Race And Religion

Race And Religion

Why Religion Exists

Why Religion Exists

Religion And Race-Mixing

Religion And Race-Mixing

Are Religious People More Prejudiced?

Are Religious People More Prejudiced?

Sociologist W.E.B. DuBois On Religion

Sociologist W.E.B. DuBois On Religion

Why D

oes R

elig

ion

Why D

oes R

elig

ion

Exist?!

Exist?!

Functionalism Says . . . .Functionalism Says . . . .To Provide Social CohesionTo Provide Social CohesionTo Provide Social ControlTo Provide Social Control

To Provide Meaning And PurposeTo Provide Meaning And PurposeTo influence and reinforce societal integration by To influence and reinforce societal integration by

legitimating society’s values and normslegitimating society’s values and norms

Conflict Theory Says . . . .Conflict Theory Says . . . .To Maintain Social InequalityTo Maintain Social Inequality

To Mirror Social InequalityTo Mirror Social InequalityTo Serve As An “Opiate”To Serve As An “Opiate”

To legitimate a status quo that benefitsTo legitimate a status quo that benefitssociety’s elites and diverts our attentionssociety’s elites and diverts our attentions

from inequalityfrom inequality

The Curse Of Cain

The Curse Of Ham

The Tower Of Babel

Ephesians 6:5-9: Ephesians 6:5-9: “Slaves, obey your “Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. Obey them not only to win obey Christ. Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but their favor when their eye is on you, but like slaves of Christ, doing the will of God like slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. Serve wholeheartedly, as from your heart. Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, if you were serving the Lord, not men, because you know that the Lord will because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free.”does, whether he is slave or free.”

1 Timothy 6:1-3 1 Timothy 6:1-3 "All who are under the "All who are under the yoke of slavery should consider their yoke of slavery should consider their masters worthy of full respect, so that masters worthy of full respect, so that God's name and our teaching may not be God's name and our teaching may not be slandered. Those who have believing slandered. Those who have believing masters are not to show less respect for masters are not to show less respect for them because they are brothers. Instead, them because they are brothers. Instead, they are to serve them even better, they are to serve them even better, because those who benefit from their because those who benefit from their service are believers, and dear to them. service are believers, and dear to them. These are the things you are to teach and These are the things you are to teach and urge on them.”urge on them.”

No Race-MixingNo Race-MixingBecause Religious Texts Because Religious Texts

Say SoSay So

““Almighty God created the races white, black, yellow, Malay and Almighty God created the races white, black, yellow, Malay and red, and He placed them on separate continents. And but for the red, and He placed them on separate continents. And but for the interference with His interference with His arrangement there would bearrangement there would beno cause for such marriages.no cause for such marriages.The fact that He separated The fact that He separated the races shows that He did the races shows that He did not intend for the races not intend for the races to mix.to mix.””

Judge Leon Bazile (1959)Judge Leon Bazile (1959)

States where interracial marriages were illegal are shaded red

195919611966

Impact Of Religion On Impact Of Religion On Interracial MarriagesInterracial Marriages

Are

Relig

ious

Are

Relig

ious

People

More

People

More

Pr

eju

dic

ed?

Preju

dic

ed?

• • Measuring Religiosity?

Measuring Religiosity?

Church Attendance, Church Membership,

Biblical Literalism, Personal Prayer, Religious

Beliefs

• • Values Promoting Racial

Values Promoting Racial

Intolerance:

Intolerance:Strong Religious Identification

Strong Religious Identification: One’s religion is

: One’s religion is

considered very important in their life. Most

considered very important in their life. Most

churches and religious traditions are segregated.

churches and religious traditions are segregated.

Extrinsic Religiosity

Extrinsic Religiosity: Religiosity motivated by

: Religiosity motivated by

external factors such as desires for social status,

external factors such as desires for social status,

security, and acceptance from others. Religion is a

security, and acceptance from others. Religion is a

means to an end.

means to an end.Religious Fundamentalism

Religious Fundamentalism: Religiosity that reflects

: Religiosity that reflects

an unquestioning, unwavering certainty in

an unquestioning, unwavering certainty in

basic religious truths.

basic religious truths.

Are

Relig

ious

Are

Relig

ious

People

More

People

More

Pr

eju

dic

ed?

Preju

dic

ed?

• • Measuring Religiosity?

Measuring Religiosity?

Church Attendance, Church Membership,

Biblical Literalism, Personal Prayer, Religious

Beliefs

• • Values Promoting Racial

Values Promoting Racial

Tolerance:Tolerance:Intrinsic Religiosity

Intrinsic Religiosity: Religiosity motivated by

: Religiosity motivated by

beliefs that there is good in just being religious

beliefs that there is good in just being religious

regardless of any social benefits to it. Religion is

regardless of any social benefits to it. Religion is

an end unto itself.

an end unto itself.AgnosticismAgnosticism: Religiosity that reflects a desire to

: Religiosity that reflects a desire to

face existential questions and acknowledge one’s

face existential questions and acknowledge one’s

religious doubts. These folks don’t attend services,

religious doubts. These folks don’t attend services,

don’t report much personal prayer, and may not

don’t report much personal prayer, and may not

even believe in God.

even believe in God.

W.E.B. DuBois Was W.E.B. DuBois Was Not A Big Fan Of Organized White ReligionNot A Big Fan Of Organized White Religion

Religion in America is “Jim Crowed from top to bottom” and “no other Religion in America is “Jim Crowed from top to bottom” and “no other institution in America is built so thoroughly or absolutely on the color line.”institution in America is built so thoroughly or absolutely on the color line.”

““When the [White] church meets the Negro problem, it writes itself down as When the [White] church meets the Negro problem, it writes itself down as a deliberate hypocrite and systematic liar. The church has opposed every a deliberate hypocrite and systematic liar. The church has opposed every great modern social reform; it opposed the spread of democracy, universal great modern social reform; it opposed the spread of democracy, universal

education, trade unionism, the abolition of poverty, the emancipation of education, trade unionism, the abolition of poverty, the emancipation of women . . . and the emancipation of the Negro slave.”women . . . and the emancipation of the Negro slave.”

““The [White] church aided and abetted the Negro slave trade; the church was The [White] church aided and abetted the Negro slave trade; the church was the bulwark of American slavery; and the church today is the strongest seat the bulwark of American slavery; and the church today is the strongest seat of racial and color prejudice. If one hundred of the best and purest colored of racial and color prejudice. If one hundred of the best and purest colored folk of the United States should seek to apply for membership in any white folk of the United States should seek to apply for membership in any white church in this land tomorrow, 999 out of every 1000 ministers would lie to church in this land tomorrow, 999 out of every 1000 ministers would lie to

keep them out. They would not only do this, but would openly and brazenly keep them out. They would not only do this, but would openly and brazenly defend their action as worthy of followers of Jesus Christ.”defend their action as worthy of followers of Jesus Christ.”

““Behold ! The Black Churches of America.Behold ! The Black Churches of America.

Their five millions of members in 40,000 groups, holding $200,000,000 in Their five millions of members in 40,000 groups, holding $200,000,000 in their hands, are the most strongly organized body among us . . . What is this their hands, are the most strongly organized body among us . . . What is this church doing today toward its primary task of teaching men right and wrong, church doing today toward its primary task of teaching men right and wrong,

and the duty of doing right?and the duty of doing right?

The flat answer is nothing if not less than nothing. Like other churches and The flat answer is nothing if not less than nothing. Like other churches and other religions of other people and ages, our church has veered off on every other religions of other people and ages, our church has veered off on every

conceivable path, which interferes with and nullifies its chief duty of conceivable path, which interferes with and nullifies its chief duty of character building.character building.

It has built up a body of dogma and fairy tale, fantastic fables of sin and It has built up a body of dogma and fairy tale, fantastic fables of sin and salvation, impossible creeds and impossible demands for unquestioning salvation, impossible creeds and impossible demands for unquestioning

belief and obedience.”belief and obedience.”

Commencement Speech at Fisk, 1938Commencement Speech at Fisk, 1938

W.E.B. DuBois Was W.E.B. DuBois Was Not A Big Fan Of Organized Black Religion EitherNot A Big Fan Of Organized Black Religion Either

Black Church As Meta-Black Church As Meta-InstitutionInstitution

EconomicsEconomics

“The first form of

economic cooperation”

CultureCulture

Poetry, speeches, literature,

music

EducationEducation

Schools and colleges

PoliticsPolitics

The “priests” became

politicians

MediaMedia

Locations of amusement

and publishing

The Black church provides “social intercourse, it provides amusements of various kinds, it serves as a The Black church provides “social intercourse, it provides amusements of various kinds, it serves as a newspaper and intelligence bureau, it supplants the theater, it directs the picnic and excursion, it newspaper and intelligence bureau, it supplants the theater, it directs the picnic and excursion, it

furnishes the music, it introduces the stranger to the community, it serves as a lyceum, library, and furnishes the music, it introduces the stranger to the community, it serves as a lyceum, library, and lecture bureau—it is, in fine the central organ of the organized life of the American Negro.” (W.E.B. lecture bureau—it is, in fine the central organ of the organized life of the American Negro.” (W.E.B.

DuBois 1867)DuBois 1867)

During slavery, Blacks lost most of the usual social institutions. The only oneDuring slavery, Blacks lost most of the usual social institutions. The only oneto survive was religion. Blacks say religion is the only institution they can trust.to survive was religion. Blacks say religion is the only institution they can trust.

During slavery, Blacks lost most of the usual social institutions. The only oneDuring slavery, Blacks lost most of the usual social institutions. The only oneto survive was religion. Blacks say religion is the only institution they can trust.to survive was religion. Blacks say religion is the only institution they can trust.