Blinding with Light: How Religion Was Used to Block Reason and Colonize the African Mind

 

By Isaac Christopher Lubogo

> “When the missionaries came to Africa they had the Bible and we had the land. They said, ‘Let us pray.’ We closed our eyes. When we opened them, we had the Bible and they had the land.”

— Jomo Kenyatta

I. Introduction: The Weaponization of Light

The colonial project was never sustained by guns alone. It was buttressed by something far more potent—religion, or rather, a weaponized form of it. While the rifle broke bodies, it was the Bible that subdued minds. It did not matter whether the colonizer came in cassock or khaki—what mattered was that religion was used not to liberate but to pacify, not to enlighten but to blind.

Africa was not merely colonized by force, but cognitively conquered. This was not a war of territory alone—it was a war on reason, autonomy, and indigenous dignity.

II. The Disarming of the African Mind

A. Faith as a Colonial Disguise

To understand the full dimension of colonial conquest, one must ask: Why was the Bible the first book handed to the African? The colonialists knew that military occupation would breed rebellion, but spiritual surrender guarantees docility.

> “Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature… It is the opium of the people.”

— Karl Marx

The European missionary enterprise in Africa, from the 15th century onward, was not just evangelical. It was strategic. It disarmed the African mind, convincing people that the apex of holiness was submission—and that rebellion was sin.

> The African was taught to “turn the other cheek” while his land, minerals, and identity were being plundered.

B. The Displacement of Indigenous Thought

Before colonialism, Africa was not void of spirituality. From the Ubuntu philosophy in Southern Africa to the Nile Valley wisdom traditions, from Ifá divination among the Yoruba to Akan cosmology, African reason was rich and layered.

But Christianity was presented as superior—and all native systems were demonized. The result? A complete epistemicide: the killing of indigenous knowledge systems.

> “Anything African became ‘pagan.’ Anything Western became ‘divine.’”

This was the beginning of a cognitive colonization that persists today.

III. Biblical Illusions and Political Realities

A. Scriptures Used to Sanction Slavery and Subjugation

Passages like “Slaves, obey your earthly masters” (Ephesians 6:5) and “Blessed are the meek” were quoted not to teach humility—but to create social paralysis. Africans were encouraged to endure injustice as divine will.

The Book of Romans was often cited to teach that all authority is instituted by God (Romans 13:1). This theology was a colonial masterpiece: it discouraged rebellion and blessed imperial authority.

> While colonial governments exploited, the Church justified.

B. Heaven Over Justice

Colonial religion offered Africans salvation in the sky, while Europeans secured domination on earth. The African was taught that his reward was in heaven—even as his land was stolen, his people enslaved, and his languages erased.

This was not religion. It was psychological warfare disguised as divine truth.

IV. From Prophets to Puppets: The African Clergy Crisis

Even after independence, many African religious leaders continue to preach a colonially conditioned gospel. They condemn traditional rites, discourage political awakening, and preach prosperity without justice.

They echo the colonial message: “Endure suffering quietly. Your time will come—in heaven.”

What is this but a continuation of colonial subjugation through the pulpit?

V. The Sacred Rebellion: Rediscovering Reason

> “To be colonized is to be told not only what to do, but what to think, and why it must be God’s will.”

Today, the liberation of Africa must include spiritual decolonization. We must not abandon faith—but reclaim it from its colonial distortion.

We must:

Rediscover African spirituality without shame.

Question and re-interpret the biblical texts weaponized against our ancestors.

Build theology that aligns with justice, dignity, and Pan-African liberation.

This is not anti-Christian—it is anti-colonial Christianity.

VI. Conclusion: From Blinding Light to Enlightened Sight

Colonialism came wearing a cross, not just a crown. The Bible was not inherently evil—but it was used selectively and strategically to turn Africa into a mission field and a minefield.

It is time we open our eyes again.

Let us no longer be afraid to say:

> “Religion was used to block our reason. And it is reason, guided by truth, that must now redeem our spirituality.”

Selected References:

1. Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o. Decolonising the Mind (1986)

2. Edward Said. Orientalism (1978)

3. Chinweizu. The West and the Rest of Us (1975)

4. Albert Memmi. The Colonizer and the Colonized (1957)

5. Mahmood Mamdani. Citizen and Subject (1996)

6. Walter Rodney. How Europe Underdeveloped Africa (1972)

 

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