Believe What You Like But Know What You Must

People are free to be consumed with contemplating their existence, their origins, the origins of the universe, supreme beings, controllers of destiny or anything else. But solving "the Great Mystery" is neither a requirement of being Ohnkwe Ohnwe nor does it provide a path to righteousness. I maintain that spirituality does not require faith or the leaps that faith requires but rather awareness. If it helps to believe that "God has a plan" and we just must have faith that "He" knows what "He" is doing, then walk that path. My interest is in taking the mystery out of life by pointing to the obvious that is ignored everyday in the midst of fanatical ideology and the sometimes not too subtle influences of promoting beliefs over knowledge. I have said it before: “beliefs are what you are told, knowledge is what you experience”. I support a culture that prepares us to receive knowledge and to live a life with purpose. I am certainly not suggesting there is only one way to do that.

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Monday, November 17, 2008

Time To Learn

Or time to relearn. We have lost our way, not our ways. We have let others define us with their telling of history, their view of spirituality, their laws and their economy. Our belief systems are not lost. They are covered with ignorance, fear and shame; just dust. It is time to Remove The Dust. This is the expression our ancestors used when it was time to remind ourselves who we are. By removing the dust from our old wampums we could revisit their meanings and most of all, talk about it. We are referred to as an oral society as if that is some how primative. Our voices are the most powerful tool we have. The ability to speak and listen is the power to teach and learn. For all the writing and reading we will ever do, it would teach us nothing if we couldn't discuss it. Technology now allows us to have voices in this new medium. So let's talk. Let's teach. Let's learn.

4 comments:

Wahbememe said...

I think your right, talking about problems is good. When your in a enviroment where people will take the time to listen and not be quick to close there fist and strike. With the new technology we have talking is easy with cell phones, confrence calls, email. But i guess talking is useless when no one will listen, I think we all need to open an ear to here what our neighbors have to say. At the same time make sure they also hear what you have to say.

Hajisgwahgeo said...

"Time To Learn" is the expression that all Native Americans, near and far, should take to the mind. Just because we aren't traditional a whole bunch anymore, doesn't mean that we aren't what we were. We should take pride in and acknowledge everything that was created here, on Mother Earth. We may act and dress like the white man but that is just simply a "costume" over our inner being. So lets not hide who we are. Time to learn who we really are. We need to use our weapon, our voices and Native education for the generations to come. And not let our past pass away, but to revive.

John Kane said...

One of the most powerful elements of our voice is not what we say with conviction, it is what we ask. The power to question is the power to learn and teach. Distorting the truth is bad. Taking knowledge quietly to the grave is worse. The worst response to a genuine inquiry is: "You wouldn't understand". This response comes from someone with no knowledge or someone who steals it.

bigndn said...

Ahh god can I be one of your biggest groupies and start a fan club can I can I can I please