Religion is the Bondage and Death of Black People

By Latasha McGill

If you read the title of this article with disgust asking if I am now an atheist or have turned atheist, you are mistaken. On the contrary, I love the Lord with all my heart and I willingly serve Him with a healthy spiritual relationship. However, what I am against is religion and how it and its supporters have manipulated Black people into doing its bidding for decades. I have much experience with religion because I succumbed to it for many years until I had an awakening and enlightenment.

The events of 2020 have been mentally and emotionally exhausting to say the least. The pandemic has caused both unity and division amongst the Black community. People cannot resist to flex their social media muscles when it comes to their opinions and telling others how to live their lives, especially when it comes to religion. The “super-saved” have been quoting every scripture on faith and trusting God with their own interpretation for support. They have also been blasting those who choose to trust God while wearing a mask and practice social distancing. Religious types will challenge someone’s relationship with God if it contradicts with the prescribed lifestyle. Do not get me wrong, the Word of God is the Word of God. I believe in it wholeheartedly. However, I have seen Black people live in bondage and live defeated lives because of religion.

It disturbs me when people say “I’m a King’s kid; I can have what I want,” but do not make a financial plan to support that self-proclaimed prophecy. I believe God blesses us according to the desires of our hearts. However, many Black people have long lived by the “get it now, and trust God to make a way for me to pay for it” creed for far too long. I have witnessed people apply for every credit card they think they will get approved for, testify about how God blessed them with it, and within the next week cry in church about their finances.  For years, I had anxiety about the religious practices I was a part of. It would keep me up at night convicted and conflicted over what to do. That is not how God desires for any of us to live. Living a defeated life and a life of bondage is a misrepresentation of who the Master is.

Another way people are bamboozled by religion is when it comes to their health. Again, people will quote every scripture on healing, stand at the altar for prayer every Sunday, and yet, still indulge in everything that goes against the healing they are praying for. My people, it is time to wake up. We have got to stop rushing in and out of marriages because we are horny, and the preacher told you to go ahead and marry the person you met two months ago. Since we are talking about quoting scripture, does anyone quote 2 Timothy 2:15 anymore? God wants us to study. When we study we are learning and acquiring knowledge. God wants us to attain wisdom from multiple sources to gain truth and understanding. I know people who no longer celebrate holidays because of the bondage of religion. I will never understand this. Does a person think they are offending God if they celebrate the birth of Jesus with family and friends? It’s a day meant for love and fellowship. Most people know the Bible doesn’t give a calendar date for the birth of Christ, but nowhere have I read God will be offended, won’t bless us or damn us to hell if we choose a specific date to acknowledge His son’s birth and celebrate it with our loved ones.

Some people are also of the notion that prayer alone will save them from debt, abusive situations, make others treat them right and every other fallacy they have conjured in their minds. I do believe prayer is always in order; I just believe we can’t wait on God to be a genie in a bottle. “I’m waiting on God” is a popular religious saying amongst Black people. People have misconstrued and left off the action part of the scripture. When God is directing our path, He wants us to perform an action with the directions He has given us. Years ago, I would believe that I could pray my way out of my circumstances. It was not until I gained wisdom and understanding that I began praying fervent, effectual prayers. Once I applied those works, the trajectory of my life changed.

Religious mindsets stifle people. It keeps them in a box and will make you question everything about your life and if you are doing the right thing. I recall there were times when I was not sure if listening to “secular” music would cause me to go to hell or if God would be upset with me. It may sound crazy but when people are inundated with religious rhetoric, you would be surprised at how cloudy their minds become. God wants His people to be free. Free to love Him, serve Him and celebrate Him and not live in bondage. If you have been bound by religion, I hope and pray you will release yourself from it and begin to have a healthy, spiritual relationship with the Lord. You will experience God in a whole new way while serving Him in freedom.

#WholePersonHealthy

Latasha “Tasha Mac” McGill is a contributing writer for the Pedestal Project, LLC. Tasha Mac is a grammar geek who is obsessed with coffee, high heels, lipstick, 90s R&B and Comic book movies. She is also a vegetarian whose idea of “turning up” is being in bed by 9pm, working out, watching HGTV, and reading a book.

Connect with her on Facebook @Latasha McGill, on Instagram @TashaMac523, on Twitter @LadyT523 

Photo by Diana Simumpande on Unsplash