This reading log really opened my eyes because I had no idea missionaries were so persistent towards the Indigenous population. I grew up going to church and have always known missionaries to be self-less, helping individuals who do not judge others. These articles contradicted what I had thought and made me wonder if it is all a trick? If this picture that the church has created towards themselves to be holy individuals who can do no bad– if this is even true? I know that missionaries do spread the word of God, but do they still pressure groups of people to take what they are saying, and do so in a way that degrades the cultures who have no desire to change?
I think the Indigenous people did the right thing by rejecting the messages pushed on them. I enjoyed reading Carigonan’s article because it opened my eyes to Indigenous beliefs. They have very interesting beliefs, I was intrigued by some of them because they were very different from what I grew up learning: not believing in sin, believing that afterlife is a village of souls, and using supernatural forces to heal sick.
It’s funny because I think the tables have turned today– do we see more Indigenous beliefs within culture than Christian ones? Many people are atheists today, many people believe in afterlife but not heaven, and there has been a huge rise in natural healing remedies… maybe the Indigenous culture is the first to prove to us that if you keep true to what you believe and don’t give in to dominating groups, no matter how persistent or strong they are, you can succeed.
