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I was taught that Jesus the Son of God was a white man, and hearing black people singing, 'Lord, wash me, and I will be whiter than snow,' made me sick.
Peter Tosh
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Interpretation

What this quote means

The quote critiques racial identity in relation to religious teachings and cultural perceptions.

Peter Tosh's quote expresses his discomfort with the way racial identity has been associated with notions of purity and divinity in religious contexts. By highlighting the incongruity of viewing Jesus as a white figure while also invoking racialized imagery, Tosh calls into question the implications of such teachings on self-perception and cultural identity, especially among black individuals who may feel marginalized by these narratives.

Themes

RaceIdentityReligionPurityCulture

In practice

Example use cases

During a discussion about race and religion in a community meeting.

More from Peter Tosh

What the Rastaman represents is positivity.
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And I ask why am I black, they say I was born in sin, and shamed inequity. One of the main songs we used to sing in church makes me sick, 'love wash me and I shall be whiter than snow.
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I was the only one in my family to be musically inclined, and my mother loved that. It encouraged my grand aunt to find me a music teacher, because it was quite obvious music was in me.
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I am good. I live good. I think good. I don't have to feel good to be good, I take my goodness wherever I go.
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I have no mother here; I have a bearer. Jah is my mother, and Jah is my father.
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In the beginning there was the word. The word was Jah. The word is in I, Jah is in I. I make what is good, better, and what is better, best. I follow this in every aspect of life.
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