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This entry was posted on Wednesday, March 21st, 2007 at 11:15 pm and is filed under christian, discipleship, ecology, ideology, native american, order, philosophy, politics, postmodernism, social comment, spirituality, stewardship. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
Some would contend that these issues are carnal and not spiritual …I stand on this and conclude that indeed they are spiritual:
Romans 13:8-11 (Amplified Bible)
8 Keep out of debt and owe no man anything, except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor [who practices loving others] has fulfilled the Law [relating to one's fellowmen, meeting all its requirements].
9 The commandments, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not kill, You shall not steal, You shall not covet (have an evil desire), and any other commandment, are summed up in the single command, You shall love your neighbor as [you do] yourself.(A)
10 Love does no wrong to one’s neighbor [it never hurts anybody]. Therefore love meets all the requirements and is the fulfilling of the Law.
11 Besides this you know what [a critical] hour this is, how it is high time now for you to wake up out of your sleep (rouse to reality). For salvation (final deliverance) is nearer to us now than when we first believed (adhered to, trusted in, and relied on Christ, the Messiah).
…and also upon this:
James 5 (Amplified Bible)
Amplified Bible (AMP)
James 5
1 COME NOW, you rich [people], weep aloud and lament over the miseries (the woes) that are surely coming upon you.
2 Your abundant wealth has rotted and is ruined, and your [many] garments have become moth-eaten.
3 Your gold and silver are completely rusted through, and their rust will be testimony against you and it will devour your flesh as if it were fire. You have heaped together treasure for the last days.
4 [But] look! [Here are] the wages that you have withheld by fraud from the laborers who have reaped your fields, crying out [for vengeance]; and the cries of the harvesters have come to the ears of the Lord of hosts.
5 [Here] on earth you have abandoned yourselves to soft (prodigal) living and to [the pleasures of] self-indulgence and self-gratification. You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter.
6 You have condemned and have murdered the righteous (innocent man), [while] he offers no resistance to you.
7 So be patient, brethren, [as you wait] till the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits expectantly for the precious harvest from the land. [See how] he keeps up his patient [vigil] over it until it receives the early and late rains.
8 So you also must be patient. Establish your hearts [strengthen and confirm them in the final certainty], for the coming of the Lord is near.
*SELAH!
*Selah ( Hebrew: סלה) meaning “pause, reflection” or “pause, and calmly think on that”, within the context of a prayer or psalms, is similar in purpose to Amen in that it stresses the importance of the preceding passage.
The case of Ecuador vs. Texaco as discussed HERE is a perfect example of the principles I am addressing.
I want to state plainly and unequivocally here that the whole thing about the environmental concern and ecology is not just about “tree- hugging” and the poor little fuzzy animals. Its about morality. Its about loving your neighbor and taking care of that which God has given us commands and responsibilities to tend. That is the meaning of dominion- not domination- caretaking. In the American Indian worldview it is often stated that they do not see themselves as superior to creation- the ecosystems and creatures and networks that God has put on this planet to sustain, feed, nurture and give purpose and meaning to us as humans as well. They see humans as part of the whole. This may grate upon the ears of certain modern Christian understandings- but at the heart of that worldview it is synonymous with the Biblical concept of stewardship and care for one’s neighbor. In fact we as humans are a vital part of the whole because we are designed to be the tenders of the garden- stewards, caretakers and protectors of the whole. Too many times Christians see this world as not their home, as a temporary, disposable testing ground for certifying their right to get to Heaven. Listen, even if this world will eventually be burned up at the conclusion of God’s purpose for it- in no way are we relieved of our responsibility to take care of it now while we are still here. In fact, how we do that is one of the major things we will be judged on- how we play the role god designed us for- as stewards of his garden and caretakers of the poor, sick and downtrodden. I am really disheartened and confused that people don’t see that clearly.
The real enemy of man has been very effective at steering people away from the truth and things that really matter about our existence.”
*SELAH!
*Selah ( Hebrew: סלה) meaning “pause, reflection” or “pause, and calmly think on that”, within the context of a prayer or psalms, is similar in purpose to Amen in that it stresses the importance of the preceding passage.
Click HERE for more on The Meaning of Genesis
Traditional Native Amercans protest the commerical and industrial explotation of their tribal lands, but “traditional” is an euphemism for “minority.” Tribal councils consistantly vote for just about any project, including radioactive waste sites, that bring in revenue. Modern Native American culture is becoming “casino culture.”
The preception that Native American tribes occupy the land “of their creation” is false. For example, the Navajo arrived in the Southwest at about the same time as the Spanish; the Apache and Commanche came later. The Lakota Sioux reached the Black Hills around 1775, after the French had already explored it. The Lakota did beat the first permanent white settlers but only by about 40 years. The Native American population was in constant flux prior to the arrival of the Europeans. They conducted incessant, genocidal warfare against one another as they migrated due to climate change and pressure from hostile tribes. The purpose of this wafare was to decimate or exterminate rival tribes and push them off their land.
Christianity has been the chief instrument in the destruction of Native American culture. The Spaqnish, in particulary, used Christianity as their justification for demanding submission for Native American tribes. They were sincere in their belief that they were during Native Americans a favor by destroying their religion and spirtual practices.
Blair, I agree with you on all counts.
I especially have some strong misgivings about the “casino/bingo/smokeshop/tourist trap” culture that is pervading Native “tradition” these days.
I also have some strong criticisms for “Christendom” concerning their relationship to the Native Peoples and the legacy left in the wake of empire.
Check out my post “A Violated Covenant” concerning these things.
Blair, I retract my “agreement on all counts’ with your statements.
This statement, “They conducted incessant, genocidal warfare against one another” is patently false.
“Amerindian” societies co-existed in relative harmony for thousands of years. There was constant tension and even violence among rival groups, but your blanket statement concerning this reeks of rationalization for the genocide of the European colonizers.