Southern Memorial Day History

In America the practice of Memorial Day began in the South as a result of the civil war. The early southern Memorial Day celebrations were simple, somber occasions when veterans and their families would decorate graves to honor the dead and tend to local cemeteries.

When you think about the civil war, it is important to remember that Western (white) Christianity depicts the history of the world as universal warfare between God and the Devil; between the city of God (heaven) and the Earthly City where man commits sin and pursues earthly pleasures. In this war, God moves (by divine intervention/ Providence) those governments, political /ideological movements and military forces aligned (or aligned the most) with the church (the City of God) in order to oppose by all means—including acts of war—those governments, political/ideological movements and military forces aligned (or aligned the most) with the Devil (the City of the World).

This is the “just war” rationale that allows Western christians to believe – regardless of which side they are on - that their god wants them to go to war to enforce their beliefs on everyone else. Obviously, this mentality lends itself to exploitation of blind faith by leaders who take totalitarian control with a righteous battle cry that war is “in the name of God!” And that is precisely how America ended up fighting with itself during the civil war with both sides believing that god was on their side. In other words passionate hatred (of the other side) can give meaning and purpose to an empty life. This concept was noted by American writer Eric Hoffer who in his book The True Believer discusses the psychological causes of fanaticism.

What is even more ridiculous - and ironic - is that the father of this bizarre white Christian belief was a black man from Africa. Yes, most white christians are surprised to learn that they worship a black man’s religion. As is so often the case with the faithful/faithfully blind, they are completely ignorant that Saint Augustine- the father of Western Christianity- was a black man from Africa. Saint Augustine was a bishop in Africa and is viewed as one of the most important Church Fathers in Western Christianity whose writings dictated the development of Western Christianity.

This bizarre “just war” rationale then becomes the basis for Dominion theology (also known as dominionism) which is the christian ideology that seeks to institute a nation governed by white christians based on their self-serving interpretations of biblical law. This is primarily advanced by white christian nationalist in the United States who are ironically unaware that St Augustine is the black father of their faith. White Christians who will abandon all morals and elect a demagogue- Trump.

It is ironic to consider that a religion dictated by black man enslaved the minds of white Christians, has caused them to disgrace themselves, and will ultimately result in another civil war and their self-destruction. So on Memorial Day, it is important to remember why we fight and kill. We fight because passionate faith based hatred gives meaning and purpose to an otherwise empty life.