i mean i am christian but i been wondering about somethings,do you beleive it was christians that came to aMerica the last 500 years and slaughterd the red race for the land in the name of God?? They called the red race heathens,,but didnt they know they all ready knew about God before they Got there?? just becuz they way they worshiped God differently in the past they were called pagans?? can someone explain?
2006-09-13 16:27:38 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
When two cultures intersect, it is natural for each to learn from the other. Many Native Americans were interested in Christianity and joined the faith. They also learned about our clothes. The Native Americans also taught the settlers how to farm and grow crops. Many settlers died in the first few months or years, but those that were helped by the Indians survived. This is part of what is celebrated on Thanksgiving.
Unfortunately, the white settlers did start to encroach on the Indian territory and break their promises. In fact, they broke contract with the Indians several hundred times. Most Indians had their land taken from them, with no compensation.
This is not a high point in Christian History. While many of the developments made in North America were and are great, the past lingers on. The Christian values that helped found a country of freedom and prosperity was not granted to the Indians (nor the slaves, later). But it is a value system that outlives the moral failures of its current believers. In other words, Christianity transcends and offers a moral critique yesterday, today, and tomorrow.
Religion does not figure so strongly in the Colonial experiment as industry and politics does. And when one exploits or does something wrong, it is natural to cover it with some false religious virtue. Think of Bush "saving Iraq" when everyone knows Iraq is the second largest producer of oil in the world.
2006-09-13 16:37:35 · answer #1 · answered by Easy B 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sweetness, people have been slaughtering other people in the name of religion for thousands of years. Because the Amerinds didn't appear to worship the Christian God this, in the eyes of the Europeans, gave them the perfect right to slaughter and divide the Tribes. It doesn't make it ethically right, but it is typical of the Historical Era. The Pope in the mid 16th century divided the globe into two halves, one for Spain and the other for Portugal, so that they could, in the name of Holy Mother Church, kill any non-Christian ruler of a land and replace him with a Christian one. It's not ethically right but it shows the mindset of the time. I'm a Pagan and I certainly don't want to be burned at the stake (or hung or flayed alive or squashed etc etc....) because my idea of God is different from someone else's. Unfortunately this is still going on in the world..look at Iraq. It's a perfect scenario. Blessings, my dear.
2006-09-13 16:35:59 · answer #2 · answered by Mama Otter 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
The white man came to the New World (America) and fought the Indians they thought they were savages simply because of the way they lived and because they had never encountered Indians before and were afraid of them, and men who had encountered them had called them savages simply because they tried to defend themselves and their land. I am not by any means defending this I am stating what happened, it was completely wrong what the white man did to the original Native Americans, the American Indians. Man through out history has lashed out angerly at things they do not understand. It is one of man kinds biggest flaws.
2006-09-13 16:45:33 · answer #3 · answered by creeklops 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I am of native American descent and I am also a christian....if I can move past this why cant you....God says to forgive and move forward....if not you cant be forgiven...we weren't alive then and we can keep talking about this forever but it will not change a thing...what matters now is to know God and live a life pleasing to him....
2006-09-13 16:45:39 · answer #4 · answered by shiningon 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They also killed thier OWN people, too.
Remember the Salem Witch Trials?
Freaky $hit, man!
I swear, some Christians are just twisted people sometimes.
No offence to you, sweetie, but I think you're right to say that sometimes they can be so ignorant & narrow-minded.
2006-09-13 16:34:36 · answer #5 · answered by Lauren C.: Led-head 4 (∞) 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
You can say the same for any major religion, though. Humans are fallible, so they often use their own religion to justify their actions, no matter how absurd.
2006-09-13 16:46:26 · answer #6 · answered by ethereality 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Their land was taken by the US government which, by general consensus is anything but Christian.
Nice try.
2006-09-13 16:32:22 · answer #7 · answered by NickofTyme 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
christians will dance around this question, but the truth is, this is just another example of people using religion to justify genocide for profit.
2006-09-13 16:34:09 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋