"But, - that's the function of religion. And it works because people need something to believe in and something to hope for. Black people refuse to take credit for the inner strength and guile which is what's really responsible for their ability to endure. They prefer to attribute this to an imaginary old man in the sky who they worship in spite of how "he" has never shown them any favoritism. The idea of "god" being an "impersonal almighty force of nature" is not something they can wrap their minds around. They need the impact of myth. So be it."
This is so true. Negroes love to attribute anything positive to their invisible master and will blame anything bad on his evil nemesis (the devil). It's amazing how they cherry pick what god does and what he does not do. I respect and admire a number of things about Christianity but I feel these same things can be achieved and enacted minus the mysticism and the rationalization of, "...well...you just have to have faith and believe...". The subject of religion is an explosive one with pyrotechnic emotions and irrationality dominating the debate when discussed with those who fervently believe. It's a waste of time (especially with Negroes and hard core white Christian fundamentalists) and I side step it whenever possible. I feel no need to trample on someone’s fantasies and delusions. I knew of a black woman who told me God talks to her. She told me God told her to move from San Diego to Texas. Then he told her to move to Virginia. And now she is back in California. Go figure.... She also told me the devil made someone wreck her car. Why debate someone like this. It's pointless.....