Is there any group of indigenous people who had an improvement in their quality of life after?

Question

being introduced to the bible?

Who are they and where are they from

Answer 1

Very excellent question. I am in AP world history in high school and I honestly cannot think of a society that truly, in the long run, did "improve" (but thats a loaded term). However, some background might help answer your question. First of all, when you say bible, you could mean Christianity in general or the actual literature. An easy and efficient way to reproduce literature didn't come about until the middle of the 1400's with the introduction of the Gutenberg Printing Press (1454), and for that reason prior to this date literacy and literature didn't spread quickly around Europe and the areas it was in contact with.

This question really is a matter of opinion. Some Christians would tell you that of course they had an improvement in their life! This is because they might think that there is nothing worse than a life without god. My opinion differs from this one. More importantly than the actual 'bible' being introduced was the stuff that came with it. When westerners came to 'pacify' or simply interact with indigenous peoples who hadn't seen Europeans before, momentous things occurred. Europeans typically transfered major disease, the greatest of which is smallpox (but malaria and yellow fever also were introduced), to the non-immune natives. Scholars disagree about the extent of death due to these disease, but generally it can be said that the population of central Mexico fell from around 13-25 million to around 700,000 in the century following Hernan Cortes' coming to the New World. Most of these deaths were due to disease. And yes, this disease certainly came with the bible, as conversion were some of the main goals of these early European explorers.

Also with Europeans and the bible came the dependence of the indigenous peoples on European goods. When you look at how the Huron and Algonquin tribes and the Iroquois confederacy responded to trade with the French and English in todays New England and south-eastern Canada, we see that they became dependent of firearms, European hardware (tools, pots and pans), and even alcohol. When the Europeans weren't able to supply this lifeblood Amerindian society crumbled like a heroin addict going through withdrawals (hows that for an analogy).

The list of negative impacts of westernization could go on and on, but I don't have time to write much more. However, to be fair, i should note that in a remarkably short time after contact with westerners, European vegetables, wheat, olives, all kinds of things were being grown be natives that they didn't have before the Europeans came. This more stable food base could have made them more prosperous.

In short, it's all about interpretation. Countless indeginous people have been enslaved, killed by disease or war, brought to their knees under dependence, and otherwise lost quality of life directly due to Europeans who came with lots of bibles. Thats my interpretation- what is yours?

Answer 2

Well in this book I read a little bit of, it says the the people of the Fiji islands were eating themselves. They were cannibals. Plus, they were extremely violent. And anyone who dared to go into their terrtory was at risk. But after just a couple generations of missionaries going there and teaching the Bible, they stopped their canniablism, had no incidence of violence, and actually had the most wonderful manners.

I thought this was interesting, because I was taught missionaries went in as a sort of reckless selfishness which was meant to harm. This made me realize they actually meant to help the people. They really thought they were doing some good, which is why they went to these areas nobody would ever want to go and tried to help the people there. They meant well.

Answer 3

I cannot think of even one. It is far more often that indigenous people's lives are ruined, their way of life destroyed, and a white life style imposed on them for a short time, then it is off to make more converts somewhere else...very destructive, very arrogant of those who think that Christianity is the only way of life. Is it any wonder that Christians are so resented around the world???

Answer 4

I would have to say no. This is why christian missionaries bribe them with aid in the form of food and medicine. Without aid, their is no good reason for the indigenous people to convert. I find it sad that these missionaries cannot help people without destroying their cultural and religious beliefs. In my mind it is a form of mental enslavement. Either believe as I believe and eat or hold to your religious beliefs and starve! What kind of choice is that. I have trouble believing, that when something is forced on you, good will come of it.

Answer 5

Notice that indoctrination into the Bible for indigenous people's went alongside their being conquered by those who indoctrinate them... it's a method of control to destroy any native cultures and religions and make people feel disposessed, lost and hopeless and thus easily controlled.

Answer 6

The neighbors of the Aztecs who were tired of being human sacrifices helped Cortes conquer Mexico. Afterward they were no longer having their hearts cut out for the Aztec gods.

Answer 7

Because Canada's federal system works against them. Most of the social programs are offered at a federal level, yet its entirely up to the provincial governments to implement those policies.

Answer 8

Yes, but it had nothing to do with the bible per se. There is a myth of the noble savage, but almost all of them try to become Westernised given half a chance.