Posted by Annie on October 31, 2000 at 17:05:19:
In Reply to: Off & On The Topic posted by Rich/Mohican Press on October 29, 2000 at 07:27:33:
Hi Rich and others,
: Political Forum: Practically since Day One, we have been criticized here at the Web Site, for just about everything under the sun.
Unfortunately, the web is filled with idiotic raving lunatics who have no one to talk to, no one to listen to them. They take great pleasure in flaming a person, website etc. So they get their jollies by ranting, criticizing, etc.
Fortunately, many web surfers are not this way, many of them gather here and post on this board.
: So ... let's get controversial for a moment. I don't believe in the death penalty.
I do believe in an "eye for an eye". However I do not trust our current legal system to render such a verdict, not even if a loved one of mine was violently murdered.
:No one refused a sweat. He asked me why. I responded that it was part of his culture, his religion. To partake for fun, without fully understanding its spiritual meaning, would be to make a mockery of it. I think we bonded right there.
Very good point. I found an article on the web that talks about people who "want to be indian". The writer speaks a bit about what I think you mean here. By honoring their beliefs in a true way, you earned their respect. The writer of the article wrote:
"It is important to point out that Indian people are not saying, "Don't learn about Indian culture or religion." Rather the appeal is that White people learn more deeply and accurately about Indian cultures and in a context which does not foster their destruction. "
I would have to agree. She also wrote:
"Cultural sharing involves interaction with the whole of a person and community, reciprocal giving and receiving, sharing of struggle as well as joy, receiving what the community wants to give, not what we want to take. Cultural sharing begins in respect, with patience not to make assumptions but to risk stepping outside of our own frame of reference."
I really learned a lot from this writing. It opened my eyes I would have to say. I suggest that anyone interested in learning more about Native American/American Indian spirituality/culture visit this site. Don't be too put off at first. It is NOT an anti-white writing.
:Columbus, readily found on the Internet, basically claiming he was nothing more than a lost sailor, fed by greed, who discovered nothing and was directly responsible for the destruction of the Eden he accidently bumped into here in the New World.
I have heard this before. Not only this but that Columbus ordered the killing of many indians himself. It was mentioned a couple of times in a three video documentary called "The War Against the Indians", written and produced by Harry Rasky. What shall we believe? Who's rendition of history is the truth?
Annie<--crawling back underneath her rock.