1986 SPECIAL REPORT: "BLACK ATHEISM"
Atheism in the African diaspora is atheism as it is experienced by black people outside of Africa. In the United States, black people are less likely than any other ethnic groups to be religiously unaffiliated, let alone identifying as atheist.
The demographics are similar in the United Kingdom. Atheists are individuals who do not hold a belief in God or gods. Atheism is a disbelief in God or gods or a denial of God or gods, or it is simply a lack of belief in gods.
Some, but not all, atheists identify as secular humanists, who are individuals who believe that life has meaning and joy without the need for the supernatural or religion and that all individuals should live ethical lives which can provide for the greater good of humanity.
Black atheists and secular humanists exist today and in history, though many were not always vocal in their beliefs or lack of belief.
Issues that face black atheists include the fact that they are “racially different” from the larger and more visible atheist movement and “religiously different” from the black community.[9] Black atheists are often a minority group in their own countries and locations and then are an even smaller minority in the atheist group, which is itself often a minority.
Sometimes, atheism is seen as a whites-only club by black people and in the United States, African American history, slavery and the civil rights movement are all closely tied to Christianity.
Religion has very much become part of the tradition of black history and culture.
Even when there is a strong atheist or secular humanist movement in the African diaspora, it has been ignored. In surveys of history, black expressions of humanism and secularism have been ignored by historians.
During the Harlem Renaissance, several prominent black authors in America wrote or discussed their criticisms of the Christian church in various forms. Anthony Pinn called Christianity a tool for keeping the status quo and historically, for supporting slavery
Michael Lackey sees African American atheism as a way to celebrate a “revolutionary victory” over what he perceives as an oppressive and violent god-concept.
Many African American atheists see hope in a secular world view and find “religious culture a reason for melancholic mourning.”
Similar views have been expressed by black atheists in the UK, some of which have roots in countries like Nigeria. These atheists are sorry to see religion having a deleterious effect on their homeland.
African-American communities tend to believe that the church is the center of morality and often turn to the church to solve various social problems that the government is not being perceived to solve or care about.
As writer Cord Jefferson put it, “For a long time, black houses of worship doubled as war rooms to plan protest actions and galvanize people made weary by centuries of racist violence and legislation.”
Many black people have turned to religion to find the answers to their own suffering.
In addition to the historic component of church and black life, many social problems are solved by churches who run local food banks, provide day care or job training.
Many atheist African Americans see it as important to work with religious leaders and organizations to solve various social justice issues facing the community.
African-Americans who come out as atheist may face a “prohibitive” social cost. Journalist Jamila Bey wrote, “It’s difficult – if not impossible – to divorce religion from black culture.”
This social cost is not unique to blacks who leave Christianity, but also occurs among black Muslims who leave the religion.
Some atheists who have left Islam have been disowned by family or received death threats.
Black atheists in the United Kingdom face similar problems, where coming out as an atheist is associated with the fear of being “ostracised and demonised.” For this reason London Black Atheists was formed in the United Kingdom by Clive Aruede and Lola Tinubu.
At an atheist conference which took place next to a Christian conference in 2015, one of the black atheist attendees found herself attacked and accused by a black Christian woman for having a “slave mentality” and being “demon possessed.”
However, when individuals stereotype African Americans as “religious” it ignores the “diversity of thought that actually exists within the black community.” In order to combat feelings of isolation, many black atheists turn to the internet or social media to become part of online atheist groups.
As atheist groups which welcome black individuals grow and are more prominent, their number are also growing, suggesting that there has been a “silent stratum of America’s black population quietly doubting.”
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