Fire in the Bones goes through the
history of oppression of Africans and African Americans along with the role
religion plays into oppression, for example, it was tough for a black man to be
ordained a preacher. It also discusses how rituals in Catholicism played a
vital role in many beliefs while Protestantism made subtle contributions to
religion among African Americans.
African Americans have a long history of being rejected and
degraded. For this reason blacks chose to look at themselves as the chosen ones
to make light of their oppressors and this history of discrimination. One quote
that stuck out to me was the mention that, "The crucial factor linking the
two traditions was a conviction that authentic worship required an observable
experience of the divine presence." Meaning, its never enough to solely
speak of God, you have to feel his presence manifest within you. This is done
through prayer, singing, dancing and preaching. It’s an emotional ecstasy as
described by Raboteau. In this way they are filled with the Holy Ghost. With
this worship, the human (African Americans in this case) becomes an icon of God,
contrasting their current state of the oppressed. African Americans accepted
this suffering and slavery because they saw themselves in Christ; they were
suffering servants like He was. In this sense sorrow became joy and death became
life; it bought happiness to a less favorable situation.
Questions:
Is it logical for African Americans to have this mindset that
they were the chosen ones to be oppressed and therefore accept their roles
making light out of their subjugation? Would that be the same justification for
other oppressed groups of people as well? If not, what other ideologies could they have
used to reason with being slaves discriminated against and oppressed? Would you
say that idea of being the chosen ones to be oppressed is outdated or still
exists today? If so, in what ways and if not, why not?
Connecting with issues today:
The tragic story of Trayvon Martin is a contemporary
story reflecting the ideas not of religion persay but of racism, which is
deeply rooted in African American history. The black community along with
others started protesting, rallying, holding candlelight vigils, and coming
together collectively as a community to see what to do following the tragedy.
This is an example of bringing joy to a sorrow situation, which is a common
practice for black people. Many people came together and are still coming
together to try to make something positive out of a negative situation.
I do think it is logical for African Americans to have the mindset that they are the chosen ones. It is human nature to try to make sense of things. People are always searching for answers to their problems or blessings. People can either do this positively or negatively. In the case of the African Americans, they are shining a positive light on their suffering and making sense of it by saying they are the chosen ones. This reminds me of the Jews, because they are also historically one of the most persecuted groups, and they claim to be the chosen ones as well.
ReplyDeleteI think that the idea of being the chosen one is something that African Americans took on in order to deal with the oppression and segregation that they had to deal with. Not only did they suffer in slavery but they where ostracized for years to come and took solace in the scripture comparing their plight to that of Job, and Jacob. I like the idea that American is thought to be the promise land, the chosen land, and by enslaving the Africans they are thought to be like the Jews. I also enjoyed the authors interweaving of his personal story into his theories.
ReplyDeleteThe article says "African-American Christians believed they were a chosen people, not because they were black, nor because they suffered, but because their history fit the pattern of salvation revealed to them in the Bible." So they weren't the chosen ones to be oppressed; they are the chosen ones because their histories showed that they are suffering to be saved by God. The article also digs deeper into suffering by saying it "is a fact of life" and that "it must be lived through." By accepting the sorrow in our lives, we will be able to truly be happy with our lives. I do think it is logical for other oppressed groups to feel the same way about accepting our suffering and learning to make light in bad situations. All a person really needs is empathy and compassion.
ReplyDeleteIs it logical for African Americans to have this mindset that they were the chosen ones to be oppressed and therefore accept their roles making light out of their subjugation?
ReplyDeleteYes, African Americans used religion as a way to cope with their daily conditions. Their slave drivers allowed them to read and learn the bible thinking that Christianity will not let African Americans become empowered but they found solace and power in the bible and made the best out of their situation.
Would that be the same justification for other oppressed groups of people as well?
Yes, some Jewish people became more religious after being persecuted by the Nazis. They felt that they were the chosen ones who had to suffer to keep their identities and their spirituality.
Would you say that idea of being the chosen ones to be oppressed is outdated or still exists today?
Yes and no, African Americans are still oppressed in society and they use religion to empower themselves and gain confidence that everything will turn out in their favor. But the extent of the oppression is much less than that during the time of slavery.
I do not think it is logical for African Americans to have this mindset that they were the chosen ones to be oppressed and therefore accept their roles making light out of their subjugation. Although the African Americans faced oppression and segregation, they were not the only race/religion that has been faced with this racism and oppression throughout history and even today. I do, however, think that by having the mindset that they are the "chosen ones," it helps them to better cope with their situation.
ReplyDeleteJust because humans do something does not make it logical! It’s illogical to accept the religious paradigm of someone who abuses you, but Stockholm syndrome can do all types of things to someone’s brain. I can understand deciding to accept the “chosen people” story because of despair and emotional trauma. Yes, I think the idea of being chosen for suffering still exists today. For those who have it fixed in their mind that there’s an all-powerful, omniscient, and benevolent God, the only way to explain their suffering is to call it a test of their faith our a marker of their status as a “chosen one.”
ReplyDeleteIt's not logical for African-Americans to accept the role as the oppressed people in American society but it is understandable why they are trying to make the best situation possible due to the socioeconomic conditions that they live by. The divine affirmation of being the "children of God" plays a crucial part in religions strongly belonging to people who lack an adequate financial status. God has a reputation for playing an irreplaceable role in the lives of those who live in poverty.
ReplyDeleteAll interesting opinions. I actually don't agree that it's logical to think of themselves as the chosen ones because I had the same idea in mind of the Holocaust with the Jews. Plenty of people have been oppressed and suffered through history; there's several "chosen groups" if they would like to call themselves that. Although, like some of you mentioned I can understand why they would use reasoning such as that to make the best out of their situation.
ReplyDelete