That’s a reductive take. It assumes African Christians only hold their faith because of colonizers and denies us our own agency. Ethiopia, for example, adopted Christianity as a state religion in the 4th century, long before European colonization. Millions of Africans choose their faith consciously
Where you are born and your ethnicity largely determines your beliefs, conversion is rare. But agency over ones beliefs is becoming more prevalent as religion holds less influence as it once did (at least in some parts of the world).
Yea, and in the face of violence agency is reduced or neutralized but that doesn’t make saying that activities of colonial powers that ended decades before most living people in the region were born gets rid of agency a defensible argument.
And that’s before unraveling whatever the OP of this comment chain meant by Muslims and Christians are only fighting because of colonizers when Islam and Christianity were colonial ideologies in the first place with there emphasis on converting all of humanity.
Not really, that's not how worldviews work. On top of that, religions and cults are very good at embedding themselves into your social/family life marrying leaving the religion with leaving or estranging a large part of social life.
At this point, it is indeed still a choice, but hardly a daily or conscious choice.
Renouncing/converting exists but is rare, life changing, and sometimes dangerous.
I’ve changed my worldview massively over the years. I don’t think it’s impossible for others to do so and I wouldn’t say they have no agency in keeping with their status quo.
"And they would be correct. Most people never "chose" their beliefs. It was systematically embedded by people who have had power over them." - nothing about this statement is isolated to modern discourse about European colonisation. It is sometimes true in other contexts and noted in those contexts. Although you can always argue about how systematic something is.
freeafrica4 · · focus · HN ↗
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yohannesk · · focus · HN ↗
password54321 · · focus · HN ↗
And they would be correct. Most people never "chose" their beliefs. It was systematically embedded by people who have had power over them.
lovich · · focus · HN ↗
People have agency.
password54321 · · focus · HN ↗
HappyPanacea · · focus · HN ↗
lovich · · focus · HN ↗
And that’s before unraveling whatever the OP of this comment chain meant by Muslims and Christians are only fighting because of colonizers when Islam and Christianity were colonial ideologies in the first place with there emphasis on converting all of humanity.
vouwfietsman · · focus · HN ↗
At this point, it is indeed still a choice, but hardly a daily or conscious choice.
Renouncing/converting exists but is rare, life changing, and sometimes dangerous.
lovich · · focus · HN ↗
vouwfietsman · · focus · HN ↗
Do you change your worldview daily, on the level of opting in or out of religions? Do you think most people do? Do you think we can expect them to?
roryirvine · · focus · HN ↗
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_of_Aksum#Religion" rel="nofollow">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_of_Aksum#Religion
HappyPanacea · · focus · HN ↗
baxtr · · focus · HN ↗