Esotericism, the Nation of Islam, and the African American Religious Experience w/ Dr. Stephen C. Finley

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On this edition of Parallax Views, the Nation of Islam has often been analyzed as a political movement with the trappings of a religion. Dr. Stephen C. Finley, however, has been taking a decidedly different approach to understanding the NoI. Namely, he's sought to analyze the Nation of Islam as a religion with ties to New Age thought, UFO beliefs, Freemasonry, and other elements of the Western Esoteric Tradition. Needless to say, this approach departs from both the conventional histories of the Nation of Islam as well as the Western Esoteric Tradition. Dr. Finley joins us on this edition of the program to discuss his fascinating research into the Nation of Islam.

Among the topics discussed:

- The mysterious Master Fard Muhammad aka Wallace Fard Muhammad
- Elijah Muhammad's formative experiences with racism and how it may relate to the theology of the Nation of Islam
- Louis Farrakhan, the reconstituted Nation of Islam, and UFO beliefs
- Theological narratives as a metaphor for the lived experience of everyday life (in this case of black bodies)
- Discussion of  esotericism in the black religious experience outside of the Nation of Islam; specifically rootwork, hoodoo, and conjure
- And much, much more.

NOTE: The views expressed by the guest in this interview do not necessarily reflect the views of the Nation of Islam. Nor they necessarily represent the views of the host at all times.