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African Origins of the Major "Western Religions"
African Origins of the Major "Western Religions" first published in 1970, continues to be one of Dr. Ben's most thought-provoking works. This critical examination of the history, beliefs and myths, remains instructive and fresh. By highlighting the African influences and roots of these religions, Dr. Ben reveals an untold history that is completely unknown, Dr. Ben says covered up by the White race, by the rest of the world.
363 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 1991
About the author
Yosef A.A. Ben-Jochannan
23 books193 followersAlso known as Dr. Ben, Yosef Alfredo Antonio Ben-Jochannan claimed to have been born on December 21, 1918 to a Beta Israel lawyer named Kriston Ben-Jochannan and a Puerto Rican Jewish midwife mother of Yemenite ancestry named Julia Matta-Cruz in Gondor, Ethiopia.
His formal education is elusive, and he was likely an autodidact, but he claimed it to have begun in Puerto Rico and continued in the Virgin Islands and in Brazil. Ben-Jochannan claimed to have earned a BS degree in Civil Engineering at the University of Puerto Rico, but the registrar has no record of his attendance. He claimed to have received doctoral degrees in Cultural Anthropology and Moorish History from the University of Havana and the University of Barcelona in Spain, but Barcelona says that he never received a degree from them. He claimed to have earned advanced degrees from Cambridge University in England, but Cambridge says that he never received a degree from them and furthermore, Cambridge University said it had no record of Ben-Jochannan ever attending any classes there. His claim to have received an MS degree in Architectural Engineering from the University of Havana in Cuba is uncontested, and he held honorary doctoral degrees from Sojourner-Douglass College, Marymount College, and Medgar Evers College.
Dr. Ben-Jochannon taught at City College in New York City and from 1973 to 1987, he was an adjunct professor at Cornell University. He wrote and published 49 books and papers, mainly about how in his mind the Ancient Egyptians and Israelites were black Africans. Two of his better-known works: “Black Man of the Nile” and “Africa Mother of Major Western Religions."
He was eulogized by controversial black supremacist religious leader Louis Farrakhan, "as the last of a great list of scholars of ancient black civilizations and black history.
His formal education is elusive, and he was likely an autodidact, but he claimed it to have begun in Puerto Rico and continued in the Virgin Islands and in Brazil. Ben-Jochannan claimed to have earned a BS degree in Civil Engineering at the University of Puerto Rico, but the registrar has no record of his attendance. He claimed to have received doctoral degrees in Cultural Anthropology and Moorish History from the University of Havana and the University of Barcelona in Spain, but Barcelona says that he never received a degree from them. He claimed to have earned advanced degrees from Cambridge University in England, but Cambridge says that he never received a degree from them and furthermore, Cambridge University said it had no record of Ben-Jochannan ever attending any classes there. His claim to have received an MS degree in Architectural Engineering from the University of Havana in Cuba is uncontested, and he held honorary doctoral degrees from Sojourner-Douglass College, Marymount College, and Medgar Evers College.
Dr. Ben-Jochannon taught at City College in New York City and from 1973 to 1987, he was an adjunct professor at Cornell University. He wrote and published 49 books and papers, mainly about how in his mind the Ancient Egyptians and Israelites were black Africans. Two of his better-known works: “Black Man of the Nile” and “Africa Mother of Major Western Religions."
He was eulogized by controversial black supremacist religious leader Louis Farrakhan, "as the last of a great list of scholars of ancient black civilizations and black history.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
October 18, 2012
Dr. Ben takes all the myths to ferocious scholastic battle, and comes across irrefutably clear and concise about the true origins of "Western Religions". I humbly thank God for this man change my consciousness and enhanced the quality of my life with his profound insights supported by in depth research. Priceless!
May 8, 2013
Dr. Ben is a Master when it comes to the teaching historical information. I've learned so much from reading his books.
May 16, 2026
AN ARGUMENT THAT THESE THREE WESTERN RELIGIONS ARE ‘INDIGENOUS AFRICAN’ IN ORIGIN
Yosef Alfredo Antonio Ben-Jochannan (1918-2015; known as ‘Dr. Ben’) was an Afrocentrist writer, historian and author.
He wrote in the Preface to this 1970 book, “Because of their mental enslavement to Judaism, Christianity and Islam, the Africans and African-Americans who have for one reason or another been forced to abandon their own indigenous religions, need to know their role in either of these three. As a person of African origin, I feel that it is my obligation to enter this field, where so many non-Africans have before me entered to speak and write about me. In so doing, I shall show that Judaism, Christianity and Islam are as much African as they are Asian in origin, and in no sense whatsoever European as the title ‘Western Religions’ suggests; that the terms ‘Semitic’ and ‘Hamitic’… are racist in character and intent. The sole purpose is to deny the existence of that which most Europeans and European-Americans call ‘Negro,’ ‘Africans South of the Sahara,’ and ‘Bantu,’ among other such nomenclatures of contempt of the development of religion and thought in ancient North Africa---particularly Egypt. But the fact still remains that with respect to the origin of religion, that there would have been no Egyptian civilization (High-Culture) had the Africans---the so-called ‘Negroes’---of the Upper Nile Valley and Central Africa not migrated north along the … 4000-mile long Nile River into Sais; equally, there could be no ‘Judaism, Christianity or Islam’ (the daughter, granddaughter, and great grand-daughter of the African God ‘Ra’ and the Mysteries), all three being outgrowths of the Egyptian religion, as shown in the ‘Coffin’ and ‘Pyramid’ texts…” (Pg. vi)
He continues, “But the main purpose of this work is show that there is another phase to the greatness that is still ‘Mother Africa,’ the Mother of Mankind, a sort of ‘Garden of Eden,’ also to provide another perspective in Africa’s major contribution to world civilization which may well assist in rearranging the present and future tenets of religious thought.” (Pg. viii)
He adds in the Introduction, “But as long as racism remains the basis upon which these religions are taught, rejection of the indigenous African and Asian peoples’ contribution to them shall continue to be camouflaged into the authorship of those who did least to start them, but most to continue them as their own executive domain.” (Pg. x-xi)
He summarizes, “Scholarly excellence is the goal this work attempts to achieve. Thus, it is written on a level somewhere between the college sophomore and the generally articulate reading public, which is the primary academic prerequisite for this course of study.” (Pg. xxiv)
He states, “Citations of an example of the above remarks are to be round in the ‘libations’ (sacrificial drinking) still being practiced by the indigenous Africans of traditionally African religions. The extent of this custom is seen in the fact that ‘the greatest of the Fathers of the Christian Church,’ St. Augustine (an indigenous African), the most noted of Christianity’s ‘moralists,’ commented on its usage in religious devotion quite favorably.” (Pg. 3)
He argues, “Are the ‘Negro Spirituals’ in any way a developmental outgrowth of European-American-style Christianity? Or, are they not an extension of indigenous African traditional religious chants that underwent European and European-American-style Jewish and Christian influences? The latter is definitely the case. Of course this conclusion will be very heatedly denied by those who wish not to be labeled---among other things---‘pagans, savages, uncivilized, cannibals,’ etc. But the fact still remains that Ju Ju, Voodoo, Witchcraft, and Magic, all basic elements within the so-called ‘Western Religions,’ have been emphasized in the African-America (Black) owned and controlled synagogues, churches, and mosques.” (Pg. 7)
He asks, ‘Was it possible for Aristotle who was never known to have written a single book before he left his native Greece to suddenly write over 1000 books after he joined Alexander ‘the Great’ in the invasion and conquest of Egypt in 332 BCE? And, was it possible that he, and the thousands of Greek students he imported into Egypt for the sole purpose of being taught by indigenous African teachers from the books and other documents of the royal libraries which Alexander captured and Ptolemy seized, did not claim most of the indigenous Africans (‘Negroes’) works as their own?” (Pg. 111)
Documentation? “There are many books listed in the bibliography that this author used in preparing this chapter which should also prove helpful to anyone who wishes to pursue in greater details the indigenous African ‘Fathers of the Church’ works.” (Pg. 135)
He asserts, “The entire spiritual and moral foundations of ‘Judaism’ today and yesteryear are based upon the so-called ‘Ten Commandments’ in the Five Books of Moses (Torah). Yet, all of these ‘Commandments’ and the lesser ones---which most people do not know exist---are almost exact copies of laws and religious philosophical concepts which the African Jews, as they were by that time, lived under during their more than 400 years in Egypt and other parts of North Africa.” (Pg. 147-148)
He contends, “Only those who feel some sense of ‘racial,' ‘ethnic,’ or ‘religious’ superiority may find reason to resent the comparisons being made herein; though not being able to refute the facts, nevertheless. Yet, such protest could be understood---though not tolerated, because of the ‘Tarzan and Jane’ Hollywood movie image or the ‘Stanley and Livingstone Darkest Africa’ stereotype ‘Negrophobia,’ both still attached to things African by those who control, to a great extent, the written and spoken word.” (Pg. 162)
He states, “Judaism, as a ‘race-culture,’ is as preposterous as a Roman Catholic or Moslem race… The Black Israelites (Jews), more than 99% of whom must live in the same slums where African-American Christians and Moslems… reside, find themselves totally dependent upon the outside Talmudic (European-American) Jewish community for their religious regalias… literature and all other wherewithal necessary to maintain a properly religious home and community.” (Pg. 172-173)
He notes, “The impact of Black Judaism on the overall Black community should, and could, have been one of leadership. This opportunity was theirs, as it was the Nation of Islam (the so-called ‘Black Muslims’), but their ‘chosen people’s’ obsession and attitude (similar to that of their sister and brother White Jews) have stopped them from freely intermingling with their fellow Blacks of other religions, solely on the basis of their own religious intolerance and bigotry.” (Pg. 181)
He asserts, “Constantine’s rejection of Bilal, because of his black color was typical of European Christian behavior by the turn of the 7th century CE, as Europeans had already taken over the North African Church from its indigenous African… leadership. And by this period, the Christian ‘Fathers of the Church’---St. Cyprian, Tertullian, and St. Augustine, who made Christianity the viable religion it had become, were already forgotten as indigenous African figures. Christianity had become a ‘European Religion.’” (Pg. 207-208)
He also argues, “But Dr. King’s overall professional life… had another and more neglected phase, that is, his revolutionization of the role of a redundant and most repressive clergy (Jewish, Christian, Moslem, and others) of the United States of America. In short, he removed ‘soul saving’ from the sanctum sanctorum of million-dollar churches, mosques, and synagogues to the people in the streets of the urban and rural communities which support them… He did not resort to meaningless rhetoric from pious pulpits on high… He identified the goals of European-American Christianity (with which he was associated), thereby leading the multitudinous poor (the forgotten people of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam) whom his fellow clergymen were supposed to lead and serve, but whom they so miserably failed.” (Pg. 245-246)
Ben-Jocannon was an atheist at the time of writing most of his books, until he converted to the Nation of Islam late in life. But the lack of specific DOCUMENTED REFERENCES to the large majority of his assertions in this book will possibly leave many readers (even those otherwise sympathetic to his views) unconvinced.
Yosef Alfredo Antonio Ben-Jochannan (1918-2015; known as ‘Dr. Ben’) was an Afrocentrist writer, historian and author.
He wrote in the Preface to this 1970 book, “Because of their mental enslavement to Judaism, Christianity and Islam, the Africans and African-Americans who have for one reason or another been forced to abandon their own indigenous religions, need to know their role in either of these three. As a person of African origin, I feel that it is my obligation to enter this field, where so many non-Africans have before me entered to speak and write about me. In so doing, I shall show that Judaism, Christianity and Islam are as much African as they are Asian in origin, and in no sense whatsoever European as the title ‘Western Religions’ suggests; that the terms ‘Semitic’ and ‘Hamitic’… are racist in character and intent. The sole purpose is to deny the existence of that which most Europeans and European-Americans call ‘Negro,’ ‘Africans South of the Sahara,’ and ‘Bantu,’ among other such nomenclatures of contempt of the development of religion and thought in ancient North Africa---particularly Egypt. But the fact still remains that with respect to the origin of religion, that there would have been no Egyptian civilization (High-Culture) had the Africans---the so-called ‘Negroes’---of the Upper Nile Valley and Central Africa not migrated north along the … 4000-mile long Nile River into Sais; equally, there could be no ‘Judaism, Christianity or Islam’ (the daughter, granddaughter, and great grand-daughter of the African God ‘Ra’ and the Mysteries), all three being outgrowths of the Egyptian religion, as shown in the ‘Coffin’ and ‘Pyramid’ texts…” (Pg. vi)
He continues, “But the main purpose of this work is show that there is another phase to the greatness that is still ‘Mother Africa,’ the Mother of Mankind, a sort of ‘Garden of Eden,’ also to provide another perspective in Africa’s major contribution to world civilization which may well assist in rearranging the present and future tenets of religious thought.” (Pg. viii)
He adds in the Introduction, “But as long as racism remains the basis upon which these religions are taught, rejection of the indigenous African and Asian peoples’ contribution to them shall continue to be camouflaged into the authorship of those who did least to start them, but most to continue them as their own executive domain.” (Pg. x-xi)
He summarizes, “Scholarly excellence is the goal this work attempts to achieve. Thus, it is written on a level somewhere between the college sophomore and the generally articulate reading public, which is the primary academic prerequisite for this course of study.” (Pg. xxiv)
He states, “Citations of an example of the above remarks are to be round in the ‘libations’ (sacrificial drinking) still being practiced by the indigenous Africans of traditionally African religions. The extent of this custom is seen in the fact that ‘the greatest of the Fathers of the Christian Church,’ St. Augustine (an indigenous African), the most noted of Christianity’s ‘moralists,’ commented on its usage in religious devotion quite favorably.” (Pg. 3)
He argues, “Are the ‘Negro Spirituals’ in any way a developmental outgrowth of European-American-style Christianity? Or, are they not an extension of indigenous African traditional religious chants that underwent European and European-American-style Jewish and Christian influences? The latter is definitely the case. Of course this conclusion will be very heatedly denied by those who wish not to be labeled---among other things---‘pagans, savages, uncivilized, cannibals,’ etc. But the fact still remains that Ju Ju, Voodoo, Witchcraft, and Magic, all basic elements within the so-called ‘Western Religions,’ have been emphasized in the African-America (Black) owned and controlled synagogues, churches, and mosques.” (Pg. 7)
He asks, ‘Was it possible for Aristotle who was never known to have written a single book before he left his native Greece to suddenly write over 1000 books after he joined Alexander ‘the Great’ in the invasion and conquest of Egypt in 332 BCE? And, was it possible that he, and the thousands of Greek students he imported into Egypt for the sole purpose of being taught by indigenous African teachers from the books and other documents of the royal libraries which Alexander captured and Ptolemy seized, did not claim most of the indigenous Africans (‘Negroes’) works as their own?” (Pg. 111)
Documentation? “There are many books listed in the bibliography that this author used in preparing this chapter which should also prove helpful to anyone who wishes to pursue in greater details the indigenous African ‘Fathers of the Church’ works.” (Pg. 135)
He asserts, “The entire spiritual and moral foundations of ‘Judaism’ today and yesteryear are based upon the so-called ‘Ten Commandments’ in the Five Books of Moses (Torah). Yet, all of these ‘Commandments’ and the lesser ones---which most people do not know exist---are almost exact copies of laws and religious philosophical concepts which the African Jews, as they were by that time, lived under during their more than 400 years in Egypt and other parts of North Africa.” (Pg. 147-148)
He contends, “Only those who feel some sense of ‘racial,' ‘ethnic,’ or ‘religious’ superiority may find reason to resent the comparisons being made herein; though not being able to refute the facts, nevertheless. Yet, such protest could be understood---though not tolerated, because of the ‘Tarzan and Jane’ Hollywood movie image or the ‘Stanley and Livingstone Darkest Africa’ stereotype ‘Negrophobia,’ both still attached to things African by those who control, to a great extent, the written and spoken word.” (Pg. 162)
He states, “Judaism, as a ‘race-culture,’ is as preposterous as a Roman Catholic or Moslem race… The Black Israelites (Jews), more than 99% of whom must live in the same slums where African-American Christians and Moslems… reside, find themselves totally dependent upon the outside Talmudic (European-American) Jewish community for their religious regalias… literature and all other wherewithal necessary to maintain a properly religious home and community.” (Pg. 172-173)
He notes, “The impact of Black Judaism on the overall Black community should, and could, have been one of leadership. This opportunity was theirs, as it was the Nation of Islam (the so-called ‘Black Muslims’), but their ‘chosen people’s’ obsession and attitude (similar to that of their sister and brother White Jews) have stopped them from freely intermingling with their fellow Blacks of other religions, solely on the basis of their own religious intolerance and bigotry.” (Pg. 181)
He asserts, “Constantine’s rejection of Bilal, because of his black color was typical of European Christian behavior by the turn of the 7th century CE, as Europeans had already taken over the North African Church from its indigenous African… leadership. And by this period, the Christian ‘Fathers of the Church’---St. Cyprian, Tertullian, and St. Augustine, who made Christianity the viable religion it had become, were already forgotten as indigenous African figures. Christianity had become a ‘European Religion.’” (Pg. 207-208)
He also argues, “But Dr. King’s overall professional life… had another and more neglected phase, that is, his revolutionization of the role of a redundant and most repressive clergy (Jewish, Christian, Moslem, and others) of the United States of America. In short, he removed ‘soul saving’ from the sanctum sanctorum of million-dollar churches, mosques, and synagogues to the people in the streets of the urban and rural communities which support them… He did not resort to meaningless rhetoric from pious pulpits on high… He identified the goals of European-American Christianity (with which he was associated), thereby leading the multitudinous poor (the forgotten people of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam) whom his fellow clergymen were supposed to lead and serve, but whom they so miserably failed.” (Pg. 245-246)
Ben-Jocannon was an atheist at the time of writing most of his books, until he converted to the Nation of Islam late in life. But the lack of specific DOCUMENTED REFERENCES to the large majority of his assertions in this book will possibly leave many readers (even those otherwise sympathetic to his views) unconvinced.
October 16, 2020
This book opened my eyes. Not only to the hidden truths of the major “western religions” but also to the understanding that the polarization in today’s society that separates Judaism, Christianity and Islam is wrong. And that all of these religions originated with good intentions in mind. The book is an absolute necessity not only for the black community and religious folk, but also for the masses to understand one of the many truths behind the inception of western civilization.
December 9, 2017
Although many may today (12-2017) have some sense of the external origins (i.e., non-European, non-'Arab,' non-Semitic, non-Asian) of the so-called three major religions (i.e., Christianity, Islam and Judaism) this book is one of the earliest English texts to fully explore this idea and to place it in its proper historical context.
August 1, 2013
This powerful book allowed my mind to open up to a greater discovery of spirituality!
May 12, 2022
A very interesting book i found, some great history concerning the Church that is not taught in seminary or theological colleges. Some may think that only people of an African centric mindset will appreciate this book, but I have found that all Church history throws up surprises that you never knew or didn’t expect. I would advise read this with your eyes open and an open mind, there are more than enough references in this book for you to checkout what been written for yourself. ultimately it’s a good starting point to look at church history from a different point of view.
July 5, 2018
Excellent
September 7, 2018
A very good analysis of the role of African philosophy in the development of the Western traditions.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews