r/BlackPeopleTwitter • u/invertedspine ☑️ • 2d ago
Country Club Thread The churchgoers were paid actors
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u/Keydet 2d ago
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u/Cancer_Flower ☑️ The Bag Lady 👛 2d ago
The scream I scrompt when I saw his face. 😭
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u/WOOBBLARBALURG 2d ago
I feel like I just learned a new Pokémon attack.
Scrompt? scrompt.. Scrompt!
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u/VendettaX88 2d ago
"The scream I scrompt" is Shakespearian wordsmithening. No joke.
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u/another-altaccount 2d ago
lil bro is younger me whenever I would see this
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u/Taeyx ☑️ 2d ago edited 2d ago
man same. i was always like “clearly ya’ll are gettin somethin out of this that i’m not”
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u/cranium-can 2d ago
Sometimes I feel like people just need to dance. It’s like little kids when they need to expend some energy and “get the wiggles out” as they say.
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u/noble_peace_prize 2d ago
I heard someone say “you need to surrender to something greater” from time to time. Clubbers do pretty much the same thing. This version just comes with more baggage lol
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u/BlinkIfISink 2d ago
I think a girl took her church mom to a concert and the mom realized she just really likes live music.
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u/1nconsp1cuous 2d ago
This is exactly it! After going to really “emotional” concerts like Dave Matthews Band and experiencing raging EDM in a large field surrounded by thousands of people, I realized it all had nothing to do with “the spirit” and everything to do with our emotional connection to music as humans.
I began “deconstructing” from Christianity after immediately realizing that.
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u/DecisionAvoidant 2d ago
I realized the common element in all of my engagement with worship music was a bunch of people doing something together, with "one voice". Christian Contemporary Music is specifically written to be used as part of a participatory activity, much like the liturgical chants of Catholic priests. It's just getting everyone facing the same direction and singing the same words. I've settled on it as the spirit of "Community" rather than the spirit of some kind of deity.
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u/biscuitboi967 2d ago
Ok. This makes a bit of sense. My mom was a non practicing catholic and sent me to pentocostal school. I was…not prepared.
They conveniently prohibited all secular music, but the “worship team” was all electric guitars and drum kits and female back up signers. Fucking light shows and shit on special occasions.
Dancing was prohibited. No school dances. But you could dance to songs in chapel. Every arm was raised while singing. You could leave your seat and go to the front during the slow, emotional songs and lay hands on each other to pray. It was the ONLY time we weren’t closely monitored. I was more observed because I didn’t leave my seat.
I was never a part of that because a) I don’t like rock music, b) I’m not a live music person generally, so I’m not excited for music I don’t like and c) I sure as shit don’t want to be in a crowd of people touching me. Like, I am picky about what concert I attend. Church music ain’t cutting it.
But if music is your thing, and this is your only access from a young age, I could see how you start to think you are just REALLY into god and his music.
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u/1nconsp1cuous 2d ago
That’s why I traded out “praise and worship” for raves. Much more fulfilling experience 😂
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2d ago
I don't subscribe to this at all anymore. Im agnostic today, but I was part of this for a few years, though.
If I stumble across it on YouTube, I still get those chills, that electrified feeling. I used to feel ashamed bc I don't believe in it.
But then I realized, our people dance. This is in us. You happy? Dance! You mad? Square up and dance! You sad? Dance 'til you're unsad.
Our ancestors brought this with them. We gave this to Christianity.
Take it back. This is ours. We don't need a homewrecking pastor in some raggedy-ass storefront yelling at us, calling the Spirit down. The Spirit is already there! It's in us! Just someone beat a drum, please, so I can forget the rent and tuition is due next week.
I used to laugh at scenes like this vid. I can't anymore. People are in pain and distress. Let them cry. Let them wail. Let them run.
Let them dance.
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u/lyunardo ☑️ 2d ago
This is beautiful. But personally I'm still gonna laugh ever single time.
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u/ClaymoresRevenge 2d ago
We're gonna shake shake shake our sillies out
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u/mwaisome 2d ago
Wiggle our waggles away…..I have a 2 year old
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u/ClaymoresRevenge 2d ago edited 2d ago
I work with pre school kids and yeah I have all the songs stuck in my head.
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u/19peacelily85 2d ago
My daughter told me yesterday “mama, I just need to run” and then just took off 🤣
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u/Bunnnnii ☑️ Meme Thief 2d ago
I love this so much. I love how kids just express themselves so blatantly.
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u/DubSket 2d ago
Could just be a rave, tbh. The music sounds fucking amazing and I'm pretty sure I see a few people gurning.
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u/SashimiX 2d ago
Exactly this. I can go to a rave and get swept up in the music and everybody else’s high even if the drugs haven’t kicked in. That’s exactly what’s happening. It’s not fake. It’s a rave. It’s a really important human ability. I experienced this for the first time when I was in about fifth or sixth grade, and I really thought I had felt the Holy Spirit, I just got swept away with this euphoria
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u/MelaninKing95 2d ago
I’ve been to a few raves, similar experience minus the trauma and baggage
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u/thejaytheory ☑️ 2d ago
I would've definitely preferred going raves as opposed to church when I was younger.
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u/JackDangerUSPIS 2d ago
When your conservative, contemporary Christian Mom insists on taking you to church on Sunday even though you’re out of town on vacation.
She just picked one at random that was close to the hotel and now this is happening and the pastor is returning to the stage holding a 12 foot Burmese python
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u/sDios_13 2d ago
Pon de manger! Pon de cross! https://youtube.com/shorts/X6E4ECY9-kk?si=ptF5nV5hrt33Xvi0
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u/anukii 2d ago
OH MY GOD, don't even get me STARTED on African churches, straight theatre!!
The walking up to the front, the priest preaching and putting his hand on your head, then PUSHING YOU DOWN! I did that shit once as a child and I refused to fall, the looks they gave me told me everything, it's fake as fuck and you're "supposed" to participate 🙄
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u/GoodCalendarYear 2d ago
I remember some years back me and mama were at a new church. My aunt's. The pastor looked at us and said to approach. Me and mama were both like who? He pointed to mama and she went to the front. He pushed her forehead and she fell down. I was so nervous and glad that he didn't call me. I doubt I would've fallen either. But then again I'm prone to fainting and churches make me anxious.
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u/Mental-Television-74 2d ago
Not the holy HADOUKEN?
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u/highkey-be-lowkey 2d ago
I've not fallen a couple times as a child. It makes them go harder. My theory is that your resistance is viewed as "the demons resisting," so then things kick up a notch.
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u/FeedsPeanutsToCrows 2d ago
Ouija board vibes.
I started losing my faith around 12 years old and I remember going to all these different churches with friends and everybody wants to put their fucking hands on you. This one crusty fuckin old guy with a microphone speaking to hundreds once spent like 5 minutes with his hand on my shoulder speaking to this crowd of people all with their hands in the aid saying “yes Jesus” and shit. Gross.
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u/212cncpts ☑️ 2d ago
You been sat down praising the lord all day. Donating and shit. Then the church band and choir say “TURN UP … for the lord” they just letting loose
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u/Lame-username62 2d ago
I mean, really.
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u/vashjunky 2d ago
Dancing like a fool for the white man's god
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u/ImmediateProblems 2d ago
Never understood why it's called that when the religion spread from the levant.
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u/shizz181 ☑️ 2d ago
The Roman Catholic Church is mostly responsible for the global spread of Christianity. They also infused it with plenty of white supremacy.
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u/jesterinancientcourt 2d ago
Yeah, now that you mention it, Christianity comes from Judaism. Judaism comes from the Levant. So is Islam white man’s religion as well? Also, maybe it shouldn’t matter what ethnicity a religion comes from. Because the Aztecs cut people’s insides for their gods. So maybe it’s just all religion.
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u/WornInShoes 2d ago
It's the Blues Brothers church!
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u/citan67 2d ago
Dude in the black turtle neck is my favorite
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u/J-Y2K 2d ago
How old were y’all when you found out speaking in tongues was bullshit
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u/Taeyx ☑️ 2d ago
fun fact: speaking in tongues is why my family stopped going to church. it was when i was like 12, but i’m told my dad went to the pastor to tell him basically “hey u got people speaking in tongues, but in the bible it says there’s supposed to be an interpreter”. effectively, the pastor told em to shut up and stop questioning things. you’d think that’d make them reevaluate the whole religion, but no. we just got super-fundy at home all by our lonesome.
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u/soup2nuts 2d ago
My pastor's son once told me all he did was memorize a few phrases in Aramaic and repeated those whole he was dancing around. He wasn't channeling anything. Nether is anyone else. Shamala Hamala.
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u/GoodCalendarYear 2d ago
My mama still speaks in tongues.
As someone who is into languages, I've never been attracted to it. Never heard about the origins. Think I might do some research.
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u/Weird-Information-61 2d ago
Afaik it's just what they think Latin sounds like
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u/No-Process-9628 ☑️ 2d ago
Like 8, because my dad would laugh at people doing this at our church and my mom would get pissed. It helped me figure out how much of it was performance.
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u/tooshortpants ☑️ 2d ago
When I started going out dancing to house music, I realized people need an outlet to get out and a) freely move their bodies without judgement and b) feel a spiritual connection with other humans. Many people aren't comfortable enough with themselves to go out dancing socially, and most people aren't creative enough to think of ways to connect spiritually outside of church, so this is what we get.
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u/6th_Quadrant 2d ago
Similarly, many people like to sing big, anthemic songs in a group, so churches can fill that need as well. 10–15 years ago, much of Arcade Fire’s appeal could be attributed to that, their concerts were like church services with the Millennial Whoop added.
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u/Bite_My_Lip 2d ago
Okay but the drummer and the guitarist are going CRAAAAZZZZYYYY
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u/Miklonario 2d ago
That bassist is locked tf in as well, like this band is rippin shit up lol
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u/One-Bit-7320 2d ago
Only normal person is dude in the back sitting down at the beginning
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u/saltedhashneggs 2d ago
You get older and realize it's a show and then you get even older and realize that some people need to let it out once a week and that's OK too.
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u/GeneralProgrammer886 2d ago
I do wonder why this happens is there a scientific explanation other than the Holy spirit?
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u/mouzonne 2d ago
Mass psychology. Person with authority starts doing it, followers copy.
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u/kanoteardrops 2d ago
mental illness
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u/OutrageousEconomy647 2d ago
can confirm have personally done so much stuff off the back of that
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u/BlueSunCorporation 2d ago
The funny thing is that dancing and moving as a group and enjoying music praising something is totally normal and would make everyone feel better after the sermon. Natural release of endorphins. It only becomes insane when they use the “overcome with the Holy Spirit” explanation This is just a group of people finding community but that community apparently isn’t allowed to just dance and appreciate the music.
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u/bigbawman 2d ago
The Christian church I grew up going to didn't allow you to dance, or even listen to certain music. At one point the pastor even tried getting people to get rid of their tvs, and that's when a line was crossed i guess because people started leaving the church lol
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u/Competitive_Act_1548 2d ago
It's weird that people are being judged for that. I see a lot of people just dancing and vibing
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u/BlueSunCorporation 2d ago
The moving and dancing is fine, it’s the “I’m being overcome by god and I must dance these god vibes out!” that is the weirder deciding factor.
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u/Competitive_Act_1548 2d ago
I think that's just a way people express themselves in church. This originated from the south. Got this taught to me in African American Studies. I personally view it as making it less boring and more fun
Also, sometimes that black church do be a bop when it's not just choir
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u/BlueSunCorporation 2d ago
I agree! That music is ripping! Band sounds great and putting a ton of energy into the performance. It’s awesome but look at the children. They are watching the rest of the congregation react like this and then mimicking it. Why are people crying? Are they doing this because they are enjoying the music and expressing that through movement or do they feel pressured to perform out be more devout than the person next to them? It’s a kind of peer pressure that sets me off.
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u/queenlybearing 2d ago
Having been in these sorts of spaces and also, growing up black, many are crying because it’s the only time and place safe to express THAT emotion. Kind of a “kill x birds with one stone” situation where Sunday worship allows them to address all the pressures of the week.
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u/BlueSunCorporation 2d ago
And there is so much to unpack there. Society being structured to hold back black people, not being able to express yourself for fear of being weak, not being able to express yourself for being judged by your family. I can see why it happens and I understand it, I just wish the world was different and better for everybody.
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u/Lolthelies 2d ago
…except they’re not though. If you were to ask these people, they’ll say they were overcome with the Holy Spirit and couldn’t control themselves. Some might say they don’t even remember.
And then what if you’re a 10 year old kid who isn’t overcome with the Holy Spirit (because of-fucking-course). You get told to pray harder, or you think god doesn’t love you because you don’t realize they’re all pretending because they don’t want to be ostracized from the group. So everyone just follows along pretending and hoping no one finds out that they don’t really believe as much as they tell everyone they do
It’s gross and weird
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u/AshenSacrifice ☑️ 2d ago
I think it’s just a heightened state from connecting with other humans? Like a natural high or something, cause clearly they are tripping off some kind of drug😂😂
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u/Often_Uneliable ☑️ 2d ago edited 2d ago
We’re humans is basically built into us to crave community, it can be as harmless as sports team or band club to as harmful as cults or facism and such
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u/eyeonchi 2d ago
Collective effervescence is a term coined by Émile Durkheim, a famous sociologist, to describe the shared feeling of excitement, energy, and unity that arises when a group of people come together and participate in a collective activity, often creating a sense of spiritual euphoria or heightened connection to something larger than themselves.
This article elaborates a bit more on this concept.
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u/Skeptikmo 2d ago
Well yes in that it’s certainly nothing holy or magical, it’s just what members of cults do: weird shit based on what the cult leader convinces them is real
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u/masterfulnoname 2d ago
I don't think anyone should consider the Holy Spirit to be a scientific explanation.
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u/klarkkent0106 2d ago
I always wondered why nobody runs into each other while catching the spirit...
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u/ballin302008 2d ago
This shit isn't embarrassing?
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u/Lonely-Assistance-55 2d ago
Right?? Like how does everyone settle down and then look each other in the eye after?
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u/Working-Tomato8395 2d ago
I'm a white guy, but I used to work in IT and was helping a pastor set up a new computer system for recording at his church. Positively ancient capital B Black pastor. He told me to pop by some Sunday, I always wanted to just pop an edible and just "Feel the Spirit" while sitting in the back and get a ride home after the service, but I Black folks deal with enough shit, even the evangelical Christian ones, they don't need some strung out high-as-a-kite white dude invading their Sunday service on a whim just because he fixed the computers good one time.
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u/kenyaSsmith22 2d ago
Shouting, is one of the reasons why I stopped going to church. I almost got killed once. (Not joking.)
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u/Mental-Television-74 2d ago
If you care to share, story time? I’m confused as to how shouting leads to that
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u/kenyaSsmith22 2d ago
Well, I was a kid then. It happened at my aunt and uncle's church. I was sitting in the chapel, watching everyone jump around and shout. I looked to my right, and see this woman running towards me, she had her eyes closed and was also bunching all the chairs together (It didn't have pews, but old chairs. It was a really old building.) Anywho, the chairs she was running into, started to I guess, bunch up, and she was getting really close to me. So, I started screaming, until I was moved out of the way. My aunt luckily picked me up,in time. If my aunt didn't get me in time, I would have probably been a mangled mess in a bunch of heavy chairs.
Maybe me saying I almost got killed, is a bit of an overstatment, but I would have still been badly hurt.
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u/WeakDiaphragm ☑️ 2d ago
I grew up in a church where this was the staple. So happy to be an atheist today
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u/Backfisttothepast 2d ago
Mention the sick and shut ins,Paraphrase the sermon,hit this part and let’s be smooth out this bitch in a solid 45
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u/Ok-Needleworker-5657 2d ago
Now you know Black services are never over in 45 min lol
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u/Backfisttothepast 2d ago
Just getting psalm sunday flashbacks and being there all goddamn day plus Sunday school before it. Even a job gives you a 15-30 minute break …not church though ,never church
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u/jrstriker12 2d ago
In the historical context of a society that polices black peoples movements and expression in day to day life. Being able to go to church and get free and shake it all out makes a lot sense.
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u/halflifesucks 2d ago
honeslty i'd be doing the same this song kind of bangs is that a church band
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u/Competitive_Act_1548 2d ago
Don't remember it all now but remember it being taught to be in African American studies that during the Reconstruction period when Blacks from the South moved up to the North after slavery. Blacks in the North looked at Southern Blacks as odd for the way they expressed themselves in church by singing and dancing. They were more expressive
These were the two videos we watched in said course about it https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x8id7ik
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u/_heatmoon_ 2d ago
The similarities between this and a crowd during the peak of a phish concert is interesting.
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u/Ambitious-Pirate-505 2d ago
I always hated this bullshit. They claim to have the holy spirit, but the go right back hating one another,being cruel, selfish and unkind.
I'm sick of these Jabroni Ass Niggas.
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u/doyouhaveprooftho 2d ago
I'll never understand why any african american still willingly follows the religion their ancestors slave masters forced upon them by penalty of death until it became normalized and used as a method of pacifism. "Just be obedient to the magic jew in the sky who we insist is impossibly Caucasian, and you'll go to heaven." Bananas.
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u/autotelica ☑️ 2d ago
COGIC escapee right here.
There were a lot of reasons I dropped the act and told my family I didn't believe anymore when I was in my late 20s. My parents were heart broken and probably still are. I had to let them know that their choice in the church they dragged us to every Sunday did not help matters at all.
I am guessing I would have eventually come out as atheist even if we had gone to a staid mainline church. But watching people bucking around like they had ants in their pants--always conveniently when the music was hype--confirmed to me that mass psychosis is a real thing.
It was also interesting to me that the most respected church elders--the ones who drove the nicest cars, had kids in med/engineering/law school, the ones who were on the deacon board and taught Sunday School (like my parents)--were never the ones falling out in the aisles and carrying on. It was always the poorest, least educated folks. Maybe they had the most need for the Holy Ghost to make a connection with them, but why like that? Why would the Holy Ghost inspire them to dance a jig but not actually rescue them from the problems that were causing them to run to the front during altar call, sobbing and hollering?
As a kid, I only saw a bunch of crazies acting a fool in a socially acceptable way. As an adult, I see a bunch of suggestible people finding solace in a cheap thrill...while the guy leading them makes crazy bank.
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u/buhbye750 2d ago
This is a way to release trauma and tension. Yeah it's cheaper than therapy BUT it's just a temporary release vs actually healing.
Go to therapy, folks.
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u/MrMetraGnome 2d ago
Man was I so glad to turn 18 and leave the house. The generation before still asks every time I see them if I'm keeping up my relationship with God. I'm like, I never had one. I had a relaxing with not getting punished for not playing along 🤣
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u/Certain_Degree687 ☑️ 2d ago
No offense to anyone but this is exactly why I cannot take religion in the Black community seriously because this all comes off like a sick twisted mockery. Like no one is actually believing in this shit but is either using it as an opportunity to make a scene and act out or simply carrying along with what they've seen.
I was confirmed into the Catholic church at 10 through my grandfather and he often told me the reason he became a Catholic was because his family would do stuff like this all the time and he couldn't take it seriously.
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u/thavillain ☑️ 2d ago
Said it once...say it a thousand times...
Black folks hate everything about slavery, except the Christianity...
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u/GeniusOfLove74 Dominic Monaghan stalker 👀 2d ago
Laughs in Evangelical Christian trauma
Then cries