Why It Does Not Make Sense to Be Religious as a Person of Colour

Religion and Representation

When looking at many of the most influential religions in the modern world, representation becomes an immediate point of discussion. In popular religious imagery—paintings, statues, films, and literature—many sacred figures are often portrayed with European features or lighter skin.

Prophets, saints, angels, and even depictions of God-like figures in widely circulated art frequently reflect European aesthetics. These images spread globally through centuries of colonial expansion, missionary activity, and cultural influence.

Over time, these portrayals became normalized, even in regions where the local population looked very different. For many people of color, this raises questions about why the highest spiritual figures in dominant religions are so often depicted as lighter-skinned.

Religion and Colonial Expansion

Religion has also played a role in many historical conquests. During colonial expansion, religious justification was often used to legitimize wars, forced conversions, and cultural erasure.

Indigenous populations in the Americas, Africa, and parts of Asia were frequently labeled as “uncivilized” or “pagan.” Missionary efforts were sometimes tied directly to imperial expansion, where spreading religion went hand in hand with spreading political control.

In some cases, entire cultures were suppressed or replaced through religious conversion campaigns. This created a lasting connection between religion and colonial power structures.

Religious Justification in Conflict

Throughout history, religious identity has sometimes been used to justify violence or exclusion against other groups.

Wars framed as religious conflicts have occurred in many regions, and religious differences have occasionally been used to portray entire populations as enemies or outsiders.

When religion becomes closely tied to political power or national identity, it can intensify divisions between communities.

Color Hierarchies and Spiritual Authority

In some societies, religious narratives and social structures became intertwined with color hierarchies.

Lighter skin was sometimes associated with purity, holiness, or divine favor, while darker skin was placed lower in social and spiritual rankings. These ideas could reinforce systems where lighter populations held positions of religious or social authority.

While these interpretations were shaped by cultural and historical contexts, they still influenced how societies organized power and status.

Caste Systems and Social Stratification

Some historical caste systems also reflected or evolved into color-based hierarchies.

In these structures:

• lighter skin was often linked to higher social status

• darker populations were pushed toward labor or servitude

• spiritual or political authority remained concentrated at the top

Even when the original system was based on occupation or lineage rather than race, color associations sometimes developed over time.

Colonial Religion and Cultural Replacement

Many people of color today practice religions that spread globally during colonial periods.

For some communities, this raises complex questions about identity. The religions practiced today may have arrived through historical processes that involved colonization, forced conversion, or cultural suppression.

This history has led some people to reconsider how religion fits into their identity and whether older spiritual traditions should be revisited.

Reclaiming Spiritual Identity

In recent decades, many individuals and communities have begun reexamining religious history and its connection to power structures.

Some people choose to reinterpret existing religions in ways that challenge racial hierarchies. Others explore pre-colonial spiritual traditions that were practiced before colonial expansion reshaped cultural landscapes.

This conversation is not simply about belief—it is about history, representation, and the role institutions have played in shaping identity.

Conclusion

Religion has shaped civilizations for thousands of years, influencing culture, politics, and social structures. But like all human institutions, it exists within historical contexts that include power struggles, colonization, and social hierarchies.

For many people of color today, examining these histories has opened deeper conversations about faith, identity, and whether the systems inherited from the past still reflect the values of the present.