Last Updated:Friday - 09/24/2010

WCR Letters to the Editor

See similarities in our beliefs

Re: "Native spirituality not equal to Catholicism" (WCR Letters, Nov. 20).

Our Cree elders, great grandparents, believed there were written instructions at one time. I believe my native spirituality has a lot of similarity to the Catholic Catechism.

My encouragement goes to the young people. I think it's great to take time to learn about our native spirituality.

There was a time when together we loved, honoured and worshipped Kimanitomenaw. Our people were happy people. There was love and unity, a lively spirit to understand the circle of life, which is beautiful and powerful.

In the Catholic Catechism, we learn the laws of God - the Ten Commandments - which is guidance in how we should live. In native spirituality the guidance of life is in the Ten Commandments.

The similarity is in love of God our Creator, love for neighbour (all people, to be obedient and love our parents, to be truthful at all times for others and yourself. Show respect to God's creation; keep the earth clean for the next generation; do not be wasteful - use only what we need; be gentle, respectful and kind to others.

I believe that every person was given a spiritual sense to find the truth and to grow in wisdom.

I say to the young people: Learn the Catholic Catechism, the Ten Commandments - the guidance to our native spirituality.

Learn from elders - grandparents and parents. We had love and unity once.

Let us offer our prayers to Kimanitomenaw for a blessing and understanding.

Alice Baron
A Cree grandmother
Athabasca

Bigotry, intolerance hid behind religious mask

Re: "Native spirituality not equal to Catholicism" (WCR Letters, Nov. 20).

Ms. Best, in her Nov. 20 letter to the editor, had but one word right, that word being "disturbing."

She is wrong about native spirituality being recognized as equal to Catholicism by Catholic educators being disturbing.

The only disturbing thing about the entire situation is her ghastly reaction to it.

It is disturbing now, as it always has and will be, that such blatant intolerance continues to be veiled by and justified by religion.

Throughout my Catholic education and "proper" catechism, I never did get to the part about Jesus preaching intolerance or bigotry. All I heard about was the love and hope Jesus and his apostles preached.

Nowhere did I read "Love your neighbour so long as he is Catholic too."

And not once in the many tellings and re-tellings, readings and re-readings of the story of the Good Samaritan did I understand Jesus' message to be anything other than love your neighbour (and help your neighbour) without condition or the necessity of conversion.

D.R. Murray
Caroline

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