In his book The Fire Next Time, James Baldwin delves into the racial epidemic within the American society. He explains that the racial problem is clear and significant in both the community and in religion. The racial problem in America that he refers to is the segregation of whites and anyone they do not feel to be racial equivalent to them, such as Blacks or Jewish people. In The Fire Next Time, James Baldwin suggests that “relatively conscious whites and the relatively conscious blacks” can solve the racial problem in America by finding a middle ground between the extreme values found in Baptists and Muslims. In the story, Baldwin explains this middle ground by using examples from his own life. Baldwin expresses his discontent towards his faith and suggests
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Baldwin’s father is already upset at his son for not being in the same church and thus the same community as him. One day, Baldwin brings home one of his friends, who happens to be a white Jewish boy. After the boy leaves his dad asks him, “ ‘Is he a Christian’ –by which he meant ‘is he saved’ ”(pg 37). The father reacts by violently slapping him in the face. After which Baldwin responds by saying, “He is a better Christian than you are” (pg 37). Since his father is more of an extreme Baptist he is upset that his son would remove himself from his community and try to make friends with someone who is not “saved” or not-Christian. After the incident Baldwin begins to question whether, “Heaven…[was] meant to be another ghetto” (pg 39). Which forces him to reconsider if being a part of this religious community would help him solve the racial problem. According to his father’s lopsided beliefs there was no hope for an integrated society, even in the afterlife, then how could there be hope for one on Earth. This causes Baldwin to reject his father’s beliefs and find the middle
Baldwin’s father is already upset at his son for not being in the same church and thus the same community as him. One day, Baldwin brings home one of his friends, who happens to be a white Jewish boy. After the boy leaves his dad asks him, “ ‘Is he a Christian’ –by which he meant ‘is he saved’ ”(pg 37). The father reacts by violently slapping him in the face. After which Baldwin responds by saying, “He is a better Christian than you are” (pg 37). Since his father is more of an extreme Baptist he is upset that his son would remove himself from his community and try to make friends with someone who is not “saved” or not-Christian. After the incident Baldwin begins to question whether, “Heaven…[was] meant to be another ghetto” (pg 39). Which forces him to reconsider if being a part of this religious community would help him solve the racial problem. According to his father’s lopsided beliefs there was no hope for an integrated society, even in the afterlife, then how could there be hope for one on Earth. This causes Baldwin to reject his father’s beliefs and find the middle