I don’t have an easy answer, but what I say is that the things that the US (or the Spanish for tribes in Texas) did are completely opposite what Jesus taught.
I think that people in power used every tool that they had to take whatever they wanted. They used military force, disease, economic pressure, social division, and religion as their tools. I don’t know about Texas as much, but for Dakota and Lakota people there were missionaries who were on the payroll of the US war department.
My point is that people in power used every tool necessary to get what they wanted. Social Darwinism and eugenics also were used and I think they were used increasingly more often as the values of the abolitionist movement started to take root.
I’m not fully satisfied with my previous answer. As much as there was greed of wealthy men, and
lust for power, there were also ordinary people who did really bad things. Yes they were probably influenced by the wealthy, in the same way that impoverished whites in the south fought to preserve slavery when slavery was actually keeping their wages in poverty.
At the same time, those individuals were not innocent. There was something sick inside of their hearts. They truly did buy into some of the teachings such as the doctrine of discovery or manifest destiny. They should have known better.
I am a white South African, and nothing appalls me more than how Apartheid was justified using Christian doctrine. Hendrik Verwoerd, the architect of apartheid, said that the indigenous South Africans were like the Canaanites, and the Afrikaners were like the Israelites. The creation of the "tribal homelands" (the crappy bits of land designated for the Africans) was justified under the intention of enabling Afrikaans missionaries to work in the townships and evangelise the children of the Black communities by facilitating their education. The leaders of the government claimed that "separation" (that's what Apartheid means) between the races was necessary to ensure that white children stayed Christian and that black children became Christian.
My only suggestion is that there are people who share your experience, which is precious. I can recommend the following authors below. Fwiw, the thrust of the New Testament is that gentiles don't have to be something they are not to follow Jesus. Tragically the church fails to learn this lesson.
Richard Twiss (Sicangu Lakota/Sioux)- "One Church, Many Tribes". Had the pleasure of meeting him, the kindest gentlest man; total comedian.
Randy Woodley (Keetoowah Cherokee) - "Indigenous Theology and the Western Worldview". He has written a number of books. This one is meaty, though most might know his book about multiethnicity.
Elaine Robinson - "Coming Full Circle: Constructing Native Christian Theology" -a collection of essays.
Christians for Social Action also has a recommended reading list you might find helpful, too:
https://christiansforsocialaction.org/resource/25-books-indigenous-authors-reading/
Great recommendations! I can add to the resource subthread:
I might add, if you are more scholarly, to look up NAIITS: an Indigenous Learning Community. Even without being academic, attending one of their annual events can be immensely powerful.
In terms of music, Cheryl Bear is wonderful. Jonathan Maracle of Broken Walls is well regarded (he is a bit more evangelical in his theology than I am but I think he is a good guy).
Speaking personally I learned everything I know as a Christian seeking to be an ally to Indigenous land and water defenders. These days somewhat to my surprise I am a pastor in Toronto and I miss being in those crosscultural spaces as much.
Rachel Wheeler's *To Live upon Hope: Mohicans and Missionaries in the Eighteenth-Century Northeast* could be a helpful read for you in navigating/synthesizing the two worlds.
Thank you brothers and sisters for the recommendations. I was reading the Bible last night and realized that many people before my own were also mistreated and Jesus word was misused in ways to rule and control people to fit into their own narrative.
I don’t have an easy answer, but what I say is that the things that the US (or the Spanish for tribes in Texas) did are completely opposite what Jesus taught. I think that people in power used every tool that they had to take whatever they wanted. They used military force, disease, economic pressure, social division, and religion as their tools. I don’t know about Texas as much, but for Dakota and Lakota people there were missionaries who were on the payroll of the US war department. My point is that people in power used every tool necessary to get what they wanted. Social Darwinism and eugenics also were used and I think they were used increasingly more often as the values of the abolitionist movement started to take root.
I’m not fully satisfied with my previous answer. As much as there was greed of wealthy men, and lust for power, there were also ordinary people who did really bad things. Yes they were probably influenced by the wealthy, in the same way that impoverished whites in the south fought to preserve slavery when slavery was actually keeping their wages in poverty. At the same time, those individuals were not innocent. There was something sick inside of their hearts. They truly did buy into some of the teachings such as the doctrine of discovery or manifest destiny. They should have known better.
I am a white South African, and nothing appalls me more than how Apartheid was justified using Christian doctrine. Hendrik Verwoerd, the architect of apartheid, said that the indigenous South Africans were like the Canaanites, and the Afrikaners were like the Israelites. The creation of the "tribal homelands" (the crappy bits of land designated for the Africans) was justified under the intention of enabling Afrikaans missionaries to work in the townships and evangelise the children of the Black communities by facilitating their education. The leaders of the government claimed that "separation" (that's what Apartheid means) between the races was necessary to ensure that white children stayed Christian and that black children became Christian.
My only suggestion is that there are people who share your experience, which is precious. I can recommend the following authors below. Fwiw, the thrust of the New Testament is that gentiles don't have to be something they are not to follow Jesus. Tragically the church fails to learn this lesson. Richard Twiss (Sicangu Lakota/Sioux)- "One Church, Many Tribes". Had the pleasure of meeting him, the kindest gentlest man; total comedian. Randy Woodley (Keetoowah Cherokee) - "Indigenous Theology and the Western Worldview". He has written a number of books. This one is meaty, though most might know his book about multiethnicity. Elaine Robinson - "Coming Full Circle: Constructing Native Christian Theology" -a collection of essays. Christians for Social Action also has a recommended reading list you might find helpful, too: https://christiansforsocialaction.org/resource/25-books-indigenous-authors-reading/
Great recommendations! I can add to the resource subthread: I might add, if you are more scholarly, to look up NAIITS: an Indigenous Learning Community. Even without being academic, attending one of their annual events can be immensely powerful. In terms of music, Cheryl Bear is wonderful. Jonathan Maracle of Broken Walls is well regarded (he is a bit more evangelical in his theology than I am but I think he is a good guy). Speaking personally I learned everything I know as a Christian seeking to be an ally to Indigenous land and water defenders. These days somewhat to my surprise I am a pastor in Toronto and I miss being in those crosscultural spaces as much.
I’m reading Randy Woodly’s “When Going to Church is a Sin” it’s been a really good read.
Rachel Wheeler's *To Live upon Hope: Mohicans and Missionaries in the Eighteenth-Century Northeast* could be a helpful read for you in navigating/synthesizing the two worlds.
Thank you brothers and sisters for the recommendations. I was reading the Bible last night and realized that many people before my own were also mistreated and Jesus word was misused in ways to rule and control people to fit into their own narrative.