Misconceptions of belief
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Sun Jun 17, 2007 at 01:37:56 AM EST
The other day I came into work on my day off to make up some hours from the night before (I had to leave work early due to family illness) and a co-worker said something to me that in the moment didn't bother me but since has struck me as a bit odd.  She said "You must thank God, or whatever it is that you pray to, for this job."  She was referring to the fact that my job was willing to be flexible with my schedule (something that I am thankful for), but the "whatever it is that you pray to" remark didn't hit me until later.  
Now this person is a born-again Christian who often talks about going to church (which is all fine and dandy), but she and I have never had any conversations about religion, so she is basing her opinion on something that she has heard from others.  Recently another co-worked made some comments about my religious beliefs, or at least what she thought of my religious beliefs.  In both cases these ladies were help vastly inaccurate conceptions about my religious beliefs.  As I have laid out in the past I whole heartedly believe in God, I just don't think any one religion has it right.  

So these instances have gotten me thinking.  Is there a broad misconception of my religious beliefs by those whom I work with and if so, 1) what did I do to cause it and 2) what can I do to correct it?  Or is this a case of people who are just plain ignorant to non-traditional religious beliefs?  I do not ask this question in a mocking or degrading manner, I'm simply curious about how this happened.  



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Misconceptions of belief | 12 comments (12 topical, 0 hidden)
Idea for you: experiment with ambiguity! (5.00 / 1)
I'm not quite in your situation, but sometimes, when people are trying to learn my religious or political beliefs--and especially when the questioner is being coy or indirect, which I find very dishonest--I'll just smile or say something deliberately ambiguous. - - The REASON for this is that I've found that such folks--especially fundamentalists, evangelicals, etc--just can't stand ambiguity. My experience and my observat'ns have been that ambiguity really makes them crazy--so the harder they try, the more ambiguous I am. Sometimes, I just smile contentedly and as sincerely as I can, or make ambiguous comments, like "that's nice, for you".

by Diogenes6 on Fri Jun 22, 2007 at 01:39:50 PM EST

Language and customs (none / 0)
Born-again conservative Christians have their own language use for "acceptable" religious practice, and use this to identify who is and isn't a "believer" (one of them). They also have a custom of being persistent about requesting details of other people's beliefs - "where do you go to church?" is the common question allowing them to identify fellow "born-again believers".. An answer, "Episcopalian" or "Congregational/ UCC", means that the person is Not a Real Bible-Believing Christian. The "Are you saved?" question is also useful in IDing their own and the "lost" - Real Bible-Believing Christians will respond to the question with a personal narrative. Those who respond, "Yes, about 2,000 years ago", flunk the test.

Yes, I think that the conservative evangelical types are quite ignorant about other religious beliefs and practices, since they can't even accept ordinary Nicene Creed reciting non-evangelicals as genuine Christians. Episcopalians are stereotyped as all being "really Unitarians and witches". The concept of veneration of Mary and saints really baffles them.

by NancyP on Sun Jun 17, 2007 at 08:56:58 PM EST


I do relate! (none / 0)
Several months ago, a dominionist-leaning Episcopal priest grabbed a beaded cross I was wearing (a gift from a Cherokee elder) and commented that he was glad that I still was able to wear a cross.

I'd stopped going to that church (about a year previous) because I was tired of the dominionist propaganda and discriminatory actions we encountered- I  am Muskogee-Creek Indian and some of the people didn't like our still being active in our culture.

The sad thing is that they are defining Christian by themselves (and trying to apply that to others), instead of just BEING Christian.

by ArchaeoBob on Mon Jun 18, 2007 at 02:57:36 PM EST

Discrimination against First Peoples (none / 0)
Is this common? If so, is it pure racism, or is there some objection to theology of ritual?

by NancyP on Mon Jun 18, 2007 at 04:44:02 PM EST
Parent
In my tribe's experience, very common. (none / 0)
Racial discrimination has reduced somewhat in the last 27 years (freedom of religion was finally granted to Native Americans in 1980- previous to that it was against the law to practice our traditions in most areas), but it is still a major factor we deal with.  I've mentioned in other posts some of the things that have happened to just the two of us because of racial discrimination (jobs lost, thrown out of a church, you name it).  Well, multiply that by the number of practicing Native Americans in my tribe and you start to get a feel for how rough it still is for us.  Other areas may be slightly better; I know of none that have a worse reputation than the southeastern US for persecution of Native Americans.

Some of my people still hide their heritage to avoid persecution.

Oh, yes... it is a major "no-no" to touch someone's jewelry (or other symbolic items) without permission.  

by ArchaeoBob on Mon Jun 18, 2007 at 07:31:14 PM EST
Parent

really surprised at the ignorance (none / 0)
The business of college students being completely ignorant of the existence of contemporary Native Americans - amazing.  They don't need to know much - just that NAs haven't disappeared off the face of the earth, and aren't all herders or farmers.

"it is a major "no-no" to touch someone's jewelry (or other symbolic items) without permission"

I didn't know that about worn-daily jewelry - just thought it was majorly rude of the priest. I mean, who grabs other people's bodily ornaments/ clothes without asking? (Asshats, that's who)

by NancyP on Tue Jun 19, 2007 at 01:26:04 PM EST
Parent

More than rude (none / 0)
The implication is that he was glad that I hadn't "left God".  He had been one of the ones who expressed great concern because of our tribal activities- even to the point of being ready to block us from a specific ministry in the church.  You know- the old "Indian = Heathen" stuff.

The ignorance regarding us is sometimes astounding!  People have the stereotype (from TV) of how we're supposed to look, act, believe, and so on.

When I was an undergrad, I got the "You don't look like an Indian" every semester (usually new students)- and my usual reply is "What does an Indian look like anyway???"   Sometimes they also seem surprised that there is a Native American in college- especially one that is in anthropology/archaeology.  I guess we're supposed to be ecologists or as you put it- herders or farmers.  (Some asked me if the government is putting me through school- my answer was no, and that most Native Americans don't get government aid or payments.)

I also got the "practice witchcraft... worship the earth... worship nature" almost every semester.

And, of course, when I said that I am Muskogee, some asked me if I'm from Oklahoma (Okie from Muskogee).  They seemed surprised that we are from Georgia/North Florida/Alabama.

Usually, after a few comments, I could tell that the ones who knew next to nothing about us grew up in a more fundamentalist group (but I have had a few misconceptions expressed by, for instance, people involved in Wicca).

That is why I say that we need to confront and deal with misconceptions (irregardless if it is based upon race, religion, or whatever).  They are so ubiquitous!

by ArchaeoBob on Tue Jun 19, 2007 at 08:02:45 PM EST
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Do you care? (none / 0)
I ask because, as Nancy P has pointed out, their misconceptions about your beliefs may have nothing to do with what you have or haven't said.  Unless you are interested in having long theological discussions with your co-workers, there is no reason you should have to correct their perceptions about your religious beliefs (of course, if their perceptions involve your being involved in some illegal activity -- like smoking ganga, dropping peyote, practicing polygamy or killing cats -- those rumors should be nipped in the bud).

by Rusty Pipes on Mon Jun 18, 2007 at 04:23:29 PM EST
Be careful about "dropping peyote" (none / 0)
In some of the western tribes, peyote is an important part of the ritual, and has been so for generations (indeed, long before European contact).

Contrary to public misconceptions, peyote isn't "dropped" by (western) traditional Native Americans, and for the people who follow that tradition (not ours) the idea of using peyote to get high is evil and wrong.  I've heard of people being expelled and even beaten because they attended ceremony in order to get high.

That is only one of the persecutions and misunderstandings of Native American beliefs and practices.

Another wrong belief is that we use marijuana.  As far as I know, no (traditional) Native American group uses it, except for cordage and cloth (hemp).  Many of the different Native American "ways" in fact do not encourage "getting high".

I would say that correcting misconceptions is important (sometimes people really don't know the truth)- but at the same time, it's very difficult to deal with bigotry, which is usual with fundamentalists.

   

by ArchaeoBob on Mon Jun 18, 2007 at 06:55:06 PM EST
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Dude..It's Time To Move On... (none / 0)
...and stop with all of this victimization nonsense.;-)

At least that what a lot of so-called conservatives like to say. As for me, Brother Bob I say that while we should indeed "move on" and look ahead we also need to look at where we've been every once in a while as it keeps us from taking wrong turns in the road.
Take care my friend and brother and my regards to Susan.

by Frank Frey on Tue Jun 19, 2007 at 10:06:45 AM EST
Parent

My friend- Don't forget the saying (5.00 / 1)
"Those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it".

I've encountered racism just as recent as about a  month ago.  I regularly encounter misconceptions such as "living in teepees", "use drugs and get high in ceremonies", and other false beliefs on a regular basis- often from ADULT COLLEGE STUDENTS.   Some of the more fundamentalist leaning ones, by the way, also repeat things (sometimes to my face) like "heathen", "savage", and so on.  They are hearing this from somewhere (probably their churches) and that message needs to be countered.

Also please don't forget it was only a couple of years ago that I was told by a boss (working for a "ministry") that I had to choose between my tribe and my job.  It was only 12 years ago that we were thrown out of a church because of our race.  For me, that's not ancient history.

I have "moved on"- but the past is NOW.  The past is part of who I am.   Part of what I do is try to educate people and fight against racism.  I'm trying to stop the slide back into the days when it was legal to murder us (only about 27 years ago)!!!

I've gotten real sick of hearing "victimization" by the way - I've heard that time and time again from the very people who then committed acts of racism AGAINST ME.  I've also heard it from people in the church- and then I discovered that some of them had manipulated things in such a way that we were seriously hurt (in some cases just because we  are Native American).  Finding out these things led to us leaving our church.  Please, don't use that word with me.  It hurts, and I feel as if it is a denial of our reality.

My friend, the area we live in is notoriously- no: HORRIBLY racist.   It's just hidden better these days and those who are not part of a minority don't see it very well.

This is all part of those "misconceptions" that are the topic of this thread- people hear this misconceptions and if they aren't countered, they tend to grow.

by ArchaeoBob on Tue Jun 19, 2007 at 12:22:43 PM EST
Parent



Re: "dropping peyote" (none / 0)
Living in a region where it is not uncommon for people to make their own cafeteria-style religion, by saying "dropping" I was referring to peyote use in the borrowing type of usage.  I am aware that many Native Americans are offended by the borrowing of their sacred traditions by others, especially when these traditions are used selectively or blended with other practices in a way that distorts their meaning.

by Rusty Pipes on Fri Jun 22, 2007 at 02:41:29 PM EST
Parent



Misconceptions of belief | 12 comments (12 topical, 0 hidden)

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