Would this be ok? (Jesus, ritual, morals, Creator, Earth)

[robtex]

Originally Posted by Anade

As most of ya'll know, I'm a Christian, but as I learn more about my N. American (specifically Cherokee) roots, I

Any help would be appreciated. I want to be a Christian, but I want to connect to the Cherokee side of me, too.

this is one of those RF hug moments. Religious tolerance rocks.


do you have any links of what you have been reading ? I am afraid we don't have many native american religous practicners on here.

[evearael]

Originally Posted by Robtex

do you have any links of what you have been reading ? I am afraid we don't have many native american religous practicners on here.

Anade, I can always ask my mom for you, if you would like.

[nutshell]

Truth can be found in any mythology. Now, please don't misunderstand me. My interpretation of "mythology" is probably different than most. A cultures mythology is made up of stories that speak a truth from that cultures point of view. Christianity has it' own mythology as do the various native nations. Search them both out and find the truths that speak to you today.

[Luke Wolf]

I have a guilty feeling that my parents would disaprove, though... Not to mention those at my church...*sigh* I'm gonna have to think long and hard about this one...

All I can offer for advice is: It's your life, not thiers. I would start story-telling of when I was at that stage, wanting to learn, but wanting to cling to what was the foundations of my life, but I won't.
And I wish you the best of luck in your search.

[painted wolf]

perhaps rather than learn the religion, learn the Culture. (though it can be hard to seperate the two)

There are Christian Cherokee.

wa:do

[MysticSang'ha]

Originally Posted by painted wolf

perhaps rather than learn the religion, learn the Culture. (though it can be hard to seperate the two)

There are Christian Cherokee.

wa:do

And my father is one of them, although he has more German and Irish blood in him than Cherokee.............he still honors the culture immensely while continuing to identify himself as a "lukewarm Methodist."



From how I understand the culture itself, and what I continue to learn from my father, is that it is highly encouraged to honor your roots - meaning your ancestry as well as honoring the roots of your needs (Mother Earth). My father takes extensive trips out to camp in nature with his wife as a means to maintain his respect and his connection with the Earth. Every time I go to visit his house, he has yet another item he picked up in his recent nature walks that he'll offer me. I always admire his devotion to nature and his childlike fascination with the simplest ripples in a pond or spotting deer tracks in the mud.




My love for hiking is rooted in his practices, methinks.




Anade, it is absolutely possible to study the culture of Cherokee and/or other Native American traditions. It's been said that if one has even the smallest amount of Native American blood in them, that it is imperative to at the very least learn the heritage. In my humble opinion, after many years of watching my father, there is nothing "un-Christian" about 1) honoring and protecting nature or 2) honoring your elders.




Peace,
Mystic

[I Panicked! At the Disco]

perhaps rather than learn the religion, learn the Culture. (though it can be hard to seperate the two)

There are Christian Cherokee.

wa:do

Out of curiosity, are you Cherokee? I was just wondering, since N. American was what you listed for your religion, and wado is the tsalagi word for thank you......and yes, I have met many Christian Cherokee, and I think you are right. But even they still hold too some of the fundamentals that make up Native American spirituality, wouldn't you agree?

Well, thanks again everybody, for your wonderful advice.

[kreeden]

Anade , I wish you the best in your search . I am not First Nation , but I do have as many First Nation friends as I do non-First Nation friends . Most of whom are Christian btw .

You spoke of the water ritual , and if it is the same one as I think it is , it is one of the most simple , yet beautiful rituals I have ever came across . One that I had used , in my own way , for as long as I can recall . But I don't believe that I am following a First Nation Path when I use it ... if that makes sense ? As I said , it is something that I did before I knew that it was shared with others . And I preform it in my way , not by following another's way . Reading about it did help me understand what I had been doing a little better though .... again , I'm not sure if that makes sense ?

Anyway , I think that PW , like usual , gives good advice . One can not understand a religion without understanding the culture . I believe that is how I can share a ritual , without sharing a culture , and respect both . We may stand in the same stream , but that does not make us the same person . We do share a stream though .

[Snowbear]

Spirituality is not necessarily religiosity.

I'm a Choctaw and a Christian.

It's been my experience that you very much can be a Christian while still following many of the tenets of Native American spirituality. To 'do' this, I worship God. I don't pray to the spirits of Nature, though. I very much respect the earth as well as the gifts found on and in her. But rather than thanking the spirits, I thank God for providing the gifts for my sustenance and pleasure.

A couple of for instances:

I love the ocean. I love being on, in or under the sea. When I'm boating, waves and weather are an adventure. The fish and shrimp I catch are gifts I thank God for. When I'm scuba diving, I am in awe of the 'wonders of the deep.' There is such incredible amounts and varieties of living things that are in the ocean. Just as someone who loves and respects the woods and mountains will do all they can to do no harm to the nature they hike in, I do all I can to not destroy or harm the fragile creatures I encounter in the ocean. Diving is an incredibly spiritual experience and I thank God all the time for the oportunity to be a part of that world.

Another for instance - where I live, there is still abundant wildlife. I mostly take pictures, but I also take fish and game for food. While the Native American tradition thanks the animal for giving itself for a person's sustenance, I thank God for allowing the animal to be taken by me. I still have great respect for the animals and their spirits. I do all I can to not waste any of it or allow it to suffer needlessly. But it's God I thank for it.

Does that help?