Racism, Christianity, U.S history, Christopher Columbus all rolled into one discussion

[Averroes]

I've heard stories from inner city schools which is code in America for "black schools" in which the kids who take their education seriously are the ones that get ridiculed and ostracized by the other students.

Well those schools are far and few in between. Besides, it doesn't matter what ethnic group you belong to, kids who study and are serious about education typically get picked on anyway hence the term "nerd"

 

[-Peacemaker-]

Are the ravages of poverty in Ameica exaggerated and used as a crutch? What I mean is that the poor in America are still considered rich by the standards of those who would be considered poor in third world countries. Primary and secondary education is free in this country and student loans are easy to obtain. At what point does the fact you were born into poverty in America become a lame excuse for not being able to get your piece of the pie? Immigrants have been coming to this country for over 200 years often poor themselves. Often times they get themselves out of it. What more do those who blame poverty for all their problems want from the federal government?

 

[Revoltingest]

Well those schools are far and few in between. Besides, it doesn't matter what ethnic group you belong to, kids who study and are serious about education typically get picked on anyway hence the term "nerd"

That's not my experience....in several school systems.

 

[Averroes]

That's not my experience....in several school systems.

Well my experience differs from yours my friend.

 

[Averroes]

Are the ravages of poverty in Ameica exaggerated and used as a crutch? What I mean is that the poor in America are still considered rich by the standards of those who would be considered poor in third world countries. Primary and secondary education is free in this country and student loans are easy to obtain. At what point does the fact you were born into poverty in America become a lame excuse for not being able to get your piece of the pie? Immigrants have been coming to this country for over 200 years often poor themselves. Often times they get themselves out of it. What more do those who blame poverty for all their problems want from the federal government?

I think your baiting........In fact I don't think your questions are sounding sincere. Believe what you want, but growing up poor, no lights, roaches crawling in your ear is poor. Don't compare to third world because when you look at it, my stomach growls like some poor Indian kid in India. Poverty is indeed an influential factor and yes the federal government does provide assistance. But when you're in an impoverished environment like some of these kids, you don't have a lot of options.

 

[-Peacemaker-]

I think your baiting........In fact I don't think your questions are sounding sincere. Believe what you want, but growing up poor, no lights, roaches crawling in your ear is poor. Don't compare to third world because when you look at it, my stomach growls like some poor Indian kid in India. Poverty is indeed an influential factor and yes the federal government does provide assistance. But when you're in an impoverished environment like some of these kids, you don't have a lot of options.

Yes I may not be totally in the middle regarding issues my questions are in regards to. I may lean a tad to one side of the issue as opposed to the other, but this much I promise you: I haven't completely made up my mind about issues like this that I'm not an expert on. I take a humble approach toward such issues. Not only that, but I genuinly value another perspective on such issues as an alternative voice to the white middle class view. I'm just not the most politically correct speaker out there. Why? Because I believe political correctness is often used as a tool to control people. That it's a tool often used to make someone feel like there's 150 wrong ways to express a genuine thought and only 2 or 3 "right" ways to express it without offending someone. Such a proposition often results in a person being too afraid to open his mouth. I just refuse to be bullied or intimidated, especially when I have nothing to hide.

 

[Averroes]

Yes I may not be totally in the middle regarding issues my questions are in regards to. I may lean a tad to one side of the issue as opposed to the other, but this much I promise you: I haven't completely made up my mind about issues like this that I'm not an expert on. I take a humble approach toward such issues. Not only that, but I genuinly value another perspective on such issues as an alternative voice to the white middle class view. I'm just not the most politically correct speaker out there. Why? Because I believe political correctness is often used as a tool to control people. That it's a tool often used to make someone feel like there's 150 wrong ways to express a genuine thought and only 2 or 3 "right" ways to express it without offending someone. Such a proposition often results in a person being too afraid to open his mouth. I just refuse to be bullied or intimidated, especially when I have nothing to hide.

I just gave you a reason. I explained it in detail and explained my observation.

 

[Chase200mph]

This thread was happily inspired by myself and Jungle25's exchange within the discussion of the hatred of Christianity. Not sure if racism is discussed very much on this website since, the very title is called "Religious Forums." As a young African-American man, in my life I have found it ironic that in discussing issues of inter-racial issues I find that many "whites" are very uncomfortable discussing the issues of racism and race. My assumption is that a lot of people feel that speaking on certain issues maybe taboo, or making a remark may be offensive. I find discussing racial issues "healthy" even when people have stereotypes because this gives us an opportunity to dispell those stereotypes.

With respect to the aforementioned discussion within the Hatred Of Christianity discussion I mentioned how Christianity over the ages was used as a tool to enslave Africans, steal land from indigenous people, and used as an imperialistic ideology to be spread through warfare. Now, of course for the average Christian defending their faith many would object and say "well many religions used warfare" but for the sake of this discussion we are discussing Christianity.

(Moving On)

Growing up especially in the academic forum it is my understanding (again, my understanding through my own experiences) that people of African descent rarely get credit for accomplishments, such as discoveries, science, etcetera. Usually, it is met with opposition such as, in the case of jungle when I mentioned that Muslims sailed to the North Americas, the mentioning of aliens being "everywhere" including America. I mean, extraterrestrials? Really? We are talking about terrestrial beings not some beings foreign to our planet! But of course this type of response is to oppose any credit that might take away from giving credit to a European. Even on the discussion of Egypt and the various dynasties and the questioning of who built the pyramids and what they look like.

Upon the mentioning of Black Africans building the pyramids many scholars and skeptics alike disagreed, because they couldn't wrap their head (or chose not to) around the idea that a dark skinned human beings couldn't possibly build something geometrically perfect. After all, during those periods, the Eurocentric Imperialists felt it necessary to discern people of color into intellectual categories. Which is why discoveries of America, scientific facts, or fascinating dynasties are never really credited to the people of the African continent. As a philosophy student in college a professor of mine (mind you he was white) even said that "the Greeks are falsely attributed with the popularity of philosophy, since, the Egyptians before them pondered the same concepts Aristotle and Plato so famously have been for the last hundreds and thousand of years."

Upon discussing the discovering of the Americas in particular, North America, I mentioned that Muslims had sailed to the Americas long before Columbus. Heck, it is even said that the Chinese had been here before Columbus. Then my friend jungle posted an irrelevent link about aliens which had nothing to do with the discovery of a piece of land by terrestrial beings. In my mind because the link I posted mentioned Muslims of African descent perhaps sailed way before Columbus and discovered it before he did, and the mentioning of aliens as a response, I felt this was a means to discredit the efforts of Africans and Black Africans of an accomplishment. This was not me saying that a particular member had racist or prejudice intentions but it is possible to unconsciously have that mentality without even knowing it.

I don't expect my Caucasian friends to understand and in fact I expect opposition but I think unless you live in the shows of the disadvantaged group it is to be expected to not understand.

This thread was happily inspired by myself and Jungle25's exchange within the discussion of the hatred of Christianity. Not sure if racism is discussed very much on this website since, the very title is called "Religious Forums." As a young African-American man, in my life I have found it ironic that in discussing issues of inter-racial issues I find that many "whites" are very uncomfortable discussing the issues of racism and race. My assumption is that a lot of people feel that speaking on certain issues maybe taboo, or making a remark may be offensive. I find discussing racial issues "healthy" even when people have stereotypes because this gives us an opportunity to dispell those stereotypes.

With respect to the aforementioned discussion within the Hatred Of Christianity discussion I mentioned how Christianity over the ages was used as a tool to enslave Africans, steal land from indigenous people, and used as an imperialistic ideology to be spread through warfare. Now, of course for the average Christian defending their faith many would object and say "well many religions used warfare" but for the sake of this discussion we are discussing Christianity.

Answer: My answer to these Christians has been yes many have used these methods but none have used them so effectively even if this effectiveness is a byproduct of opportunity. When I use the term effectiveness I am referring to the countless millions that have been destroyed in the name of Jesus and the one true god.

(Moving On)

Growing up especially in the academic forum it is my understanding (again, my understanding through my own experiences) that people of African descent rarely get credit for accomplishments, such as discoveries, science, etcetera. Usually, it is met with opposition such as, in the case of jungle when I mentioned that Muslims sailed to the North Americas, the mentioning of aliens being "everywhere" including America. I mean, extraterrestrials? Really? We are talking about terrestrial beings not some beings foreign to our planet! But of course this type of response is to oppose any credit that might take away from giving credit to a European. Even on the discussion of Egypt and the various dynasties and the questioning of who built the pyramids and what they look like.

Upon the mentioning of Black Africans building the pyramids many scholars and skeptics alike disagreed, because they couldn't wrap their head (or chose not to) around the idea that a dark skinned human beings couldn't possibly build something geometrically perfect.
Answer: This perfection was an accident as far as intent because of the measuring devices where wheels and subject to the principals of PIE but I understand the meaning of what you’re posting…
After all, during those periods, the Eurocentric Imperialists felt it necessary to discern people of color into intellectual categories. Which is why discoveries of America, scientific facts, or fascinating dynasties are never really credited to the people of the African continent. As a philosophy student in college a professor of mine (mind you he was white) even said that "the Greeks are falsely attributed with the popularity of philosophy, since, the Egyptians before them pondered the same concepts Aristotle and Plato so famously have been for the last hundreds and thousand of years."

Upon discussing the discovering of the Americas in particular, North America, I mentioned that Muslims had sailed to the Americas long before Columbus. Heck, it is even said that the Chinese had been here before Columbus. Then my friend jungle posted an irrelevent link about aliens which had nothing to do with the discovery of a piece of land by terrestrial beings. In my mind because the link I posted mentioned Muslims of African descent perhaps sailed way before Columbus and discovered it before he did, and the mentioning of aliens as a response, I felt this was a means to discredit the efforts of Africans and Black Africans of an accomplishment. This was not me saying that a particular member had racist or prejudice intentions but it is possible to unconsciously have that mentality without even knowing it.

Answer: Columbus did indeed come in search of slaves and gold……

I don't expect my Caucasian friends to understand and in fact I expect opposition but I think unless you live in the shows of the disadvantaged group it is to be expected to not understand.

Answer: Though the greater part of my genetics is American Indian, as pigment impaired as I am, I fall into the “Caucasian friends” category. This stratification having given me some unique perspective as accepted white man. I am old enough to remember church sermons being given justifying the destruction of over 500 Native American Nations by the one true god. The bible Christian Judean bible is truly a book of hatred and leans itself to all racial biases.
I condone not the infliction of the Christian faith onto my brothers and sisters which was forced onto them through, pain and threat of death. In the case of Blacks brought to the Americas it was more of incremental adjustments since they were not accepted as being quite human as compared to Native Americans being not human. I state it this way because I must include Spain invasion and occupations and their sense and use of manumission and allowing interracial marriages.
Nice thread topic, well done…