Explain Why Charles H. Long Believed That Religion Is More Than Belief

Stage 3 Paper Submission: Religion is more than belief. Charles H. Long believed in how religion could be found in many more ways than the concept of deities and the afterlife (p. 7). This is especially true for African American religion. It has become a culture and it is part of their heritage and ancestry. It is through this culture that bonds are created in the African American community. Religion is more than individual faith; it is an impactful orientation to a purpose far greater than one person. Long stated how religion is “an orientation in the ultimate sense, that is, how one comes to terms with the ultimate significance of one’s place in the world” (p. 7). It is often within the realm of religion that people find power in their own
Chireau stated that “to some extent, Equiano embraced both African and European viewpoints and that a similar mixing of ideas would occur among black people in America and persist for centuries to come” (p. 36). Christianity focuses many passages within the Bible on “miracles”. Equiano stated he was in deep thought and meditation when he saw his “miracle” in the presence of the Lord coming before him, “the amazing things of that hour can never be told—it was joy in the Holy Ghost” (p. 144). He felt so much and saw so much. It was in this experience that he felt his past, as if it had just occurred, and he felt the strength in his belief in how to proceed as a newborn Christian. Equiano felt that belonging to a community and how this faith would solidify his place in the world. He had many nights where he couldn’t feel peace or calm in anything else. I believe seeing the Lord impacted him far greater than any other person preaching could have. “Religion is, accordingly, a public and social activity; magic is private, manifested in solitary, focused events, and has no church or sustained collective” (Chireau,
In this way, Pinn describes the connection in how “religion arises out of the struggle to obtain ultimate meaning through a process of "becoming" (p. 4). I believe this connects to how a person who experiences “double consciousness” can reestablish their mindset, to become their true self. Through the active work individually and through the cooperation of a strong community, anything is possible. Ultimately, we must understand the significant impact that the “color line” creates, its benefits for the few privileged and the consequences for the many undervalued. Some benefits of privileged individuals include the ignorance of the suffering of others, and the belief that one’s own station in society is not derived from systemic discrimination and only by merit and abilities. This ignorance creates a lack of compassion for oppressed groups and it does not motivate privileged people to join in the fight for true equality. The consequences for many individuals still exist currently within the concealing a life concerned in “double