Missionaries. *shakes head disapprovingly* I do not understand them.
First of all, I somewhat hate people who think their beliefs are the only correct ones and therefore have the audacity to try and “fix” or force down their beliefs into the throats of those who are different. It is so absolutely arrogant that it disgusts me. Christian missionaries are, in my opinion, by far the worst when it comes to such nonsense.
Let’s look at the classic example of white man vs. Native American. Back in the day, European settlers came to America and ran into the believed-to-be lesser race of people known as Native Americans/”Indians.” These people did not worship the one Christian God nor had they ever heard of, let alone believed in, Jesus Christ. Well well, the Euro’s thought, they must be savages! They believed that God is everything and everything is God; they worshiped the very ground they walked upon; how beastly! Unlike their haughty Christian counterparts, the Native Americans didn’t lay waste to any- and every-thing that came across their paths in the name of Christ. So what happened? The Native Americans were slaughtered, herded like cattle, and/or forcefully converted to Christianity by the so-called true Christians. Decades of degradation, poverty, and a lack of human rights ensued and we now find ourselves coming full-circle. Missionaries are now being sent to the utterly poor and crime-riddled Indian Reservations in order to do “God’s work” by helping to ease such conditions which, if we actually think about it, are in existence today because of the very same missionary work started a couple of centuries ago. Bravo, Christianity, bravo!
I just don’t get how that makes sense to anyone, but sure enough- there are still hundreds of thousands of missionaries at work around the world. In no way am I saying that being a Christian is bad or that Christian beliefs are the wrong beliefs. What I am saying is that we all should be made more aware of the hypocrisy which often comes along with dogmatic beliefs- not just in Christianity but in religions and other groups worldwide. It is so dangerous to lose the value of open-mindedness, as is evident by so many things in history- holy wars, ethnic cleansing, witch hunts, etc.
Though I do not expect such a thing to happen, I do hope that a day will come when the human race can get past that natural tendency of putting one’s own way of life on a pedestal and looking down upon all others who do not share in that path.
“You have your way. I have my way. As for the right way, the correct way, and the only way, it does not exist.”
-Friedrich Nietzsche
Very nice quote, his writings are interesting, albeit a bit odd and sometimes complicated. I definitely agree. The main cause of human stupidity is, ironically, ignorance. Acting dogmatically out of ignorance is why I find most religions despicable. Take for example the fact that before schizophrenia and various other behavior or personality disorders were recognized as medical disorders, they were often times believed to be the work of “satan” and that they person was possessed. I can’t stand ignorant people who do nothing about they ignorance and judge based only on what they “know” is right.
Hell yeas!
I also like how you mock us Europeans, when in truth it was you Americans (you know, the ones who left glorious Europe) who killed the Native Americans.
Popquiz: Why were the Native Americans called Indians?
I do agree with this. Oh how I agree! I don’t think I’ll ever be able to understand the fuzz about religion. Especially the Christians, which have been so “Glorious and correct” through a couple thousands of years. People dislike other religions because they are scary and ignorant etc.. etc.. etc.. But what they don’t know, is that their religion has been the most violent, cruel and ignorant of them all.
People do have the right to be religious, but I also am in my full right to tell them/say that it’s Bullshit (with a BIG B!). And by observations, I can say that the most religious people, aren’t the sharpest knife in the tray.
Veg: because some idiot american got sued by a Native American when the native got the same, and some more, rights as the “Americans.”
Also, it is kind of fun arguing with Americans, not believing the fact that they are the seed of European settlers, and that the US only was a buttload of Europeans.
Sorry about my long comment.
Steinar
Agreeing with Michael; Nietzsche is definitely an… interesting read. I think he would turn in his grave if he saw that quote in this context, because while he might have said that no paths are true and correct, he definitely made it clear that he found the Christian path despicable, wrong, and false. As a Christian I would wholeheartedly recommend reading his books though, they’re very interesting.
Native Americans were called Indians because when Colombus found America, he was looking for an alternate route to India. When he landed on the shore, he thouht he had found India. Thus east-india (the trading company) and the indians.
WTF man. Three Norwegians and a discussion on the indigenous peoples of America. It doesn’t get much better than this.