Re: Oral History: Natives, Treaties, Courts, Kennewick

[Adam Levenstein <cleon42@xxxxxxxxx>]

--- "Jose G. Perez" <jgperez@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
> It is, to me at least, an utterly repugnant idea to
> compare the oral
> histories and sacred beliefs of native peoples with
> the concocted Papal Bull
> of Christianity, which has been used as the
> justification for war, slavery,
> genocide, and all manner of other evils for nearly
> 2,000 years.

It's not so much "repugnant" as it's simply faulty
analysis. On a very shallow level, the comparison is
valid, as they are both "religions."

However, there is a keen difference; Christianity,
both of today and 2000 years ago, is what I call a
"class religion." It is a religion borne of the class
system, and supportive of the class system. The Native
American (I actually rather like the Canadian term of
"First Nation," myself) religions are totally
different; for the most part, they are religions born
*before* a system of social classes was introduced.

As Marx, Engels, and most anthropologists are/were
aware, organized religion serves a single purpose -
support the current class society. "Native" beliefs,
as Jose put it, serve no such class structure as none
existed when they were created (the class societies of
Meso- and South-America excepted, of course). So the
beliefs in those cases are simply beliefs, rather than
a huge, reactionary, bureacratic,
imperialist-supporting Church.

So in a very real sense, the two belief systems can no
more be compared with each other than my BMW
motorcycle and a Boeing 747. Yeah, they both have
engines and run on petroleum-based fuel, but they work
different, sound different, act different, and are
used different.

> Like I've said before, I'm with Cuban Indian Chief
> Hatuey, I don't want to
> be part of any heaven run by this crew, I want to go
> to Hell.

He also made a damn fine beer. (joke! joke! joke!)

> I'm also with
> Ted Turner. Christianity is, quintissentially, a
> religion for losers.

You just say that because he tells you to. >:->

However, there's a problem with this statement. In the
case of the Catholic church, which I assume Jose is
referring to, we have the examples of progressive
elements helping - and even fighting - with Latin
American/South American revolutionaries. There was a
priest fighting with (as in, on the same side as)
Fidel Castro's guerillas in the Sierra Maestre. If I'm
not mistaken, Che had a priest in his Bolivian
campaign as well. Various forces throughout Latin
america have often enjoyed at least partial support
from various progressive Church officials. (This is
not to say that they get the official support of the
Church, or even widespread support among Church
officials.)

So if "Christianity is for losers," how do we deal
with the socialist Christians of the world who want to
fight along side us?

Adam

P.S. Please direct all flames, insults, and
commier-than-thou bullshit to the appropriate finger.


=====
Adam Levenstein                          cleon42@xxxxxxxxx
ICQ: 17125158

And now, for something completely different.

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