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Transcription: [00:28:03]
{audience member 1}
The Pope, when speaking to many Catholics, I was told that the Pope was not allowed to marry because he was [[of its kind thing or?]] religious.

[00:28:13]
Now I realize that the Pope has never been prolific in the field of anti-oppression. And also realize that Christian churches in the traditional South, in New England, and in the West do not admit Negros. And I also remember something the late P. D. W. Boyd said, that the people in Africa before they were brought to America to become slaves, they were Muslims, they were speaking Arabic or dialects of Arabic.

[00:28:44]
Now they were brought to this country and given Christianity and now they are the most, they are the best Christians in the world. [[?And they are called]] the best Christians in this country and I believe this. And I wonder if we're gonna become free I wonder should we give up Christianity as it was taught to us by slave masters, as practiced by slave masters.

[00:29:06]
I wonder if it would be necessary given such cause, uh, it seems that the people who taught us Christianity aren't living, aren't living according to their ideals and it seems to be a [[?]]. It seems to me it should be a [[?]].

[00:29:20]
{SPEAKER name="James Baldwin"}
No, um. It's a hard question to answer, all I can do is speculate, but I think it is very important recog- to, very important to bear in mind.

[00:29:30]
{audience member 2}
Could you repeat please?

[00:29:32]
{SPEAKER name="James Baldwin"}
I beg your pardon?

[00:29:33]
{audience member 3}
The question.

[00:29:34]
{SPEAKER name="James Baldwin"}
Oh, the question. I'm sorry. The question, in essence, was, um, since the whole role of Christianity in the lives of black people has been so bloody and since white Americans are not themselves genuine Christians, whether or not we, black Americans, ought to give up Christianity. Is that that your question?

[00:29:59]
{audience member 1}
I should clarify a bit more. One is should we give up Christianity and find a religion that is more suited to our needs?

[00:30:05]
{SPEAKER name="James Baldwin"}
No, no, no. Anyway, do you, do you, have you understood the question?

Transcription Notes:
? at 28:09