[Greg P.]

How do black Christians feel about the fact that their ancestors in Africa were predominantly followers of Islam?

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Name : Greg P., Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Catholic, Age : 22, City : Los Angeles, State : CA Country : United States, Occupation : Student, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[David25891]

I'm pretty sure that no where near the majority of black Africans were Muslim. The vast majority were Animist - a polytheistic system in which living (and some non-living) things are endowed with sacredness, deserving of worship, responsible for good and evil occurrences, etc. I am also pretty sure that Muslim black Africans were bestowed that religion, by inheritance or force by Arab slave traders. (See Henry Louis Gates' PBS program on Africa for more.) This same method is how American blacks became predominately Christian.

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Name : David25891, City : Parsippany, State : NJ Country : United States, 

[Jean]

How do white Christians feel about their ancestors from Europe being barbarians and other brutish types? That was then, this is now. We all strive to thrive.

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Name : Jean, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Lutheran, Age : 45, City : Milwaukee, State : WI Country : United States, Occupation : Managerial/technical, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[Astorian]

It's strange that so many black Americans embrace Islam as a way of reclaiming their "African" roots, because Islam is not an African religion at all. Islam is an Asian religion, just as Christianity is. Moreover, virtually none of the black slaves brought to America were Moslims. The great majority practiced traditional African pagan/ spirit religions. When you look at Voodoo in Haiti or Santeria in Cuba, you see how many African slaves learned to mix Christianity with their traditional paganism. Even today, Islam is not the dominant religion in sub-Saharan Africa. Nigeria is one of the few black African countries in which Islam is the dominant religion. Interestingly, Catholicism is growing rapidly in Africa. It's ironic that so many black Christians in America are turning to Islam, at the same time that millions of black Africans are embracing Christianity!

My feeling is, study Islam and Christianity, then decide whether you believe the basic teachings of either religion. Embrace a religion because you believe in it, not because you think (wrongly) that it was the religion of your ancestors.

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Name : Astorian, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 38, City : Austin, State : TX Country : United States, Education level : 4 Years of College, 

[Laura-H]

Actually, all three of the Judeo-Christian religions were born in Africa and the original followers of each were African. The original Jews, the original Christians (even Jesus), as well as the original Muslims are all of the same continent. This is something that all three of those religions seem to suppress rather than embrace. When you look at them objectively, all three religions have a lot in common, especially when you contrast them to Buddhism, for example. It saddens me when so many dwell on differences rather than finding common ground.

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Name : Laura-H, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Christian, Age : 25, City : Schaumburg, State : IL Country : United States, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[Karim]

Islam didn't originate in Africa, but rather in the Middle East. It is worth noting, however, that huge chunks of African culture became part and parcel Islamic in ancient times. The Hausa, Fulani, and parts of the Yoruba are responsible for large parts of Western Africa being Muslim, while the Swahili extended the religion and associated culture as far south as Mozambique, transforming the whole East Coast. It is true thatthe interiors of all countries south of and including Congo are mainly animist, but it's also worth noting that most Afro-American slaves were captured in Muslim Western Africa. It is also worth noting that Sub-Sahara and Southeast Asia are famous for having converted to Islam through trade and not through invasion or slavery, as many people in America believe. Middle-Eastern people never colonized the Sub-Sahara except for the English-Egyptian Sudan colonies.

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Name : Karim, Gender : M, Age : 23, City : Los Angeles, State : CA Country : United States, Social class : Middle class, 

[Chuck D]

That is a false hood , first of all the christian religon was in existence first ,mohammed wrote the quoran , after christ, that said , judaism, and christianity came first, and they were the foremost religons of people in north africa were they were given birth ,

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Name : Chuck D, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Christian, Age : 32, City : Baltimore, State : MD Country : United States, Education level : 2 Years of College, 

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