Native American Christianity

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Zmouth

Senior Member
Nov 21, 2012
3,391
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#81
Do you actually have anything specific to my points, or are you just here to represent those "different" values?
I am not a Christian so I think I might have a pretty good idea of the reasons a person might not accept Christianity, yet seeing that the United States was not established as a Christian Nation then I see no need to make excuses why people don't accept Christianity as if believing words written by man are any different that words spoken by man if the written word is the invention of man.
 

Didymous

Senior Member
Feb 22, 2018
5,047
2,101
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#82
I am not a Christian so I think I might have a pretty good idea of the reasons a person might not accept Christianity, yet seeing that the United States was not established as a Christian Nation then I see no need to make excuses why people don't accept Christianity as if believing words written by man are any different that words spoken by man if the written word is the invention of man.
So what tribe are you speaking for?
 

maxwel

Senior Member
Apr 18, 2013
9,526
2,608
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#83
I don't remember if I responded to your post before, but I saw some things I missed the first time. My point initially was that the first wave of missionaries did a poor job of your most excellent list, and that even some in the current wave are focusing on supposed sycretism-rayjer than what you said. And, as always, there's the issue of who is recruiting, if Christian churches aren't. There are six "churches" in my home town (four of which are arguably Christian). The only ones sharing some "gospel" are the Mormons and the JWs. Again, it ought not to be so!

Hey Didymous, I understood what you were getting at,
and I thought it was a very insightful post.

If many Native Americans are hurt, biased, and distrusting of Christians... well, that's just how it is.
We can't help anyone if we pretend the problems don't exist.

My post was just to sort of "mull over" how me might consider dealing with those issues in the present tense.
 

Didymous

Senior Member
Feb 22, 2018
5,047
2,101
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#84
I thank everyone who responded to my post. I learned something from each of you, and I appreciate that.
 

preston39

Senior Member
Dec 18, 2017
1,675
240
63
#85
I am not a Christian so I think I might have a pretty good idea of the reasons a person might not accept Christianity, yet seeing that the United States was not established as a Christian Nation then I see no need to make excuses why people don't accept Christianity as if believing words written by man are any different that words spoken by man if the written word is the invention of man.
Z...,

It absolutely was.

It is contained in our establishment documents and even captured in the dollar.

Why would you say something so opposed to fact? For what purpose?
 

soberxp

Senior Member
May 3, 2018
2,511
482
83
#86
Z...,

It absolutely was.

It is contained in our establishment documents and even captured in the dollar.

Why would you say something so opposed to fact? For what purpose?
but I understand what his mean,LOL,you just can not get it.and i would not tell you why.
 

OneFaith

Senior Member
Sep 5, 2016
2,270
369
83
#87
There are a number of significant reasons Native Americans are so strongly against becoming Christians, as the following will show.

First, the whole "Manifest Destiny" thing. The idea that white people were divinely ordained to settle the whole continent of North America-which necessarily meant removing and/or destroying the Native people already here. The premise that white people were inherently superior, and the conviction that God had ordained them to conquer the North American territories from sea to shining sea led to forced removal and/or violent extermination of the Aboriginal people who were viewed as blocking the furtherance of racial and technological progress.

What this meant for us was that the government would force us off our homelands onto reservations, where men professing to be Christians would steal most of the food allocated to us and sell it for their own gain. And then the government forced two generations of children to boarding schools. At these schools, men(and women)professing to be Christians beat, tortured, and raped these children. Punishment was for crimes such as speaking in the only language they'd ever spoken, and other "serious" offenses. My mother told me many stories of her experiences at Chemawa Indian School in Oregon.
When those children returned to their families, they no longer had anything in common with them. Many were sent to trade schools and forced to live and work in cities, so if they ever returned to their people's there was a vast gulf between who they were, and who they should've been.

Then there was the whole eugenics thing, where Indian Health Services clinics and hospitals were routinely sterilizing Native women-perhaps as many as 50% of all Native women, until the giovernment finally put a stop to that in the 1970s.

I am a Native man. Someone pointed out that I wasn't a full blood(which is true), but blood quantum wasn't an issue for us before colonization. Blood quantum is 100% a non Native creation, and nothing we went by prior to the coming of a white man.

Another person pointed out that I was racist, and implied that I thought "whity was bad.". I never thought that, and can't even understand why someone would think I would. Doing so would entail hating half of myself, and that would not only make me stupid, but crazy as well.

The reason I made this post was to let my Christian Brothers and sisters know the challenges I had to overcome, and the challenges other Natives are facing, before becoming Christian. These things are of vital importance to me, because I need to figure out how to respond to these obstacles. I was fortunate to meet a few Christians who weren't afraid to come witness to me where I was. There are a lot more JWs and Mormons out there doing the very same thing, and i've met so many Natives professing to be Mormons and JWs. It ought not to be so. The last time I saw Christians reaching out to this Native community was at Easter, and they came here from Russia to witness to the people in my youngest daughter's community. Some people think I'm angry, and I am, but not for the reason you might think. I'm angry with myself, because I don't know how to tell my own people that we've believed a lie all this time. Real Christians don't do all the things we've been believing they did. I know this because of a few brave souls who witnessed to me. I felt God's love through them, and even though I didn't get saved until years later, I never forgot those people who showed me Jesus Christ, and His love.

So, my brothers and sisters, I don't hate you, I love you. Like Paul, I have an overwhelming love for my people, who are being left to the JWs, and the mormons. I hope some of you will benefit from knowing how hard it is for Native people to even consider Christianity. The gospel of Christ is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believes, and we know that the preaching of the cross is the power of God.

I know that God is in control, but I also know that He said that the harvest is plenteous, but the laborers are few

Throughout the old testament, time and again, it shows that God's people overtook lands. The people coming to take over America were seeking to worship God, while the people already here were worshiping creation instead of the Creator, or even their dead ancestors. God allowed them to take over, just as He had done many times. As for the people who took over, there were some among the group who did evil things, that is true of any large group- which is why God judges us individually.

Physically speaking, I am of both groups. But I am not Indian, english, Irish, or whatever, I am Christian. I do not consider physical heritage or the histories of them. I consider only the heavenly race. We are only connected to worldly people for a short hundred years, but we are connected to God's people for eternity. Whoever is doing right and good- they are my people, no matter their skin color or national history.

 

Didymous

Senior Member
Feb 22, 2018
5,047
2,101
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#88

Throughout the old testament, time and again, it shows that God's people overtook lands. The people coming to take over America were seeking to worship God, while the people already here were worshiping creation instead of the Creator, or even their dead ancestors. God allowed them to take over, just as He had done many times. As for the people who took over, there were some among the group who did evil things, that is true of any large group- which is why God judges us individually.

Physically speaking, I am of both groups. But I am not Indian, english, Irish, or whatever, I am Christian. I do not consider physical heritage or the histories of them. I consider only the heavenly race. We are only connected to worldly people for a short hundred years, but we are connected to God's people for eternity. Whoever is doing right and good- they are my people, no matter their skin color or national history.

Good for you. Like Paul, I choose to care for the lost as much as the saved.
 
J

jaybird88

Guest
#89
real Christianity was a minority long before Europeans came to the states. corrupt leaders have been using the church to oppress people for a long time.
most nations in north america believed in one single creator, very different than the aztecs and Inca who had many gods, dark beliefs and closely resembled the canaanite worship system.
 

Zmouth

Senior Member
Nov 21, 2012
3,391
134
63
#90
Z...,

It absolutely was.

It is contained in our establishment documents and even captured in the dollar.

Why would you say something so opposed to fact? For what purpose?
Read the Treaty of Tripoli....

Then read Article VI of the United States Constitution.....

The first use of "In God we Trust" didn't appear on any U.S. currency until 1864 and wasn't added to paper currency until 1956.

We hold these truths to be self evident.

If you believe all men are created equal then why don't you hear that all males and females are created equal?

If you believe all men are created equal then why do you believe anyone could was born without a male and female being fruitful?
 

JaumeJ

Senior Member
Jul 2, 2011
21,429
6,707
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#93
Perhaps next yo might elaborate on how the Chinese have been treated in our history.......
 

JaumeJ

Senior Member
Jul 2, 2011
21,429
6,707
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#95
Quite pithy, but, the Chinese were almost slaves in constructing the transcontinental railway, the wester link anyway. I was just mentiong it because you seemed to be interested inthe fair treatment of people. Sorry I asked.

If I move to China, I'll be glad to do so, sir.
 

Didymous

Senior Member
Feb 22, 2018
5,047
2,101
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#96
Quite pithy, but, the Chinese were almost slaves in constructing the transcontinental railway, the wester link anyway. I was just mentiong it because you seemed to be interested inthe fair treatment of people. Sorry I asked.
No worries sir. I focused on the people I knew, as did Paul.
 

Didymous

Senior Member
Feb 22, 2018
5,047
2,101
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#97
As far as treatment of the Chinese, they were accepted by us, as were all people-at least initially. If you saw some of my cousins you'd see this. They were also exploited by miners to make channels through vertical cliff faces-much like they did for the railroads. When they ran away, as many did, we took them in.
 

Nehemiah6

Senior Member
Jul 18, 2017
26,074
13,777
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#98
Quite pithy, but, the Chinese were almost slaves in constructing the transcontinental railway, the wester link anyway. I was just mentiong it because you seemed to be interested inthe fair treatment of people. Sorry I asked.
It does not matter which ethnic group you consider. Every ethnic group has tried to enslave others. The Chinese did their fair share of enslavement (as did the Japanese), and had Native Americans had the same technology as Europeans, chances are that the shoe would have been on the other foot. Even their horses originated in Spain.

The Natives were accomplished warriors but (a) they did not band together as one people, but fought amongst each other and (b) they lacked the guns, artillery, and ammunition of the Whites. And by the time they had access to guns, it was too late.

Didymous can correct me if I am wrong.
 

Didymous

Senior Member
Feb 22, 2018
5,047
2,101
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#99
No, you are correct, sir. All people are evil without Christ.
 

JaumeJ

Senior Member
Jul 2, 2011
21,429
6,707
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I am blessed to have had some exposure to a very little of US Indian culture. In grammar school, in Long Beach, California, believe it or not, Indians came to one of my elementary schools and demonstrated facets of their lifestyle before "we" got there.
Forgive me, i WAS VERY young, but I believe they wee Navajo. They demonstrated some of their dances, and I was particularly impressed by the rain dance which I "learned." I believe I recall a small bit of th chanting or singing also. Chanter is to sing in French. They were very kind to a little kid, I think I was six or seven. These particular Indians wore feathers in a circular shield-like shape on the outside of their legs at the knees. It is certain I did not get a true image of everything, but I have loved all American Indians since., for all tht is worth.

When I firt came to believe I was given a story about American INdians how they expected a Savior to come from beyond the "big water". Also, though I am not certain if it is connected, I blieve they knew some of the Word from th Sars. I know there is what is called the dragon that wraps practically all around the earth, how appropriate. Anyway it faces a seated woman..Cassiopeia. I believe the American Indians, some at least, saw this in their own way, but a dragon attacking a lady..

All I know is I will not judge anyone as condemned just because they understand differtly than I. I do confront any who claim to be in Christ and misrepresent Him though.

I do know this, God says, "So what if I justify the ungodly." I believe this is in reference to how some people see others, therefore I do not judge unto condemnation for in so doing I would be judging me the same..God bless you.