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"BLACK" churches ROCK!!!!
Posted by gmoney • 3/25/08 • Subscribe to this Discussion [RSS] • Report This Topic
Topics: Church, religion
So have you ever been to a "black" church? If you have please tell the BC community about your experience!
Sorry watching video clips does not count as actually going to a "black" church.
If watching video clips on Youtube counted I would know how to DANCE!
User Comments
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Growing up Catholic I I thought all churches were the same. My best friend throughout life is black and one weekend I went to church with him, WOW what a difference. -
Would love to go to one, but its hard to find one in the uk and local area -
Just look at my avatar!!! This is too easy. I decline to make a statement; as this would be considered an "inside job". ..Can't wait to see others' comments though. Good question. -
Look at Me Look at Me....Notice Me....Notice Me.-
I see you. You appear to be a terminally sweet but sinister M&M. Chocolate on the inside? See you in church.
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LOL.
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It’s too bad that there is even such a thing as black churches. I mean that as speaking against Sunday segregation. That’s almost as bad as going to a white church. How about a white protestant church? Or a white club, or a club that preaches white man’s superiorities and the epic struggle of a society that wants to take it away from him. David duke once made the KKK seem almost innocent by saying “we’re not against blacks it’s just that we support and we’re for the white people”. As Barrack Obama said –American is most segregated on Sundays and this is the danger and the sadness of it.-
thank you for the excellent post..... when I post race related questions and topics I am looking for a deeper insight, a more meaningful idea of what people think. you provided it. Thank you.
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I have been to Black churches and White churches, my favorite is a mixed up church....and yes, they do exist. Pastor Crefflo Dollar visited and spoke at a mixed church I was a part of a few years ago, his comment on racism was to adopt a white child. (for those who may not know of him, he is black,and is an incredible Man of God)
On dancing, his comment was, White folks clap on the first and third beat, Black folks clap on the second and fourth beat, if you put them both together you never miss a beat!
God loves lots of color and style and so do I !-
pamela,
that was great, thanks for the insight
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It seems to me that black churches are predominantly of a fundamentalist Baptist/Pentecostal/Evangelical flavor. Otherwise the only thing making them black is there attendance??????
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I don't know that the name at the door would make them black I think location sometimes has a bit to do with it. Division seems to breed misunderstanding. What is fun is when you can be with a mixed group and enjoy each others' differences while maintaining those differences thus not having to lose who you are.
My closest friends are of many races, my children never heard a racial slur remark until they were in their teens at which they were shocked and had me explain. I was sorry to have to explain it, a sad comment on our progress as a whole.
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Loved the clapping comment quoted by Pamela from Pastor Dollar. (what a name!)
I've been to black churches (I'm white) way back in the 60s when I was a counselor for a teen aged girls club in Watts. I was made to feel welcome
and ,of course I loved the music. There was a white teen-ager in our club who
had grown up in the neighborhood. The minister mistook me for her mother( I
was a very young looking 24 and she was 17). We were the only two white people
there. She, by the way, sang in the choir.
I'm voting for Obama and I thought his speech was great. It said it all! -
I think I'm going to be met with fire and brimestone for saying this, but I can't help but wonder something and have wanted to ask for sometime.
Gmoney - do you ever start a thread that isn't race related? Pleae don't take that as a knock or an attempt to bash - just a legit question. Seems to me we'll never get past the issue of race if we constantly talk about the world through racially tinted lenses.-
kdawg, thank you for asking the question. You are so right, we will never get past the issue if we keep making it an issue no matter how innocent the issue appears to be on the outside, much like this one about church.
hhmmm, on second thought what the heck am I saying, I take my kids to "Italian Church" -
Yep Yep
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That is a good question and no fire and brimstone here. Racial post are simply a way to get people to hopefully talk about race as adults. I have posted a bunch of post that have nothing to do with Religion or Race.... I counted 6
Six word Memoirs
Barack Obama Photogallary
1 Reason why I support Obama
Anyone sound like Bill Clinton
YES!!!!!! you look fat in that dress
Who is making money blogging? and more
Out of my almost 100 or so post only about 6 have had anything to do with Race.
It is a fair question. I don't feel that ignoring racism will make it go away. I am learning a lot of people and and I see hope when reading the posts and the answers people give.
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SOULS ROCK - no colour specification needed. some enter black, some vvhite bodies.
VVHITE ROCK´n ROLL ROCKS too, even saying it has been stolen from the blacks. forget colour, forgive yourself, feel free to ROCK. or colour yourself pink :-) -
I've been to not only a "black church," but a church full of Kenyan nationals living in the U.S.
It's about Christ...and what a beautiful thing it is! -
I've only gone 2 times... a little to dramatic and over the top for me personally. -
Interesting topic, but Kdawg has a point. Perhaps there's been some overkill with the race threads, Gmoney?
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stoneman..... I have started almost 100 posts and only 6 have had a explicit racial title or undertone........ only 6. in the past week I think 4 of those 6 have been posted.
So no my post are not even close to all being about race.
I think that this is a perfect example of how we tend to generalize with examining the facts. I am guilty of passing judgment and making generalizations. -
Well at least you finally admit it. I've been saying it for 40 or 50 replies now.
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stoneman, it's all good, gmoney has a hallpass!
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I've been to a service like the one you're talking about...a bit much for me but the music was great. Reminded me of a Pentecostal church...lots of action in the isles, live band, great music. But I'm an introvert so all that extrovert behaviour just isn't for me. -
hey gmoney, why are your discussions revolving around racism, and blacks and whites....of course no offence, but most of your threads these days are mostly concerned with racism......................
Your thread on Bloggers Unite widget drew no responses, and so it needs a bumpp.......so be it.....-
LOL I know........ when I have a tame thread I get no love, inject race or sex and BAM it goes crazy.
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lol, you are right though....
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A church painted black? Well it's possible, but why?-
the church got tired of being the same color as the other churches. The church was painted black and now it is cool and hip and everyone that attends can dance.
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I'd like to see a tye-dyed church.
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bam! The most segregated hour is on Sundays. And you are right, that in 2008, while we profess that so many things have changed, and so many things are different, that we do not even Worship God together.
But you also brought up a few other things we still do in a segregated manner - we Party seperate - we Socialize seperate - we may live in the same neighborhoods but, we only invite people of our race over to our houses - there is still so much segregation left in our society.
Now to your question; yes i've been to black churches - i also went to a catholic high school and had to attend Mass on Fridays - there is indeed a HUGE difference - but please gain some historical perspective.
The "black church" started on the plantation - deep in the woods - away from white society. It's always been different. And the reality that it's still different is evidence of how much work we have yet to do in our society - things are NOT so different folks; More change needs to happen and it can only happen if WE take the steps to make this a reality.
My suggestion ... white people, start attending a black church near you. Don't give me that 'there are none in my area' talk - find a black city - find a black church - and go with a genuine heart to experience something new. You'll be glad you did.-
Some of us are actively doing that, there is hope yet. I recently attended a small one in Portland and surprised the congregation who stopped everything and welcomed me warmly, we had an awesome time !
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good feed back
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Well elvis did get the Blues at a black church.
Perhaps the black church is the birth of rocknroll -
I'm not a church goer so it is unlikely I'd be in any church white or black unless sit was to look at the architecture.
I find it interesting that some people confuse Baptist and Methodist African American churches with fundamentalist churches as all branches of fundies from Pentecostal and Charismatic, to "other" renewalist's, are majorly white non Hispanic.
"Perhaps the black church is the birth of rocknroll"
At least Elvis among others admitted it unlike Led Zeppelin who ripped of a lot of old Blues but refuses to this day to admit it.-
You don’t think those are fundamentalist? It was a brother that taught me the word. The majority of my black friends can't stand my metaphorical interpretation of the bible. I think most African-American majority churches – Baptist and Methodist will proudly label themselves fundamentalist.
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By definition and practice Baptists and Methodists are not fundamentalist as it has developed into modernity, though back in the day fundamentalism was defined more widely. Most what I see as crazy fundies are Charismatics, Pentecostals or self ascribed renewlaist's with their own churches out in the boonies run my "pastors" who usually do not even have a theological degree.
All religion to me is fundamentalist, but in that crazy ass sense of the world most fundies are White non Hispanic citizens and in theU.S. are undereducated compared to the rest of this country. Globally fundamentalists are as educated as the rest of the population but in this country and in Chile the fundies tend to be less educated.-
I was raised in Pentecostal churches. I tend to agree with others who view them as crazy.
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"most fundies are...undereducated compared to the rest of this country."
That may be true as a generalization, but I DO hope you realize that that statement does not apply to all fundamentalists. I consider myself a fundamentalist, and I'm not undereducated. Most of my friends, family, acquaintances, fellow church members, etc., would be considered fundamentalists, and I go to a church with a congregation of over 2000 people, filled with doctors, attorneys, etc. We are, by no means, a church filled with ignorant, uneducated people. -
I agree with Kristi. I'm a Christian and many, many of my Christian friends have graduate degrees and more (doctors, dentists, orthodonists, lawyers, business people). I have my MBA.
My church is multicultural, with lots of educated and noneducated people, of all different backgrounds: Kenyans, White, Asian, Messianic Jews, Arabics, Indian, Hispanics and more. We have a large pastoral staff and one of our Pastors is from Kenya. -
I had always just thought of fundamentalist as being those who believe the bible as absolute and literal. I had a roommate back in art school that was black – he called himself a fundamentalist and I was the Hell going liberal. But the literal interpretation of the bible was his definition of fundamental. Removing the word – I would say ninety five percent of black churches preach the literalism of the bible.
The overwhelming majority of my African American friends tend to be more conscious and concerned with Christian morality and biblical scripture. I have known a few who tend to be highly educated who are either atheist or polite enough not to impose personal views, one a proclaimed Wiccan, and a few reviving the African or Sanitarian spiritualities – getting back the roots.
I should also say that I know some very highly educated African Americans who are extremely religious. The real difference seems to be those in the liberal arts are the anti-religious.
I am not sure what Modernist and Fundamentalist are in terms of organized movements. I just know the overwhelming majority of African-Americans are deeply religious, spiritual, and literal in their interpretations of the bible – I would wager this is much much much more so proportionately than the white population. I would also say this phenomena is related to the social-economic-and cultural condition of the black community at large – which needs hope and a law greater than mans law.
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I have been to several black churches. I thought they were great. My favorite was a small church of Africans (mostly Nigerians) located in Turkey.
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kristilnauer: No I was using statistics. You can find those stats anywhere. I was responding because someone mentioned black churches were fundamentalist and as most African American churches are not fundamentalist, or renewalist churches as they are defined today, I wanted to point that out. I'm not calling anyone undereducated I was just pointing out what statistics say about fundamentalists world wide.
My understanding of renewalsit are they are either Pentocostal, Charismatic or some other self annotated church of the same type not RC, Baptist, Methodist, United Church of Christ etc.
I have family who went fundie some years ago - they were brought up RC as was I. Mostly hearsay as I was too young and didn't live in this country at the time, but when they originally joined the fundie church they disassociated themselves form the rest of the family because no one wanted to listen to them preach, and spent all their time with church people, ten years later they are still with the church but all of a sudden again travel to spend time with family again but don't preach like the did when they first joined their fundamentalist church. -
I haven't been to any church. White, black, pink or polka dotted. I don't count the times I go to appease my dear old MIL - see - I'm not a religious type person. I don't subscribe to any set religious belief.
So no, I haven't gone to a 'black' church.
Tell me, do the following rub you wrong? Why or why not? ---
So have you ever been to a "white" church? If you have please tell the BC community about your experience!
Sorry watching video clips does not count as actually going to a "white" church.
If watching video clips on Youtube counted I would know how to DANCE!
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So have you ever been to a "red" church? If you have please tell the BC community about your experience!
Sorry watching video clips does not count as actually going to a "red" church.
If watching video clips on Youtube counted I would know how to DANCE!
or
So have you ever been to a "yellow" church? If you have please tell the BC community about your experience!
Sorry watching video clips does not count as actually going to a "yellow" church.
If watching video clips on Youtube counted I would know how to DANCE!
or
So have you ever been to a "polka dotted" church? If you have please tell the BC community about your experience!
Sorry watching video clips does not count as actually going to a "polka dotted" church.
If watching video clips on Youtube counted I would know how to DANCE!
Oh, and the church I go to with my MIL (she's an elderly Catholic woman) is a brick church. It has a brown roof and its congregation consists of all different kinds of people who subscribe to the same religious belief.
Sorry, I haven't really paid any attention to whether or not they were 'black' or 'white' for that matter. I DO know, they are all Catholic.
Does that count? -
This is from Dictionary.com:
Baptist: a member of a Christian denomination that baptizes believers by immersion and that is usually Calvinistic in doctrine.
Fundamentalism: (sometimes initial capital letter) a movement in American Protestantism that arose in the early part of the 20th century in reaction to modernism and that stresses the infallibility of the Bible not only in matters of faith and morals but also as a literal historical record, holding as essential to Christian faith belief in such doctrines as the creation of the world, the virgin birth, physical resurrection, atonement by the sacrificial death of Christ, and the Second Coming.
I don't see how one has to do with the other unless I'm missing something.
And...
What's a Black church anyway? I've always been of the mindset that the diversity of the church depends on the diversity of the neighborhood surrounding it.
I'm Black and grew up in a predominantly Black neighborhood and so the church I went to was predominantly Black, but I think only because of circumstance.
My experience? Booooooring! I spent my time counting the hideous hats adorned by the ladies of the church.-
Hi Jill
The Baptist is a denomination while fundamentalism is a way of classifying denominations - the opposite being modernist. You really can’t take definitions and compare them but if you study comparative religion then you might classify them.
You pretty much defined fundamentalism right on the mark. Now in contrast the modernist believe much of the bible is metaphor - creation didn’t happen in seven days – that was a metaphor. Adam and Eve were not real literal people but symbols of humanity.
An example of modernist tradition is Catholicism – where the Vatican supports most of sciences assumptions from the big bang to evolution by primates – the bible being metaphorical and divine interpretation limited by the comprehension of man.
If you believe the bible is infallible that Adam and Eve existed – that Moses parted the sea and that the bible is the absolute truth in a literal sense then you are fundamental.
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If you like this topic, you might like Norm Allen's interview - African American Religiosity, Humanism, and Politics -
media.libsyn.com/media/pointofinquiry/POI_2008_03_14_Norm_Allen.mp3-
Thanks TJmorgan – I didn’t realize there was such a fervent anti-religious evangelicalism taking shape by defined movements and organizations. That would make a great headline wouldn’t – “Anti-religious the new Evangelists”?
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I used to go, until I was told that I had a homosexual demon in me. That's when I decided to sleep in on Sundays. -
okay, serious question here. When is it okay to call things "black" versus "african-american"?
Personally I despize the ever increasing hyphenation of our nomenclature - but that's just me, so my opinion doesn't really amount for squat. It is fast becoming something that we just try and dance around though. Can we get some ground rules?-
I have often wondered that. I used to work for the government, so it became habit for me to be PC and use the term African American. I realized how ridiculous the political correctness had become when I went overseas and, out of habit, referred to a group of Nigerians living in Turkey as African Americans. It was embarrassing, and I have abandoned the usage of that term since then.
It's a ridiculous term to me. Not all black Americans are from Africa, and most have never even been to Africa.
If needing to use a term like that, I generally opt for "black" or "black American". If I know what specific African country a person is from, I will refer to them by that term. For example, I know a group of Sudanese people living here, so I will refer to them as Sudanese. However, they are not American, so to call them African American simply because their skin is black and they're living in America would be a mistake. They are, however, black.
I think the political correctness in this country has become absurd. -
Oh PC fervor has run amok, and all over folks perceived constitutional right to never be offended. Still, I'd prefer to address folks in a fashion that they find amiable. I'm just trying to understand because it doesn't make any sense to me.
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I agree, and nobody has a problem calling white people, "white."
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I agree Morgan. And I'd cringe if someone hyphenated me as a "mostly European-American." I just don't identify with continents (especially "continents" that are not easily visually discernable like Europe).
I mean, I get on the one hand that the continental association with blacks is because the "nationa' identies were robbed during slavery - but isn't that it? Isn't that the point? There is no cultural identity to point back to. Unless there's this nebulous thing that is "African culture" that transcends every group of people that have every lived on the continent - which would strike me as odd on a continent as diverse as Africa (in other words, you don't hear about many Bantu speaking folks being mistook for Egyptions or Algierians).
I actually argued this the other week at work in one of those horrid "diversity" training classes. I detest such things. Yes, let's accentuate the wedges we must remember to drive between us! How insane. I'd much prefer to talk about our similarities. Anyway, my arguement was in response to the statement the instructor made that "we are all hyphenated-americans." He tried to suggest we identify as Irish-American, Italian-American, etc. I stood up and said "not true" - the folks I know, including myself, don't walk around proclaiming themselves as these hyphenated multi-culturalist darlings. They just call themselves americans. Likewise, most blacks I know call themselves black, until some partcularly outspoken one in the room insists it's offensive to be called anything but "african-american." At which point something strange ocurrs and folks in the room are seeminglyl "shamed" into agreement.
Well that stuff doesn't work on me. I've got nothing to be shamed of. Just makes no sense to me. None whatsover. But, like I said, if there is a clear cut preference one way or the other, I'd like to know - just as I'd like to know if folks named "Robert" prefer being called "Bob." I'll call you whatever you prefer - but this pick and choose hyphenization that is shrouded in the emotional claims of knee-jerk offensiveness is sheer madness. -
In an idealized indifferent world it wouldn’t matter but there is a black culture, a black identity, and those are much more than color.
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Sure ones culture and identity is identifiable, but is it really necessary to spell out ones whole identity and culture just to address them?
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I'm confused again...is it "black culture" or "african-american culture"? That's sort of what I'm getting at.
I think there is black culture within america - just as there is a somewhate unique culture in every city/state/geographical region in the nation. However, we're also part of a larger, westernized, modern, capitalist culture - so where does one draw nomenclature distinctions?
All this just to say - when is it "black" and when is it "african american" - because I still don't have a clue. And it seems that just asking about is sort of deemed offensive.....yet I'm supposed to know, but I don't. -
Well if you writing from an acadimic perspective I would say your obligated to go with African American.
I don't think anybody is offended with black or in the least insignificance.
I originally argued this - but I take it back because it culturally exists so we pretend it doesn’t? If you look back to my first post you can see how I tried to argue this– but I was I wrong. -
If one is obligated to go with "African American," then wouldn't they be obligated to go with "Caucasian" when speaking of white people as well? Because that is not what I see in our society, I commonly see blacks being referred to as "African American" and whites being referred to as simply "whites."
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I don't think I'm understanding. I kind of got lost in the whole fundamentalist discussion.
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Well I was originally arguing that it was too bad that we even had to identify a church as being black. It is a church right? But my argument there is flawed because I suggested that maintaining a cultural identity is the same as being racist – when I should have addressed the concerns for what they are. I don’t think there is anything wrong with being black or being identified with being black or white for that matter. That being completely against my first post on this thread. But it is the simple fact that differences in cultures exist people are proud of their ways, their heritage - so why should we be ashamed why should we pretend there is no difference?
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This pride of ones culture, heritage, nation, etc... can often lead to prejudice. It doesn't have to, but it often does. Sure we can acknowledge differences, but we should also acknowledge similarities. As soon as one starts placing values on these differences is when conflict of interests arises.
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Ironically I am descended from plantation owners directly in my father’s line. The Antebellum Goodman home is still well preserved. I am proud of my families’ legacy and history, especially our military tradition. Slavery was despicable and I will be the last to deny any body there cultural legacy.
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One cannot deny another's cultural legacy even if they wanted too, as it is inherited. Labels alone cannot strip a legacy. Referring to someone by the color of their skin alone does not deny them of their legacy. If somebody calls me a "white" person, this label alone does not deny me of my cultural legacy, nor would it for an African American being referred to as black. You are who you are due to a extremely long string of events, causes and effects, actions and reactions. We are shaped and conditioned by our environments. Nobody can take our individual unique experiences away from us. But when a value is placed, a value of ones own legacy over another's, this has the potential to cause disturbances. So that is why I think it is better to see that we all share something in common, we all have a legacy. And our collective legacy's are intertwined into one universal legacy. With this understanding, how could anyone be offended by a label of black or white? For we would understand that we are dependent on each other, that we compliment each other, that we are practically family in this light.
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I hate those times where I can see my misspellings and yet clicking on the "edit" button does nothing.
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