tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29769707.post8586231810923448087..comments2024-02-10T18:19:36.406-08:00Comments on Newspaper Rock: "Native religion" for Indians only?Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01478763837213733775noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29769707.post-46935241493928176472010-07-24T02:31:39.063-07:002010-07-24T02:31:39.063-07:00PL:
"If religion and spirituality are the sa...PL:<br /><br />"If religion and spirituality are the same, why is one tax free, has mega-churches..."<br /><br />There are many many Christians who don't go to these churches, or even any. The same is true in a similar way of adherents to other religions.<br /><br />The "material membership" thing you mention is not necessary for religion at all.<br /><br />"Like Christianity, Muslims pray for the death of the "unbelievers","<br /><br />Only an ignorant religious bigot would make such a statement as a blanket one. And you are one unless your statement includes "many" for both groups, and does not imply "all".<br /><br />In the mean time, I defy you to find one instance of Dr. King (perhaps the most famous Christian leader in American history) praying for anyone's death. And isn't the idea that Muslims are prating to kill all non-Muslims the worst sort of bigotry and ignorance also?<br /><br />"Answer that one DMArks!"<br /><br />You will have to reword that sentence.dmarkshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07269773990064736457noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29769707.post-55775237838668249822010-07-23T09:50:28.754-07:002010-07-23T09:50:28.754-07:00If religion and spirituality are the same, why is ...If religion and spirituality are the same, why is one tax free, has mega-churches, condones and harbors pedophiles and promotes killing in the name of God/Allah while the other reaches further into the human realm?<br /><br />DMarks, I don't think God will make you fill out paperwork or ask for money for you to get into Heaven, those are man-made requirements.<br /><br />Spirituality is an unseen force whereas religion is a man-made material membership that requires earthly investment for a guaranteed afterlife.<br /><br />How are those the same dmarks?<br /><br />Like Christianity, Muslims pray for the death of the "unbelievers", I thought the bible said, thou shalt not kill?<br /><br />But in invading America, Christians believe God was not here before them.<br /><br />Answer that one DMArks!Southern PLainsmannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29769707.post-27227239941353819542010-07-22T18:44:04.564-07:002010-07-22T18:44:04.564-07:00SP said: "Religion and spirituality are two d...SP said: "Religion and spirituality are two different things."<br /><br />Actually, it is all the same. I've yet to find a definition that divides the two that has any meaning or consistency.<br /><br />"Religions like Christianity, Islam, Catholicism etc., are no longer spiritual realms"<br /><br />An observation which reflects an ignorant and cursory glance at these faiths.dmarkshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07269773990064736457noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29769707.post-32270110055995350982010-07-22T16:08:35.202-07:002010-07-22T16:08:35.202-07:00I think much of the confusion as to why Natives ar...I think much of the confusion as to why Natives are/were so lenient in opening up to non-Natives with ceremony and culture is because unlike most of the practiced faiths and cultures around the globe, indigenous peoples never sought or thought to "copyright" or seek "trademark" rights to practices and songs.<br /><br />A good example would be 49 songs. Many tribes have 49 songs that are different and yet, used in the same manner(s).<br /><br />There are a few non-Natives out there that can sing and dance, but most live in and around Indian country.<br /><br />Personally, I have no problem with this. There is a proper way and protocol to getting and having PERMISSION to dance or sing if you have no blood relation to the people.<br /><br />And then, if you have a people such as the Hopi that absolutely do not allow cameras or sometimes non-Natives into the loop, you must respect that. Tribes vary in what is allowed and what is not.<br /><br />I would rather see a non-Indian participate and be respectful to the culture as a guest to a pow-wow than to see a film, cartoon, skit, imagery, video or sports mascot that allows the opposing team to say, "#@$%!" the Indians or Redskins as the mascot dances around like a fool after stating he is honoring Indians.<br /><br />If I had it my way, everyone from Jeep Cherokee, the Washington Redskins, the Atlanta Braves, Cleveland Indians and the US Army using the Apache helicopter would be paying fees to said tribe or nation for the use of such names.Southern Plainsmannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29769707.post-83037048820095623462010-07-22T11:08:42.171-07:002010-07-22T11:08:42.171-07:00This comment has been removed by the author.dmarkshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07269773990064736457noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29769707.post-71697352726730779492010-07-21T10:56:30.441-07:002010-07-21T10:56:30.441-07:00Why do some Natives "sell" their religio...Why do some Natives "sell" their religion, Anonymous? Because they aren't a monolithic group with a central authority to tell them what's allowed. But most Natives seem to think selling one's religion is wrong. They scorn Natives as well as non-Natives who violate their cultural norms.<br /><br />Didn't I address your point, Michael? I said Isley could adopt Native practices in the privacy of his home. The problem arises when he goes public on a popular website such as the Huffington Post. And asks why everyone can't participate in his phony version of the singular "Native religion."<br /><br />I don't object to every New Age wannabe who shares his love of Indians on the Net. I'm reacting primarily to Isley's using a high-profile site to spread his stereotypical views of Native religion. And only secondarily to his call to let non-Natives in. <br /><br />If he presented a Native religion accurately, I don't think admitting non-Natives would be a problem. Why not? Because the religion would seem too complex and uninviting to outsiders. Few people would want to learn a real Native religion because it wouldn't have that "cool" cachet.<br /><br />As for being compassionate, I think I was compassionate by not adding my comments to his article. As I often say, I don't have the time or energy to correct people one by one. I'm here to educate the public, not to inform stereotypers of their mistakes.Robhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01478763837213733775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29769707.post-19341056893764391912010-07-21T07:15:53.660-07:002010-07-21T07:15:53.660-07:00Just one question: if Natives object so strongly t...Just one question: if Natives object so strongly to white people interefering/wanting to be part of their religious ceremonies, then why are there Natives who travel the world, making sweatlodges for white people and even teaching them how to build them, and giving them such sacred rites as painting teepees? Some tribes even allow non-Natives to actively take part in Sundances. Perhaps Natives should first agree on what's allowed or not between themselves..how is a white person to know what they are doing is "offensive" to some Natives if other Natives openly invite them to do it?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29769707.post-70405740390202764372010-07-20T15:12:23.786-07:002010-07-20T15:12:23.786-07:00(Edited for grammar and typos)
I need to partiall...(Edited for grammar and typos)<br /><br />I need to partially advocate an opposing view here. <br /><br />First, though, I want to say that I understand the objections to Isley's generalizations. The observation that he's trying to stuff multiple beliefs from multiple traditions under one umbrella is true, and the attempt is just plain disrespectful and wrong. I get that.<br /><br />I, however, don't believe in any religion, or in the practice of religion at all in the sense that it requires trusting or holding to one exclusionary set of beliefs. I'm spiritually eclectic at the very least, and I shamelessly pick and choose the ideas from every system I've learned about to form my own perspective. That practice doesn't require that I become a convert to any one of them, and I resist any system that requires full conversion.<br /><br />Yet I respect that people of all faiths and beliefs have the right to follow and practice their religion or philosophy without having to worry about someone claiming to be a follower when they actually aren't. I may be able to claim a small percentage of First Nations genetic history, but you won't catch me saying that I am an adherent to any particular traditional belief system or religion. That said, as a member of the species, I reserve the right to glean what wisdom I can from any belief system I learn about. I will try to do so with respect at all times, but I won't turn my back on wisdom because I lack the genetic markers to be able to claim a full right to that tradition. If that were the case, my 'mutt' heritage would preclude me from any and all of them.<br /><br />While Isley's article may have shown ignorance, I think his heart was in the right place. The condemnation he's receiving for the flaws in his understanding seem disproportionate to the crime. Maybe a compassionate correction would be more appropriate?Michael David Lockharthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07263279636743586429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29769707.post-85338296077943647592010-07-20T15:05:06.104-07:002010-07-20T15:05:06.104-07:00Religion and spirituality are two different things...Religion and spirituality are two different things.<br /><br />Religions like Christianity, Islam, Catholicism etc., are no longer spiritual realms, they are governments. They have a physical presence based on monetary and materialistic goals.<br /><br />Spirituality deals with what we cannot see, tax or confine in a building. It is what the human chooses to be a part of, or disregard as insignificant.<br /><br />I believe anyone can have spirituality, it is our own individual path that we choose to the same light.<br /><br />Natives are just as susceptable to being corrupt and false as prophets like anyone else.<br /><br />If Natives regard white presence at pow-wows, then we need to stop marrying into other races and ban other races into our dances. Some tribes already do this, but there is a big difference between what a ceremony is, and an intertribal pow-wow or celebration.Southern Plainsmannoreply@blogger.com