Race and Religion in American Culture Essay - 1790 Words

Race and Religion in American Culture Race and religion are two concepts in American culture that can really tie people together, or clearly separate them apart. A group forged by strong common roots in both race and religion can be a powerful societal force, if it wants to be. The Nation of Islam is a small but growing religion in America that has become somewhat of a social movement because of its strong and radical ideas on race. In this paper, I will try to explore the beliefs of the Nation of Islam, and the ramifications it could and has had on racial relations in America. The Nation of Islam, or NOI, is a relatively new religion. The first temple of Islam was established in Detroit by Master Fard Muhammed in 1930. Much†¦show more content†¦Although the majority of black people in America do not consider themselves members of the NOI, the group still attempts to represent all black people. And, because of the strong messages of strength, unity, and betterment of the black race, the NOI reaches the hearts an d minds of many blacks as a driving social force, even if they don ¹t consider it their religion. Another major way the NOI impacts race relations is through the strong seemingly racist beliefs that are inherent to its theology. The NOI has always been open about its views. Not only have they always taught that the white man is the devil, but they believe that the battle of Armageddon will consist of a holy war between Islam and Christianity of which Islam will be the victors, representing the victory of black people over white people. (1) Jews are referred to as great enemies for no particular reason. The NOI has been viewed as a strongly anti-Semitic organization since the early eighties. (4) I think the NOI theology can best be understood as an example of power-conflict theory. First of all, the NOI is strongly against cultural assimilation for American blacks. They believe that black people should exist entirely apart from American (white) culture. Elijah Muhammed, an early an d extremely powerful leader who is now viewed as a deified human clearly taught against assimilation. (1) Since whites were inherently created as an evil andShow MoreRelatedRacial And Ethnic Identity : Racial Prejudice, Racism, And The Harsh Human Nature1306 Words   |  6 Pagesthe future. It will never change. Race, in a way, reinforces people’s identity. Most have manifested race as their own and as a unified group. This does not need to be a bad thing. If people can acknowledge their race as an opportunity to learn, think, and grow, they will realize and understand that having a post-racial word would be, in fact, a provocation to their cultural knowledge. The world will never reach a post-racial society because of culture, religion, and the harsh human nature. 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