
The Religion of Whiteness

From these three political lies these philosophers developed three religious lies to create a fully fertile land for the ROW: 1.From Hobbes, Christians can be in right relationship with God without being in right relationship with the broken and abused of society. 2.From Locke, the only business of the church is salvation. Anything else is a
... See moreMichael O. Emerson • The Religion of Whiteness
They exhibited what we referred to as an epistemology of ignorance, an actual concerted effort to not know.
Michael O. Emerson • The Religion of Whiteness
The three political lies: 1.From Hobbes, government is not about the common good or providing basic needs. It is about preserving property. 2.From Hobbes and Locke, economics is a moral-free math. Humanity’s equality need not translate to economic equity. 3.From Smith, justice is retributive—it is about punishing rule-breakers—not about making
... See moreMichael O. Emerson • The Religion of Whiteness
the source of collective effervescence for believers in the Religion of Whiteness—is whiteness itself.
Michael O. Emerson • The Religion of Whiteness
ROW is a commitment to whiteness, which is to be venerated, worshipped, and defended. As noted early in the chapter, whiteness can be defined as the imagined right of those who are racially white to be at the top of the racial hierarchy.
Michael O. Emerson • The Religion of Whiteness
it really is one’s religion that matters, even when we account for other factors.8
Michael O. Emerson • The Religion of Whiteness
White dominance means the hoarding of resources, power, and privilege over other groups.
Michael O. Emerson • The Religion of Whiteness
Collective effervescence is just a different feeling, a different experience. And it is one that people often crave. It is collective effervescence that keeps people returning to churches; it is collective effervescence that venerated symbols remind people of; it is collective effervescence that gives people reason to believe in the sacred.
Michael O. Emerson • The Religion of Whiteness
This term describes the idea that groups will hoard opportunities and resources for themselves and their offspring, and do so by essentially any means necessary.