Posted on 03/06/2002 11:55:55 AM PST by Quester
In response to a previous, though now deleted, thread which essentially asked the question - "Why are African Americans flocking to Embrace Islam?", I thought that some perspective was in order.As an African-American christian, my experience with Islam in the African-American community has led me to conclude that the Islamic movement in the African-American community is a fringe movement. The originator of the previous thread presented a figure of 1 million to respresent the numbers of African-Americans within the American Islamic movement. Out of a current 35 million African-Americans, that number is a small fraction.
Per my experience, the religious standard in the African-American community is Protestant Christianity. To bolster my impressions, I looked up the following information from the Barna Research group which presents the following survey-derived information in regard to African-American Christian Faith and Practice.
You have opened the research archive relating to the latest findings on African Americans and their faith. The statistics and analysis in this archive come from national surveys conducted by Barna Research.
For more information about African Americans, be sure to check out the related resources and news releases featured on this page. Also, watch for new information to be added to this archive in the months to come.
Activities
African Americans are more likely than whites to report that they have prayed to God during the past 7 days. 93% of African Americans reported praying compared to 80% of white adults nationwide. (2001)
African Americans are significantly more likely than are whites to have read from their Bible in the past 7 days (52% to 35%, respectively). (2001)
43% of African Americans attend church on a given Sunday, which is similar to the rate of church attendance among whites (42%). (2001)
Faith
African Americans are approximately twice as likely as are whites to report that they are "searching for meaning and purpose in life” (58% to 28%, respectively). (2001)
African Americans are more likely than average to say that they are “a born again Christians.” A belief held by 57% of African Americans compared to 39% of adults nationwide. (2001)
21% of the African American population is unchurched, compared to 32% of whites. (1998)
Compared to 66% of whites, 83% of blacks say their religious faith is very important in their lives. (2001)
46% feel that they have a responsibility to tell other people about thier religious beliefs; 33% of whites feel the same way. (2001)
45% of black adults are born again Christians.(2001)
African-American adults are less likely than Hispanics or whites to contend that moral truth is absolute. In total, 10% of African-Americans believe moral truth is absolute, compared to 15% of Hispanics and 26% of whites. (2001) (For more information about the held perspectives on moral truth, see the February 12, 2002 Press Release article titled "Americans Are Most Likely to Base Truth on Feelings."
Beliefs about God
When asked what they believe about God, African Americans indicated the following: (2001)
84% believe that God is the all-powerful, all-knowing, perfect creator who rules the world today.
5% believe that God is a higher state of consciousness that a person may reach.
3% believe that God is the total realization of persona human potential.
3% believe that everyone is God.
2% believe that there are many different Gods, each with different power and authority.
1% believe that there is no such thing as God.
Beliefs about life after death
Among those who have made a personal commitment to Jesus Christ that is still relevant in their lives today, they were asked what they thought would happen after they died. African Americans answered as follows: (2001)
61% believe that they will go to Heaven because they have confessed their sins and have accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior.
18% do not know what will happen when they die.
8% believe that they will go to Heaven because they are a good person.
4% believe they will go to Heaven because God loves all people and will not let them perish.
5% believe that they will go to Heaven because they have tried to obey the 10 commandments.
The Church
The typical Sunday service of blacks is 70% longer than that attended by whites. (1997)
The typical black church has an average attendance that is about 50% greater than that of the typical white church. (1997)
63% say the pastors of black churches are the most important leaders in the African-American community (1996)
Self Descriptions
compared to 26% of whites, 46% of African Americans report that they are "trying to find a few good friends" (2001)
75% are "concerned about the future" (2001)
half (51%) are "personally struggling with finances"(2001)
71% are "concerned about the moral condition of the nation" (2001)
32% are "stressed out" (2001)
When need to describe a persons race. I go with "Black guy"
"White guy" Black woman or White woman. I have a problem with "White boy" or "White girl"
[[the reason that NOBODY really CARES about what the SHYSTERS over at the SPLC think, or (more frequently) do NOT think, is that the SPLC is mostly about making $$$$$$$$$$$.}}
I agree that Dess is an Ahole but even a broken clock is right twice a day. He got this one right although he may be wrong on everything else.
1% believe that there is no such thing as God.
Interesting, I would not have thought that pagans outnumbered atheists, in any ethnic group.
Could be Carribean immigrants who practice vodoun, Santeria, or other types of religions.
Pathetic.
She's driving with a burka on???
Truth bump.
Dees is an IDIOT & a HATEFUL, one at that in my opinion.
if he told me it was sunny, i'd go outside & look up.
free dixie,sw
???
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