A blogger named Deborah Cooper set off a FIRESTORM when she posted on her blog, SurvivingDating.com, a new THEORY on why so many of us Black women are single. And according to her, it’s the CHURCH that’s keeping us single. Here’s the author’s THEORY:
Black women have an inordinate amount of faith in both Black men and Black churches. My position is that such blind and unwavering faith in either is misplaced. It is my belief that the Black church, structured around traditional gender roles which makes women submissive to and inferior to men, greatly limits females.
Single Black women sitting in church every Sunday are being subtly brainwashed, soothed and placated into waiting without demand for what they want to magically come to them. Who is doing this to Black women? The male standing at the front of the Church in the role of spiritual leader, that’s who!
And of course, CNN couldn’t WAIT to jump in and BLAST the Black church. Here is what they’re reporting:
Big Miller Grove Missionary Baptist Church, a predominately African-American Baptist church in Atlanta, is holding a seminar on the question of faith's role in marital status on August 20.
"Black women are interpreting the scriptures too literally. They want a man to which they are 'equally yoked' -- a man that goes to church five times a week and every Sunday just like they do," Cooper said in a recent interview.
"If they meet a black man that is not in church, they are automatically eliminated as a potential suitor. This is just limiting their dating pool."
The traditional structure and dynamics of black churches, mostly led by black men, convey submissive attitudes to women, Cooper says, encouraging them to be patient -- instead of getting up and going after what they want.
