Native American Christianity

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.

I am going to say something about myself, and no, it makes me no more knowledgeable about our family who asre American Indians, but my grandmother told me when I was very young that our family from her husband's side have American Indian blood. I probably have this part wrong because I cannot find any such tribe, but she said the tribe is Pit or Pitt Indian, and they were pea-pckers, meaning they were not warl-like. Anwya, I have always felt a pride in that. Now, My blood is so very mixed from European that I have always kind of liked the idea of having a bit of all bloods, but I do not think I do, tht is unless we go vack to NOah, then praie God, I do.

I am going to say something about myself, and no, it makes me no more knowledgeable about our family who asre American Indians, but my grandmother told me when I was very young that our family from her husband's side have American Indian blood. I probably have this part wrong because I cannot find any such tribe, but she said the tribe is Pit or Pitt Indian, and they were pea-pckers, meaning they were not warl-like. Anwya, I have always felt a pride in that. Now, My blood is so very mixed from European that I have always kind of liked the idea of having a bit of all bloods, but I do not think I do, tht is unless we go vack to NOah, then praie God, I do.

There's a Pitt River tribe in California. Maybe that's the onen

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.

I'll never understand people who focus on race.

Depends on the motive. If it is to stick with old pagan beliefs I wouldn't. Otherwise things are just things.

Hello Thomas. I am glad you asked that, because I have been curious about it I have participated in sweats and medicine circles, but that was before becoming Christian. The thing I am curious about the sweats you participate in is, are they traditional sweats where you give honor to your ancestors, or are the sweats you participate in Christian focused? Or is it a mix, with all beliefs welcome, giving you an opportunity to witness to others? Thank you for inviting our questions I have been wanting to ask, but did not want to pry

Well, maybe you should try harder.

I can see why you are angry. It makes me angry too, to think that so many men and women have been hindered in coming to God because of what men did to them who claimed to know God. I will pray for you that God shows you how to reach them.

I totally missed out on following this earlier. Thank you D...……..do you know any more abou the Pitt Indians???

I'm not angry, i'm sad.


I know a few, but I'm unaware of whatever you're asking about. I don't get much news.

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

Did you miss the Christian part?