The Taboo of Human Sexuality in the African American Christian Community - Dissertation Example

Jamison The "Taboo" of Human Sexuality in the African American Christian Community Ruth Jamison (Any other relevant info such as or ) This thesis may be duplicated only by special permission of the author Jamison 2 The "Taboo" of Human Sexuality in the African American Christian Community Building the confident, self-awareness of the African-American identity is a concept wrought with challenges derived from social expectations both within the black faith community and overall society at large, regardless of race. Centuries of struggle to overcome the detrimental effects of the dehumanization of the African American borne of slavery and oppression has served to weaken the connection to positive black identity, but strengthen the bond to theological expectations. Most noticeably affected are the psychological scars that disconnect the black community from embracing their physical bodies as Divinely-sanctioned forms of beauty and feeling secure in expressing this beauty openly within their faith communities. The assumption that the African American body is derived of purposed majesty is an argument that has been challenged by years of social evolution and individual interpretations of religious scriptures. Making the connection to the physical body and to the body of Christ, in the black community, is a step forward in securing positive regard towards black sexuality; though this connection to theological ideals is often challenged even within the African American culture. So, from where are the assumptions of unifying sexuality and divinity? Outside of the cultural expectations of sexuality lies the affirmation of the physical body as a gift from God, offered in the text of the Christian Bible. In the very beginning of the Bible, God clearly states the purpose of human sexuality. It was his deliberate, considered choice to make us complete with sex organs and equipped for sexual intercourse. (Mace, 15). However, historical symbolism and deviations from solid Christian philosophy created negative connotations of the African American community as Christian literature Jamison 3 separated white from black as a distinction between good and evil. The depiction of the devil as "The Black One"…and the typological "blackening" of those believers (as) influenced by evil" (Hopkins et al, 74) set the tone for the cultural view of blacks as a representation of anti-religion. Moral implications of outspoken human sexuality formulate the idea that sexuality is a taboo subject, resultant of misconceptions, scriptural misinterpretations, and the historical determination in the dominant white cultures view that the African American is a lesser entity. Many white Americans still view black sexuality with disgust (Guysheftall et al, 302). However, race is not the determinant of human sexuality, more so is recognizing the connection to spiritualism and the physical body. Vital to the African American identity struggle in America has been their efforts to maintain self-understanding as human beings (Thomas, 27). Making the tie to Christian principles and to the body comes in understanding that God, as Christ, walked the same earth, (had) eaten the same food…experienced this same rejection…and overcame this same pain (Dyson, 91). In the black faith community, recognizing their own bodies as similar representations of Christs body (both literally and symbolically) is the fundamental foundation of self-worth and serves as a template for attempts to shed the taboo of expressing their sexuality. On a cultural level, the aspect of human sexuality, especially in America, is a big business and its fascination with the technologies of sex, with sexual therapies, and with the paraphernalia of sexual experimentation is flourishing (Robb et al, 85). In a society that is emerging away from white dominance, it would be expected that expressing black sexuality would be as much an acceptable practice. Even in schools, neutral terms such as Jamison 4 "penis", "vagina", and "ejaculation" are becoming more generally acceptable (Press Fortress, 68). Understanding that cultural sexuality is moving towards commonplace, while the African American sexuality remains somehow demoralized, is the basis for exploring the rationale behind why black sexual issues are taboo. Historical Background Heretics, people who publicly opposed the officially accepted doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church, were labeled as such for their views on the interpretations of the Holy Scriptures. In the medieval period, the color black signified Christian anxiety in the face of internal and external threats (Hopkins, 75). These external threats to the then- dominating Catholicism were often labeled as "heretical". This socio-religious concept of black representing heresy suggests the historical adoption of negative relationships to blacks even prior to the advent of slavery. At the same time, the projection of Biblical Cain was also that of black, with literature from the medieval period describing Cains descendents as "black" and "lacking in beauty" (Hopkins, 76). Further forward in time, as Europeans, who held fast to Roman Catholic principles, descended on Africa, assumptions of black males as having superior genitalia to the Europeans created the implication that the black man "posed a potential threat to the peace and security of the White world" (Hopkins, 77). At the same time, the sparsely-dressed African females were labeled as sexually aggressive and lewd by the Europeans, aiding to devaluing the black culture. This impression of black heritage was carried into the Americas as African Americans were subjected to centuries of slave labor as black Jamison 5 women were described as "evil sexual temptresses who brought sin into the world" (Thistlewaite, 29). These attitudes and false labels of African American culture carried forward throughout the process of slave labor, where their white dominators, in attempts to control blacks through psychological attacks of dehumanization, served to set a precedent for the negative self-image of the African American community; which is still prevalent even today in some black communities. The supremacist ideology in the time of slavery was to terrorize blacks by convincing them that their bodies were ugly, their culture uncivilized, and their future warranted less concern than that of other people (Guysheftall et al, 303). Damage as extensive as that of centuries of demoralizing African Americans is not easily undone, from a religious standpoint and a reaffirmation of self-value through self-love. Because of these psychological scars, black America often refuses to love their own bodies, especially their black noses, hips, lips, and hair (Guysheftall at al, 303). Perhaps one of the most prevalent examples of this dissatisfaction with the black body can be illustrated with pop singer, Michael Jackson, who (arguably) has gone to great lengths to alter his African American heritage through extensive cosmetic surgery procedures. Though Jackson is not necessarily representative of the black community as a whole, his position as a well-known, global figure sends the potential example to the rest of the community that African American facial features should be altered to reflect that of a Caucasian. It is likely that these historical negative connotations associated with being African American served to develop mountainous issues in the black communitys acceptance of their sexuality. Jamison 6 Theological Adaptation Because of the endless hardships placed upon generations of African Americans, it is not surprising that adoption of Christian doctrine has become a prevalent movement within the black community. A solid example of the growth of spiritualism is illustrated in a writing by Jupiter Hammon, a New York slave, addressed to the black community of 1787; a time when slavery was widespread in America. Hammon writes: "…I must beg you to read the Bible. Whenever you can get time, study the Bible…get those who can read to teach you, but remember that what you learn to read for is to ready the Bible" (Wimbush). In 1787, dehumanization was a regular practice initiated against African Americans. It is not surprising that the doctrine of Jesus Christ served as inspiration to the suffering black community, and to aid in blacks finding comfort with their African heritage. The history of Christ is littered with His own barrage of suffering, abuse, divine abandonment, and vicious death (Dyson, 90). During the time of slavery, hopelessness and despair were commonplace among blacks, and relating their personal experiences to the promise of Gods coming salvation acted as a means by which they endured their trials. In regards to sexuality, the Bible speaks of the church as the Bride of Christ, suggesting that the human body should be embraced in religion and worship. An African American population routinely demoralized through psychological attacks of their heritage, retained a focus that God accepted their bodies as "good" and they would be rewarded in Heaven for enduring. Being accepted as the Bride of Christ enables us to Jamison 7 accept ourselves and to forgive other people (Montefoire et al, 4). This began the first step towards adopting a sense of self-value in a struggling black community. The teachings of Christ emphasize justice, healing, belonging, self-worth, life, and/or empowerment (Douglas, 115). The love of God, in relation to Christs divine influence, emphasizes Gods passionate desire to unite us to himself (Montefoire, 5). The African American understanding of Gods hope of unity, in these times of hardship, allowed for the growth of the black church as an emergent empowering organization through which self-worth, as justified by God, could be embraced. Sociological Developments Todays multi-cultural views surrounding sexuality is riddled with conflicting values. The churches and the nation as a whole work towards constructing a universal sexual ethic formulated from tried and true moral/religious values in sexuality (Sands, 43). In contrast, with the advent of sexual freedoms, multitudes of individuals are asking for increased liberal policies regarding the exploration of human sexuality. Christian values, in terms of the morality of these explorations, offer a non-judgmental approach to viewing others; arguably including their sexual behaviors. However, conflicting ideals in the modern black church most likely serve to add confusion as to the African American role in sexuality. In 1984, the ten black Catholic bishops of the United States issued a pastoral letter which affirmed that the black Catholic church has "come of age" and declared that "the Holy Father has laid a challenge before us to share the gift of our blackness with the Church in the United States" (Cahill, 121). In a time where women, homosexuals, Jamison 8 Hispanics, and other minority groups protest to earn equality (and succeeding), it would seem a relatively effortless objective in confirming black sexuality in the eyes of Americas diverse culture. However, because black sexuality still remains a taboo issue, many of the efforts of the black community go unnoticed and underappreciated. Perhaps some of this taboo is derived from within the church itself. African America is an oral culture organized around communality. A person has no existence outside the context of community (Thomas, 29). With this in mind, approaching problems within the black community from an individual level (rather than communal) will meet with little resolution. In terms of African American sexuality, ideas of self-worth and desire for practicing sex are largely an individual interpretation. How, then, does an individual address problems with black culture being not fully embracive of its divine right to explore sexuality? If the whole of the community is chaotic in its opinions/moral expectations of sexuality, can an individual even propose changes surrounding the issue? It seem clear that the modern church must adopt the Christian principle of non-judgment and accepting practices in order to stifle the taboo within its community, at least in order to add validity to the problem. An example of the conflicts between the black church and society can be illustrated with the life of Martin Luther King, Jr. King was born into a line of Baptist preachers and to a large extent his personal and social consciousness was developed in the content of the black Baptist church (Smith, 135). From a standpoint of the communal attitude of the black church, because the African American community largely adopts the principals of sexuality as distributed by the church, it is feasible that negative undertones surrounding sex are passed from generation to generation. Taboo, then, can be defined as Jamison 9 a traditional practice (at least in the black faith community) rather than stemming only from negative cross-cultural views of blacks as sexual beings. King offered a thesis that can be tied into growth as a recognized participant in sexuality by citing, "I can never be what I ought to be until you ARE what you ought to be. You can never be what you ought to be until I AM what I ought to be" (Flesher, 188). This is a fitting proposal for embracing even aspects of sexuality, as the body was divinely-designed for sexual activity. Dualism, aiding in the taboo surrounding the issue, in the view of black sexuality, is attributed to Christian negativity about sex (Cahill, 74). Implications A modern group of African American women self-described as "homospiritual lesbians" have labeled their organization as Ache Sisters, who celebrate their sensuality as Christians in worship practices. This group, in an attempt to reject the term "lesbian", which they associate with the Euro-American womens history, call themselves Zamis (Walton et al, 128). This group admits to compromising their homosexuality so as to remain a part of the black church. The Mujerista, another self-proclaimed independent womens group, consisting of Latinas, have adopted this name as a method of expressing their independent desires for Latina liberation in the feminist movement (Isazi-Diaz, 60). As described by the Mujerista theology, to name oneself is one of the most powerful acts a person can do. (Isazi-Diaz, 60). These two groups are an example of the growing movements towards freedom of expression of differing ideals in regards to human sexuality. Sexuality today consists of Jamison 10 many different ideals, some that completely conflict with the black faith communitys interpretation of human sexuality. The Zamis, forced to hide their homosexuality in order to conform to the black Christian church, have realized the taboo associated with homosexuality and formed their own support network, due to lack of pastoral care to deal with these complicated sexual issues. Pastoral care is designed to offer religious leadership and interpersonal support to help aid persons in spiritual or psychological distress. There is little doubt that a gap exists between Christian acceptance of sexual activities that deviate from the accepted "norm" of the black faith community. However, according to Christian dogma, to love thy neighbor as you would love thyself is a missing concept in offering pastoral care or counseling in regards to an individuals frustration with their sexuality. So, how can the topic of sexuality be addressed by a church that teaches its community to purge its erotic imagination with "clean" thoughts (Dyson, 91)? The indirect, supplemental sermons tend to bind the black Christian to feelings of guilt for engaging in sexual activities. In terms of masturbation, though it is not specifically mentioned in the Bible as an abominable practice, is largely taught by the African American faith community to be a sin against God. In terms of the Zamis, the black church ostracizes its members for their profession of homosexuality. Since black sexuality remains such a taboo issue, it is the responsibility of pastoral counselors to act as non-judgmental Christians and recognize that sexuality has taken on a new context in the 21st century. It is unreasonable to believe that age-old concepts of morality (however potentially sound) can be altered overnight. As mentioned previously, individuals protesting the treatment of sexuality as a taboo issue will meet Jamison 11 with resistance from the communal authorities of the African American church. Should the embracement of black sexuality be denied in order to ease the comfort level of the faith community? Or is it more reasonable to take a solid Christian approach to pastoral care in order to advance the black sexual movement? These questions can only be answered with the faith communitys attempt at allowing blacks to embrace their God-given right to merely question their sexual makeup. Conclusion It is simplistic to realize that the presence of growing movements towards embracing human sexuality is apparent in all cultures. Christian values, including emotional healing through the grace of Christ, play a vital factor in the potential forward momentum of removing the social taboo surrounding sex. Jesus offered, in Matthew 12:25, "A divided kingdom ends in ruin. A city or home divided against itself cannot stand" (The Living Bible). Growing unrest in regards to expression of sexuality has most assuredly divided the black faith community. Is this an indication of a potential undoing within the African American church in regards to recognizing blacks as sexual beings? The answer to that question is uncertain, but the gospel of Christ points towards that possible end for any entity that remains divided. It IS clear, within the African American Christian community, new approaches to sexual education and counseling can aid in moving public opinion towards black sexuality to a more accepted level. The first step is in recognizing the divine influence of the biological factors of the human body. It has been said: To thine own self be true. An end to denial of this basic fact about human anatomy is a good place to start. Jamison 12 From a cultural standpoint, evolution in regards to public opinion regarding capabilities of the African American populace is already steering this group toward equality. Over time, only by adopting the idea of sexuality within its own community, can the historical stereotypes surrounding black sexuality be changed in regards to the view from other American cultures. It is likely that generational resistance to congregational acceptance of differing sexual ideals will develop within the faith community. It is also likely that as more and more African Americans embrace their heritage and their divinity in the eyes of God that more liberal policies regarding Christian-based acceptance will be adopted. The implications to the black faith community can be positively rewarded as the division between sinful relations and divine acceptance is shortened through the compassion of Jesus Christ. More information regarding research into the individual ideas about African American sexuality is warranted. A demographic study conducted through members of faith-based communities could accurately depict a more personalized opinion regarding their own bodies. Surveys highlighting African American views on sex, heritage, and perceived cultural views about black sexuality could help delve into this problem of taboo in human sexuality. Jamison 13 Works Cited Cahill, Lisa Sowle. Family: A Christian Social Perspective. Minneapolis: Augsburg Fortress, 2000. Cahill, Lisa Sowle. Sex, Gender, and Christian Ethics. New York: Univ. of Cambridge, 1996. Douglas, Kelly Brown. Sexuality and the Black Church: A Womanist Perspective. Marknoll: Orbis Books, 1999. Dyson, Michael Eric. Race Rules. New York: Vintage Books, a division of Random House, Inc., 1996. Flesher, Andrew Michael. Heroes, Saints, and Ordinary Mortality. Washington D.C.: Georgetown Univ. Press, 2003. Guysheftall, Beverly, and Rudolph P. Byrd. Traps: African American Men on Gender and Sexuality. Bloomington: Indiana Univ. Press, 2001. Hopkins, Dwight N., and Anthony B. Pinn. Loving the Body: Black Religious Studies and the Erotic. New York: Palgrave, MacMillan, 2004. Isasi-Diaz, Ada Maria. Mujerista Theology: A Theology for the Twenty-First Century. Maryknoll: Orbis Books, 1996. Mace, David R. . The Christian Response to the Sexual Revolution. : Abingdon Press, 1970. Montefoire, Hugh, and Jack Dominian. God, Sex, and Love: An Exercise in Ecumenical Ethics. Philadelphia: Trinity Press International, 1989. Press Fortress. Sex and Morality: A Report to the British Council Od Churches. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1996. Robb, Carol S., and Beverly Wildung Harrison. Making the Connections: Essays in Feminist Social Ethics. : Unit Ariah Universalist Assoc. of Congregations in North America, 1985. Sands, Kathleen M. God Forbid: Religion and Sex in America Public Life. : Oxford Univ. Press, 2000. Smith, Ervin. The Ethic of Martin Luther King, Jr.. : The Edwin Mellen Press, 1981. The Living Bible. Kwikscan Inc. Windermere, FL. October 1989 Jamison 14 Thistlewaite, Susan. Sex, Race, and God: Christian Feminism in Black and White. New York: The Crossroad Publishing Company, 1989. Thomas, Linda E. Living Stones in the Household of God: The Legacy and Future of Black Theology. Minneapolis: Augsburg Fortress, 2004. Walton, Janet R., and Marjorie Procter-Smith. Women at Worship: Interpretations of North American Diversity. : Westminster Johnknox Press, 1993. Wimbush, Vincent L. African Americans and The Bible: Sacred Texts and Social Textures. New York: International Publishing Group Inc., 2000. Outline The "Taboo" of Human Sexuality in the African American Christian Community I. Introduction / Thesis II. Historical Background III. Theological Adaptation IV. Sociological Developments V. Implications VI. Conclusion Read More