There are over two billion practicing Christians in the world today and about one and a half billion Muslims. In North America there are approximately five and half million Native people. Not sure of what amount of the four million American Indians, and the one and half million Indians (including Metis) are practicing Indian Spirituality (i.e. Indian Religion, also known as Traditionalists). It is the aim of Jesus to convert people. Christianity has been very successful. We don't know how many Indian people still believe in their OWN way. They have been effectively killed of their own beliefs. Is this a bad thing? Jesus would say no, as according to him, He is "the only way". Christians believe this is their truth and therefore they can get away with anything as long is it in the name of Jesus; conversion, battle, governing, and betrayal.
Christianity is no stranger to killing. From the conversion of the Saxons to the First Crusades against the Turks. In our days [God] has fought through Christian men in Asia against the Turks and in Europe against the Moors.[29] So the evidence and history has been for Jesus, Christians to go to war. Much of wars, pre-industrial age, were savage and bloody. Even though Jesus is not wielding the swords of war himself, his minions are still carrying on the battle in his name. In society today, you can still find Jesus dressing up as a battle warrior or having his name used in battle cries and war groups. Examples include: God's Commando Army; Christian Commandos; The Army of God; Commandos for Christ; etc.
Christianity is very adept at rationalizing the conquest of people: Psalm 94:16 Who will rise up for me against the evildoers? or who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity?
Under various theological and legal doctrines formulated during and after the Crusades, non-Christians were considered enemies of the Catholic faith and, as such, less than human. Accordingly, in the bull of 1452, Pope Nicholas directed King Alfonso to "capture, vanquish, and subdue the saracens, pagans, and other enemies of Christ," to "put them into perpetual slavery," and "to take all their possessions and property." [Davenport: 20-26]
Jesus even has a "law" that allows him to claim land where Indigenous people are living. It is called the: Doctrine of Discovery This law has been used to rationalize the brutal slaying of whole cultures in the name of Jesus. Good stuff that Doctrine, if you want to wash your hands of bloody crimes against other people, of the other God's children. A good cleansing of the fact that in the name of Jesus, people are butchered and displaced. History is filled with accounts of the brutality all in the name of Jesus.
It is well known that the Conquistadors employed despicable methods of torture and de-humanize non-Christians throughout the southern seas. On a daily basis the conquistadors would take one of the local Indigenous folk and chop off their hands for all to see. Well that was way back when and people were brutal everywhere. In even more modern times we have seen the Jesus followers act in suspicious, if not really bad behaviour. Take Nazi Germany and the (attempted)extermination of the Jew.
Christianity and the Perpetrators
. Almost all perpetrators arose from Christian culture and some of them were devout Christians. For example the commandant of Auschwitz Hoess was a devout Catholic, Tiso the President of Slovakia was a Catholic priest. In many camps the killing was suspended on Sundays, so that the murderers could attend Church services. At no time were the killers censured by the religious authorities or denied the last rites in time of their execution.
A noted theologian, Prof. Littell stated:
Conclusions:Lots of doom against people that are not Jesus followers. It is quite remarkable the amount of destruction Jesus has and is causing. Strange because isn't He the Salvation? I guess if you are not saved you get killed? Killing seems to the be way of the Christian. If they are not killing you literally, than they will kill your Spirit, your way of life, your belief system, and who you are. It is quite ingenious, and cruel. If you can't have the water, then poison the well.
Christianity does not bear a historical responsibility for the Holocaust, but because of the anti-Semitism it fostered, Christianity bears a moral responsibility for the supporting roles or inaction of the Christian population during the Shoah, and for the general indifference and silence of the Christian Churches.
We know that Jesus is very powerful, no doubt about it. We have Indigenous people all over the world bowing down to his Teachings. I can see the allure to his preachings. It is about the good things, that all of us hope to capture. We even start to use his voice, his language. Hallelujah. Me I don't know but I do like the song by Leonard Cohen (others like the song in the Shrek movie).
Well Jesus is definitely succeeding in his quest to kill all things Indigenous. You have Indian people condemning the non-Christian in their own community. You have Christians running over Sweat Lodges with their trucks. You have Reserves banning the practice of a Sweat Lodge. Our own Reserve has used Jesus to condemn people. A Chief, Ken C., now an Elder, was a very proud Traditionalist. At this election as Chief of our Reserve, some of the Jesus followers started throwing Holy Water on him as he walked into a meeting. Man, that is funny.Many of those Traditionalists that are being attacked will have Sweats Ceremonies honouring Jesus. I know several Elders that will hold a Sweat just for Jesus. The Catholic Priest of Sagkeeng even went Sundance with Deceased Ron Swampy in the Reserve. The Priest and The Sundance Holder were friends. If they can have respect for each other, how come others don't? Are they afraid of someone else's beliefs?
In our Reserve someone even took a shit at the base of the Sundance Tree. Can you imagine that! Oh Well (maano - let it be) all in the name of Jesus.
With this act it demonstrates as Indians, we are shitting on ourselves. This is a direct consequence of Christianity.
http://tulan.net/content/christian-crees-tear-down-sweat-lodge
http://aptn.ca/pages/news/2011/01/17/crees-ban-sweat-lodges-fns-spirituality-from-community/
http://www.rezdude.ca/sweatlodge/aboutsweatlodge.html
Kia ora Steve,
ReplyDeleteWell written. Christianity has always been the cornerstone (excuse) of colonialism. Kia kaha.
Robb
Reminds me of the well known and so true refrain spoken by native peeps everywhere: "When the missionaries came they had the Bible and we had the land. They said "Let us pray." We closed our eyes. When we opened them, we had the Bible and they had the land." And yet our own spiritual practices contain wisdom and beauty beyond compare IMO. Such is the result of disparaging of the native and his/her ways, too many of our own have thought the practices, values, religions of the invaders superior. Sad, sad, sad. Keep calling them to wake up, 'tis great to read.
ReplyDelete”Each man is good in His sight. It is not necessary for eagles to be crows”Tatanka Iyotake. ________________________________________
ReplyDeleteI’m not astonished that so many of us « indigenous » fall in love with Jesus. Well, he represents the sacrifice for his people, loyalty and love stronger than death. From what we hear about Jesus, he’d rather have fry bread in our rez than caviar in the White House… The problem is that if someone trusts Jesus, he or she can’t trust those who misrepresent him and who act against his teachings (preaching to “the barbarian sinners” at the same time….).BTW, Jesus himself condemned self-righteousness…” Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence”. (Matthew 23:25-28 NKJV).
When I was a kid I asked a priest why people should confess their sins to him, since the Creator sees everything we had done and only he knows if our regrets are sincere… Well, today I still think we’re all created equal and we do not need to “pass through” any “god’s reps”in our unique relationship with Creator. I do not like those who try to turn beliefs into business powerhouse (“Christian” or Muslim) and fellow human beings into terrified slaves. Now here’s to those who” preach” in the rez: Dear Good Christians –Samaritans! I’m a red repo barbarian who has recently discovered that the eight commandment is “You must not steal». So – when you and your people are leaving?
Great article, Steve.... I just wanted to add that 'Jesus' is not the evil doer. He was not a 'Christian' and did not invent Christianity. His name and message were perverted and appropriated by the then Holy Roman Church. They and all following denominations have been the murderous criminals by spreading their dogma. The Native American Church, which is very active in my State of Oklahoma, USA, and I'm sure other places in the US and Canada, is nothing but a mutant religion trying to appease both sides, and they have become complicit in spreading the very same dogma which has been killing all of our First Nations, Indigenous, and Aboriginal Peoples everywhere. What a self-righeous farce! There was nothing wrong and everything right with our original belief system, which connected us to our Creator, Source, and we realized that we were and still are connected to everything around us.
ReplyDeleteThanks. I actually like Jesus.
ReplyDeleteOn another note...I visited my Teacher yesterday and she reminded me, "remember that person over there is also a Child of The Creator". She says she sometimes tries and guilt people into doing the right thing or thinking good others (with a wink). It's hard to sometimes to treat people well when they are being arsewholes. :D.
What is death to God, nothing. If Indians die at the hands of others then they die. If you focus your attention to the things and happenings of this world for answers of course you will question if there is a God, for this is but one objective by the deceiver. But if you focus on natural ways and laws, not humanities ways, then seek answers from your heart with great humility and without our own preconceived notions about the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. then perhaps you may truly find the Love and Peace you've been mislead from by those who speak from their own pains.
ReplyDelete