Ethnosphere—the sum total of all culture, imaginations, thoughts, perceptions, and being in the world—that beauty of diversity that sees the world and interacts within a variety of ways, is dying.
As Christianity and Islam drive to dominance, to adapt to their way, has destroyed and is destroying countless ways of being—the world where our perceptions form its existence, that the earth itself can only exist because it is breathed into being by human consciousness—Kogi Elder
Not only destructive to the physical world, but limiting the perception of ourselves and the earth by force-feeding the one-way over the rest, backed by endless, unfilled promises.
Not only is our biosphere dying, the ethnosphere is also deliberately being willfully destroyed at an even faster pace. As groups like Amazon Outreach and countless other missionaries efforts continue to pilfer varieties of being, their message is not only lacking, their ignorance is astounding.
Their goal—to infiltrate the gospel of Christ to every last human on earth, while simultaneously alienating and destroying culture and beauty.
“These institutions were created with the best of intentions. The intensity of the wave of the conquest was only matched my their ignorance of indigenous life”—Wade Davis, Nat Geo Ethnographer
“When the missionaries came to Africa they had the Bible and we had the land. They said ‘Let us pray. ‘ We closed our eyes. When we opened them we had the Bible and they had the land”—Desmond Tutu
Whether you agree with missionary intentions to help or not, it always ends with taking. Taking thousands of years of bio/ethnic evolution and shoehorning in inferior beliefs—filled with lessor ways of being. It’s the way of monotheistic faith…Can anything be left alone from this? 
TheCommonAtheist 
That’s a great quote by Desmond Tutu. He really laid it out plainly there, didn’t he?!
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I wonder what the world will be like when we no longer remember what life is capable of experiencing. Now prisoners in their own lands, cinderblock housing, satellite tv and obesity. God is that good
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I thought that quote was by Kenyatta.
Some have argued that neoliberalism is what is trying to erase other cultures much more than religion
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I wrote about it here https://maasaiboys.wordpress.com/2018/11/16/is-liberalism-anti-culture/
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It appears culture is being attacked on more than one front. See, we can both be right.
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Religion is not deliberately trying to destroy it. It is the outcome of Christianity and Islam. At this point it is done in shear zealous ignorance.
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It appears Kenyatta is noted for using the quote, but who said it first? Not sure. Most sites attribute the entirety of the quote to Tutu. Kenyattas is slightly abbreviated I noticed, but I can’t tell.
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I think it is Kenyatta. But it doesn’t really matter who, does it?
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It’s true even if you said it. And that’s sayin something
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For me, the odd thing about Tutu’s quote is that he remained a Christian.
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There is a resurgence of appreciation for these other lives and ways, but I think it’s too little too late. I agree at the surprise that Tutu remained Christian. That’s the way it is here as well. Surprised there is one Native American Christian at all as well. It also is surprising how Latin America celebrates with pride the Spanish language…of their conquerers. That’s how thorough the duping was. Now they can be fully human…
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The power of indoctrination …. a form of Stockholm Syndrome perhaps?
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Perhaps Stockholm, but this is also the trick of faith. It is a trap that bonds belief and pride by a decision to agree to belief without evidence. Why else would the writers immediately appeal to faith, even when the supposed Jesus was standing right there in front of them.
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Ark, my feeling is that he did not allow oppression and abuse to define/control his choices or his faith. Instead, he rose above and called the church in S. Africa to account, and also worked to end the terrible system of apartheid.
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He was merely a product of colonialism and indoctrination.
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Fortunately atheists are opening the doors to different ways to look at life, to show there is no need to believe anything, especially not what humans have been believing for millennia. We will evolve ourselves out of theism, and the cosmos will be our oyster.
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Someday we will transcend belief mode.
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I thought McDonald’s, Coca Cola, and Facebook were to blame (and pretty soon, Amazon).
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Those are the culmination of an ongoing problem.
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The religion of unbridled capitalism?
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Certainly mining and deforestation play a significant role in this. Missionaries in droves are bombarding what’s left of indigenous life.
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Ronnie (Ray-Gun) Reagan’s 9 Most Dangerous Words – We’re from the government, and we’re here to help. – has nothing on the problems caused by well-meaning Missionaries. 👿
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I recall what the Hopi received to “help” them into housing and running water. Thousands of years of thriving was destroyed in a generation. At least they get free medical
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….And continued dependence on that government. 😛 Sounds more and more like religion all the time. 😦
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more the reason for each of us to wake up!
as you enjoyed the Samadhi movie, check out part 1 as well (when and if you have the time). that one is more about how society as a whole is ‘sleeping’
there are also the “Inner Worlds, Outer Worlds” series (4 parts, i think) which are also worth seeing, made by same guy, Daniel Schmidt. he’s an interesting character, who stared his awakening process in his early teens, and thought he was losing his mind.
have an awesome day!
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Thank you kindly. Always giving me homework…
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hehe! if you complain, there will be a test, too
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This is not difficult. Good for goodness sake should be the goal. If the assistance, aid and education isn’t solely intended to advance the human condition the motives are either parochial or ideological. Motives matter. Just say’n.
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Pure motives backed by ignorance is dangerous wherever it goes. Belief without the thought of repercussions…missionaries may be the greatest example of unintended consequences ever.
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Ethnosphere… I love it! New term for me, and the first thing I found looking into it:
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Wade has lived my life for me. Just a fascinating journey and appreciation for all ways of being. Isn’t that a great term? And just as important to the health of the earth as any other sphere.
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Poisons everything!
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“Everything” is a bit broad, but I’ll take it. One thing Wade covers in his videos, it does matter how you view the world. One group sees the forest and their connection to the spirit of it sustaining them based on how they care for it, while another grows up estimating the monetary value of timber.
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Some see stars, some only mud.
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“When the missionaries came to Africa they had the Bible and we had the land. They said ‘Let us pray. ‘ We closed our eyes. When we opened them we had the Bible and they had the land”—Desmond Tutu >>> Bingo!
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Double bingo and a bonus ball to bounce. No matter what the intentions, that quote is the truth.
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This is a wonderful post and subject Jim! Bravo Sir. 🙂
Ethnosphere. I really like that word, concept, and most of all a precise definition of how we Homo sapiens live. How we’ve evolved, survived this far—200,000+ years?—and now by a few mass occurrences, migrations over centuries, on 6 habitable continents, and mostly collaboration amongst ourselves to construct imperfect, ever progressing civilizations in several altruistic, philanthropic virtues for many… we have become a species LESS AND LESS reliant on ridiculous, antiquated superstitions of old and more Humanistic, more progressive, more intelligent in our critical-analysis and hence with more factual knowledge, more objective in what is true vs. what is bogus via confirmation and yes, the Ethnosphere.
I mean, WHAT financial expert worth their weight in gold would tell anyone to invest ALL of their lifelong, hard earned savings or extra profits (eggs) into one single basket!? In the advancing field of disease control, particularly with regard to epidemics/pandemics, what Pathologists or Etiologists would construct/risk a society (babies, mothers?) with NO BIOLOGICAL and IMMUNE DIVERSITIES to avoid a species extinction!? The concept of Strength in Numbers AND Genetic-Biological Diversity—in all Earth’s living species!—clearly demonstrates how IDIOTIC Monism, or Monochrominism is a sure fire way to die and for all your descendants to die by the elements or by other creatures/diseases. DUH!!!
Bogus religions like the three Abrahamic religions are monistic, or the moronic belief of blindly putting all your eggs in one basket. Need I say anymore Jim? 😉
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Won’t it be amazing to drive coast to coast and fly around the world and see same things, all the good little boys and girls in public school learning facts that will create someone cash, then an occasional blip about the noble savages? Oh how far we’ve come?
Nowhere will be left untouched if they have their way. And not only will the earth lose its gems, but it’s health in diversity. If you take this a step further, the way we perceive the world shapes it’s reality. We are in for some huge changes and some ugly living.
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We are indeed a species who for way too long refuse to accept “the writing on the wall” when it is staring us in the face and the solution(s) are SO easy, SO obvious and undeniable… yet, like the frog in the burning frying pan we choose to stay put—in “Faith™” we’ll be rescued. Lol
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Surely we will cut back our overuse and embrace simplicity…as soon as we acquire all the things we need. You’re right, no one can stop it, nor will they make an honest effort, but dream of doomsday survival in a bunker full of ammo and food.
My Mormon brother said when it hits the fan, he’s going to bug out in the mountains of Utah. In Utah they have 700,000 hunters hit the hills opening day of deer season. All these people have similar plans. Imagine a million or two people in flight to the Unitas to find their secret spot to live off the land. In a month there wouldn’t be an animal to kill for a thousand miles. But the dream of Rambo survival is more alluring than fixing anything now.
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Geeezzz, when did running away from problems or going rogue EVER resolve problems of humanity!? 😖 Grrrrr, how stupid.
No, no, NO! History has repeatedly shown that brave, stoic contact with those peoples different than you, finding ways of engaging discourse, no arrogance, more collaboration and compromise has ALWAYS been the only way for us Homo sapien primates to survive and thrive! Everyone running into the hills (in fear?) to become individual hermits will NOT save our species. Not at this point in our history, that’s for damn sure.
Jim, have you seen the multiple Oscar-winning 1990 film Dances With Wolves?
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I’ve seen it about 20 times. “in trying to produce my own death, I was elevated to the status of a living hero”
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Hahahaha!!! YES!!! That is one of my all-time favorite lines. ❤ 😉
But can you infer my connection? How never engaging, much less trying to genuinely, equitably know and understand other peoples—WHILE treating them with dignity, respect, and NOT in pretentious arrogance to change them!—will likely result in your and/or their extinction. Or catastrophically reducing, weakening the biological, genetic, cognitive, interactive learning/knowledge for people-skills, and the emotional-cultural diversity for the human race!?
Specifically and in hindsight, look how immensely valuable the Native American Indians became during World War 2… with their unknown language to the Japanese and the Nazis! And most current Euro-Americans do not know that our form of government, democracy, and protocols of debate, moves of legislation, the Supreme Court, etc, were not strictly inherited from Greece, BUT more from the Native American Tribes in the Northeast regions of our 13 original colonies, e.g. Iroquois, Oneida, Seneca, and Mohawk just to name four American tribes THEN the Cree, Innu, and Ottawa of Eastern Canada. Some of our nation's Founding Fathers learned improved forms of tribal democracy from these tribes, in particular George Washington!
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I love this comment Dwain. Absolutely agree. I read an account from a 17th century settler written about his encounter with Native Americans. He was baffled by the honesty and diplomacy, even more-so their temperate living. He was particularly surprised at this because they knew not Christ or his teachings. It was only through our treatment of them did they anger. They were completely intolerant towards dishonesty which they saw in abundance from the Christianity they were supposed to espouse.
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Yes. The long, long, LONG taught hubris, narcissism, and xenophobic expansionism (vs. enculturation) of Western European and Euro-Caucasian Americans has infected our general culture and mentality to many detrimental levels now for well over 500-years. The prime “American” example of this megalomania is our current POTUS and his closest minions/administrators. Their arrogance knows no limits, no boundaries.
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It will come as no surprise to you Jim, but one of my favorite historical characters is/was Marco Polo. Loved reading everything about his travels and have thoroughly enjoyed a few long, epic, series and movies about him. 🙂
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Really fantastic what some people manage to pull off in their lives. Now we usually watch someone else do what we love for us.
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Sort of like being cattle groomed by a few ranchers and slaughtered by beef-manufacturers?
MOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! 🐄🐮
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Hi Jim, my first time commenting. My undergraduate major was cultural anthropology so I’ve always been interested in cross cultural study. I think there is much that is beautiful in indigenous cultures and truth to be learned. We should always be open. I think part of the mistake many Christian missioners can make is that they can tend to import their own cultural mores along with the gospel and lack cultural sensitivity. But, do you feel there is any benefit to indigenous people being exposed to Christian faith at all?
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Good morning Becky. “ But, do I feel there is any benefit”? Maybe to warn them ahead of time that it’s coming, would be a benefit. We’ve seen historically that it has destroyed countless ways of being everywhere it has landed. Your language and traditions will be a shadow of what you once knew, then it will fade away like a bad dream. The things that you know about the earth and spiritual will be available now only in books that you must buy from them after they’ve written about their experiences while visiting your zoo and completing your civilized training. They will promise you enlightenment and the heavens but it will never come to fruition.
I don’t want to be too negative about this. I do see my wife’s tribal Babaylan in hiding in the Philippines, the only way to preserve it outside of a museum is seemingly to hide or be mocked as a superstitious nonsense. I recall Daniel Everett and his deconversion as a missionary. When he was honest with himself he realized he had nothing to offer but the fear of punishment after death. But, the missionaries kept coming. Christianity and Islam’s road to domination can not tolerate these heathen practices amongst the believers. They have to sacrifice utility for beliefs. The same beliefs as everyone else which is killing the beauty of a diverse world. I know it’s too late for all that, but we should quit helping them now if there’s any chance at all. It was do-gooders that destroyed the Hopi, and countless other legitimate ways of interpreting the world.
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I can see your concern, and agree in part. Fear based faith is never good.
But, on the other hand not all practices of of every indigenous culture are necessarily positive either. In one of my anthro. classes the prof. described the practice of infanticide in a certain culture which was totally accepted because an infant had even a very minor birth defect such as a port wine stain. We were cautioned that for anyone to judge this practice as morally wrong was simply reflective of our own ethnocentricism.
Anyway, appreciate hearing your thoughts, Jim.
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Killing a baby with birth defects is a grotesque practice from my viewpoint. But it takes a belief to pull a child from the arms of a mother and bash his head upon the rocks, while you then slice the mothers breasts off of her body while she’s living. From the year 1504—Bartolo de las Casas. The conversion of Europe and Latin America is unimaginable without the sword, in the name of Jesus from people that were supposed to know better because they had the light of Christ. It has never produced the promised results. Left unregulated it has always led to oppression
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Sorrow, terrible abuse.
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In honor of their lord Jesus, they took 13 men at a time and hung them on a gibbet then burned them alive. They did not resist. He said, “they knew not violence nor thought to defend themselves” “They appeared to have no religion and were forthright men of their word…they would make fine slaves”. Millions in the Americas were killed. Entire cultures decimated to become civilized. It’s a neat story to defend as a Christian. Any resistant genes are long gone now we continue to entertain the monotheistic stall.
“Men are inclined to resist evil, but through faith they are authorized to inflict it”.
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No way to defend any of this, but I wonder how these people were able to handle the cognitive dissonance between what they were doing and the actual ethic and teaching of Jesus.
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That’s a longer story but not that hard. Augustine’s authorization of force using scripture to “compel them to come” was the beginning of forced conversions with the Donatists. But if you remember, “go ye into the world” and if they refuse the word, “shake the dust of your feet”, which if you understand the culture and implications of that phrase at that time, it basically a “to hell with you” statement. The truth is, monotheism divides “I have not come to save the world but to divide” and there are many legitimate ways of being in the world that monotheism rejects out of ignorance.
There’s a lot more to it really. The appeal to faith over utility is one of them. There are many neurological underpinnings with faith and hormones that pave the way into stubborn pride, which is really just manipulation of words. Shun pride, have faith, which is really pride in belief without any work or evidence to attain it. It’s an agreement. The Bible is wrong on many fronts. It says “the natural man is an enemy to god”, but the natural man is actually the believer. Everyone is compelled to have a belief, which now is the pinnacle of humanity. Christianity’s word play is rewarding man for something he can’t help but do. Born believing and gullible at every turn, now is considered a virtue.
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I wonder also if the union of the state and the institutional church may have had something to do with these abuses. In a culture where conquest, in order to gain wealth and lands, was normative, it would have been easy for the unscrupulous to use the power of the church to accomplish their own ends. Anyway, Jim, interesting discussion. Heading off to do more Christmas shopping. Take care.
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Certainly a possibility. We have seen though time and again that through faith good men can be persuaded to do the unspeakable. This begins with the Ten Commandments, with the first five are allegiance to god over behavior. Obeying rules vs ethical behavior. Christianity continues operate, to wrangle as though its beginnings was done in wisdom, forever seeking to get back to it. But it was not wisdom at all as evidenced in the outcomes. Have a good shopping trip. Feel free to respond at your leisure.
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