I think I exceeded the 100 word requirement. Just a little bit. (#2)

In keeping theme with our Malcolm X reading, we read a few poems by famous black poets of the late 1800s-the early 1900s. My favorite was On Being Brought from Africa to America by Phillis Wheatley:

'Twas mercy brought me from my Pagan land,
Taught my benighted soul to understand
That there's a God, that there's a Saviour too:
Once I redemption neither sought nor knew.
Some view our sable race with scronful eye,
"Their colour is a diabolic die."
Remember, Christians, Negros, black as Cain,
May be refin'd, and join th'angelic train.

The poem is heavily laced with sarcasm and distrust, and if I did not already retain the knowledge that the vast majority of blacks in America were of the Christian faith, I would never believe it if someone told me, based on this poem.

Wheatley sounds angry: the white man took her people from their homes, enslaved them, and treated them as animals. Yet, it was the blacks that were impure, because they did not follow a white religion? It was the blacks that needed saving, because they did not worship a god who looked (supposedly) like the whites who whipped and beat and starved them?

Before I divulge into my next paragraph, I feel I must announce: I am in no way against Christians or the practice of Christianity. The religion is very important to millions of people, and if they feel happiness or safety or love from following it, then good for them for having faith and loving G-d.

But.

I personally see a lot of hypocrisy in Christianity--or, at least, with some of those who preach and have preached it. Spread love, but not if it's between two men. Equal rights for all, but there continue to be restrictions for some. Jesus loves everybody, unless they are not baptized, or gay, or have had an abortion, or curse, or have sex before marriage. There are many Christians who do not think these things, and really do want to spread Christ's love by expressing love and understanding to everyone, or even those who follow a more strict interpretation of the Bible who do not wish harm, unfairness, or oppression of others, and not just those who follow man-written rules and fit into a very tight-knit, borderline elitist faction. It's the same way now as it was with the slave owners. How could they claim to be Christians, who are supposed to be good, loving people, when they are whipping and enslaving men, women, and children because of their different race? And not only that, but the masters and mistresses then went as far as to try to convert the slaves because they weren't "pure" by white standards.

The whole thing is ridiculous. Christianity, Judaism, or any religion can become so twisted and contorted and wrong when it is taken too far. When people stop living their life and only work by a set of rules that will supposedly get them into eternal bliss. After they die, that is. And if then what happens if you don't get to Heaven? Well, at least you can say you had a good life while it last--oh, never mind. Personally, I believe in G-d, fully and without question, but I also believe that it only makes sense that He would want His children to live and love life, and to express love for everyone around us. Hypocrisy and lies and rules that leave others out of happiness or opportunity just don't add up to G-d's will.

It was the lies of the white Christians that Malcolm X also disliked. His reasons for thinking of Christianity as "brainwashing" focus completely on the discrimination of Christian blacks from Christian whites. As in the poem, Malcolm felt that blacks embracing Christianity was profound in the worst way. I, personally, cannot say that I disagree with this. While, for many, Christianity is a wonderful thing, as any religion can be, I find it outstanding that the black community embraces this religion so fervently when, at one time, as Brian E. Scott Sr. writes in his (very biased and possibly offensive) article, practicing Christianity may have been the only way to make slavery just a little bit less horrible. Not because they thought Jesus would save them, but because they thought that following the master's rules would spare them a beating. Christianity in the black community is a remnant of brainwashing, whitewashing, and trying to fit in to survive.

As I was reading Malcolm come to this conclusion, I agreed and was rather satisfied with his realizations. But then, he started talking about Islam.

Now, do not think that I am opposed to Muslims. Though I disagree with their teachings, probably more so than I do with Christians', I, again, know that this religion is very important to millions of people and I in no way believe that the practice of Islam should be protested or stopped.

But.

Malcolm X's preaching of the white man being the devil does bother me.

Maybe, just maybe, calling the white man the devil can be justified. It is very true that white Europeans have, throughout history, caused the destruction of dozens of civilizations--Native Americans, blacks, Aborigines. Whites did enslave millions of Africans without mercy; did send thousands of Native Americans to their graves out of greed for more land, and for more slaves. This country, though built upon much good, brilliance, and pride, also rest upon shame and evil.

At the same time, the devil? There were--are--plenty of genocides in Africa, black against black. India had suffered from the caste system long before the British entered. Countries in Asia had been massacring each other for thousands of years before any Caucasian influence came along. All races are imperfect; all have committed treacherous crimes as a whole. Whites are most famous for their crimes (which are unforgivable), but they are not the only ones guilty.

So Malcolm's preaching against whites, and Christians... isn't he doing the exact thing he stated he hated so much? He tried to place a big stamp over the entire white race that read, "DEVIL." But just as not all blacks like rap, and not all Asians eat sushi, not all whites are racist. We, too, do not like to be grouped together as a stereotype.

Like the Christians who brought the slaves over to American and tried to pure them of their "evil ways," Malcolm thought he had good intentions. He believed that what he was doing was opening the eyes of the black population of America. And while he may have had something going when he spoke out against Christianity in the black community, he, too, took it a step to far and tried to oppress others. The revenge, if you will, that he sought after was not righteous, it was not holy. It was 100% human, and 100% hypocritical.