The Price of Faith: How Christianity’s Legacy Shapes Black Communities

Nearly 80% of African Americans identify as Christian, according to a 2014 Pew Research Center study. This is a higher percentage compared to the general U.S. population, where about 72% identify as Christian. For comparison, 70% of white Americans, 77% of Latinos, and just 34% of Asian Americans consider themselves Christian.

More than half of Black adults in the U.S. (53%) are part of the historically Black Protestant tradition. This includes denominations like the African Methodist Episcopal Church and the Church of God in Christ, as well as those who don’t align with a specific denomination but identify broadly as Baptist, Methodist, Pentecostal, or other Protestant groups with historically Black roots.

The 2010 Census reported 47.9 million African Americans (including multiracial individuals), making up 14% of the total U.S. population. Based on this population and the 79% who identify as Christian, that’s approximately 37.8 million Black Christians.

If we apply the evangelical teaching of giving 10% of income to the church, even halving that to 5%, the numbers are staggering. The median Black household income is $56,490 annually, with average weekly earnings at $1086. This amounts to $4,344 in monthly income, and 5% of that is $217. Multiply $217 by the estimated 14.6 million Black Christians who might tithe at this rate, and the result is just under $4 billion—every month—being funneled into churches.

This isn’t just a financial calculation; it’s a reflection of the enormous influence Christianity has had on Black communities. This belief system, introduced during the horrors of slavery, was forcibly imposed on our ancestors. The first slave ship to bring Africans to the Americas was ironically named “Jesus of Lübeck,” a grim symbol of how this faith was used to justify oppression. Over centuries, this system has been passed down through generations, entrenching a belief in a savior figure that critics argue never existed.

The financial and emotional investment in this inherited faith perpetuates a system that benefits religious institutions more than the communities they serve. For many, organized religion—particularly under the influence of the Roman Catholic Church—continues to thrive on the hope and fear of a promised return that never comes. The cycle sustains itself, ensuring its survival at the expense of the very people it claims to uplift.

Primordial Om

The sound "Om" is often regarded as the original vibration of the universe—a sacred syllable that holds immense spiritual significance. Many believe it represents the essence of all creation, the sound from which everything originates. When chanted, it is said to harmonize the inner self with the outer world, creating a sense of unity and connection. This idea aligns with the concept of akasha, an ancient term describing an invisible, ethereal field that permeates all existence, including the vastness of space. Akasha is sometimes viewed as the underlying substance that connects and supports all things.

Within the universe, energy is seen as neutral, timeless, and limitless. It exists without boundaries, forming intricate, infinite patterns that can be observed in various forms. A fascinating example of this is the way vibrations create geometric shapes on solid surfaces, known as Chladni patterns. These patterns form when sound waves interact with a material, revealing the hidden order and structure in the vibrations. It serves as a reminder that even the most chaotic-seeming energies are governed by universal laws.

Human beings, as part of this energetic web, have the potential to live in harmony with the universe or disrupt it. By aligning ourselves with nature and its rhythms, we can exist symbiotically, contributing to the balance of life. However, when we act selfishly or exploit resources without regard for the consequences, we behave more like parasites, consuming without giving back.

Symbolism plays a significant role in understanding these ideas. One recurring motif across cultures is the snake and bird, which holds deep spiritual and metaphorical meanings. In many traditions, these creatures are connected to the cycles of birth, death, and rebirth. For instance, in Neolithic Europe, the snake and bird were associated with the cycle of life and the transformative power of death. Snakes shedding their skin and birds laying eggs were seen as symbols of renewal and regeneration, reflecting the natural process of life starting anew.

Ancient religions, such as those in Egypt and Mesopotamia, also recognized the profound symbolism of the snake and bird. Female deities often featured these elements, emphasizing their power over life and creation. These goddesses represented the forces of fertility, protection, and transformation, reminding people of the divine feminine's central role in the universe.

The snake and bird imagery also appears in stories and myths as representations of duality and balance. The snake, often associated with the earth and hidden wisdom, complements the bird, which symbolizes the sky and higher realms. Together, they embody the connection between the material and spiritual worlds, mirroring the balance humans must strive to achieve.

When we reflect on these symbols and concepts, they remind us of our place in the greater whole. The sound of Om, the energy of akasha, the patterns of vibration, and the symbolism of the snake and bird all point to the interconnected nature of existence. They encourage us to explore the deeper truths of life, where science, spirituality, and nature converge.

In essence, these ideas are an invitation to align ourselves with the universe's natural rhythms and to respect the intricate balance that sustains life. By doing so, we can nurture a deeper sense of harmony within ourselves and with the world around us, embracing the timeless flow of creation, destruction, and renewal.

Anatomy of Dreams

Dreams are as unique as fingerprints; no two are ever alike. Each one offers a glimpse into the soul and other realms of existence, often serving as a vehicle for clarity, guidance, and introspection. Through dreams, we engage with a deeper, often unseen, layer of reality that transcends the physical world, connecting us to something much larger than ourselves.

The term “lucid” means clear, but lucid dreaming is far more than merely experiencing a clear or vivid dream. In this state, the dreamer becomes conscious of the fact that they are dreaming while still asleep. This awareness grants an extraordinary ability to shape the events and environment within the dream. Some describe it as astral traveling—a state where the boundaries of the physical world dissolve, and the spirit explores other dimensions.

Interpreting dreams can feel like unraveling a complex puzzle, a spiritual and metaphysical Rubik's Cube. Within the dream state, symbols, emotions, and events converge in ways that defy logic but carry profound meaning. Spiritual guides, whether we recognize them as such or not, often provide subtle nudges, symbols, or feelings to help us decode these nocturnal messages. These clues are invaluable in uncovering the lessons or insights our subconscious is trying to convey.

Dreams are extraordinarily diverse, offering an infinite variety of experiences that can leave us mystified. They are like jigsaw puzzles that borrow elements from our waking reality and weave them into intricate narratives that often defy explanation. In some dreams, there is a sense of bodiless existence—a glimpse into what it might feel like to exist purely as spirit. They are illustrations from the book our soul is writing about us, a book already recorded in the Akashic Records, which is said to hold the blueprint of every soul's journey.

Interestingly, there is no physical pain in dreams because the spirit is unbound by the constraints of the body. When the body is gravely ill or nearing death, the spirit begins to detach, as if preparing to wake up from the dream of life itself. Death, in this context, can be seen as a transition, a return to the spiritual home, where the limitations of the physical body no longer apply.

A few years ago, I experienced a dream so vivid it forever changed my perception of the boundaries between the physical and spiritual realms. In this dream, I heard the voice of my brother Kent, who had transitioned at the age of 33. His voice was strong, clear, and unmistakable—a rare occurrence, as most dreams communicate through images and telepathic impressions rather than sound. This particular dream, which occurred on September 20, 2019, was different. His voice resonated in my subconscious so vividly that it carried over into my waking mind. I awoke with the undeniable feeling that he had been present, speaking to me from the "Other Side," affirming the eternity of the soul.

Dreams like these highlight the profound complexity of our existence. The fact that no two dreams are alike reflects the limitless flexibility and depth of the soul-mind connection. Each dream serves as a testament to the infinite wisdom and boundless potential of the spirit, which continues to evolve and expand with every experience.

These night visions are not merely random; they are a dialogue with our higher selves and the universe itself. They reveal the interconnectedness of all things, the intricacies of our own psyches, and the limitless possibilities that lie within us. In the realm of dreams, where time and space dissolve, we are reminded of our true essence—a spirit unbound, infinite, and deeply connected to the mysteries of existence.