Ripping Off Native American Spirituality

Treatment Abuse, Behavior Modification, Thought Reform > Brat Camp

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Antigen:

--- Quote ---On 2005-08-05 12:02:00, Deborah wrote:

There is no history to Native American spirituality. No one really knows when it started, and no one really knows who started it. I believe that the possibility it evolved naturally is very unlikely. Because the religion was wide spread through out the country, so it is very likely that one person, or a group of people spread it throughout the country. The religion cannot be classified as a cult persay because it does not meet a few of the requirements about controlling its members, but it can be considered a false religion.

--- End quote ---

I think it was most likely a group, probably the Aztecs. But one aspect of NA religion that I think they nailed dead to nuts is that religion and dogma are really not all that important in the greater scheme of things. For example, they all have different words meaning "the people" or "the real people". And anyone other than their own tribes or nations fell outside of that. We weren't real, authentic "people". And yet it took 200 years for one tribe in what's now Western WV to come upon an opportunity to redeam themselves, ditch the designation of "women" and regain the right to bear arms after running from battle when the Western tribes invaded. It happens that the British provided the first such opportunity in 20 generations.

Whatever they believed and wherever they got it, they certainly had a leg up on Europeans and Christiandome when it came to avoiding murder and conflict! Was the mythology wrong? Of course it was! But the people who kept it alive never seemed to let their dogma run out in front of their karma. They rarely or never let their sense of morals get in the way of doing what's right. If and when they couldn't agree, they had a "tear the blanket" exit plan, very similar to that of the Quakers.

Ya' gotta love that! But you can't absorb it from some quick weekend seminar or newage part time religion. It's a way of life. If you want to understand it, you have to pass on all the perks and benefits of all of the other available lifestyles and do it. I pass. I'm content to just take their word for it, wish them well and hope against hope that, if the empire falls in our lifetime, we can manage to convince them that we're cool w/ all that and only want to make ourselves useful and welcome. And, by "we", I mean my immediate family, the only people in this world who I have any real influence with.

Come to the woods, for here is rest. There is no repose like that of the green deep woods. Here grow the wallflower and the violet. The squirrel will come and sit upon your knee, the logcock will wake you in the morning. Sleep in forgetfulness of all ill. Of all the upness accessible to mortals, there is no upness comparable to the mountains.
-- John Muir

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Nihilanthic:
Id join that tribe! I even have a indian name worked out: "Running mouth" :grin:
The mind is not a vessel to be filled but a fire to be kindled.
-- Plutarch

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SyN:

--- Quote ---On 2005-08-07 11:15:00, Nihilanthic wrote:

"Id join that tribe! I even have a indian name worked out: "Running mouth" :grin:
The mind is not a vessel to be filled but a fire to be kindled.
-- Plutarch

--- End quote ---
"

--- End quote ---

:lol:

Deborah:
NA spirituality, generally speaking, which is hard to do because they did have differing beliefs; WAS a way of life. A very practical and common sense way of living. They didn?t worship on Sunday and ?sin? all week. They honored their father and mother, and children and elderly and every other living thing. Their father and mother, literally and symbolically- sun and earth. They recognized that their very life and sustenance was dependent on both and held them in the highest regard, seven days a week. I know there were/are whites capable of this. But right wing Christian fundies tend to disrespect their Mother, literally and symbolically and feel that Earth must be destroyed in order to fulfill the prophecy and herald in the rapture.
http://www.alternet.org/story/15814

There?s an obvious conflict within their dogma between Honor They Father and Mother, and Manifest Destiny, and converting heathens- taking their lives and resources. Capitalising on every possible thing right down to owning the genetic rights to pigs. And claiming that ?god? sanctions this behavior.

There was/is also great reverence for all living things. They took no more from the environment than they needed. They were not driven to hoard due to fear and greed. They also didn?t waste, using for instance, every part of an animal or plant who gifted its life to ?the people?. Many did not engage in what might be considered ?the hunt?. They went to the woods and prayed (demonstrated respect and patience) until the deer/turkey that was ready to offer itself appeared. There was a moment of appreciation for all beings and the cycle of life and death, before the animals life present life ended.

They did live close to the land. There was reverence for all things. They were keenly aware of their environment, seasons, signs. Every rock every twig had a life of its own and a story to tell. No holy text. Oral tradition. They didn?t have an alphabet or too many complicated and convoluted words because they weren?t necessary. Humans were not the masters of the universe, but equals. If you ever hang with a traditional NA, you?ll notice that there isn?t a lot of unnecessary, nervous chit chat, debating, theorizing. When the entire nation is ?governed? so to speak but decent, pro-life policies, there?s very little need for a lot of words, debate, and negotiations. Much like many indigenous cultures around the world

Many were light years ahead of the Europeans in terms of respecting women. One of the nations I?m descended from is view by some as matriarchal, but I believe it was egalitarian. Women were held in high esteem. They decided if and when the nation would go to war. It was their husbands, brothers, and sons who would die. They also decided when it was time to send their husband packing. If a man came home and his ?things? were in a pile outside the tee pee, he picked them up and moved on. They were cousins of the Iroquois who the Europeans adopted democracy from. Gays/A-sexuals were not persecuted or dx as mentally defective; they were respected members of society and were often the caretakers of the children. They weren?t forced by dogma and prejudice into isolation and rebellious perversions. Social policies considered not only the needs of the current generations but seven generations into the future, which you've probably heard.

That?s but a small taste of one nation?s ?spiritual? values. And it?s not necessary to give up all the creature comforts of a modern lifestyle in order to live more awarely and sensibly, hence the sustainability movement. What?s not sustainable is that America has 1/5 of the world?s population and consumes 33% (or was it 35%) of Earth?s resources. Not to mention 1-2% of Americans own 80 or so percent of the ?wealth?. Think about that. Does anyone ever ask themselves why? Might that possibly be why ?we the people? find our fathers, brothers and sons constantly at 'war'? Does this even closely resemble the golden rule? Which I consider the warp (common thread) in the tapestry of all religions.
But, I digress.

It?s quiet possible and very likely that someone will jump in and cite many instances that are contrary to what I have said. I will reiterate, you can not lump all NA nations together. While they may have shared many similarities, there were differences, sometimes significant. To view them all as one would amount to saying that all states have the same laws and traditions. Might enjoy spending some time at the AIM site http://www.aimovement.org/moipr/index.html or just google a particular nation for detailed info, and careful of your sources. If you want authentic info, best to take it from a native.

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