Religious Black Leaders - Research Paper Example

Download file to see previous pages... In fact, research proves that many African religious leaders were intimidated and retained with several physical tortures. Despite these misfortunes, their efforts were not shattered and eventually realized their dream. Religion, like politics has in the past played a major role in transformation of societies and continues to influence the course of human life to date. At the individual level, religion provides personal solace and in many cases personal gains, while states use it in combination with politics to advance their influence and power. Throughout history, most nations have undoubtedly used religion to push political agenda whether in geopolitics or public life domains. As the case with many nations, religion is a powerful tool in American politics and its public life. Although the United State of America operates as secular state without an established religion, Christianity has influenced its public life in a very significant way (Johnstone, 2006). Many politicians from all political parties have used Christianity, which is the most dominant religion in the United States, as an indispensable tool for maintaining unity among members and political institutions. As history bears witness, founding fathers of the American society were cosmopolitan intellectuals who were devoted to rationalization and enlightening of the society other than hardcore atheists. Though America is not perfect concerning its history of religious tolerance, its puritanical roots were remarkably effective in avoiding conflicts and wars between religions; instead, there is freedom for the various faiths to express themselves. Religion for a majority of Americans influences their political agenda and their opinion on major policy propositions (Sam, 2004). Although scholars disagreements on the extent of Christianity among the African-American society, there is however no doubt that black Christian evangelism influenced the population tremendously in championing for their rights and transforming the entire American society (Johnstone, 2006). Historical religious leaders including Mays, Kelsey and Martin Luther King are famous for combining their academic knowledge with thorough tradition Christian grounding to champion for change in public life of black Americans. The period that followed the civil war in America had widespread and open discrimination of blacks. Racist whites considered them as inferior humans and mostly mistreated them as slaves in their farms and industries (Johnny, 2003). With the benefit of extensive exposure, Martin Luther King was the most outspoken black religious leader who blatantly spoke against those who upheld racist ideologies. He blamed racism for crippling the nation since its foundation, asserting that a survey of the moral landscape revealed the widespread wreckage of commitment in various quarters through prejudice and unquestioning irrationality. Continuously attacking the prevalent trait of discrimination in white dominated sectors, King kept the fight for equality alive throughout the nation often defending the good whites who had embraced equality and shunned racial prejudices. This helped a lot in enhancing integration and acceptance between the two races and eventually making freedom and equality the dominant ideologies. Racism took a back seat only remaining in some minute ...Download file to see next pagesRead More