I was just browsing the officail WT site...hmmm I thought we were, but just for the sake of this post I'll admit going there. They have an article at the URL below which I thought was hillarious. It talks about how the Native Americans are facing more and more assimilation and the destruction of thier indigenous culture by "the world". They neglected to mention that any Native American that joined the org would have to renounce thier beliefs in thier own gods and would have to give up rituals and related icons of thier spirituality. We all know how demonic those dream catchers are....I thought this was quite ironic and wondered what you folks thought. Read for yourself if you can stomach going to thier website for more than five minutes.

http://www.watchtower.org/library/g/1996/9/8/what_does_their_future_hold.htm

Valis,
As you know, the Watch Tower god is a jealous god and would not allow for any other deity or any questionable local customs to remain. All that makes the Native American Indian what they are must be converted for the sake of the TRUE faith. It reminds me of a people closely related to these Native Americans and their plight, the Alaskan Eskimos.

Many years ago as the missionaries indoctrinated them in this religion called Christianity, they destroyed their graven images of false worship, their totem poles. Only thing is totem poles were not part of their worship. Totems celebrated legends, events, or simply the wealth and crest of the family for whom it was created. The poles were neither worshipped nor had any religious significance. What a tragic loss.

Ignorance of cultural values is not unique to the Watch Tower; it is but one part of the composite sign of their stupidity and insensitivity.

Freeman

I am an Indigenous Canadian (I am Metis). The article refered to is indeed ironic. The JWs have made few inroads in recruiting Native people for a variety of reasons. One reason is the Dubs' insistence on conformity and rules. Most Native cultures emphasize personal freedom and autonomy, even for children. Most Native people today are nominal "christians" (mostly Catholic) and most want nothing to do with missionaries of any kind. Missionaries played a large role in the colonization of our people and the attempted cultural genocide. Native communities are only now just beginning to recover from the destructive effects of "christianizing".

BTW, totem poles are not Inuit ("Eskimo" is derogatory). They were and still are built by the Pacific coast First Nations.

The Jw`s have done nothing but mess up the first nations people in this part of the country.They turn there back on the old ways,and the WBTS rules do nothing to make their lives any better.Just more WBTS casualties...OUTLAW

Hey Cris ,I know.Jws are the only ones I have any first hand information about.My first nations buds tell me about the other stories though.And the first nations elders are always eager to help me understand their ways...OUTLAW

Hey Lisa,I`m not First Nations but I have friends and family who are.How I descibe them depends on who I`m talking to.If it`s someone I`m talking to from Europe I say Native Americans,or Canadians.If I`m talking to some one in North America I say First Nations.If I want to speak of one nation,I will say Sto-lo Nation or Cree Nation...OUTLAW

I remember reading an artical not long ago, I'll try to find it, where they stated that Native Americans , Some Native Americans, religious beliefs were closer to the true meaning of Christianity then modern day Christians.
So, if columbus would have stayed away then North America would be full of real Christians living in peace and harmony for the most part. All except for those pagan Pawnee.

Hensci, Greetings,

 I find this post intriguing. I was reprimanded because I did not leave my love of my people while I was studying. Some sisters asked to study with my daughter. I found later that they were prying about my life away from the meetings. I was on the council of the Potawatomi Nation although I am (Hvtschi) Mvscogee. One day at a book study they were talking about witch craft. One sister who was studying with my daughter raised her hand about the witch craft of the Pow Wow. My mouth flew wide open. This woman had NEVER been to a Pow Wow. She did not know that she would have been warmly welcomed. And that we do not PUSH our ways on anyone. We, infact have our worship at the beginning of Pow Wow so that we can talk privately to their "nature". I see no difference in Abraham talking to angels than us talking to the spirits of God's creations. Hvtschi are peaceful, fun loving people. She missed the whole point. Needless to say, that was my daughter's last study and my last time setting foot in the Kingdom Hall.

Article quote:

Many Sioux Indians are not pleased to see the faces of white presidents carved on Mount Rushmore, in the Black Hills. On a nearby mountain, sculptors are creating an even bigger carving. It is of Crazy Horse, the Oglala Sioux war leader. The face will be completed by June 1998.

I bet there is an equal number who aren't pleased as to KINGDOM HALLS being on THEIR sacred land also. Hello? WTBTS? Welcome back from last century.

Yep, and in WTBTS eyes, this exaclty what they need: To be assimilated in to the WTBTS.  Hello? WTBTS? Are you trying to help or hinder your article?

*krchk* Reality to WTBTS *krchk*

*krchk* This WTBTS, over *krchk*

*krchk* WTBTS, people aren't stupid, Reality over and out *krchk*

Yes, yes, and I'm sure the WTBTS will help them to "adapt" to placing Watchtower and Awake! magazines properly.  WTBTS will help them "adapt" to: properly wearing an acceptable suit, nice shiney shoes, 5 meetings a week attendance, proper ways to gossip, hilight with yellow markers, deny culture and embrace Governing Body doctrine, appropriate dresses for women, more quick build Kingdom Halls on sacred land, deny heritage, obliterate independant thinking....

Hey, self righteous morons! Yah, you who edit this pile of trash...I see you mentioned the "world outside" and neglected to inform people of "your inside world".

How about: Fighting The White Man's Poision: Organized Christianity?

Are Casinos and Gambling an Answer?

No of course not, but I bet being a non-paid sales representive peddling magazines is! Hey, don't gamble, buy a subscription to the Watchtower & Awake! instead!  Now, go place them and make the Governing Body even more moolah! What are you people thinking??? That money belongs to them!

What Does the Future Hold?

A whole lot more disfellowshippings and disassociations? Because when the various Nations realize that you are no different...if not WORSE...then those trying to "assimilate", they'll be heading out Kingdom Hall doors pretty quick.