Letters:Christianity, Just A Bunch Of Greedy Liars Or Real Evil

Now I know Christian will argue over my use of the word 'evil' because 'Evil' in christianity is to go against the will of god and it is god's will for humanity for suffer; but I'm using it is the colloquial sense of "Evil is the exercise of power to intentionally harm (psychologically), hurt (physically), or destroy (mortally or spiritually) others and to commit crimes against humanity." as Philip Zimbardo puts it.

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Then rubber was handed over and goods were advanced, Father Gridilla commenting "the savages don't know money, their needs are very limited, and they ask only for shotguns, ammunition, axes. machetes, mirrors, and occasionally hammocks." An Indian he described as a corpulent and ugly savage declined to accept anything. On being pressed he replied, "I don't want anything. I've got everything." The whites insisted again that he must ask for something. Finally he retorted, "I want a black dog!" "And where am I going to find a black dog or even a white one if there aren't any in all of Putumayo?" asked the rubber station manager. "You ask me for rubber," replied the savage, "and I bring rubber. If I ask for a black dog you have to give me one ."

In 1609, when the same Captain Smith, dissatisfied with trade negotiations resorted to bluster and threats, Powhatan made the following reply. "I an now old, and must soon die; and the succession must descend, in order, to my brothers, Opitchapan, Opekankamough, and Catataugh, and then to my two sisters, and their two daughters. I wish their experience was equal to mine; and that your love to us might not be less than ours to you. Why should you take by force that from us which you can have by love? Why should you destroy us, who have provided you with food? What can you get by war? We can hide our provisions, and fly into the woods; and then you must consequently famish by wronging your friends. What is the cause of your jealousy? You see us unarmed, and willing to supply your wants, if you will come in a friendly manner, and not with swords and guns, as to invade an enemy. I am not so simple, as not to know it is better to eat good meat, lie well, and sleep quietly with my women and children; to laugh and be merry with the English; and, being their friend, to have copper, hatchets, and whatever else I want, than to fly from all, to lie cold in the woods, feed upon acorns, roots, and such trash, and to be so hunted, that I cannot rest, eat, or sleep. In such circumstances, my men must watch, and if a twig should but break, all would cru out, 'Here comes Captain Smith'; and so, in this miserable manner, to end my miserable life; and, Captain Smith, this might be soon your fate too, through your rashness and unadvisedness. I insist that the gun and swords, the cause of all our jealousy and uneasiness, be removed and sent away."

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In Tahiti a Missionary Society was about this time set on foot by King Pomare, who at the first meeting of its members reminded the assembled natives how large a portion of their time had hitherto been spent in worshipping idols — how large a part of their property had been consecrated to their false gods — and how many lives had been sacrificed to their honour; and all this, said he, was done for what was no God, being generally nothing more than a piece of wood or a cocoa-nut-husk ! He contrasted how little they were now called upon to give in the service of the true God, with what they used to spend in the service of idolatry, and said, though they had no money, yet they might give pigs, arrow- root, cocoa-nut-oil. and cotton, "to buy money." He insisted, however, that there should be no compulsion — that what was given should be given voluntarily, and that those who did not contribute, should not be evil spoken of on that account.....and in consequence they were under no subjection, and could not be easily collected together for instruction. The same causes produced idleness and indolence among the people generally; for men would not readily work for that of which they felt no need. To create, therefore, among them artificial wants, was found the only means of forming in them habits of industry; and for this purpose the missionaries taught them to make clothes, and hats, and bonnets for themselves, and endeavoured to introduce the cultivation and manufacture of sugar on the islands, as well as of coffee and cotton. These failed at first, from ill-designing Europeans telling the natives that should the sugar-works succeed, people would come from beyond sea, and seize their lands, and make slaves of the natives.

And some Yanomamo, themselves, believe the miners have brought death to the human race. "Many people ask for the White man's things. I say to them, "Don't ask for those things. The miners are only going to lie to you. They've already killed some of our people. They're very fierce. When there are enough of them, they are going to kill us. That is what I say, but no one hears me."

The miners say, "Before the miners arrived here the Indians lived their normal life. They lived in the jungle, but now they have more comfort, they have more food and the miners bring them progress. They bring them food, clothes all the things that they need and the Indians adore the miners."

They only give then food until the Indian become dependant on the miner's food then they stop giving it.

Where they just taking advantage of the savages or do christians really believe it better world that is based on the opposite of positive psychology, that it is better to be worked to the bone doing another man's bidding, ever wanting more and on the edge of survival than to be free from subjugation, to have everything you want and having a life a leasure?

History has shown that they don't just want to ride on the coattails of others but that they want to make others suffer like themselves suffer. They refuse to support others even when it would benefit themselves to do so, like giving free homes to the homeless. Do Christians really believe that they are being selfless by sacrificing to punish the unworthy?

_________________ I must insist that you call me Mahatma so that people won't believe it.