African Americans and Hispanic Americans are two of the most religious groups in the United States but historically, the way christianity was introduced to the two groups should be enough to make anyone reconsider. What's your opinion on why these groups of people cling so hard to this blood soaked doctrine? Do we not know? Or is it that we don't care?

I’m not a person of color but my professor mentioned this topic in my philosophy of ethics class. He said it might have to do with lack of education. Not necessarily now, but ancestors of people of color did not have access to education, so they relied on religion to guide them through life. Then religious practice was passed down for generations. I also read that African Americans were not originally Christians until they were forced to accept Christianity during the time of slavery. So it is odd that African Americans are so religious. I think that percentage is going down because of college education though. But I still think it’s an education problem

I believe it is because of indoctrination during slavery. The slave owners shoved Christianity down their throats, with the idea of don’t worry about how you are suffering now, everything will be better once you are dead! It gave them hope, that while this life has a lot of suffering, the party begins once you are dead. What a terrible thing to tell people. Thus, for generation the myth is spread through the generations. Too bad there is not a Hell for a lot of Christians to actually go to, with the damage they have done over the Centuries.

As a Hispanic in Texas, many people of my ethnicity are Catholic. We seem to have a cult like mentality like black Baptists, we have one just with the addition of the Pope. While I have never seen my family connect their race with Catholicism, many take their religion deeply even when they don't show it. I want to be able to summon the courage one day to tell them of my atheism and challenge their views without having a care of offending them.

It's a part of our culture in African-American community. I became a Christian because my parents took me to Sunday school. This is pre-Internet so there's no such thing as being about to Google search anything. There was no way to learn how slaves were made to convert to Christianity. Nor could we research and determine multiple Gods born on December 25th risen from the dead were numerous and not just Jesus the sun God. Part of the white supremacist function is to keep the masses ignorant. Hence the introduction of religion into mankind some 2000 years ago.

Minories are still getting a raw deal in the United States. Equality is still not what it should be. One of religions attractions is that it offers hope. People who are downtrodden on more likely to seek anything for more hope in their lives.

Suffering will make anyone look for some hope. Minorities have suffered more than most, I'd say.

religion is slavery. And its hard to run away from a life of slavery, when your existence and your ancestors existence had this brainwashing instilled so deeply. It goes for all ethnic groups in my view , the same way. Historically people were very religious because its fine to destroy non-believers to religions. Its a way to group people and define an ingroup that is against an outgroup.

I have noticed the same thing, I think It's because a few reasons One reason is scared of not getting into heaven another reason is scared of thinking on our on Expresly if it goes against what we have been taught

Well for me it wasn't to hard of a transition. But it really saddens me that black folk still fall for the hype. I think they would rather accept what was being taught to them, rather than being taught to think as a skeptic. Or history lol

I've noticed quite a few African Americans in this group. That was a welcome surprise.

I as a black male can relate to your frustration but you have to remember the long history with Christianity minorities has dealt with for centuries at a time. A minimum of two hundred years of brainwashing. Then parent spread it to child alongside the fear of what would happen to minority non-believers which for sure was then what a non-minority atheist would get. This go's for Islam and christianity . Then there is more. "When enslaved Africans first arrived in America, some brought religious traditions with them. But the pain of slavery drove many to look for meaning and hope in a new place - the Bible. Although most slaves could not read, biblical stories of salvation and retribution spread like fire," -Dwight Callahan. Now generations later it is still passed on with parent to child.

I myself had always had doubts and eventually those doubts became research then research became a door and that door became my way out.

Minorities have adopted the religions of their oppressors, such as Christianity and Islam, both of which have kept slaves and justified it using religion. Statistically, minorities have fewer educational opportunities and harder lives, keeping them from being trained in logical thinking. The hope for something better in a next life, the fear of death, is overwhelming.

Have you seen the movie by black atheist filmmaker, Jeremiah Camara, called "Contradiction"?

He tackles this question head on. It's an amazing film. I met him at the American Atheists conference a few years and he held a showing there. I really liked him, clever and perceptive.

Because of jackass white people who made them live such horrible lives on this plane of existence.

Tradition, comfort and the lack of courage to think outside the superstitious box to embrace science.

Indoctrination, more of a cultural thing at this point I belive.

Indoctrination, more of a cultural thing at this point I belive.

I think because when you come from oppression you try to make sense of it. You never rationalize the fact that the same religion was used to condone your oppression and subsequent slavery. Minorities never stop to think what were my ancestors doing prior to religious colonization of our spirituality. Which is universal in nature.

Mainly because it was beat into us. My conversion wasn't easy, lots of research and convo, it was harder for my family to accept my decision

Protection?

Ha! I'm a minority and I'm not religious, I guess that makes me and people like me "The Minority Within A Minority."

There is a lot of cultural identity in religion. There are many atheist jews, even Rabbi's, who don't need to believe in a god, but identify with their Jewishness through their religion.

I think it's something to hold on to when you're really oppressed and discriminated against; the idea that god and religion will help you rise above the fray. My mom was from Cuba and believed in the literal interpretation of the bible and was also a conservative- my dad believed but didn't spend much time talking or thinking about it, so I question his religiousity. When I was a bit older, I asked my mom why she still believed in this stuff when people of color, Latins and women are so maligned by the Christian right and conservatives in this country. Her response was to just get angry about it, but couldn't provide an answer.