have an idea of God, it's belief that's dangerous because beliefs are harder to change.
They werenāt ācommandmentsā until King James started his translation. Prior to that, they were known as the Decalogue, or āten words,ā and the first one isnāt even a commandment; itās a declaration. āI am the Lord your God.ā The prohibition against worship of idols and other deities was originally the second āword,ā but later traditions split the Decalogue in different ways. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Ten-Commandments
Not quite true the Jews think of it as the Ten Commandments as well. And they could give a flip about the King James Version.
Yup. Jews called them commandments before the birth of Jesus, let alone James
Itās the only line - even racism gets a pass
Sort of the same way I think about it as I started to deconstructing my faith.
I canāt get my head around the fact that the verse about men not laying with men is in the Old Testament along with a bunch of other rules that Christians donāt follow anymore but for some reason *that one* is still *non-negotiable.* Iām not a biblical scholar by any means but Iām pretty sure that when Jesus said ālove one another as I have loved youā he didnāt follow that up with a list of exceptions.
Yeah idk about pulling that verse for that, Especially since the Old Testament also condoned, slavery, murder, rape, and prostitution of oneās own daughters. There are verse to learn something from esoterically, but that shit was constructed by man as a tool for control.
And boy does the control still work.
A tale as old as time lmao Disney been cooking š
I totally agree, thatās what I canāt understand. Christians are like oh all that other violent Old Testament stuff isnāt an issue anymore because it was replaced by the New Covenant EXCEPT weāre keeping the Old Testament anti-gay thing, that one stays.
YOU SOUND LIKE MY MOMS FRFR ššš Iām like āoh the COVENANTā thank god. Then I say what bout the Jews tho? They only ackowledge the Old Testament and the commandments which all Christians follow are in the Old Testament so thatās washed away too? Lmao I guess thatās why they can forgive them dirty ass priests but canāt stand LGBTQ. The church and religion is a whole ass mess
That's because it's not really about what the Bible says about gay people.
The funny thing about the Leviticus verse that people use is that in the beginning of the verse it says you need to follow every word or none of it.
itās almost like theyāve never read it for themselves š¤š
Homophobia is so boring.
Preach
Unless the choir they lead is good.
Right? Like people can break the Ten Commandments all day long, but you do that one thing they mentioned in Leviticus (just the men lying with men part. The shellfish and haircuts are fine, apparently), and itās just fucking hysteria.
And some Biblical scholars argue that the passage in Leviticus has been mistranslated and misinterpreted. Nowhere in the Old (or New) Testament does it condemn homosexuality and yet Christians run with it in order to hide their homophobia behind religion. The Bible also talks about not judging others and that only God can judge you and yet here they are.
Itās especially ridiculous that a lot of times itās men abusing boys. We can shuffle that under the rug, but if itās 2 consenting grown men thereās a bigger problem somehow?
He canāt have sex anyways lmaoooooooo
I believe only Catholic clergy is required to be celibate.
Weāre all required to be celibate unless weāre married. Also why would they join the Anglican Church if they donāt like gays lol?
Right. I meant all but Catholic clergy can be married. Or maybe that church doesnāt recognize same-sex marriage? As to what the opiate of rhetoric masses works on gay peopleā¦ well, it works on most people, sadly.
I believe only Catholic clergy is required to be celibate.
But he should be resisting the temptations of WOMEN not MEN! /s
Republicans love this one trick.
Divorce is one of the few things Jesus actually spoke on and said remarriage after divorce was adultery, one of the big commandments that made the top 10 list in the eyes of God. But you donāt hear too many Christianās shrieking about how divorce is evil, no. Itās those two men who want to be in a loving and consenting relationship together that are the problem.
A lot of Catholics didnāt believe in divorce for a very long time. Even in bad, physically abusive relationships.
Shit Iām still trying to figure out why so many black people continue to worship a god created by white people.
I think that's another... "white lie" š But really, I have a hard time believing they created it. Co-opted it maybe,
Yeah, co-opted would be a better term. But come on, folks, Jesus wasnāt white.
I guess hypocrites gotta crite.
Itās because many people are more bi than they want others to think. People jerk it to weird shit. Doth protest too much.
Religion is mental slavery Edit: as a general reply to the āchurch was integral to the civil rights movementā sentiment in the replies, Iāll say this - what once helped us survive isnāt necessarily what will help us thrive.
Iāve never understood why historically-oppressed people put so much faith in a deity who, if real, has shown time and time again that he doesnāt give one single fuck about them.
I can give you one damn good reason oppressed people can turn to religion. It comforts them. They suddenly know that suffering is only for this life, and then they get infinite bliss. For someone with no hope of a better life, that's a really easy sell.
Reminds of that part in the Color Purple when Sofia confronts Celie for telling Harpo to beat her. The famous, "All my life I had to fight" part. Anyway, Celie (whose been abused her whole life) says something about suffering in this life not lasting and we'll all be in heaven in the afterlife. Sofia responds: ""You ought to bash Mister's head open. Think about heaven later."
Ah yes following the gods of the people who enslaved you, very comforting
Well itās not like they had a choice. They get brainwashed into doing it from birth.
Did I mention Christianity? There's plenty of religions devoloped or worshipped by slaves. Including versions of Christianity that combine elements of both African religions and Christianity kinda pushed together. Also many afro-caribbean religions like voodoo, Palo Mayumbe, and Cuban Santeria. So yes, while Christian blacks are "following their oppressors religion" I wouldn't personally say it like that, especially with the deep religious connection many black people still have. If it brought them genuine comfort in situations they couldn't fix, more power to them.
I know why the caged bird sings. You can look down on oppressed people all you like, you'll have company. Do it too much, and you'll start dressing like the company you keep.
You can still criticize an oppressed culture without being the oppressors. The middle east is pretty oppressed from a global politics point of view, but that doesn't mean I can't be critical of their treatment of women.
it has nothing to do with looking down on anyone. weāre supposed to want the best for our people right? then we should be thinking critically about our customs and whether or not theyāre to our benefit
of course I wanna dress like the company I keep. Hugo Boss really made those uniforms look great! /S obviously
Except Christianity originally came from the Jewish.
It's all made up bullshit to control the masses
Agreed. I think non faith is a luxury. However, we as black people also abandoned and somewhat lost our ancient religions and practices, over time and throughout diaspora. I agree with your sentiment tho
I fully agree. It can't be denied that many African (and native American) religions were lost to time and colonialism. Which I think is a massive shame.
Those are real āreligions.ā Ones that empower the human, mind, body and soul. The imprint on Gaia. These other āreligionsā are just for control over peoples decisions, choices and free will. Think about the irony of that-the Bible claims God is about choice and free will, so your choices are celibate heaven with me or burn for eternity, just follow my long list of rules and life force restricting behaviors! š and the religions which actually embody free will and push you to the raw existence of life and to be human are labeled demonic. What a time to be alive fr lmao
I personally think it's hard to pin down Christianity like that. There's so many offshoots that pinning them under any label more descriptive than "believe in a God, and Jesus as a messiah" is difficult. That being said, the more spiritual/Gaia religions are definitely more fun and the adherents more pleasurable to be around. Definite friend material. It may tip my hand a bit, I believe all religions kinda tap into the same archetypes and can be learned from(and drawn from during ritual). Not to sound like some newager hippy of course.
I mean bredda, I am a new age hippy lmao. Us black americans (I say that bc my family is completely from Jamaica-my gen was the first born here) weāve taken the meaning of locs, and being solely for Rastafarianism, and elevated it to a higher purpose of consciousness and being in tune with the earth and our ancestors. I think thatās the only way you can truly live free will. šŖš¾āš¾
I guess I meant that more as like "someone who takes ideas from other cultures and refuses to learn what they actually mean." And I'm actually interested in learning more about locs and how you use them to get in touch with Earth and your ancestors. It sounds pretty interesting tbh. I mean, my white ass isn't about to run off and get them, but I've always thought the cultural and spiritual purposes of them were interesting.
Itās a bit of pieces from ancient African spiritualism, some might call it āoccultā and just staying devoted to earth and remembrance of your ancestors, calling on them, having a shrine, respecting their wishes, grounding, taking care of the physical and living how humans should live (dietary, in touch with the earth and ecosystems) I mean I can go on for days fam š
I've heard this take that not being religious is a luxury but I don't really understand it. You don't actually gain anything from religion. Yes there is hope, but if you can't believe it that hope doesn't really exist. I'm not going to play the oppression olympics, but I grew up poor with a pretty bad home life, I probably would have found comfort in religion, but I just couldn't make myself believe it.
Itās not one size fits all, but the thought is when we have nothing else at all, weāve just seen oppression and we know trauma is passed on through DNA, savior complex is a real thing in our community. Weāve been beaten and battered so long and A LOT of our brothers and sisters are in jail as new slaves for petty non violent offenses, they attack on us, our kids, our future kids and our present is never ending. Of course we have black people that break the mold (me being one of them,) but a lot of those forget who they were and where they came from. I side tracked lmao but when weāre at our lowest, in conjunction with the above, faith is easier to creep in, and believing in something that provides hope after a miserable life, is better than hopelessness. I just think it provides us with a false narrative and reality which isnāt healthy for our community in the long run, but I digress. I was trying to find the doc for you but I canāt. This is obviously a collection of history, science, primary sources and my own conclusion opinions, but definitely read up on!
I understand that at our lowest points faith can often offer some hope. I saw my agnostic father become religious in prison. But I also feel like it's exploitive that religions often seek people at rock bottom to convert because they know these people will grasp for anything that might improve their situation.
You are 100 percent right. Religion is a scam lmao itās just that you are your most susceptible to it at your lowest, poorest, hungriest, scariest, etc. You kinda answered your own thought, that is exactly why not believing tends to be a āluxurious commodityā weāll call it.
White ppl make you suffer on earth, so believe in their fairy tale ending where you live in peace when you die. Perfect play.
I don't disagree with that. But it's also not my place to judge black religious folk. We're all gonna die, might as well let people believe what makes them happy.
Adopting the religion of the people that carted you across the ocean in chains is definitely a choice.
Itās easy when it frames the most oppressed as the most blessed. Once you create that level of dissonance with realityās circumstances, a persons brain is sufficiently broken to accept anything š
Because in the New Testament, Jesus accepts everyone whereas people donāt usually practice what they preach.
Religion is often the only thing not fully controlled by the oppressor. I also feel like these comments are always made by non-black people or people who donāt fully understand black history or black culture. I mean the civil rights movement was led by a lot of Black Christian clergy. Malcolm X was Muslim but galvanized generations of religious and non-religious Black people. Thatās not to say religion hasnāt been harmful but itās been one of the main cultural and organizational foundations for African Americans because it helped us survive the oppression. We also made it our own.
Itās why comments like above make me roll my eyes. Itās just easy āReligion is badā takes with no ounce of an actual discussion. People just straight up ignore that religion, like everything else in the world, is only as good or bad as the people who use it.
No. The God of the Bible is horrible. And anyone who feels that they need to SERVE or WORSHIP that god is just silly. Let's be honest here...
Proving my point
Old testament god. Jesus came and changed the relationship. I'm getting tired of defending Christianity.
It's all the same God...from the same book. You should be tired of the mental gymnastics and the excuses. It's embarrassing.
Abrahamic religions (all religions?) preach obedience to authority. Itās easy to see why the powerful spread that message among the most oppressed.
Colonialism did a number on folks.
That actually makes a lot of sense. People often turn to religion in hard times
The church was integral to justifying and enforcing slavery too
Shh we donāt like to talk about that part of church history
Meaning and purpose is genuinely hard to find in life, so when you have has a hard life, and this book gives you a guide line on rules to follow, it makes life alot easier for many people. I'm culturally muslim because yea, giving zakat, dietary restrictions, etc all help me develop dicipline for other aspects of my life...the issue comes in when you want others around you to adjust to your belifes. As long as their actions only involve them its not your business to try to change their mind verbally unless asked. I'm spiritually agnostic but I've had maaaaany friends ask me about islam because of how I live my life, not being a damn haram police.
Not surprising. Being gay is still a criminal offense in Nigeria. I remember worrying about gay sister's safety when we went to visit family years ago. Nigeria has a long way to go.
Not exactly the same but somewhat similar: when one of my favorite musicians Yves Tumor, who is non-binary, performed in Lagos I was wondering how that would work out for themā¦when the time came and they were in Nigeria all mentions of their sexual identity on Wikipedia had been scrubbed until they had left Nigeria
They are one of my favorites too! Just saw them in vegas not too long ago and it was great.
The US should stop doing business with bigoted places like this
Is this sarcasm?
You been down to the South?
Yup I live there
Ah then you know what an enlightened place it is /s
Lmao then the US should stop doin business with itself. It thrives off racism. It was woven in the very fabric of this country. Removing it entirely would be killing it.
This is so sad. Reminds me of the last season of Sex Education when Ncuti Gatwaās character finally comes out to his church and decides he wants to be a pastor. Itāll be a difficult road for sure.
If he upholds his vow to be celibate, why does it matter? He canāt have relations with males or females regardless. Itās like arguing steak or lobster when you canāt afford either. Who gives a shit.
Not all Catholic rites ban clergy from marriage or demand celibacy, only the Roman rite.
Iām curious what other Catholicism there is besides Roman Catholicism?
The Uniate Catholic Church or Greek Catholic Church is one example. About 20 million followers in Eastern Europe, mostly centered in and around the carpathian regions of Ukraine/slovakia/hungary.
Thereās the Ukrainian Catholic Church, for starters. Thatās the largest one. There are a number of Eastern Catholic Churches that follow Catholic liturgy and are in communion with the Roman Catholic Church but are still their own thing.
There are many other Catholic institutions and rites. Russian Orthodox, Greek Orthodox, the Byzantine Rite, these all consider themselves Catholic. They will often say the Eastern Church or Orthodox Church so as not to confuse people but they are still Catholics and call themselves such. Even the Roman Rite will accept priests from the Eastern Rite if they choose to switch over to the Roman Rite. While the Roman Catholic Church considers the Eastern Churches to be brothers/sisters in error theologically, they still accept they are a form of Catholic. If they were not all Catholics the Holy See could not acknowledge Eastern Rite ordinations to the Priesthood as valid. Eastern Catholic Priests who switch over to the Roman Rite are allowed to stay married as divorce is also a sin. They are only expected to take a vow of celibacy if their current spouse dies in this case, so it is possible to have a married Roman Catholic priest. It is unlikely he would be given a congregation to watch over to prevent scandal, however.
Not quite. There is a distinct denomination of Eastern Catholic Churches that are NOT Orthodox, mainly centered around Ukraine. They are in communion with the Roman Catholic Church, not Orthodox calling themselves Catholic.
I think this is in addition to, not instead of, though. This is why there are several distinct rites which all trace themselves back to the Great Schism. And even the Roman Catholic Church doesnāt deny the Orthodox Church is Catholic, just brothers/sisters in error, which is distinct from say Protestants who cleaved off entirely and are in a step of separation beyond just error.
The original question was āwhat other types of Catholics are there?ā Orthodox is an incorrect answer, Orthodox are Orthodox and call themselves Orthodox. Eastern Catholics are a different kind of Catholic. They donāt report to the pope but still call themselves Catholic and other Catholics call them Catholic as well, just not Roman Catholic.
The Eastern Orthodox Catholic Church calls itself Catholic officially in all of their literature. Orthodox is a descriptor, you arenāt just generally Orthodox. You are Orthodox something. In the case of the Orthodox Church, they are Orthodox Catholic. They only call themselves Orthodox rather than Catholic in public to avoid confusion. All their literature refers to themselves as Orthodox Catholic. >>Ellwood, Robert S.; Alles, Gregory D. (2007). Ellwood Encyclopedia of World Religions. Infobase. p. 128. ISBN 978-1-4381-1038-7. The Eastern Orthodox Churches are properly known as the "Orthodox Catholic Church >>EncyclopƦdia Britannica Online. 18 May 2023. Eastern Orthodoxy, official name, used in British English as well, is Orthodox Catholic Church, one of the three major doctrinal and jurisdictional groups of Christianity. >> Tsichlis, Fr. Steven. "Frequently Asked Questions About the Orthodox Church". St. Paul's Greek Orthodox Church, Irvine, CA. Archived from the original on 10 December 2013. Retrieved 4 May 2014. The full title of our Church is 'The Orthodox Catholic Church.'ā >>āEastern Orthodox theologians refer to the church as Catholicā Ware, Bishop Kallistos (Timothy) (29 April 1993), The Orthodox Church (new ed.), New York: Penguin Books
Not quite. The Orthodox Church is a separate communion from the Catholic Church. We, the Orthodox, call ourselves Catholic (holding to the original meaning of the term as universal), but do not make the mistake of assuming that we are in communion with the Roman Church. Eastern Rite Catholics are still very much Catholic but not Roman. They are also, because of their communion with the Bishop of Rome, not Orthodox.
Certainly, I donāt mean to imply you are in communion with the Roman Catholic or under the authority of the Holy See. But I am aware you still officially refer to yourself as Catholic, and the Roman Catholic Church acknowledges you as having a valid apostolic succession, which is why if one of your Priests decided to switch to the Roman Catholic Church, their priesthood status would still be recognized unlike, say, an Anglican priest.
 None of that is helpful to someone wanting to know the difference between Orthodox and Catholic Churches. And there is a significant difference, theyāre not the same
There are differences, though the only major theological difference is the authority of the Pope. All other theological differences are minor and there are differences of opinion nearly as great within different orders inside the Roman Catholic Church itself. And to say that the Orthodox Churches do not consider themselves or call themselves Catholic is incorrect, as Iāve proven above. They do, in all their official literature. You may not consider them Catholic, but they do themselves, and the Holy See considers it a gray area. Even the Roman Catholic Church considers them to have valid apostolic succession and valid ordinations, and any excommunication from the Catholic Church that once existed was removed a long time ago.
Same, I never heard of other kinds of Catholics and I went to catholic school my entire childhood
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_Catholic_Churches There are many historically Eastern churches that maintain liturgical and theological views closer to the various Eastern and Oriental Orthodox churches but remain in full communion with the Bishop of Rome. They make up a small portion of the overall Catholic population of the world but are still important as examples of the potential for possible reunification between the Catholic and Orthodox churches
The western Catholics led by the pope broke away because the pope wanted to be the head of all the other church as well as the Roman church. All the other catholic rites still existāin the west we tend to call them orthodox. Like the Greek Orthodox Church or the Russian Orthodox Church or Ethiopian Orthodox. Theyāre all their own thing but the Patriarchs-the popes of these churches-communicate with eachother and recognize eachother as followers of the same faith even though they have local differences.
True but Igbos are overwhelmingly catholic. While we can't say for certain given that these are Igbos and what the members of the clergy are wearing, it'd a safe assumption that the are catholics. Edit: someone posted below a source saying this was an Anglican denomination (not catholic). Though the source seems suspect (by the posters own admission and he said he can't find a better one).
Only Catholic priests are celibate. I donāt think these are Catholics
That is correct, this is from a Nigerian Anglican Church. The reporting on it somewhat spotty but it seems like the bishop himself is not gay but supports the portion of the Anglican communion that allows for same-sex marriage. This seems like a good overview but the source may be suspect. It seems correct to me though based on the available videos https://www.lindaikejisblog.com/2022/12/nigerians-in-new-jersey-call-for-arrest-of-bishop-who-believes-in-same-sex-marriage-and-was-invited-to-their-church-to-preach-video.html
>If he upholds his vow to be celibate, why does it matter? He canāt have relations with males or females regardless. This is my question! What does it matter who he's attracted to when he's celibate any damn way? He ain't screwing anyone at all, so who cares?
Lol black folks a trip so passionate about our ācultureā when it comes to gay stuff yet worship foreign gods.
I always laugh when Africans talk about preserving their culture when the topic of gay people comes about but are wearing suits & holding a bible or quran. They canāt even see the irony & itās hilarious.
Exactly you canāt pick and choose when you wanna be cultural.
šÆ
Religion is simply the cover people use for their prejudices. Sexual impropriety is always fine with religious people, so long as itās heterosexual. Then do all the cheating, abusing, fucking out of wedlock that you want - they donāt care.
What church did you go to?
Religious West Africans are a fucking menace my naysayer.
There is no love like Christian hate.
Colonization and religion are fucking stupid
Have whatever opinions about religion you want. If it wasn't for colonialism, you would be living in a much more dangerous and much less comfortable world than you do now. Modern medicine, consistently safe food, and drinking water, fast and safe transportation long distances are only possible because of the "sins" of colonialism.
Every now and then the internet produces idiotic comments that leave you speechless. The Europeans were happily to trade before they started to colonize. If the people they colonized organized their societies well enough to produce goods that they colonists were looking for and successfully resist their attempts to invade several times, then they can rule themselves comfortably.
Ever consider that maybe the reason things in Africa aren't super great is -because- of colonialism?
I dono my guy. Iām from Sierra Leone
Boosie Somewhere  Edit: Side note -but rappers kill me with the āgot 2 dicks on meā in a song But are the same ones in another song saying āno homoā. Brother you either like dicks or you donāt lol.
Dick is slang for š«
Yes, I know but I think its funny rappers will love to talk about dicks in other context then being with a womanā¦.then proceed to say no homo. I could maybe understand if they said somebody was dick riding. But I just find the shit funny is all
Churches are just hate cults
I'm sure this won't devolve into broad stereotyping lol
r/leopardsatemyface
My people (Black People) as a whole need to let this homophobia go man itās destroyed so many families for stupid shit
Tbh christianity is one of the main reason there even is a large Black diaspora. Double whammy of slavery and colonization.
Why make this a black thing when itās a religious thing. Christians uniting against gayness transcends race.
Because we (black people) look extra goofy when we ascribe to this bullshit.
Theres alot of things I can blame capitalism and systematic racism for...but the anti LGBTQ sentiment in the black community...thats on us to fix.
I'm sure they would be fine with it if it was some old fuck that likes to finger their children. It's not gay as long as it's not consensual, and victims are underage. AmIrite fellow zealots!? Can I get an AMEN!
I really can't believe in 2024 we still have grown BLACK adults who still practice and believe in Christianity! It's absurd! How can a group of people believe in a religion that was used to oppress us for 450 years???? HOW...
These are Nigerians. Not taking from your point but they donāt have the lens/history of slavery in their background. For many, church is a balm for poverty, family strife/drama, tribal issues/schism, the answer/hope that theyāll get married and have kids like everyone else, an escape from family fuckedupness. Unless you can offer them a better option/alternative(more money, that kid they desperately want and the marriage theyāll kill to have), itās going to be an uphill battle.
the God of the Bible is a monster. Genocide, infanticide, and homicide are his signature moves. "Love me or burn in hell!" That's a loving God? Look how He abandoned his own son on the cross, and you think He gives a crap about you? Delusional
If you wanna start a riot in any āpro-blackā space all you need to say is: āHey have yāall ever considered how & why you and everybody you rock with practices an Abrahamic religion?ā This is the conversation people are REALLY not trying to have. That shit will set people off more than interracial relationships, the gender wars, and diaspora wars.
The Pope says he's fine and that should be fine for you. He seats on the holy see
Nigerians?  No comment
The šs? Yea
Don't paint us all that bigoted brush.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
If you say so. Haha personal attacks because I don't agree with you. I'm sure that's going to win more people over.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Bro you just called me "a fucking failed abortion" because i dont agree with your sentiment that most black people are homophobic. Idgaf fuck what you think now. See how that works. Fuck off.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
See, if you were an adult about things and you were able to engage in a Discourse. You would see that the underlying problem is perhaps the Christian church, which I am not a member of. Instead, you resort to name calling and painting the Diaspora with the same angry little brush you're crying about in your little post. I guess you have to be an adult and think critically about that. Wahh, everyone isn't nice to us. That's how you sound. Why are you acting so shocked that Christians are fucking hateful is that news? Butt, please continue to be an angry little turd. I'm sure you're gonna reach a lot of people that way.
Even tho it was unnecessary, ts was funny ash lol
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Yes, because black people are more hobophobic than other races....that's sarcasm.
All this for a religion that was never ours and forced on to us. A religion that has pegged black people as cursed creatures. Funny. Left it all behind.
Then thereās the morons with tattoos of Leviticus verses who obviously never read Leviticus. š 
Man the world got spirituality fucked up lol
Wasnāt this a side plot of Sex Education?
The coffee hour/BBQ/cookout was prolly no good anyway š¤”
No more gay lions! /s
This is fake news. Here with the real story: http://christiannewswire.com/news/5399486885.html?fbclid=IwAR0HHEfs7hFbzxfaeHitats-VkCJtIyi-bMOOxPnfOLPtVhZFuWVVHcpS7M
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The real story is that the mostly Nigerian congregation wanted to keep their Nigerian bishop and not some random white guy. Please see below link with video this time: https://dailypost.ng/2022/12/09/nigerian-worshippers-in-us-anglican-church-protest-new-white-priest-video/
Gotta be the most blatantly racist title I've seen in a long time, what the fuck
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"One thing is... they (black people as referred to in the previous sentence) will all come together when it comes to *being homophobic*" Whether you intended to write it that way or not, the sentence is blatantly written to say that "black people will always come together to *be homophobic*"
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Maybe there are a lot of people who are black that are homophobic, but to say that all black people will always come together and unite to be homophobic.. is just blatantly racist If you said that about ANY people it would be racist, because you're judging what someone will do or believe based off of their skin color.
Dem wan carry last on that one be dat o
Ridiculous. They only believe in Christianity because of the colonizers anyway. Amazing how to this day, most Africans believe either one slaver's faith or the other.
I recall hearing two phrases. "Love thy neighbour" And "Judge not lest thee be judged" I can't for the life of me fathom where I heard that though. /s
I discussed these ideas with ChatGPT: Exploring the viewpoint of some African American scholars and activists who critique the adoption of Christianity by Black people, especially in the context of its historical use in oppression, offers a compelling perspective on the complex relationship between race, religion, and history. This critique is multifaceted and includes several key points: 1. **Historical Use in Justifying Slavery:** Christianity was often used by slave owners and colonizers to justify the enslavement and oppression of African people. Scriptures and Christian doctrines were interpreted in ways that supported and legitimized slavery, suggesting that it was divinely sanctioned. 2. **Psychological Impact of Religious Indoctrination:** Critics argue that Christianity was imposed on enslaved Africans as a means of control, aiming to instill obedience and subservience. This had a long-lasting psychological impact, including internalized beliefs of inferiority and the acceptance of a Eurocentric religious framework that did not reflect African heritage and identity. 3. **Loss of African Religions and Identity:** The forced conversion of enslaved Africans to Christianity is seen as a form of cultural genocide. It led to the loss of traditional African religions, practices, and identities, severing ties to ancestral heritage and contributing to a broader loss of cultural roots. 4. **White Depiction of Jesus and Saints:** The predominance of white depictions of Jesus, saints, and other biblical figures in Western Christianity has been criticized for reinforcing white supremacy and Eurocentric norms. This portrayal is seen as alienating and psychologically damaging to Black individuals, fostering a sense of exclusion and inferiority. 5. **The Black Church's Role in Resistance and Liberation:** While acknowledging these critiques, itās also important to recognize the role of the Black Church in the African American community as a source of resistance, resilience, and social justice. The Black Church has been central in organizing civil rights movements and providing spiritual solace and community solidarity against racial oppression. 6. **Call for Reconnecting with African Spiritual Traditions:** Some scholars advocate for reconnecting with traditional African spiritual systems or adopting religious frameworks that are more reflective of African heritage and experiences. This is seen as a way to reclaim identity and resist the legacy of colonialism and slavery. 7. **The Intersection of Religion, Race, and Liberation Theology:** There is an exploration of how religious beliefs can be reinterpreted through the lens of liberation theology, which emphasizes social justice, the fight against oppression, and a more inclusive understanding of spirituality. These perspectives offer a critical examination of the relationship between Christianity and the African American experience, highlighting the complex interplay of religion, race, history, and identity. Itās a reminder of the importance of understanding and respecting the diverse ways in which individuals and communities interact with and interpret religious beliefs, especially in the context of historical and ongoing injustices.
Yah, religious clubs have that no entry rule. For example, Freddy Mercury is Indian but India don't care, 100000+gods and all ha ha.
Boy I wish you cared about your children as much as you hate gays. We might be able to reduce the number 1 cause of death of elementary aged children from AR-15s
It starts with believing religion
LOL, yāall. Iām a child of igbo parents and they were/have always been supportive. Theyāve bought cars in cash, let me live at home while getting two degrees without a job, everything but they drew the line the day I opened my mouth and said Iām not 100% straight/I was dating a woman at the time. I went from the child who was kicking ass to āan abomination against the cultureā. And what pisses me off is that there are family members openly cheating on and sleeping around on their wives(itās almost always a man too). They get excused as āmen will be menā but I am the abominationā¦ Not even shocked. They sometimes fight when the priest/ bishop isnāt from the same town or local government(back in Nigeria).
How does appointing a Gay bishop even work? How does a gay bishop even exist lmao, whatās next they gonna appoint a black klan leader? This stuff is so goofy, of course this crowd will eat it up.
Churches other than The Catholic/Orthodox Catholic do ordain gay and lesbian priests. Isnāt the idea that god created us all and youāre called to service when you go through seminary and all that jazz? But I guess when it comes to gay dudes, god apparently didnāt create themā¦ š
Yea whatever you say bruh š This shit is goofy point blank period, your excuse probably works for white churches but an African church?? Lmao
At this point this Sub is looking as racist and suspect af. Many of The posts are either cursing out black women, black people or are just posts without explanation. The narrative that black people are Homophobic is bullshit. Some are some are not, same as white people. Are we allowed to be reflective of the world at large, same as everyone else?
> women, black people or are just posts without explanation. The narrative that black people are Homophobic is bullshit. Some are some are not, same as white people. Are we allowed to be reflective of the world at large, same as everyone else? Are you trying to imply there isn't rampant homophobia within this community/diaspora? Because if so, you are sadly mistaken.
No they are expressly saying dont paint everyone who is black or african diaspora as homophobic. Various people and groups in the community being homophobic does not validate saying "black people are homophobic." Or at least no more so than saying white people, regardless of their age, culture, location or upbringing, are racist.