I love it; well, not really. See, I am partly Native American, though most non-Indians don’t seem to detect it. Native Americans do, like radar they hone in on me wanting to know my tribal affiliation. Normally this is not a problem, (in fact, it is a source of great rejoicing) except that my disguise makes me a sort of fly-trap for closet bigots. For some reason they feel an irresistible urge to make fun or express disparaging remarks about Native Americans in my presence, not suspecting my heritage, or how knowledgeable I am about American history in regards to Native Americans. Maybe subconsciously they detect my heritage and want to be refuted (best of motives), or maybe, subconsciously, they want to victimize an other Native American (the worst motive). Whatever the reason, it is very annoying.

So here it is. My own personal vitriol. I have a few things to say about this. First of all, this is my response to those who say, “Why don’t they just join society and do what we do? Other people have come here and had bad experiences and have overcome.“ Tell me what do you expect of people who were systematically hunted down and killed for centuries because of the simple fact that they owned the land coveted by these Western “Christians?” Just in that sentence alone there are 2 major sins - kill and covet. Before Westerners came here, there were 10 million Indigenous people; there are about 5 million now. Yes there seems to be a genetic weakness for alcohol in some Natives. I’m here to tell you that it isn’t the majority. I am a prime example. When a group of people have been invaded, hunted down, murdered, disenfranchised, faced with degradation [e.g., signs like: “no dogs or Indians allowed;” “nits make gnats” used as a motto for massacring women and children], corrupted purposefully by alcohol, robbed, and isolated, cheated and defrauded at every turn, how likely, I ask you, would it be for those people to think, “Hmmmm, what an exemplary group of people who have done this raping, killing and pillaging, I think I’ll become just like them!” Not very likely! Why would they want to become dishonorable, dishonest, cruel, selfish, individualistic to the point of egotism to forsake the very virtues of their own culture? Which though, not very successful in this culture, as this culture would judge them, they strive to retain the virtues that distinguish them from the culture that violated them. They strive to retain an obligation to their people, their family and that closeness. They value a sense of honesty, dignity and honor that they rarely experienced from the American people. In fact, the reason they don’t like to look people in the eye is because they don’t want to insult them by implying they are doubting their truthfulness by staring to search for their truthfulness. There is a joke in which a white-man says to a Native American: “Why do you not work hard from sun up to sun down advancing your wealth and advantage as we do?” The Native asked him, “Why would I do that when with a little effort I can both feed my family and tribe, and have leisure to enjoy my life?” “Why, so that you can build enough wealth to cease your striving and enjoy a comfortable retirement in old age, of course.” “But I already have enough to enjoy my life now! Why should I wait?” A great example of the different perspectives. This would be fine, if the white-man or the Native were redeemed - but if they aren’t, and it becomes an exercise in futility. However exemplary, nobility without Messiah is still fallen and ineffective.

Even worse, they have not been treated with respect or dignity by the very people who should be the most loving and respectful of the Image of God in which they were created - believers. I say this because the person precipitating this response is a believer. This is a disgrace to our nation and to true believers, especially. All the same, the answer is not for them “to go back to the ancient ways.” The ancient ways were filled with idolatry, superstition and oppression. There is now a sentimentality about them, that makes it a sort of rule not to tell them the truth of Messiah, but indulge their wrong beliefs. “They’ve suffered enough, let them alone.” This is as treacherous as giving them blankets infected with small pox. They need Messiah as much as anyone, whatever their past suffering - more so because of that suffering.

Nor is the answer syncretism - the combination of Christianity and native beliefs. God is revealed in scripture. That is the venue He chose. The principles in that book tell us how to conduct ourselves and idolatry is not allowed. The Roman Church uses saints very similarly to idols. Please don’t get me wrong. There are many things about the Roman Church that I respect - it’s understanding of our obligation to help the less fortunate, it’s commitment to preserve life and I believe there are many who love Messiah with all their hearts in it. Raised in the Roman Church, I was the beneficiary of many of its offerings. Unfortunately, a clear message on the way of salvation was not one of them. However that is fodder for a very different article. That said, the allowance by the church of syncretism is wrong. Its attitude towards saints predisposed it to overlook the type of syncretism practiced by some Native Americans in the Roman Church of the American southwest. They had little position to reject this abomination because they had already rejected the prophetic teaching against syncretism in the OT to take on their own pagan practice of worshipping saints. It is a very short jump from worshipping other entities like saints to nature spirits. There will those who say that the church officially discourages these practices. All the same, these rituals are often done in front of churches and incorporate “saints.”

Native Americans need neither the sentimental patronization of the current culture nor the syncretism of the Roman Church - they need the real Gospel of the Bible. They need the holy scriptures that tell us of our marvelous, amazing Lord in Spirit and in truth. Then having rejected their former error they would be free to apply that tremendous creativity of theirs to creating a Native ceremony of Christianity that may or may not look like Western Christianity, but is founded entirely upon the Word of God. A form that is free of idolatry and superstition, rejoicing in their Savior, and receive the healing they so profoundly need. Augustine said that our hearts are restless until they come to rest in Him. Their wounded hearts can finally rest in the God who heals, who loves and bring them to health through His Spirit and Truth. Then the suicide, the drinking, the violence, the despair can be made an end.

So to all you closet bigots, please spare me the nonsense of your feelings of superiority, and look to yourself and your culture for the blame of the plight of Native Americans. Next time you feel inclined to criticize or mock Native Americans, if you’re a believer, put on your running shoes and, don’t walk a mile in their moccasins. No, run to the nearest Native American and tell, in love and humility, of our Messiah. Tell them about His love, His sacrifice, of their great need and of His great sufficiency. Pour out God’s great heart to them and don’t stop until they see that the many sins against them had nothing to do with our Magnificent God, but the falseness, the fallenness of people like you … of people like me … of people like them. Which is why all of us so desperately need a savior. That is why we need Jesus of Nazareth. If you’re not a believer and follower of Jesus of Nazareth, you’ve got other worse problems. Get straight with God first - then precede to do the above.

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