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African Origins of the Major "Western Religions"

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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

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About the author

Yosef A.A. Ben-Jochannan

23 books192 followers
Also 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.

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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
Profile Image for Reggie Daniels.
1 review14 followers
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!
Profile Image for Corey Teague.
4 reviews4 followers
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.
149 reviews
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.
9 reviews
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.
5 reviews
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.
Profile Image for Rafael Suleiman.
934 reviews3 followers
September 7, 2018
A very good analysis of the role of African philosophy in the development of the Western traditions.
2 reviews6 followers
August 1, 2013
This powerful book allowed my mind to open up to a greater discovery of spirituality!
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews

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