Black Spirituality: Why are so many Blacks leaving Christianity?

      “For Whites, Christianity empowers, justifies their sense of moral superiority, provides material enrichment; is self-affirming; produces tangible and desirable results in the world as well as the world to come; provides rationale for their racial-centeredness, selfishness, and exclusivity by confining the practice of brotherly love and equality within the borders of the White Race.  For Blacks, Christianity disempowers, induces a sense of moral inferiority; preaches submission; subordination and obedience; is associated with material deprivation; produces relatively few tangible and desirable results in this world while emphasizing “pie-in-the sky”; provides rationale for racial self-denial, selflessness, inclusiveness, etc. by expanding the practice of brotherly love and equality, self-sacrifice, and the like to all beyond the borders of the African race” –Kamau Makesi-Tehuti.
     My grandmother and so many like her told us that White people earn their reward on earth, but Black people will earn their reward in heaven.  From church to home, we were taught submission, subordination, self-denial, selflessness and inclusiveness. We were taught that struggling and poverty are benefits of serving God.  I did not understand why God loved Whites more than Blacks.  How come the White church is not teaching subordination, selflessness and inclusiveness?  How come they are not required to love others yet they still prosper?  How come the Bible empowers Whites, but disempowers Blacks? How comes it “seems” like Christianity liberates Whites, but keeps Blacks in bondage?  If I can be honest, I have often felt disempowered, unprotected, devalued, and invalidated as a Christian who happens to be Black.    
      Are those who are departing Christianity doing so because they do not feel validated, valued, protected or empowered?  Are some Blacks leaving Christianity because they feel more connected to the ancestors, universe, Voodoo, African, Eastern and Indigenous practices?  Are Blacks leaving Christianity because of the way the gospel has been presented?  Are Blacks leaving Christianity because of ongoing racial injustice and inequality?  Are Blacks leaving Christianity because tithing has been taught as a means to attain wealth but only for the people in the pulpit, not the pew?  Are Blacks leaving Christianity because the gospel has been “white washed”?  Are Blacks leaving Christianity because we have questions no one wants to answer?  Modern Christians are not accepting the gospel as is.  Western Christianity is not cutting it anymore.  
     How do we connect our faith and culture?  Other religious practices are acknowledging and connecting our Blackness, pain and providing answers. Unfortunately, many have failed to teach the Bible within context which is a contributing factor to the mass exodus.  Plus, other religious practices are not as restrictive.  How can we win souls over without invalidating their experiences?  What are you willing to do in order to reach the hurt, lost, confused, and those gone astray?   The purpose of this blog is to invite conversations, and hopefully encourage someone to go back for the one (Luke 15:1-7).