I Burned A Church

Last week a tipi at a University of Brandon in Manitoba was set on fire.  It was upsetting for the people associated with putting up the Tipi. The University has a history of hosting the Indigenous community so they were upset as well. The symbolism is not lost, the burning down of Indigenous identity. I remember a little while ago, someone in a Reserve ran over a Sweat Lodge. A Sweat Lodge is a ceremonial place, a place of prayer.  Now this is significant. Seems like the place to attack is at a home of prayer.

Christ Church New Zealand, Kosovo, 16th Street Baptist Church Alabama, Charleston Church, Dar AL-Farooq Islamic Centre Minnesota,  Quebec Islamic Cultural Centre,  Hindu Samaj Temple Hamilton,   are a few examples of places of prayer which were attacked. Throughout history and as recent as last week, places of prayer are being attacked.  A 17 year old White teenager in St Louis broke into a Hindu Temple and vandalized it. The Hindu faithful said "when you go and touch what's sacred to us, that go people shaken up."

Attacking people at prayer is a despicable act.  Attacks are made on the places which are sacred. The Black Church is a target by the White Supremacists. The Mosque is a target for the White Supremacists and Islamic fanatics as well. Hindu Temples are targets for the White Supremacists.  Synagogues are actively being attacked by White Supremacists. Of course White Supremacists are not the only people attacking places considered sacred and home of prayer. People with hate will seek out anyone to hurt.

Lot of attention was given to the attack on the US sacred site, the Twin Towers in New York. The World Trade Center is a symbol of all that is sacred to the United States; Money. So it is not a complete surprise this place of worship was attacked.

The destruction of the sacred is a constant. Doesn't matter who is attacking, they know to hurt someone, you destroy their belief, their sacred.

I burnt a church. Not literally but in my mind and in my heart. The Church was a tool of attack to Indigenous people through-out the world. Colonial empires utilized the aid of the Church to try and kill the Indigenous folk. The tried and true method is to attack their sacred, their homes of prayer and worship. This method is still utilized today. So I will not take part in the Church. I physically let them be, but have no inclination to ever join them. I, however respect their being in our community. There are some good individuals in the Church and we can't paint them with the same ugly.

So I say to all the Indigenous folk out there, burn those Churches.  Not literally of course, but in your mind for a clean spirit.