Red JacketFirst off i must say this speech is incredibly moving and inspiring.
The christian missionary missed Jesus message entirely. SA-GO-YE-WAT-HA brought the message that" what pleases him [God/Great Spirit] is the offering of a sincere heart" and this sums up the Christianity that Jesus taught and that i know and cherish deeply. Jesus himself said, "blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God," (mathew 5:8) and "Love the Lord your God with all your heart" (Mathew 22:37). The Indian had a closer relationship with God in the sense that he understood that its all about your heart. God dosen't necisarly want to be worshiped in a certain way but he wants your worship to be sincere and from your heart.
Indian also showed compassion toward the missionary and the white people in gerneal, when he showed arogancy and greed in return. Jesus said, "love your neighbor as yourself" (Mark 12:33) and the Indians understood this concept much better than the missionary.
The indian also states, "if there is only one religion, why do you white people differ so much about it?" This statement is sadly encredibly true. Christianity has so many sects and church splits over rediculous things. No one is perfect, therefore no church is perfect. We all have some beliefs and teachings that are wrong. (I know big shocker, right.)
The missionary was so arogant to say, "there is only one way to serve God." Each and every person has their own realtionship with God, and each is unique and special to them. There are so many different sects of Christianity and there are tons of differents religions throughout the world. Each practice has its stregths and weaknesses, and each one has something to contribute. And we all have something to learn from oneanother.
This isn't to bash on missionaries, with out them some of our hospitals whould never have been founded, people in third world countires would not have the little support that they have now, and much more. But, sometimes they go about teaching in the wrong way and they turn people away instead of showing compassion and mercy.
Red Shirt (SA-GO-YE-WAT-HA) was an incredible speeker, but incidently he had some drinking problems. Also he fought long and hard to insure his people did not convert to Christianity, but three years after he died his family converted.
http://www.answers.com/topic/red-jacket
1 comment:
I absolutely see eye-to-eye with you on the topic of love in religious beliefs. I agree with you, in that the Native Americans had a love-based faith. I also believe that the love they had for their creator made them unafraid, and unaffected by the fear-based speech that the missionary gave.
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