During my four day stay at home with the flu, I had time to lay there and think about all kinds of things, albeit, some of them were a bit delirious, but it also gave me the opportunity to pick up some books from my vast library of eclectic reading that I had not brought to light in many years (judging by the dust bunnies abounding). One was called Intruders Within , written by Louis Baldwin.

The subtitle reads Pueblo Resistance to Spanish Rule and the Revolt of 1680. I admit I almost put it back on the shelf, but the sadness in the eyes of the Native Elder in the picture touched my heart.

I started to read about the Pueblo and their lifestyle, which was a balanced, spiritual, earth based way of life. The author spoke about the building of their communities, and their spirituality including a very strict condemnation on the taking of another’s life, be it friend or enemy. As I read I could see the men hunting and gathering, and the women weaving and caring for the children. Women and children were considered sacred to the Pueblo, and were treated with utmost honor and respect. The Pueblo included rite and ritual into everything, and all that was alive was honored equally.

Then, along come the Spaniards. Within a short period of time, these beautiful people were enslaved, their lands were taken, and their spiritual way of life shattered by a foreign and strange belief. They were forced into Christianity and told that their entire way of life was wrong.

It seems that this scenario has occurred throughout history. And, it still is happening. What gives any group of people the right to step into another culture and force the people to convert to ways that are totally against their beliefs and understanding of spirituality or religion?

It bothers me to think of missionaries going out into the world to preach the gospel to people who already have a way of life that works well for them. Yes, I am all for aiding war torn countries or countries who have been hit with a natural disaster… but that help does not have to include trying to change the very principles that the country has based their entire culture upon.

I know that I would hate the idea of being forced to believe something I did not believe, or have my children taught something that was not of their culture under the threat of a jealous deity who would hit them with a thunderbolt if they did not co-operate. Or, even worse, that if I did not believe, my very soul would end up in eternal misery.

We need to stop and look before we leap. Our culture certainly is not one of peace, love, compassion, harmony and understanding. We can’t even agree on simple things .. And yet we wander around the world looking for souls to convert to our way of life and thinking.

All that has happened through the narrow mindedness of those who used threats and force to take that which belonged to others, or decided to change a culture to something that it was not, has been tragic. Those offenders, like the Spaniards did to the Pueblo, have taken away something very precious from the people who they have changed. They have taken away their spirit. And, to me, that is the greatest theft of all.