However, that did not stop some American slave masters from presenting a partial gospel to slaves. Slave owners gave slaves a manipulated, distorted view of Christianity. White colonists and slave traders simply abused and misrepresented the Christian faith. They preached, "Slaves, obey your earthly master with respect and fear." and neglected to mention "Masters, treat your slaves in the same way - justly and fairly." The Bible was used as a tool of oppression rather than its true intention.

Biblically, the act of slavery is actually supported (or tolerated rather). However, it is not in the sense that many of us (mis)interpret it. Slavery in Biblical times are quite different than what we now view it as. For starters, it was not an issue of racial superiority. They were not enslaved due to their race or the color of their skin. It was more so a matter of social status. Some people actually sold themselves or chose to be slaves to pay their debts and support their needs. Scripture actually forbids that men be stolen and sold; the punishment would be death. Even so, there were actually guidelines on how to treat those who were slaves. 

If your brother, a Hebrew man or a Hebrew woman, is sold to you, he shall serve you six years, and in the seventh year you shall let him go free from you. And when you let him go free from you, you shall not let him go empty-handed. You shall furnish him liberally out of your flock, out of your threshing floor, and out of your winepress. As the Lord your God has blessed you, you shall give to him. You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God redeemed you; therefore I command you this today. / Deuteronomy 15:12-15

Masters, do the same to them, and stop your threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and that there is no partiality with him. / Ephesians 6:9

Christianity cannot be a "slave religion" if it were also used to set many free. Jesus did for Martin [Luther King Jr.] what He did for Marcus [Garvey]. He did for [Harriet] Tubman what He did for [Nat] Turner. Many slaves' only hope was Christ. It was the only thing that made them forget their sufferings and look forward to someday being free. It was the hymns, prayers, and secret meetings that introduced them to their own resilience. Their faith and experiences were real and their own. They saw for themselves the contradictions between their slave owners and scriptures. 

It is hard to believe that the Christian faith is exclusively for/of the Europeans when there is an incredible Black presence in the Bible. Much of the Biblical figures were Black or African, whose roles were not limited to slaves. Zipporah, The Shulammite, Bathsheba, Queen of Sheba are all characters whom scholars believe were likely Black. That also includes the Ethiopian eunuch, Simeon (who was called Niger), the Shulammite and the multiple Ethiopians mentioned within the Bible.

If we choose to be upset about Christianity's ties to slavery (or Africans' oppression), we must be just as angry in questioning Islam's influence as well. Very little is mentioned about the Arab slave trade in the 'conscious' community. It is disheartening that many are now frowning upon Christianity due to what slave owners did to Black people in its name while disregarding the involvement of other religions/spiritualities.

It was not the Bible or Jesus that is, or ever was, the issue. We can't blame Jesus for what White Supremacy did to His name. Jesus owned no slaves. He did not suggest that any slave ship be named after Him. Neither was He a helmsman on any of the Trans-Atlantic voyages. Christianity can be either oppressive or liberating, depending on who is practicing and preaching it. Jesus was revolutionary and religious; you can be too.

Conscious and Christian,

Simultaneously.