I went to church today…

I can only specifically remember 2 non-funeral instances that I’ve been to church since I used to go with my best friend’s family occasionally as an early teenager. There may be others but they escape me. So…the fact that I went is deep.

Suffice it to say, I don’t go attend church often b/c my view on Christianity is largely not positive. Why? B/c of my view on it’s impact and usage on the black and brown collective psyche to control and oppress. One of the most effective tools of that oppression in my opinion is the separation of the image of blackness from the image of God.

Religion is the organization of spirituality into something that became the hand maiden of conquerors. Nearly all religions were brought to people and imposed on people by conquerors, and used as the framework to control their minds.

– Dr. John Henrik Clarke

I won’t go any deeper than that b/c I want to explain my perspective with respect and tact and not as a sidebar out respect for people I hold near and dear who hold their faith as a foundation of why they are good people.

It was my last day in Cusco and, I wanted to go see the Cathedral b/c, well, that’s kind of what you do as one of your stops in Cusco at the Plaza de Armas.

Usually you have to pay, but if you go during mass (daily) you can see it for free.

When I first saw the Black Jesus, it was something I never experienced b/c of the scale. Truthfully, I really just wanted a picture, but the site was powerful enough to make me sit through mass. Seeing these people pray to a black Jesus was powerful.

FYI…the Jesus the statue is called Señor de los Temblores, or Lord of the Earthquakes. It got this name b/c of a violent earthquake in 1650. They took the Jesus outside to save it and the tremors stopped. It’s now black b/c people used to throw red flowers at it symbolizing blood, and from the soot of candles. Not exactly the same as creating a black Jesus, but in effect still powerful.

It made me pay closer attention to my memories and realize that a lot of my time in black churches was spent where they didn’t have an image of White Jesus. That was powerful too.

All in all it was a really interesting experience. I’m not going to the next altar call or anything like that, but it definitely made me feel spiritually closer to some people in a way that was really dope.