SA-GO-YE-WAT-HA

I really enjoyed reading this speech. It pointed out hypocrisy and difficult truths, but in a beautiful, eloquent, and respectful way. What is fascinating about it is the fact that although it was written a long time ago, it is still completely relevant and posed questions which many of us still ask today.

I loved the fact that he reminded the missionary of how white men "fled from wicked men in their own country and had come to enjoy their religion" and yet they would turn around and attempt to force their own religious beliefs on others. That seems to be such a typical part of human nature. We can see faults in others clear as day, but when it comes to our own behavior, we're blind.

What I found to be most interesting about this speech is the portion where he asks,"If there is only one religion, why do you white people differ so much about it? Why don't you all agree, since you can all read the book?" That is still a relevant question and argument many use against religion today. I'm sure that many of us have had those same wonders and asked those same questions.

The part of the speech that really spoke to me and my own beliefs was his explanation of how the Great Spirit feels about worship. He stated that,"...we believe that forms of worship do not matter to the Great Spirit; what pleases him is the offering of a sincere heart, and this is how we worship him." I thought that was really beautiful and I personally related to that idea as someone who considers themselves to be more spiritual than religious and as someone who is part of a minority religion and has had many try to "save me" over the years.

It was incredibly sad to me that the missionary would behave in such a narrow minded manner and refuse to shake hands after the Native Americans had been so willing to listen to their views with such an open heart and then respond with such honesty. It is unfortunate that many of us today would react with a closed mind and heart instead of parting with mutual respect and friendship.