Is It True That Religion Was Forced Upon Blacks By Their White Slave Owners?

[AngelNicole]

Does anyone know this for an absolute fact? I have read this on youtube from a few youtube users that religion was made up by white slave owners who used it to control their black slaves. I would like accurate anwers from people who actually know this to be true.

[Old_Geezer]

Not sure many were around at the time :-) but I'm pretty sure every human group works out it's own ideas on spiritual matters, so whilst a slave might be forced to convert to their "owner's" religion I doubt very much a slave would have no thoughts of a spiritual/religious nature before then.

[AngelNicole]

I have been reading that religion was made up by white slave owners. I just want to know is this true?

[wolf63]

No. Religion goes back much further than that.

[woofgang]

I suspect that many if not all religious slave owners believed that bringing their slaves to the "true religion" was a generous benefit to the slaves...I wonder if they thought they would also ensure themselves slaves in heaven? or maybe they thought that slaves went to a different heaven from the white folks?

[2sp_]

There are so many different types of religion, and all have been made up at some point by someone.

It could be that some slaves were made to convert to the religion of their "owners" (shudder).

[jim360]

Well in that sense the answer is that it's not true, because the religions pre-date white/black slavery. It's likely that there was some transfer of religion, since in particular in the case of Christianity it was never something that was a native African/ American religion in the early days of slavery. Now of course we see some of the most puritanical Christian attitudes in Africa, which is surely a hangover from the traditions of when Africa was essentially owned by European countries.

But anyway, religions have been around longer than White/ Black Slavery (though not necessarily slavery as a whole).

[LazyGun]

The slaves brought to the american plantations had a variety of rites and religions of their own, quite different in some instances.

The evangelical missionaries were very active in attempting to persuade slaves to abandon their "heathen" ways and embrace christianity, and I can imagine that a good few of the slave owners, no doubt considering themselves good christians, would have urged their slaves to embrace christianity too.

Quite a few documentary references to this, in wiki for instance

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_church

and from the national humanities center;
http://nationalhumanitiescenter.org/tserve/nineteen/nkeyinfo/aareligion.htm

[AngelNicole]

Sorry Old Geezer, but I don't quite understand your answer

[sandyRoe]

An entire village of Irish people were abducted by Turkish slave traders. Even if they'd been forced to adopt the Islamic religion many would still have continued to believed in Catholicism.

[jomifl]

When the Spanish 'conquistadores' dominated South America they imposed catholicism on the natives. The South American natives duly went to church as instructed and worshipped their 'old gods' the rest of the time. That is why voodoo still exists as a religion.

[society]

"Is It True That Religion Was Forced Upon Blacks By Their White Slave Owners?

Does anyone know this for an absolute fact? I have read this on youtube from a few youtube users that religion was made up by white slave owners who used it to control their black slaves. I would like accurate anwers from people who actually know this to be true. "


Hate to burst your bubble, but, I don't think anyone on here is from that era or from that far back.

[atalanta]

In some countries where slavery was rife, the owners attempted to prevent slaves from becoming Christian, since becoming Christians meant that they would be taught to read the Bible. Any form of education was seen as a threat to the slave-owners. Ignorance was seen as the best form of control, not religion.

[wolf63]

sandy - didn't know about the Irish abductions, was it in the dark ages when you were at school?

I am off to wiki to educate myself on the matter.

[Old_Geezer]

That's ok, some here have given the same opinion as I did.

[sandyRoe]

Wolf63, They were Barbary pirates from N Africa. I'd been sent to the offie in the next village to get a churn of porter and only caught a glimpse of them making off in their galleys.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sack_of_Baltimore

[Peter Pedant]

religion wasnt 'made up' to control slaves and is much older as people have pointed out.

The African slaves who were enslaved by Muslims usually, were converted to Christianity and I dont think they had much of a choice. However using religion to control people when you have whips and muskets I think is less likely

[jomifl]

Sandy, The sack of Baltimore was but a small example of the depradations of African slave traders on the coasts of Europe. It appears that about twice as many Europeans have been enslaved by Africans as Africans who have been transported to the Americas as slaves. No apology yet.....

[naomi24]

Religion wasn't 'made up' by white slave owners. I know that to be true.

Peter Pedant, //The African slaves who were enslaved by Muslims usually, were converted to Christianity //

Muslims converting people to Christianity? How did that work?

[ladybirder]

I was just going to bed but now I'll have to wait for Peter's answer!

[naomi24]

Best go to bed and have a look tomorrow, Ladybirder. That's what I intend to do. Night. x