the original christian slaves were slaves because they were christians. then 1500 years later slaves became christians. i understand black people rejecting their slave names and converting to the nation of islam, and i understand black people loving jesus. what i can't understand is how the first few slaves were converted into christians by the very people who were holding them captive and repeatedly whipping them. "okay, mumundi, you're a good slave and it ain't christian of me to keep this from you, you godless savage. you know how sometimes when i'm whipping you, my arm gives out and i grab it and yell 'jesus christ!'? well, that ain't just a thing to say. he was a man who lived on this earth. a god of a man born from a virgin, and he died for all our sins ...including yours. so, you can get together with your negro buddies and worship him, atone for you sins, and things of that nature. course if you build any churches, we'll burn 'em right to the ground then go back to our churches and apologize for it. see that's the cutie of the whole deal. i can whip you until my arm falls off, then just go to church once a week and atone for it. then hell, i'm right with the lord and can go right back to whipping for six days. i understand this is a lot to take in all at once. and with your lack of education, it's down right ridiculous for me to expect you to understand. but honestly, that's how we prefer it."