Would this be ok?

[Lindsey-Loo]

As most of ya'll know, I'm a Christian, but as I learn more about my N. American (specifically Cherokee) roots, I find myself interested in their "religion", that is, the concept that there is a Creator and treating everyone with love and respect, etc. Do you all think it would be alright for me to follow the Cherokee traditions, and religion, so to speak, as long as I didn't follow anything that contradicted Christianity? Would I be going against the Bible?

Also, I'm not sure that this is in the right forum, so the mods can move it if they want. It might belong in debates or discussion, I'm not sure.

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

 

[ayani]

i'm not Native American, but i don't see anything wrong with honoring your Cherokee heritage and honoring your Christian faith, too. there are alot of books out there by Native authors about traditional religion and christianity. Jesus commanded Christians to love God and to love others- if you feel called to get in touch with your roots, i'd say God bless that.

 

[Feathers in Hair]

*nods* What Gracie said!

I'm afraid that we don't have many First Nations member logging in very often. While I travel sometimes on the paths of the Western Cherokee, I can't claim it as my ancestral or spiritual hertigage. The opinion I've gotten from those who do post here is that they're happy to have others learn and rejoice along with them, doing so by respecting the tradition is the correct way to pursue it. Because of this, you might ask yourself if you can approach the topic by rephrasing it "Do you all think it would be alright for me to follow the Christian traditions, and religion, so to speak, as long as I didn't follow anything that contradicted First nations spirituality? Would I be going against the Creator?" If you can approach the topic by being able to say 'yes', then I would imagine that it would be perfectly okay.

If I may ask, which of the Cherokee traditions would you be learning about?

 

[Lindsey-Loo]

Because of this, you might ask yourself if you can approach the topic by rephrasing it "Do you all think it would be alright for me to follow the Christian traditions, and religion, so to speak, as long as I didn't follow anything that contradicted First nations spirituality? Would I be going against the Creator?" If you can approach the topic by being able to say 'yes', then I would imagine that it would be perfectly okay.

I don't think I can approach it that way. While I love my heritage and culture dearly, I still can't believe that it will save me eternally. Christianity would still be my number one religion, and anything that contradicts that is not something I could follow.

Right now, I am studying duyuktv, that is the right way. I see it as discovering who you are, who you can be, and where you fit in the circle. It is also the idea of everything balancing, being in perfect harmony with each other and the Earth. I'm also studying how Cherokee "spirituality" and legends relate to those of Christianity, such as how they both have a Supreme being, and how both have a first man and first woman, and how Cherokee have had many of the same beliefs and morals as Christians for centuries. It's quite interesting, but I'm not sure if I can believe in it. Duyuktv makes perfect sense to me. But, by following it, would that be contradicting my Christian beliefs? I can't and don't believe in the legends of how earth was created, the spiritual beings, etc., but there are many things about Cherokee and N. American religion I agree completely with. So, in conclusion, I guess what I'm asking is "Can I have two religions, if they are similar to each other, and generally don't contradict? Or would it be better for me to learn about my culture, but stay away from it's religious beliefs?"

 

[ayani]

i say, Anade, do what your heart is telling you. i'd say yes, you can have the two traditions. but again, i can't speak for you. keep learning, and go with what feels good to your soul.

 

[Feathers in Hair]

Since most First Nations traditions don't demand that you believe anything in particular, I can't imagine that anyone would insist that you choose one creation story over another. I was just trying to offer what I imagine a person of that background would say, if they were here. (Again, I'm not of that background.)

I'm afraid the most that any of us would be able to offer you would be reassurance that we believe that the two traditions don't conflict. Ultimately, there is only one person who can make that choice and, because you're Christian, only one entity that can give you a clear 'yes' or 'no'. Because I hope that you're able to follow the two paths, I have hopes that the answer is 'yes'- but the only one who can ask it is you.

:hug: Hope you share your decision with us! Good luck on your path!

 

[Lindsey-Loo]

Examples of what I do believe/practice:

The rivers, or "Long Man," were always believed to be sacred, and the practice of going to water for purification and other ceremonies was at one time very common. Today, the river, or any other body of moving water such as a creek, is considered a sacred site, and going to water is still a respected practice by some Cherokees.

Very basic to the Cherokee belief system is the premise that good is rewarded, while evil is punished. Even though the Cherokee strictly believe in this type of justice, there are times when things happen that the system just does not explain.

And things I can not or do not believe:

The everyday cultural world of the Cherokee includes spiritual beings. Even though the beings are different from people and animals, they are not considered "supernatural." They are very much a part of the natural, or real, world and most people at some point in their lives, have an experience with spiritual beings. One group of spiritual beings still talked about by many Cherokees, are the Little People. They are invisible unless they want to be seen. When seen, they look very much like any other Cherokee, except they are very small, and have long hair, sometimes to the ground.

The most dreaded of all Cherokee witches is the Raven Mocker, who robs the dying of their life. A Raven Mocker can be of either sex, and there is no real way to know one. They usually look old and withered, because they have added so many lives to their own.

So I suppose I practice or believe the...how do you say this...practical? Yeah, the practical parts of the Cherokee religion, such as meditating, duyuktv, but not the supernatural/spiritual parts, like the legends, the little people...does this make any sense at all? I can't seem to spit it out...

 

[Lindsey-Loo]

:hug: Hope you share your decision with us! Good luck on your path!

Thank you. I will pray and search through my Bible tonight and try to find the answer. 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...

 

[Bishka]

Thank you. I will pray and search through my Bible tonight and try to find the answer. 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...

I don't know if this will help, but I felt the same way while living at home. I felt that if I even tried to learn about another religion it wouldn't go down very well.

You just have to be yourself, and do what feels the most right to you. I take practices of Quakerism, Buddhism and Hinduism into my life. Although I don't believe in the religions, I take what I can and try to help it better my life.

 

[Lindsey-Loo]

Thanks, Becky, that's good advice. It's weird that I started thinking about it this week, because today is my one-year anniversary of being a Christian-I was baptized a year ago today. I think that I will classify myself as only a Christian at this time, though i may follow duyuktv and the like. But I'm looking at that as more my culture than my religion, at this time. You know, there's no deity involved or anything, and there won't be, ever. So while I may practice some of the cultural traditions, I am a Christian and a Christian only.

 

[robtex]

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. :hug:


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]

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.

 

[Shadow 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]

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

 

[Lindsey-Loo]

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?

 

[kreeden]

Well , I think that it was very well said Snowbear .