Is Christianity A White Man’s Religion?

Why is there hostility towards Christianity by many people of color and why is it frequently viewed as the white man’s religion?
Is Christianity really a white man’s religion? Was Christianity really founded by the white race and did they use religion to exploit people of color for their own personal gain?

Christianity has always had a complicated history simply because both the religion and the Bible itself has been exploited and misinterpreted for centuries.
Even satan attempted to twist scripture from the Bible in order to tempt, deceive and exploit Jesus Christ (Matthew 4:5-7).
Misinterpreting and twisting the meanings of scripture in the Bible can be very dangerous and it can give rise to extremism and cultic practices. For centuries many false prophets, cultic groups and false doctrines have arisen as a result of people exploiting and misinterpreting the Bible.
Therefore historically many people and various people groups have become abusers and persecutors supposedly in the name of Christianity. Throughout history and even in this present day, many people have been subjected to extremist behavior and abuse by deceived people professing to be Christians or under the banner of Christianity.
Jesus once told His disciples the following “… Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. 3 And they will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor Me. 4 But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you” (John 16:2-4)

Therefore it is important to acknowledge that many people over the centuries have done many despicable and wicked things whilst professing Christianity or whilst twisting the Bible.
For centuries, many people have falsely used the banner of Christianity in order to deceive, abuse and perform wicked acts against others.

However neither Christianity nor the Bible is the real problem – but instead for centuries it has been man’s misinterpretation or twisting of scripture which has opened the doors to exploitation, extremism and the abuse of others, supposedly in the name of Christianity.
The Bible itself with its principles and commandments has never been the real problem – but rather it is the sinful nature of man which has been the root cause of many issues that we have in this world.

So Why Has Christianity Been Perceived As The White Man’s Religion?

1. Christianity and the Bible was used by (not all but various) Europeans as one of the methods to psychologically exploit and colonize various nations, particularly in Africa
2. Christianity and the Bible was used by white salve owners to justify slavery and racism particularly in the United States. For example even to this day, many who are part of extremist groups such as the KKK (Ku Klux Klan) are racists and yet claim or profess to be Christians.
3. In recent centuries, many missionaries who brought the Christian religion to such continents as Africa were individuals who were predominantly white or Caucasian.
4. The suffering and exploitation of slaves and many victims of colonialism at the hands of their white colonial masters exposed the spiritual and ethical hypocrisy of the white man during colonialism and the slave trade era. Such behavior undermined the authenticity and truthfulness of Christianity.

The Real Historical Roots of Christianity
To understand the real roots of Christianity and whether or not it is a “white man’s religion”, we must first understand the definition of Christianity and what it really means to be called a Christian.
Christianity is not just a religion. Instead it is a relationship with God the Creator which has been made possible by Jesus Christ. Man is sinful and his sins spiritually separate him from God (Romans 3:23). Christianity exists because of the love of God for sinful man such that He sent His only begotten Son to pay the debt of sin that mankind cannot pay (John 3:16).
Man is destined for eternal punishment because of sin and therefore he needs eternal forgiveness and he also needs a Saviour.
Therefore man can only find forgiveness of sins and be reconciled to God through Jesus Christ alone by believing and receiving Him as Lord and Saviour (John 1:12).
Jesus Christ is the only Saviour and Mediator between God and man and nobody can find salvation or have an eternal relationship with God without Jesus Christ (John 14:6; 1 Timothy 2:5).
Christianity therefore exists because of God’s desire to have an eternal relationship with man through Jesus Christ who became man’s substitute for sin by dying on the cross and resurrecting on the third day.
Jesus Christ is the Founder of Christianity and His Church (Matthew 16:18). It is Christ alone who is building His Church and He alone is the Author and Finisher of our Christian faith (Hebrews 12:2). Christianity therefore begins and ends with Jesus Christ.

When the Church age began at Pentecost, there were Africans, Asians and people from other parts of the world who were present and who responded to the gospel of Christ (Acts 2:10).
In Acts 8:26-38, Phillip shared the gospel to an African or Ethiopian official who believed in Christ as Saviour.
Therefore Africans as well as Asians and people from many parts of the world were part of the early church many centuries before the existence of the transatlantic slave trade.

In the Old Testament, in Numbers 12:1, Mirriam and Aaron apparently objected to Moses marrying a Cushite woman. A Cushite was a black person of African origin. However, even though Mirriam objected, God did not object to the interracial marriage.

The first Christians were Jewish or Semitic and therefore had dark brown skin. They were not white or Caucasian.

Therefore regardless of the slave trade or colonial history, Christianity was not founded by the white man and neither is it a white man’s religion.
The Bible states that all mankind are equal and made in God’s image regardless of skin colour or background (Genesis 1:27).
It is not known what skin colour Adam and Eve were when they were created by God. The reason? Because it didn’t matter whether they were white, brown, black, yellow etc.
What mattered is that God made all people of different skin colour in His image.

Christianity Is NOT The Problem – But It Is The Corrupt Nature of Mankind
Christianity in itself is not the problem and neither is the Bible the problem. The law of God is perfect and holy.
The problem is that man is sinful and corrupt and he falls short of God’s glory (Romans 3:10; Romans 3:23).
Therefore because man is sinful, then this means that man is capable of exploiting even God’s word for his own selfish and personal gain by deliberately twisting or misinterpreting the scriptures.
In 1 Timothy 1:8-11 it says: Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it lawfully, 9 understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, 10 the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine, 11 in accordance with the glorious gospel of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted.

Therefore whether historically or presently, when man uses the Bible to exploit and abuse others, it is not because Christianity or the Bible is not true – but it is because man is corrupt and his heart can be desperately wicked (Jeremiah 17:9).
So whilst God’s law is good, one must use it lawfully or properly. However man can be lawless and therefore he is capable of doing many wicked things including whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine.

Therefore Christianity was not created for one group or race. The problem of sin exists in people of every race. Therefore every person regardless of color or race is in need of God’s forgiveness.
Christianity exists because there is a Saviour who came to earth to save people of ALL races. Jesus Christ died on the cross for the entire world so that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life (John 3:16).

DO YOU WANT TO BE A CHRISTIAN or A FOLLOWER OF JESUS CHRIST???

1. ACKNOWLEDGE: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).
This means that we have all broken God’s laws and God’s 10 Commandments like those mentioned in Exodus 20:1-17. For example, if you have told a lie; if you have stolen something; if you have lusted after somebody or if you have coveted. This means you are guilty of breaking at least one or more of God’s 10 Commandments. Breaking God’s commandments makes us sinners. The fact that we are sinners who have broken God’s law means that we are accountable to God who is the Lawgiver. Romans 6:23 says that “the wages of sin is death BUT the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord”
You must acknowledge that you are a sinner who has broken God’s commandments and that you therefore need Jesus in your life.

2. REPENT: “Unless you repent you will all likewise perish” (Luke 13:3), “Repent therefore and be converted that your sins may be blotted out” (Acts 3:19)
Repenting means: to change your mind; a sincere turning away, in heart, mind and action;
Therefore God wants you to repent of sinful values and of sinful living. God wants you to decide to
follow Him and to make Jesus the Lord of your life.

3. CONFESSION: “If we confess our sins. He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). “That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9)
God is a forgiving God. God will forgive any sin that you have done because Jesus died for ALL your sins and to set you free from the bondage of all types of sin in your life.

4. BELIEVE: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).
You must believe that ONLY Jesus can save you and restore your relationship with God. You must believe that Jesus is the ONLY way by which you can have everlasting life and escape from eternal separation from God. You must believe that Jesus died on the cross for you and resurrected from the grave.
“He came to His own, and His own did not receive him, But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name” (John 1:11-12)
By faith, You must receive Jesus as Your Lord & Savior and therefore; you become a child of God; you become born again; you become a Christian; you restore your broken relationship with God

Why Not Make Your Eternal Decision NOW?

We become born again Christians by GRACE through FAITH or TOTAL TRUST in Jesus Christ as our Lord & Savior (Galatians 3:26) & (Ephesians 2:8,9). Salvation is a FREE gift received through FAITH in Christ.

PLEASE NOTE: You can choose to pray in your own words. This prayer is a sample prayer and it is only an EXPRESSION of your faith, belief & trust in Jesus. Salvation is by GRACE through FAITH or BELIEVING in Christ Jesus as your Lord & Saviour.

“Lord Jesus, I thank You for Your love. I thank You that You died on the cross for me and resurrected so that I may have life through You.
I confess Lord that I have sinned against You and today I ask You to forgive me of all of my sins, past present and future.
Today I repent and have decided to follow you. Thank you for forgiving all my sins.
From this moment, come into my life Lord Jesus & take full control of my life. I want to follow You Jesus and I want to follow Your ways. Save me and from today, make me the person You want me to be.
I receive You Lord Jesus right now by faith. I trust You as my Lord and Savior – Amen”

Have you accepted & believed in Jesus Christ as a result of reading this article and would like to know more about what to do next? If so please acknowledge by clicking the “I Have Accepted Jesus Christ” button below