What do you think this means to you today?

Question

A speech given by Red Jacket, or Sagoyewatha in 1805, in part.

"Brother, Continue to listen. You say that you are sent to instruct us how to worship the Great Spirit agreeable to his mind; and if we do not take hold of the religion which you White people teach, we shall be unhappy hereafter. You say that you are right and we are lost. How do we know this to be true? We understand that your religion is written in a book. If it was intended for us as well as you, why has not the Great Spirit given to us - and not only to us, but to our forefathers - the knowledge of that book, with the means of understanding it rightly?"

He mentions that these people were preaching to others ...
"If we find it does them good, makes them honest and less disposed to cheat Indians, we will consider again of what you have said."

We know what happened. What's different today?

Edit:
I think the two points that interest me were "why" the great spirit did not give the Natives, prior to the white man, the book and the ability to understand it, and secondly, why should someone follow a religion or form of worship, when it does not seem to benefit or improve those who say they follow it?

I'm not trying to say that Christianity is necessarily wrong, or that this quote in any way proves that. I am wondering though, if Whites could not prove it to Indians then, if they have not demonstrated the benefit of their religion over that of the Natives, do we have any more reason to believe today?

Answer 1

Of course nothing is different. Humans, like all animals, want to survive, thrive and procreate. That we do this to the detriment of other creatures and members of our own species is not unique. Most human groups, whether they are organized as religions, states or tribes, do it. The European Christians who settled this country did it to the Native Americans just as the Native Americans did it to their fellow tribes.
Humans are fairly unique in their use of language and reason though. So in between the bloodletting and rape of the planet we are forced to justify our actions, to give those actions a higher purpose other than our baser instinctual urges. So we enlist the same stories and explanations that give us hope in the darkness of night and against the seeming emptiness of eternal death that awaits us all: religion.
For Sagoyewatha observing from the perspective of a victim it was easy enough to see the hypocrisy of the European settlers, and he echoes a recurring theme in my own dialogues with Christians: what kind of god would only make salvation and truth available to those people lucky enough to be born in a particular religion? What kind of god condemns aboriginal Australians, Asians and Native Americans because of an accident of birth? What kind of god lets his followers lie and cheat in his name? The answer is that it is not a god that does it but average humans doing what average humans have always done.
Finally, religions do not thrive and succeed because they make sense or benefit their individual members. They thrive and succeed for the same reason that other “organisms” succeed: they create more members. Whether they do this at the point of a sword or by having members not practice birth control makes no difference. It probably rates as one of the truly ironic thoughts of our time: that evolutionary theory explains why certain religions thrive.

Answer 2

Nothing is different today. The actual problem is the people are not living up to the ideals of the religion OF Jesus in their daily lives but instead they follow a passive religion ABOUT Jesus saying they are saved, but this way is wholly purile and selfish. Even so, it is the mistake of the outsider looking in to judge and reject the religion OF Jesus merely by observing individuals and groups that do not actually live by it. And, I think this is true of any group - but it's most pronounced in religious groups.

What was done to the American Indian in the name of Christ was not approved of by all Jesus followers - again the mistake is to blame Christianity as a whole, but instead blaming those who were actually guilty of the crimes is what God does, and what people should endeavor to do as well.

Let's say if a child at school shoots up a bunch of students and teachers, do we think it fair to say the whole school is full of criminals? OK, so that's what we should also NOT do about a giant religious group either. It is most unfortunate that many of Jesus's followers became Bible followers, because it is not what Jesus did, neither did the apostles.

Answer 3

Red Jacket or Sagoyewatha have expressed a valid concern, it is clear God is apart of their society (the Great Spirit). What is not clear is the results of his consideration and the involvement of Christians in Indian policies. The main difference today is you will be required to make a choice by the Islamic fundies. Ex. Daniel Pearl

Answer 4

Nothing really and there is still miscommunication. Many Christians and social groups try to force change others for their own "good" even in this day and time. Unfortunately whose good is it for, the person/s who is made to change or the person/s who are making the change? Unless the change is to benefit both groups, it only causes a war of sorts whether it is weapons of words and actions, or an actual war.

Answer 5

heck at present is well friday the final friday of lent and I'm off at present and I am in a position to scrub my rental earlier than all my household suggests up for easter weekend. crude that suggests no partying this weekend.

Answer 6

What's different today is more people, better communications, and a fantasy that someone in 1805 had better answers than we have today.

Answer 7

I want to say it means people are steering away from the right path which they are to find and follow.

Answer 8

luke 16 go ye itto allthe world and preach the gospelto every creature.god is a just god they had the chance to be saved.god doesnt leavevanyone out.pastor carney

Answer 9

White people (like me) can be poopie heads