Question:
Hi Everyone
Like most American Indian tribes the Cherokee held strong beliefs in the Creator and that not everything that existed could be seen, touched or heard. From seeing and communicating with ghosts and spirits, the using of personal energy, mental tele- pathy, to ultimately dream walking and healing, the Cherokees believed such talents to be gifts from the Creator. It was second nature and a part of their daily life. As long as a person's talent was used for the good of the People it was very welcome and no one was afraid of it.
White man called this a "sixth sense" or "supernatural" event.
The gifts weren't kept hidden or considered anything to be ashamed of. And the Cherokees didn't try to explain a person's talent, rather they accepted it. In fact, the gifts/talents were embraced and welcomed. Those who often displayed such talent were usually shepherded into the realm of spiritual medicine and guided by holy men and women.
Such was the natural order of things, until European invaders came to North America.
Many of the first settlers didn't come to exploit the New World. Rather, they came to escape the religious persecution that was rampant in Europe. Ironically, they soon began to persecute the native population simply because the natives were different from the Europeans. The talents that couldn't be explained soon became labeled as witchcraft. The "enlightened" Europeans then made it their mission to try and convert the "heathens" from their perceived evil ways. It is well documented that the Europeans made little or no effort to see the similarities between their cultures or religions. I have seen it time and time again, when people aren't truly comfortable with their own religion it is much easier to condemn someone else's. And so it went.
As other Europeans arrived they saw the use of religious persecution as one way to cheat the Indian out of land and food. At this point, the Indian began to be truly ex- ploited. We all know what happened after that.
Two hundred years later, Americans are enthralled with the unexplainable; ghost stories, haunting, telepathy and much more. People want to experience the sweat lodge in hopes of having a vision or to speak to an ancestor. The holy men and women are sought for special healing for the body and soul. The adage has become, "just because I can't see it, smell it or touch it, doesn't mean it doesn't exist".
So, is it witchcraft or gifts from the Creator? Who has the right to say? Who has the right to condemn? And in whose name?
And what of the continued religious persecution today? The Catholic and Baptists churches (and many others) continue to spread "enlightenment" to Indians of South America. This is done in much the same fashion as it was in North America two hun- dred years ago via their teachings that often include (for those not easily converted) beatings, withholding of food and destruction of personal property.
Historians have recently begun documenting the loss of culture and religion in Peru, Brazil and other South American jungle areas. Though Historians have noted simi- larities between their religion and Christianity, this apparently isn't good enough for the Churches as they try to make indigenous people into their own image.
May the Creator preserve them from the "enlightened".
Love & Light
Tate:)
Hello Tate, very strong words
Is it witchcraft?.......no i dont think so.........it being at one with the Creator praying in a diffrent ways
Who has the right to say? No one
Who has the right to condemn?...........No one.
And in who name? One should not condemn in anyones name.
People are now gathering again and begining to draw back to the old ways as they no are Mother Earth has had enough and has been abused for to long. Each direction is calling the people home to the lands they need to be.
Love and blessings
lightwinds xx
Wendy
ahhhh,,,religions and the church of rome.......somebody pass me a gun[>:]
pesonally i think the mistake was made when the spanish landed and the indians allowed them to live......but hey what do i know....i think if they had known what was gonna happen they would have cut em to pieces instead of healing them of the scurvy they had [true].....but its not ther're way to be hostile.....they only got like that AFTER they started getting slaughtered wholesale....can you blame em !!
Like most American Indian tribes the Cherokee held strong beliefs in the Creator and that not everything that existed could be seen, touched or heard. From seeing and communicating with ghosts and spirits, the using of personal energy, mental tele- pathy, to ultimately dream walking and healing, the Cherokees believed such talents to be gifts from the Creator. It was second nature and a part of their daily life. As long as a person's talent was used for the good of the People it was very welcome and no one was afraid of it.
White man called this a "sixth sense" or "supernatural" event.
The gifts weren't kept hidden or considered anything to be ashamed of. And the Cherokees didn't try to explain a person's talent, rather they accepted it. In fact, the gifts/talents were embraced and welcomed. Those who often displayed such talent were usually shepherded into the realm of spiritual medicine and guided by holy men and women.
Such was the natural order of things, until European invaders came to North America.
Many of the first settlers didn't come to exploit the New World. Rather, they came to escape the religious persecution that was rampant in Europe. Ironically, they soon began to persecute the native population simply because the natives were different from the Europeans. The talents that couldn't be explained soon became labeled as witchcraft. The "enlightened" Europeans then made it their mission to try and convert the "heathens" from their perceived evil ways. It is well documented that the Europeans made little or no effort to see the similarities between their cultures or religions. I have seen it time and time again, when people aren't truly comfortable with their own religion it is much easier to condemn someone else's. And so it went.
As other Europeans arrived they saw the use of religious persecution as one way to cheat the Indian out of land and food. At this point, the Indian began to be truly ex- ploited. We all know what happened after that.
Two hundred years later, Americans are enthralled with the unexplainable; ghost stories, haunting, telepathy and much more. People want to experience the sweat lodge in hopes of having a vision or to speak to an ancestor. The holy men and women are sought for special healing for the body and soul. The adage has become, "just because I can't see it, smell it or touch it, doesn't mean it doesn't exist".
So, is it witchcraft or gifts from the Creator? Who has the right to say? Who has the right to condemn? And in whose name?
And what of the continued religious persecution today? The Catholic and Baptists churches (and many others) continue to spread "enlightenment" to Indians of South America. This is done in much the same fashion as it was in North America two hun- dred years ago via their teachings that often include (for those not easily converted) beatings, withholding of food and destruction of personal property.
Historians have recently begun documenting the loss of culture and religion in Peru, Brazil and other South American jungle areas. Though Historians have noted simi- larities between their religion and Christianity, this apparently isn't good enough for the Churches as they try to make indigenous people into their own image.
May the Creator preserve them from the "enlightened".
Love & Light
Tate:)
Answers:
Hello Tate, very strong words
Is it witchcraft?.......no i dont think so.........it being at one with the Creator praying in a diffrent ways
Who has the right to say? No one
Who has the right to condemn?...........No one.
And in who name? One should not condemn in anyones name.
People are now gathering again and begining to draw back to the old ways as they no are Mother Earth has had enough and has been abused for to long. Each direction is calling the people home to the lands they need to be.
Love and blessings
lightwinds xx
Wendy
Answers:
ahhhh,,,religions and the church of rome.......somebody pass me a gun[>:]
pesonally i think the mistake was made when the spanish landed and the indians allowed them to live......but hey what do i know....i think if they had known what was gonna happen they would have cut em to pieces instead of healing them of the scurvy they had [true].....but its not ther're way to be hostile.....they only got like that AFTER they started getting slaughtered wholesale....can you blame em !!
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