A Reflection on Frederick Douglass

A Mississippi Boy’s Reflection on Frederick Douglass on Christians in "The slaveholding religion and the Christianity of Christ.”

I find, since reading over the foregoing Narrative, that I have, in several instances, spoken in such a tone and manner, respecting religion, as may possibly lead those unacquainted with my religious views to suppose me an opponent of all religion. To remove the liability of such misapprehension, I deem it proper to append the following brief explanation. What I have said respecting and against religion, I mean strictly to apply to the "slave holding religion" of this land, and with no possible reference to Christianity proper; for, between the Christianity of this land, and the Christianity of Christ, I recognize the widest possible difference--so wide, that to receive the one as good, pure, and holy, is of necessity to reject the other as bad, corrupt, and wicked. To be the friend of the one, is of necessity to be the enemy of the other. I love the pure, peaceable, and impartial Christianity of Christ: I therefore hate the corrupt, slave holding, women-whipping, cradle-plundering, partial and hypocritical Christianity of this land. Indeed.

I can see no reason, but the most deceitful one, for calling the religion of this land Christianity. I look upon it as the climax of all misnomers, the boldest of all frauds, and the grossest of all libels. Never was there a clearer case of "stealing the livery of the court of heaven to serve the devil in." I am filled with unutterable loathing when I contemplate the religious pomp and show, together with the horrible inconsistencies, which every where surround me. We have men-stealers for ministers, women whippers for missionaries, and cradle-plunderers for church members.

The man who wields the blood clotted cowskin during the week fills the pulpit on Sunday, and claims to be a minister of the meek and lowly Jesus. The man who robs me of my earnings at the end of each week meets me as a class-leader on Sunday morning, to show me the way of life, and the path of salvation. He who sells my sister, for purposes of prostitution, stands forth as the pious advocate of purity. He who proclaims it a religious duty to read the Bible denies me the right of learning to read the name of the God who made me. He who is the religious advocate of marriage robs whole millions of its sacred influence, and leaves them to the ravages of wholesale pollution. The warm defender of the sacredness of the family relation is the same that scatters whole families,--sundering husbands and wives, parents and children, sisters and brothers,--leaving the hut vacant, and the hearth desolate. We see the thief preaching against theft, and the adulterer against adultery.

We have men sold to build churches, women sold to support the gospel, and babes sold to purchase Bibles for the POOR HEATHEN! ALL FOR THE GLORY OF GOD AND THE GOOD OF SOULS! The slave auctioneer's bell and the church-going bell chime in with each other, and the bitter cries of the heart-broken slave are drowned in the religious shouts of his pious master. Revivals of religion and revivals in the slave-trade go hand in hand together. The slave prison and the church stand near each other. The clanking of fetters and the rattling of chains in the prison, and the pious psalm and solemn prayer in the church, may be heard at the same time. The dealers in the bodies and souls of men erect their stand in the presence of the pulpit, and they mutually help each other. The dealer gives his blood-stained gold to support the pulpit, and the pulpit, in return, covers his infernal business with the garb of Christianity. Here we have religion and robbery the allies of each other --devils dressed in angels' robes, and hell presenting the semblance of paradise.

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Institutional Racism is real! The reality that Frederick Douglass so tragically reflects upon makes me want to cry. It leaves me feeling hopeless. Yes, he was pointing to a reality that happened over 100 years ago, but it is still a reality that is the foundation of Christianity in the West. What he points too still happens and we need not ignore the modern day slavery and racism that is inherent in the church and in our society. How do we recognize it when most of us want to deny the fact that racism still happens? How do we recognize it when we are so deeply entrenched in a system that only accepts people of color (those who are not "white" - which is a messy concept in itself) when they act "white"? I am convicted. White guilt? Yes! And I don't think in this instance that white guilt is wrong, because I need to feel guilty. We all need to feel guilty, because we are all guilty of wanting to tame dark bodies into white bodies. Isn't that what Christianity and America was founded upon: White men, creating a nation on the backs of others who just happen to have dark bodies? Why is being white the only way to God? Last time I checked, Christ was the way to the Father! That is what I was “taught” in word, but that was not always what was portrayed by people’s actions. I may piss people off by this statement, but hey, I’m used to pissing people off.

Growing up I worshipped in a White church, went to a White school, and learned about a White Jesus and salvation was bound up in this White Jesus. Being black was a disease. The N word was one that I heard often (albeit, not in my family), in church, in social circles, and in my school. Salvation was bound up in being acting “white”, for God was portrayed as the White Master who was overlooking his slaves and striking us down every time we did something wrong. It’s taken me a long time to readjust my vision and look at God as the Compassionate God who is revealed to us as a servant in the person of Christ. Yes, it’s in the past, and I’ve tried to move on, and I don’t want to beat a dead horse. However, I’m confused, and I’m worried about future generations and the church.

In general, why are we afraid of those who are not like us? Us being white Christians. That seems to be the norm. Why do we fear the other? Why do we fear those who have black skin? It happened in the 60’s when integration was forced in the public schools. People were fundamentally opposed and downright “un-Christian” in their reaction to integration. Why? What were we afraid of?

In my school and church, I’ve heard people talk about the “N*****S”. Why do we even say that word? Why do we think it is wrong for black people to act out? Hell, we suppressed and oppressed them for over 5 centuries in the west (actually longer if you look at Christianity and conquest and consumption of black bodies)!

Why do we think that black people are less than us? not as smart as us? not as beautiful as us? not marriageable? Not as “Christian” as us? not as “right” as us?

So, I guess my point is this. Why do we, as Christians and as the church, not see in “the other” the inherent humanness that we are all people and creatures of God? We are all connected to each other because we were all made in the image of GOD! Whether you like it or not, anyone who is not like you is made in the same image as you, and that image is the Imago Dei. Get used to it! Notice it! Live in it! Love it! Respect It! Because in reality, when you disrespect another person, when you hate another person, when you offend another person, you not only offend them, but you offend yourself, and ultimately you offend God. This fact does not just apply to those who are black. It applies to anyone in society who is on the margin and who is outside of the norm, and Christianity has struck out.

We need to repent. We need to voice that we got it wrong. We need to voice that the church got it wrong. We need to fall on our knees and ask Jesus that we take the form of a servant and that we serve those, who in the past and present, were expected to serve us. We need to recognize that the Triune God dwells in the midst of all of God’s creatures. We need to love with a non-judgmental love and not ask of other’s what we would not do ourselves. We need to have compassion and view others through the lens and eyes of Christ, and if we do this, maybe, then maybe the world will be transformed. Yes I’m venting, and yes I’m not even sure what the solution is, but I do know that we are called to Love those who we do not want to love and that we need to come to the Table with them. We need to eat with those who do not look like us. We need to disrupts systems and act out and shake up the norm. We need to keep our eyes on the crucified Christ that was killed because he spoke out against the norm, he crossed boundaries, he ate with those who were the social outcasts, and he himself, was one who would have been one who could have not gotten into my “Christian” school. He could not have gotten into my “church”. He would have, in fact, probably been called and labeled a, “n….r.”