10th place — 2024 BIPOC essay contest: Devin Armstrong
FFRF awarded Devin $300.
By Devin Armstrong
“Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren” (Genesis 9.25).
In the American South, this passage was not only referenced but ingrained into the daily lives of white Christians. This verse excused and glorified slavery, allowing white people to profit off of enslaved Blacks for centuries.
Throughout modern history, religion has been utilized as a reason to promote racial inequality and the civil rights of minorities worldwide. Dating back to chattel slavery in American history, slave owners have used excerpts from the bible to justify the use of enslaved people for their benefit. Whether intentional or not, religion was adopted to normalize an inhumane and immoral system. While religion can be crafted as a tool for growth, it can just as easily turn into a weapon to further the personal goals of a group. Texts written long ago can be used and manipulated to convey a point wanted to get across rather than the truth.
Religion is not needed to solve problems of morality when there is a distinct line between right and wrong.
In more personal terms, religion is currently inhibiting the civil rights of people in Palestine. Pro-Israelites use religious texts as justification for the erasure of Palestinian people and the reclaiming of their land by any force needed. As a student at the University of North Carolina, I have seen first-hand the protests and counter-protests that have taken place. One thing I have noticed is that pro-Israelites use their faith and beliefs to create misconceptions about people who are pro-Palestine. Much of the Pro-Palestine protests have been arguing for divestment of Israeli-connected companies to support the people of Palestine who are being removed from their homes. They have also argued for a cease-fire in Gaza to protect the lives of all. Counter-protesters have seen this call for civil rights and changed the narrative to one of religious loyalty to the state of Israel. The issue gets twisted into defending their faith and the state of Israel against perceived threats when this is not the case. Those who argue for Palestinian civil rights are labeled as anti-Semitic, undermining the actual reason for protest: the violation of Palestinians’ natural-born civil rights.
Religion can cause us to ignore the bigger picture. Whether purposeful or not, it is incredibly harmful when one’s civil rights and racial equality are disregarded. One of the dangers of religion is that it closes our minds off to different perspectives. While it is within everyone’s civil rights to practice the religion of their choice, being able to look past faith to address human rights is essential in creating an environment where everyone’s equality is upheld. Placing human rights and equality above religious differences allows for a world where everyone can freely and safely exist.
Devin,19, is from Wake Forest, N.C., and attends the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, N.C., where he intends to major in business administration and information science. Devin writes: “Outside academics, I work as a student researcher in a marine sciences lab on campus. Additionally, I serve as a tech support consultant for students on campus. While I am not fully sure of my future career, I want to be driven by innovation and creativity to further what I do next.”
