The Price of Blind Faith

Research shows that African Americans worship, pray, and attend church more than any other group in the United States. No group is more devoted to their faith. But this deep commitment raises questions that often go unasked.

Many public figures, from athletes to politicians, frequently say, “I’d like to thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” Yet, how many have actually researched the origins of this belief system? The name Jesus Christ itself doesn’t make much sense upon closer inspection. "Christ" is a title derived from the Greek word "Christos," and "Jesus" is a name with Hispanic roots that has been widely mispronounced and misunderstood.

Then there’s the phrase, “God has been good to me.” But if God has been good to some, what about the millions of starving children in Ethiopia? How does this fit into the narrative? These are the types of questions that unbiased, curious minds want answered.

Dr. Benjamin Mays, a prominent educator and theologian of the 1930s and 1940s, raised an important point: Is the Black community over-churched? Are there more churches in our neighborhoods than we can afford to support? At a time when poverty remains rampant in African American communities, this is a question worth revisiting.

Why is it that there are so many churches in Black communities, yet we continue to struggle? Could there be a connection between our devotion to religion and our lack of progress in other areas? The evidence suggests that there is.

Each week, African American Christians—roughly 35 million people—donate an estimated $2.5 billion to their congregations. Yet what do they receive in return? There seems to be little to show for such enormous contributions. No return on investment. No significant community advancement.

It’s time for a deeper look into this dynamic. For generations, faith has been a cornerstone of African American culture, but has it been used against us? Malcolm X’s words ring true here:

“Oh, I say and I say it again, ya been had! Ya been took! Ya been hoodwinked! Bamboozled! Led astray! Run amok!”

The idea isn’t to dismiss faith entirely but to encourage critical thinking about its role in our lives and communities. It’s time to ask whether the system we’ve supported so fervently is truly working in our favor or holding us back. Only through honest reflection and research can we begin to understand the cost of our devotion—and whether we’re getting what we’ve been promised.