A dark chapter in recent Christian history

[JimmyB]

Here is a link to an article about one of the darkest chapters in recent Christian behavior: The title is "It’s Time To Be Honest About Native American Boarding Schools In The U.S." The link is Residential Schools Destroyed Native Communities In The U.S.,

I live in New Mexico and this is a very dark chapter in American history.  The treatment of native children and the use of force  to eliminate their culture was a disgrace of huge proportions.  I personally knew a native man who, when were were in my car, pointed out where he was sent to a "school" and described the abysmal behavior of the so-called "Christians" toward native children. (He ran away numerous times but was caught each time and forcibly returned to the "school").

Although this situation has changed, the memories are still alive in native communities.

 

Edited August 27, 2023 by JimmyB

[teddyv]

Canada shares this history. The country has been acknowledging and working towards reconciliation for this as well as other matters.

It will take time. Many of the indigenous population are Christian, or very open to it, still but understandably a bit skeptical of the institutional church.

[Guest]

In the shadows of New Mexico's history, a firsthand account reveals the profound disgrace of cultural suppression and mistreatment of native children, exposing a painful chapter tainted by the reprehensible actions of so-called "Christians."

[WilliamL]

7 hours ago, JesusGivesLifeMeaning said:

In the shadows of New Mexico's history, a firsthand account reveals the profound disgrace of cultural suppression and mistreatment of native children, exposing a painful chapter tainted by the reprehensible actions of so-called "Christians."

People have been debasing and abusing other people in the name of Christ from the earliest days of Church history. The tares were planted early on.

[Who me]

Just two points,

Who initiated  the policy of ' assimilation ' and who was used to implement  it?

Governments, with good intentions  set up these policies and it fell to churches to implement  these polices.

I suspect that the children force to attend these schools/institutions  were treat no worse then European children attending boarding schools.

With possibly  one major difference,  the European children went home for holidays.

Remember Christianity changes culture and not everyone likes that, not all native culture  is benign. 

Read the biographies  of pioneer  missionaries  to Indian tribes on the East Coast or to west Africa, the one I'm thinking king of is Mary Slessor, she literally changed for good the culture of the African tribes she reached.

[D. Adrien]

Jim Thorpe learned to overcome his childhood from having participated in one of these schools.

Jim thorpe early life

Jim Thorpe was born circa May 28, 1887, near current-day Prague, Oklahoma. He was a child of Sac and Fox and Potawatomi Indian bloodlines, as well as French and Irish roots. He was given the name Wa-Tho-Huk, meaning “Bright Path,” but christened Jacobus Franciscus Thorpe. Thorpe learned to hunt and trap prey at an early age, developing his legendary endurance via extensive excursions through Indian Territory.

He grew up with his twin brother Charlie on a farm in Oklahoma, where he learned how to hunt, ride a horse, and set a trap. Jim loved playing in the outdoors. He wasn’t very tall, but he was athletic and strong. When Jim turned six years old, he and his brother Charlie went to attend the local Indian boarding school.

 

More of his background can be found through this link:

https://search.brave.com/search?q=jim+thorpe's+early+life&source=web

Edited 21 hours ago by D. Adrien
clarification