I will feel left out if I dont get to know whats going on behind closed doors. dont leave me please ----- Original Message ----- From: Dusty <dustyc@microgear.net> To: <CHAHTA-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Friday, April 06, 2001 8:01 AM Subject: Re: [CHAHTA] Spirituality and religion > Thanks for your good words, Rusty. Please continue your input. > > Many of us, including myself, would also much prefer to talk of these things > on a one to one basis. I think that is best. Each of us have matters that > we feel are too sacred for a public discussion forum such as this. However, > one of the problems that resulted from the scattering of our people is our > inability to communicate due to distance and estrangement. We on this list > (numbers now down considerably), have only this means fellowship as our > ancestors once did in person. I would much prefer we were sitting in talk > circle in a room somewhere, or around a campfire. Unfortunately, that's > usually not possible in our world today. > > I personally feel it is IMPERATIVE that the "lost birds" among us reconnect > with each other. Our cultural survival is at stake. While those whose > families chose to remain in Mississippi may feel they are the keepers of the > culture, the facts are that the stringent blood quantum criteria set by the > tribe has doomed it to eventual extinction. Their numbers are up > temporarily through enrollment, due to the fact that their very capable > leadership has now made it possible to remain in the neighborhood and > survive economically. My ancestors had to leave Mississippi or starve. > And there are many who remained who came very close to starving. I have > seen figures of slightly more than 100 heads of households counted among the > Choctaws in Mississippi as recently as the 1920's. > > There are many whose own grandchildren are not eligible for enrollment. > Thanks be to God, the Oklahoma Choctaw nation has wisely chosen to include > all who can "prove up." But there are still those thousands whose > families remain undocumented, through no fault of their own. > > This medium is second-best, to be sure, but it's all we have at present. > Many of us have met face-to-face, and I hope those opportunities will > continue to arise in the future. A good gathering place is at Choctaw-Fair > coming up in Mississippi in July. I hope all who can, will attend. > > dusty > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: <rusty-old-car@webtv.net> > To: <CHAHTA-L@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Friday, April 06, 2001 1:31 AM > Subject: [CHAHTA] Spirituality and religion > > > > We are all born with this deep seeded spirituality in our hearts but in > > a society such as ours it seems to take a lot introspect to bring it to > > a realization. Contrary to the belief of some this knowledge was not > > just given to the indian peoples though time may not have left us not as > > far removed as others it is universal knowledge. Every woman, every man, > > are our sisters and brothers although we may not always agree (and we > > may not want to claim them) they are ours all the same. Every plant, > > every animal, they are our relatives (consider them distant cousins if > > one would prefer) but we are related. > > Now, it seems that in Christianity "God created everything" Then would > > it not also be true in christianity that we are all related? I am told > > that in the bible it also says man is "master" of all that is created. > > True that would put us right at the top but was that meant to say "man > > should do as he pleases" the word seems to imply a great responsibility > > to me. To be a true master of all would one not have to also be a > > steward to all. To take without asking and without giving thanks for > > what is received would seem to me to be thievery. > > The question was asked does an animal running away from a hunter give up > > its life to the hunter and require to be thanked? Let me answer the > > question in this way the creator saw that we hunt the deer, we shoot the > > deer, (We evite friends over for beer and barbeque, whatever) The > > creator could have saw to it that bullets and arrows bounced of the > > dears and they walked over and kicked our a__ and ate us when the family > > gathered for dinner. However, this is not the case and the deer runs. > > The creator did not make things so whoever needed a snack could come > > take a bite out of the deer either. The deer enjoys its life but it as > > well as any animal knows that where it is in creation and so the bargain > > of the hunt was struck. The deer says "if you are cleaver enough my life > > falls into your hands to do with as you please if you fail to be so > > cleaver then my life is my on and perhaps you should dig for roots or > > something a little more your speed my friend. > > A person gives thanks to an animal when it gives its life because it > > would be plain rude if one did not. And on such a great sacrifice the > > animal makes the absolute least one could do is be respectful. > > Personally, I think spirituality is best discussed person to person. Why > > I am putting my thoughts in now I could only guess as a lack of > > judgement. > > > > rusty > > > > > > ==== CHAHTA Mailing List ==== > > Need more CHOCTAW information?? Visit Judy White's pages at > http://accessgenealogy.com/native for rolls, data, etc. > > > > > ==== CHAHTA Mailing List ==== > Choctaw Home Page: > http://freepages.cultures.rootsweb.com/~choctaw/ >