Kanye West Echoes Black Hebrew Israelites’ Antisemitism
🗞️ And a round-up of six U.S. midterms election races where religion plays a role
Hi ReligionUnplugged readers,
The antisemitic remarks of rapper Kanye West — who goes by “Ye” — have gone viral in the past few weeks and wrecked his business relationships with Adidas, Gap, Balenciaga, Foot Locker and more. In one of Ye’s tweets, he claimed he can’t be antisemitic because he’s Black, and Black people are also Jews.
While Black Jews and Jews of color are genuine members of the Jewish faith, Ye has no known Jewish heritage. His remarks fit the claims of the Black Hebrew Israelite movement, which broadly teaches without evidence that Black people and other people of color are the true Hebrews descended from one of the lost tribes of Israel.
Our former intern and current contributor Princess Jones breaks down Ye’s recent media remarks and the beliefs and actions of Black Hebrew Israelites in today’s top story. Don’t miss it.
As midterm elections proceed, reporting fellow Deborah Laker details six different races where religion plays a role — from former athlete Herschel Walker’s attempt at a Georgia Senate seat to New York’s gubernatorial race.
Plus, senior contributor Clemente Lisi has a new book out! “The FIFA World Cup: A History of the Planet’s Biggest Sporting Event” is a comprehensive history of the soccer tournament that is now a global phenomenon, including a preview of the 2022 tournament in Qatar. This week, we featured an excerpt from the book, which is available for purchase now.
See you next week! If you like what you read, share this with your family and friends.
This is a quick reminder that we’re in the midst of our year-end NewsMatch campaign — and you can help! NewsMatch is a collaborative fundraising movement to support independent, public service journalism like ours.
Through December 31, NewsMatch will match your new monthly donation 12 times or double your one-time gift, all up to $1,000. That means that through NewsMatch, we can raise up to $30,000.
For a nonprofit organization like us, this is a big deal and will help us deliver the kind of in-depth journalism you’ve come to expect, every day. It’s the kind of reporting that can make a real difference in our community. And it’s worthy of your support.
Who Are The Jews? Kanye West’s Rhetoric Echoes Black Hebrew Israelites’ Antisemitism
(ANALYSIS) According to the controversial singer Ye, formerly called Kanye West, Black people are Jews. This part of his rhetoric is the strongest hint of where exactly his recent outpouring of antisemitism flows from. By Princess Jones
6 Races Where Religion Plays A Big Factor by Deborah Laker
Politicians across the country are in the last stretch of campaigning as Americans prepare to cast the votes in the midterm elections on Nov. 8. Religion Unplugged.com takes a look at some of the key races where a candidate’s faith could play a big factor in the election results.
Excerpt From ‘The FIFA World Cup: A History Of The Planet’s Biggest Sporting Event’: ‘Hand Of God’ Made Maradona An Idol by Clemente Lisi
The Argentina versus England quarterfinal matchup at the 1986 World Cup will forever be remembered as the game where Diego Maradona scored twice, one of them a controversial goal he later dubbed the “Hand of God.” The game, a mix of political tension and faith, cemented Maradona’s place as one of soccer’s greatest players.
Columnist Rod Dreher Talks Orthodox Christianity And Nationalism by Jovan Tripkovic
Rod Dreher, a senior editor and blogger at The American Conservative and a convert to Orthodox Christianity from Catholicism is one of the most influential voices in the conservative movement who has moved further right in recent years and argued for Americans to look to nationalist examples in Europe, like Victor Orban’s Hungary, for solutions.
Presbyterian Church Will Gather Nonbinary/Genderqueer Membership Stats by Kim Roberts
The mainline Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) announced this week it will change the way it reports statistical information about the denomination’s membership to now include a category for nonbinary/genderqueer adherents. The Office of General Assembly said the new reporting will more accurately reflect the makeup of the denomination.
There’s No One ‘Latino Vote’: Religion And Geography Add To Voter Diversity by Laura E. Alexander and Christian Doña-Reveco
(ANALYSIS) Nearly 1 in 5 people in the United States today are Latino, and “the Latino vote” has attracted significant news coverage as their political voice grows stronger. But the U.S. Latino population is extremely diverse. As scholars who study immigration in the fields of sociology and religious ethics, we are especially interested in the growing religious diversity and often overlooked geographical diversity among Latino populations.
Faith Leaders Called On During Uganda Ebola Outbreak by Joseph Hammond
As Uganda faces a deadly Ebola outbreak, many faith leaders in the country are being asked to do a surprising thing — nothing. So far, there have been 95 confirmed cases, with the Ministry of Health announcing this week the spread of the virus to Kampala, which has recorded 14 cases in the past week.
Catholic Voters In Battleground States Favor GOP In Upcoming Midterms, Poll Finds by Clemente Lisi
A majority of Catholic voters in six key battleground states say they plan to vote for Republican candidates in the upcoming midterm elections, a new poll reveals. A majority of voters in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Florida, Georgia, Arizona and Nevada listed the economy, jobs, inflation and rising interest rates as their top concern.
Opinion
The Most Compelling Headlines From Pope Francis’ ‘Penitential Pilgrimage’ To Canada
In Friday’s Weekend Plug-In column, Bobby Ross Jr. highlights Pope Francis’ trip to Canada to apologize to Indigenous peoples for abuses at church-run residential schools. Plus, as always, catch up on all the best reads and top headlines in the world of faith.
Don’t forget! You can subscribe to receive Bobby’s column early on Fridays for only $5 a month. Click the button below to subscribe!
Doctrine And Fashion: As Iran Protests Persist, What Women's Clothing Does Islam Require? by Richard Ostling
The Magic Of Halloween In A Post-Christian Age by Michael Metzger
Why I No Longer Wear A Hijab by Anonymous
Searching For Ring Stains From The Inklings During A Summer At Oxford University by Evan Louey-Dacus
Great Britain’s First Hindu Prime Minister Inherits A Prominent Role In Anglicanism by Richard Ostling
A Trip To The Nation’s Birthplace Reminds Me Of The Mysteries Of Our Past by Paul Prather
Seeking Justice Together: The Loving Call For A Pathway To Citizenship by Anika Forrest and Dayana Maldonado
Don’t miss our latest podcast
The Religion of Woke America Misses God and Forgiveness
Georgetown University professor Joshua Mitchell talks with ReligionUnplugged.com about his new book, “American Awakening,” where he explores how identity politics in America bear a some resemblance to Christianity but miss vital concepts such as forgiveness. Mitchell speaks with Paul Glader and Paul Marshall about the book thesis and Mitchell’s observations and concerns about American life. Find it on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify or listen directly on our website.
In case you missed it
Editorial picks from our archives
India’s ‘Hijabi Performer’ Aims To Counter Hate Through Theater by Shadab Farooq
When the south Indian state of Karnataka banned hijabs from public schools this year, theater and performance artist Sania Saifi thought about her own experience in school. When she was a student, her school in Delhi banned hijabs from 2013 to 2015.
The Buddhist Monk Blogger Tackling Abuse By Gurus by Tenzin Tsagong
Tenzin Peljor runs a popular Buddhist blog that addresses controversies in Tibetan Buddhism, especially regarding abusive spiritual teachers. After choosing a guru, students take vows to see their teacher as an enlightened being — questioning or criticizing them can send one to a Tantric hell. Peljor, a monk himself, says he is exposing harmful practices while remaining faithful to the Buddhist tradition.
Thanks again for reading!
ReligionUnplugged is a non-profit news organization that benefits greatly from your contributions. Your monetary donations allow us to continue our reporting and expand our coverage. You can always donate on our website by clicking the button below.
Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Facebook. For $5 a month, subscribe to our Weekend Plug-In Substack. Any news tips for us? Is there a story you think we should be covering? We want to know! Email our managing editor Meagan at meagan@themediaproject.org.