Relijyon ak eksplwatasyon sa k pi ba yo

(E. W. VEDRINE, 9 out 2005)

Vierge noire
La vierge noire par Gabriel ALIX. Source.

Senk syèk de sa, Ewopeyen itilize «relijyon» kòm yon zouti k ale ansanm ak kolonizasyon e avèk komès esklav yo.

Anpil nan nou pa gen anyen kont okenn relijyon an patikilye si n ap viv an(n) Amerik kote nou gen «libète relijyon». Men kèk vrè kritik ta agimante ke l te itilize yon fason pou pasifye (fè dòmi) pèp kolonize ak esklav afriken yo. Pa konsekan, èske l te jis fason yo te itilize non Bondye? Lè nou li liv Egzòd (Chapit 20, vèsè 7), li di: «Yo pa dwe pran non Bondye an ven».

Lè n gade enfliyans krisyanis pandan epòk kolonyal yo, mwen pa kwè Legliz Katolik janm kondane atwosite an mas ki komèt kont Amerikiken natifnatal (Endyen yo) ak esklav afriken yo. Èske y ap jann parèt lajistis pou krim atwòs sa yo kont limanite? Bondye sèlman ki konnen.

Lè nou li yon swadizan figi relijye kouwè pè Las Casas (nan istwa Karayib), «Pwotektè Endyen», li konvenk Espay (pandan epòk kolonyal) pou ranplase travay fòse yo te bay Endyen pa moun nwa ki sot Afrik. Andotretèm, yo te konsidere moun nwa kòm bèt, epi yo pa t kwè yo te gen yon nanm1. Li pa fasil pou moun ki pa nwa pou ta santi yo tankou nou (nan sans kote nou soti e kijan nou santi n lè n voye je gade epòk sa yo). Apati la a, kòm lektè Bib la, nou kapab poze kesyon sa a: Èske Bib la rasis e etnosantrik oubyen esplwatè sa yo k ap itilize l (nan move kondisyon) pou jistifye travay malonnèt yo?

Anpil nan nou li apwopo epòk enkizisyon2 an(n) Ewòp, sa Jwif ak Mizilman pase (patikilyèman nan peyi Espay) e wòl Legliz Katolik jwe nan sa. Mwen mansyone nan kèk kòmantè m yo «rasis» kont Jwif ki t ap viv an(n) Espay (an palan de Sephardics yo). Lè n gade atwosite Legliz Katolik nan kontinan Ameriken an, te gen ka kote yo boule Ameriken natifnatal ki pa t vle konvèti nan katolik, lè yo obsève konpòtman kriyèl conquistadores yo ki te di se katolik yo ye e ki li Bib la, epi youn nan dis kòmandman yo di «ou pa dwe touye»3.

Te genyen e genyen toujou yon dal «fo misyonè» nan lemonn (ki vle enpoze yon relijyon patikilye pou kèk bi byen presi). Mwen pa vle lonje dwèt sou okenn, men li trè klè ke lè w vwayaje an(n) Ewòp ou pa pral wè moun sa yo anvayi ri ak vwazinay ewopeyen yo menm jan sa fèt nan peyi tyèmonn yo. Nou gen anpil dout ke w ap jwenn yo an Frans oubyen nan nenpòt swadizan «peyi sivilize».

An palan de «relijyon», li enpòtan pou mansyone «espirityalite». Mo sa a gen pou wè ak kijan endividi a montre l zele nan nenpòt sa l ap fè; andotretèm, se fondèt kwayans nan sa l ap fè a (ke l bon ou mal nan zye nou). Kèk moun ki vle pase fo misyonè blan yo nan tenten di: «Blan yo ban nou Bib la epi yo pran tout sa n te genyen». Bon, pa gen dout sa fèt an(n) Afrik ak nan anpil lòt andwa sou planèt la. An menm tan, mwen p ap di ke moun pa dwe kwè nan pawòl Bondye men yo dwe fèt atansyon ak disip dyab k ap blasfème non sakre Bondye, kote y ap itilize pawòl sakre pou esplwate pòv ki nan peyi tyèmonn yo epi kite yo nan (yon) esklavay (mantal).

Anpil kolon te itilize krisyanis (nan move fason) pou te ka «pasifye» pèp kolonize ak esklav afriken yo. Youn nan liv mwen ta rekòmande pou li nan sans sa a se: Viv Bondye, Aba Relijyon konpatriyòt Jafrikayiti ekri. Nan liv sa a, otè a vle souke tradisyonèlman fason yo pran espirityalite ak lafwa epi reklame a nouvo yon domèn li ki domine pa sa yo ki itilize relijyon òganize pou divize4 .

Pou konkli, nou pa dwe fòse moun konvèti nan yon relijyon (si nou se vrè disip) men preche pito sa ke nou kwè ladan l lan, tankou se semans n ap fè kote n voye yo tout kote e kèk ladan va jèmen. Anfèt, vrè disip dwe montre sajès nan sa y ap preche e konsa, yo kapab rive rale moun dèyè yo. Nou poko janm li oken dosye nan Nouvo Testaman an kote Jezi te bat, boule, esplwate moun nan anseyman l yo. Tout sa nou wè nan Seyè a se sajès ak lanmou.

NÒT:

  1. VEDRINE, Emmanuel W. «El debate entre Las Casas y Sepulveda». University of Rhode Island . 1990
  2. INQUISITION - «Enkizisyon Espayòl la se te youn ki te an vigè nan peyi Espay sou kontwòl wa Espay yo. Enkizisyon sa a se te rezilta rekonkèt peyi Espay nan men Mizilman yo, e tout lwa pou konvèti Jwif Espayòl ak Mizilman nan krisyanis. Enkizisyon an te yon zouti enpòtan pou mete aksan sou ‘limpieza de sangre' (Netwayaj San) kont desandan Jwif oubyen Mizilman ki konvèti»
  3. «Kòmandman ‘ou pa dwe tiye' (Egzòd 20:13; Detewonòm 5:17), pi konprann nan sans pou ta siyifi «ou pa dwe tiye moun», anpil tradiksyon modèn Bib la mete l konsa. Selon Bib la, se pa tout tiye ki kaba yon vi (ki omosid). Omosid se lè ou kaba lavi yon moun ilegalman. Kòmandman ki di pa tiye a, li aplike a moun; li pa aplike a bèt oubyen plant ki sèvi pou manje. Bondye bay lòm bèt pou itilizasyon l (Jenèz 1:26-30; 9:1-4). Men, sa pa vle di pou otan ke lòm gen otorite pou l maltrete bèt ak anviwonnman an (Jenèz 2:15; Detewonòm 22:6-7; 25:4; Provèb 12:10)»
  4. STEVENS, Brian. «No to Organized Religion, It's Spirit that Counts». Haitian Times . May 2000.
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Religion and exploitation of the underdogs

(by Emmanuel W. VEDRINE, 08-9-2005)

Five centuries ago, the Europeans used “religion” as a tool that went along with colonization and the slave trade.

Many of us, have nothing against any religion particularly if we are living in America where we have the “freedom of religion”.  But some real critics would argue that it was used in a way to pacify the colonized people and the African slaves. Was it right then the way in which God's name was used? When reading the book of Exodus (chapter 20, verse 7), it says: “Thou shall not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain”.

Looking that influence of Christianity during colonial times, we pretty much doubt that the Catholic Church has ever condemned the massive atrocities committed against the native Americans and African slaves. Will they ever face justice for these outrageous crimes against humanity? Only God knows.

When reading about a so-called religious figure such as father Las Casas (in Caribbean history), "Protector of Indians", he convinced Spain (during colonial times) to replace the forced labor inflicted upon the Indians with Blacks from Africa . In other words, Black people were considered to be animals, and did not have a soul1 . It is hard for non-Blacks to feel what we went through and how we feel when looking at the past. From there as readers of the Bible, we can raise this question: Is the Bible racist and ethnocentric or those exploiters who are using it (in the wrong way) to justify their means?

Many of us do read about the Inquisition2 in Europe, what the Jews and Muslims went through (particularly in Spain) and the role that the Catholic Church has played in it.  I have mentioned in some of my comments “racism” against the Jews in Spain where I've mentioned the Sephardics. Looking at the atrocities of the Catholic Church in America , there were cases where they burned native Americans who did not want to be converted into Catholicism, observing the cruel behavior of the conquistadores who said they were Catholics and who read the Bible and one of the ten commandments says "thou shall not kill"3.

There were and there is still a bunch of “fake missionaries” around the world (who want to impose a particular religion for some specific purposes). I don't want to point my finger at any, but it is quite clear when traveling to Europe that one will not see these people invading the European streets or neighborhoods as it is the case in third world countries. We pretty much doubt that we will find them  in France or in any so-called “civilized country”.

Talking about “religion”, it's important to mention “spirituality”. The latter has to do with how zealous the individual behave in whatever s/he is doing, in other word the deepness of their belief in whatever they are doing (be it good or evil in our eyes). Some people who want to make fun of fake White missionaries say: “The Whites gave us the Bible and took away everything we had”.  Well, no doubt that happened it in Africa and in many other places on this planet. At the same time, I am not saying that people should not believe in the word of God but they must be careful with devil disciples who are blaspheming the Holy name of God, using the Holy scriptures to exploit the poor of third world countries or to keep them in bondage.

Many colonizers did use Christianity (in the wrong way) in order to “pacify” the colonized people and the African slaves. One of the books I would recommend to be read in this sense is Viv Bondye, Aba Relijyon (Long live God, Down with Religion) by Jafrikayiti. In this book, the author wants to shake up the traditional take on spirituality and faith and reclaim a domain he says is dominated by those who use organized religion to dive4.

In conclusion, we should not force people to be converted in a religion (if we are true disciples) but rather preach what we believe in, like sowing seeds everywhere and some will germinate. As a matter of fact, true disciples should have or show wisdom in their teachings and by that, they can draw followers. We have not read any records in the new Testament where Jesus beat up, burned, exploit people in his teachings. All  we see through him is wisdom and love.

NOTES:

  1. VEDRINE, Emmanuel W. “El debate entre Las Casas y Sepulveda”. University of Rhode Island . 1990
  2. INQUISITION- “The Spanish Inquisition was the Inquisition acting in Spain under the control of the Kings of Spain. This Inquisition was the result of the reconquest of Spain from the Muslims and the policy of converting Spanish Jews and Muslims to Christianity. The Inquisition was an important tool in enforcing the “limpieza de sangre” (Blood Cleansing ) against descendants of converted Jews or Muslims.”
  3. “ The commandment "thou shall not kill" (Exodus 20:13; Deuteronomy 5:17), is better understood to mean "you shall not murder," most modern translations of the Bible rendered it this way. According to the Bible not all killing, the taking of a life, is murder. Murder is the unlawfully taking of human life. The command not to murder applies to human beings, not to killing animals or plant life for food. God gave animals to mankind for his use (Genesis 1:26-30; 9:1-4). But, this does not mean that humans have the right mistreat animals and the environment (Genesis 2:15; Deuteronomy 22:6-7; 25:4; Proverbs 12:10).”
  4. STEVENS, Brian. “No to Organized Religion, It's Spirit that Counts”. Haitian Times . May 2000.
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Emmanuel W. Védrine
E. W. VEDRINE CREOLE PROJECT, Inc.
P.O.B. 255962
Dorchester, MA 02125-5110 (U.S)
e_vedrine@hotmail.com, e_vedrine@yahoo.com