Native American Christianity
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Regarding the Issue of Native Americans having a natural bias toward Christianity:
1. I think, as Didymous mentioned, the real point of philosophical contact is through physical contact... you have to SHOW them real Christianity, and SHOW them real Christian love.
2. I think after making a personal impact on them through personal contact, and showing them real christian love... you then STILL have to deal with some serious apologetic issues. You have to ANSWER their philosophical dilemmas.
3. I'm not an expert on Native Americans, but I think the general framework would be the same as when working with other people groups. (You first show them real love, then you answer the hard questions with real answers.)
A. Dealing with racism:
You need to move their focus from sins of racism, to sin in general... you need to help them see racism is only a "symptom" of a much deeper problem.
- You need to move them, emotionally, past the racism they've had to suffer, and help them to see racism isn't the real enemy, but racism is just a SYMPTOM of the real enemy. The real enemy is sin... something all people have in common.
- You might point to atrocities BETWEEN TRIBES, and use that to help identify that SIN is the real problem, and that racism (and tribalism) is just a manifestations of this deeper problem.
- Through pointing to sins occurring in tribal conflict, the point is NOT to minimize anything the U.S. govt has perpetrated, but rather, it is simply to shift the focus from SYMPTOMS (racism) to the UNDERLYING PROBLEM (sin).
(You want to say,
"Yes, the Europeans did all these bad things, truly, but wait, we've also done bad things to each other... WHY IS THAT? WHAT IS THE REAL PROBLEM? And why were some Europeans evil while other's were virtuous... WHY? What's really going on?"
- You need to push them beyond the simple paradigm of racism, so they have to look at the underlying problem.)
B. Dealing with Christianity:
You need to defend "Biblical" Christianity, and show that what some so-called Christians have done, is NOT Biblical Christianity, and has NOTHING TO DO with:
1) the Bible
2) God's commands and intentions
3) sincere, genuine Christians
- There are a number of approaches here, and a number of ways to go at this.
- You'd need to think through the different ways this can be approached, and then use the method that would best resonate in the culture.
4. I'm not an expert on Native American culture, but I think this general method is Biblical, and is effective in most cultures.
A. You show them real Christian love
B. Then you give REAL answers to their philosophical dilemmas... you have to give real answers to the hard questions.
Conclusion:
- This is what missionaries do.
- If you want to be a missionary to your own people, or if you want to be a missionary to another people, this is just what missionaries do.
- You show them genuine Christian love, then give a lot of very deep thought to how you best answer their philosophical dilemmas in a way they can understand.
- This inherently means you can't teach them anything until you first love them, and spend a lot of time listening to them.
1. I think, as Didymous mentioned, the real point of philosophical contact is through physical contact... you have to SHOW them real Christianity, and SHOW them real Christian love.
2. I think after making a personal impact on them through personal contact, and showing them real christian love... you then STILL have to deal with some serious apologetic issues. You have to ANSWER their philosophical dilemmas.
3. I'm not an expert on Native Americans, but I think the general framework would be the same as when working with other people groups. (You first show them real love, then you answer the hard questions with real answers.)
A. Dealing with racism:
You need to move their focus from sins of racism, to sin in general... you need to help them see racism is only a "symptom" of a much deeper problem.
- You need to move them, emotionally, past the racism they've had to suffer, and help them to see racism isn't the real enemy, but racism is just a SYMPTOM of the real enemy. The real enemy is sin... something all people have in common.
- You might point to atrocities BETWEEN TRIBES, and use that to help identify that SIN is the real problem, and that racism (and tribalism) is just a manifestations of this deeper problem.
- Through pointing to sins occurring in tribal conflict, the point is NOT to minimize anything the U.S. govt has perpetrated, but rather, it is simply to shift the focus from SYMPTOMS (racism) to the UNDERLYING PROBLEM (sin).
(You want to say,
"Yes, the Europeans did all these bad things, truly, but wait, we've also done bad things to each other... WHY IS THAT? WHAT IS THE REAL PROBLEM? And why were some Europeans evil while other's were virtuous... WHY? What's really going on?"
- You need to push them beyond the simple paradigm of racism, so they have to look at the underlying problem.)
B. Dealing with Christianity:
You need to defend "Biblical" Christianity, and show that what some so-called Christians have done, is NOT Biblical Christianity, and has NOTHING TO DO with:
1) the Bible
2) God's commands and intentions
3) sincere, genuine Christians
- There are a number of approaches here, and a number of ways to go at this.
- You'd need to think through the different ways this can be approached, and then use the method that would best resonate in the culture.
4. I'm not an expert on Native American culture, but I think this general method is Biblical, and is effective in most cultures.
A. You show them real Christian love
B. Then you give REAL answers to their philosophical dilemmas... you have to give real answers to the hard questions.
Conclusion:
- This is what missionaries do.
- If you want to be a missionary to your own people, or if you want to be a missionary to another people, this is just what missionaries do.
- You show them genuine Christian love, then give a lot of very deep thought to how you best answer their philosophical dilemmas in a way they can understand.
- This inherently means you can't teach them anything until you first love them, and spend a lot of time listening to them.
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D....,
I share great remorse for the Native american.
But, I take exception to your inference that the Christian basis concluded that the...white man...was in any form ....superior. I don't find that conclusion in studies of early american history.
Perhaps you can guide us to that which you used to reach your conclusion.
Have comfort in the fact that G-d loves all humans.
I share great remorse for the Native american.
But, I take exception to your inference that the Christian basis concluded that the...white man...was in any form ....superior. I don't find that conclusion in studies of early american history.
Perhaps you can guide us to that which you used to reach your conclusion.
Have comfort in the fact that G-d loves all humans.
All of that belongs to the Animistic belief system of Native Americans. It is essentially pagan, therefore not for believers. It involves communication with spirits, and these spirits are certainly not from God and the Holy Spirit.
Native Americans who are Christians should be the primary missionaries to their fellow Natives. And once people are saved and baptized, they must separate themselves from all of this. Just like Jews, Hindus, Muslims, and Buddhists would have to separate themselves from their old religions.
Native Americans who are Christians should be the primary missionaries to their fellow Natives. And once people are saved and baptized, they must separate themselves from all of this. Just like Jews, Hindus, Muslims, and Buddhists would have to separate themselves from their old religions.
M
Hey you think you got problems. I’ve had people ask me if I’m Asian, Chinese,
Egyptians, Spanish, Italian, Moroccan, South American!
Im mixed race, mum was British white, father unknown but he gave me a nice sun tan.
I decided long ago I was going to be me and I’m seriously not bothered any more by
other people’s expectations or attempts to put me in a nicely labelled box.
Im just me and if anyone has a problem with that, they get ignored or worse still
”that stare” lol
Hello Thomas. I am glad you asked that, because I have been curious about it I have participated in sweats and medicine circles, but that was before becoming Christian. The thing I am curious about the sweats you participate in is, are they traditional sweats where you give honor to your ancestors, or are the sweats you participate in Christian focused? Or is it a mix, with all beliefs welcome, giving you an opportunity to witness to others? Thank you for inviting our questions I have been wanting to ask, but did not want to pry
I have participated in sweats and medicine circles, but that was before becoming Christian. The thing I am curious about the sweats you participate in is, are they traditional sweats where you give honor to your ancestors, or are the sweats you participate in Christian focused? Or is it a mix, with all beliefs welcome, giving you an opportunity to witness to others? Thank you for inviting our questions I have been wanting to ask, but did not want to pry I remember attending sweats before I was saved, and remember White Christians coming to the sweats. In fact, my last testimony was about that
I appreciate your feedback. If I was in Africa, I'd be speaking of Africa. My whole point on ethnicity is not that I view it as important, but that to Natives, for the following reason, it is: Christian churches historically have told Natives that they needed to put all their cultural and traditional ways behind them-even language. While this may not be a widespread or blatent as it was initially, it is still a latent message being preached subconsciously by many churches reaching out to Natives.
I realize that most who responded here are more enlightened about this, and don't believe that way. Those who didn't, probably do.
I realize that most who responded here are more enlightened about this, and don't believe that way. Those who didn't, probably do.
I agree with you, sir. The reality, though, for Natives, was that White people came, forced their idea of Christianity on the indigenous population while telling them they had to lie down their heathen ways and become white, so yes, that's how it was presented, and that's how it continues to be perceived. The main issue is still, that Natives are still being told they have to stop being Native and start being White. While the initial damage was done primarily by Catholic missionaries, the missiology of today's churches is still, primarily, the same
Similar things happened in Africa!
That's why I felt it so important to use events in Africa for comparison...
The situation you allude to in North America is not unique...perhaps in specific details there were differences, but in principle not!
As for modern churches exhibiting paternalism that is most certainly still true!
However, it does need to be accepted that EVERY culture on earth needs to conform itself to Christ.
I come from an ethnic group (Anglo-Saxon) that certainly has indulged in the kind of cultural imperialism that you are so unhappy about.
However, I see my own ethnic group as in dire need of confirmation to the example of Christ rather than try to impose its culture on others...
That's why I felt it so important to use events in Africa for comparison...
The situation you allude to in North America is not unique...perhaps in specific details there were differences, but in principle not!
As for modern churches exhibiting paternalism that is most certainly still true!
However, it does need to be accepted that EVERY culture on earth needs to conform itself to Christ.
I come from an ethnic group (Anglo-Saxon) that certainly has indulged in the kind of cultural imperialism that you are so unhappy about.
However, I see my own ethnic group as in dire need of confirmation to the example of Christ rather than try to impose its culture on others...
We had exactly the same thing happen in Canada, with residential schools, children being beaten for using their native languages, by the Anglican and Catholic Churches. I think the last residential schools in Canada closed in the 1990's.
Yet, in seminary, I met some incredible native people, who were going back as missionaries to their own people. One man, saved out of skid row and alcoholism, had a church down where he used to sleep on the streets. People were coming to Christ. Another woman, absolutely brilliant, beautiful, with a real understand of culture, and where the native practices were pagan, as opposed to culture, was finishing her MDiv to go back and witness on her own reserve.
But others, are bitter, want government "reconciliation" money. Except, the bands get so much government money, and most of it goes to nepotism, while so many on the reserves do not even have clean drinking water. My son worked one summer auditing bands in Alberta, and the things they uncovered with regards to money usage for personal gain by the elders was shocking!
Truly, Christ is the only answer, regardless of where anyone has come from, their ethnicity, culture, and for all the hurts and damage we ALL experience growing up in a fallen world. God has not called me to missions with native peoples, although when I lived in northern BC, I had many native Christian friends. It was amazing to see God working in their lives. I knew one woman, who came from a tragic family background, backslid a lot. Then, she just seemed to move forward, and she was really living her life for God. But, she hated all the native practices and spiritualities. She said they were all from Satan. I don't know much about it, it could also be her background.
Anyway, I am glad you brought this up. I was brought up colour blind. My father used to build houses, and always picked the natives who were day labourers, and brought them back daily, if they wanted to work regularly. His mom was the same, always helping the natives, giving them a place to stay. We also had blacks and orientals in our house, because my dad was in sports. Sports was kind of the language my dad spoke, till he was saved 5 months before he died at 83. Then he talked about Jesus.
I guess my question would be to you, "What are you going to do about reaching your own people?" And "Is there anything we can do to help?"
Yet, in seminary, I met some incredible native people, who were going back as missionaries to their own people. One man, saved out of skid row and alcoholism, had a church down where he used to sleep on the streets. People were coming to Christ. Another woman, absolutely brilliant, beautiful, with a real understand of culture, and where the native practices were pagan, as opposed to culture, was finishing her MDiv to go back and witness on her own reserve.
But others, are bitter, want government "reconciliation" money. Except, the bands get so much government money, and most of it goes to nepotism, while so many on the reserves do not even have clean drinking water. My son worked one summer auditing bands in Alberta, and the things they uncovered with regards to money usage for personal gain by the elders was shocking!
Truly, Christ is the only answer, regardless of where anyone has come from, their ethnicity, culture, and for all the hurts and damage we ALL experience growing up in a fallen world. God has not called me to missions with native peoples, although when I lived in northern BC, I had many native Christian friends. It was amazing to see God working in their lives. I knew one woman, who came from a tragic family background, backslid a lot. Then, she just seemed to move forward, and she was really living her life for God. But, she hated all the native practices and spiritualities. She said they were all from Satan. I don't know much about it, it could also be her background.
Anyway, I am glad you brought this up. I was brought up colour blind. My father used to build houses, and always picked the natives who were day labourers, and brought them back daily, if they wanted to work regularly. His mom was the same, always helping the natives, giving them a place to stay. We also had blacks and orientals in our house, because my dad was in sports. Sports was kind of the language my dad spoke, till he was saved 5 months before he died at 83. Then he talked about Jesus.
I guess my question would be to you, "What are you going to do about reaching your own people?" And "Is there anything we can do to help?"
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There are many traditions of men as laws of men that coincide with the tradition as law of God. I am some what aware of the traditions of the Stockbridge Muncie tribes long time friends of mine that originated in the New York area that were given a partial of land from the Menomonee Indian nation .
One of their daughters was elected Chief of the tribe sort of like in the government of Judges.... before there were any kings in Israel, Isreal rejecting God not seen as King but rather like that of Debra a Judge to show God sees no difference between man and woman (His bride the church) . That seemed interesting .What a great representative blessing that brings glory to God not seen
And sweat in the Bible is a sign that someone is pouring out their heart and soul using their life in jeopardy of it purchased for another ,His bride the church .It can be seen in the garden when the father poured out the cup of His wrath meant for us on the Son and he sweat as if it was drop of blood.
The life of the flesh is in the blood that life is spiritual unseen literal blood without the spirits simply return to the rudiments of this world
One of their daughters was elected Chief of the tribe sort of like in the government of Judges.... before there were any kings in Israel, Isreal rejecting God not seen as King but rather like that of Debra a Judge to show God sees no difference between man and woman (His bride the church) . That seemed interesting .What a great representative blessing that brings glory to God not seen
And sweat in the Bible is a sign that someone is pouring out their heart and soul using their life in jeopardy of it purchased for another ,His bride the church .It can be seen in the garden when the father poured out the cup of His wrath meant for us on the Son and he sweat as if it was drop of blood.
The life of the flesh is in the blood that life is spiritual unseen literal blood without the spirits simply return to the rudiments of this world