Native Pow Wow, should Christians participate?

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quietthinker

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It's Pow Wow time in North America.
Should Christians be involved in Pow Wow's ?
Is it beneficial in some way to be involved?
What harm does it do, if none, what good will it do?
How does the Lord look upon Pow Wow's, anything the Bible has to say about such events?

powwow | Definition, History, & Facts
Should Jesus have hung out in a world of sinners?
 

Taken

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Lol, yes, great cultural events.

How about the use of sweat lodges and spiritual drumming.
Should Christians participate?
I understand that's included at Pow Wows, correct me if i am wrong.

I believe Pow Wows are more so specifically for an open invitation for outsiders. However the more private gatherings are for clan participation. I believe historically, the sweat lodges were even more private meeting places for the Chiefs, Grandfathers, perhaps higher up proven warriors or one holding some importance/wisdom within the tribe, (a Council meeting if you will). And the drumming, dancing, a sort of Adrenalin pumping up, I believe once more so for the mens participation, before a hunt, war, spiritual purpose. ( Something similar to what Christians might call a Revival meeting. )

Something a bit different, use to hang (IMO), is record keeping, and agreement terms. Record keeping more so, tradition handed down orally, not so much written. And where the anglos, give their word, hand shake, now give their word as an oath and require a signature and keep written recorded documents... the smoking from the same pipe, sealed agreements among tribal members.

My brother used to yearly travel by horse and visit and had short stays with several different tribes and learn about the cultures of the different tribes, being distinct tribes, but similar cultures. He learned more from the “grandfathers”, and noticed the changes as the “grandfathers” started dying off, the up and coming being more leaning toward promoting secular and uninterested in their history.
As far as the “sweat lodge”, he constructed his own, according to their method, uses it for himself. Not like we would use a “sauna”, but more so for purification, body cleansing, and totally alone soul and spirit focusing on deep conversation with God.
Yes he is a Christian, and that he says is a parallel to ...
Matt 6:
[6] But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

So in summary...Pow Wows are more so for visitors to observe and learn. And clan tribal councils, drumming, dancing is/was, more so for private clan tribal traditional participation.
 

Taken

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hi there, I would like to testify that every native american thing i have ever been evolved with has spirits that gather with them. Those doors are hard to close.
I would be very careful. i've experienced it first hand.
Knowing what i know now. Anything that has "ancestors" attached to it... Its a no go for me.
From the Britannica
"The term powwow, which derives from a curing ritual, originated in one of the Algonquian nations of the Northeast Indians."
Theres always burning of sage, crystals, charms, amulets and a host of tribal paraphernalia. Please do not miss understand me, I love native america peoples. i've known so many. But the culture is steeped in tribal witchcraft, ancestor veneration, and the like.

Sure, Many Cultures are steeped in Spirits and Trinkets...
One culture observing another, all define/describe “their” Spirits and Trinkets...
As: ‘holy and familiar’ and others,
As; ‘demonic and magically unfamiliar’.

It’s the nature of man to be divided, between this and that.
 

theeblackestblu

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Sure, Many Cultures are steeped in Spirits and Trinkets...
One culture observing another, all define/describe “their” Spirits and Trinkets...
As: ‘holy and familiar’ and others,
As; ‘demonic and magically unfamiliar’.

It’s the nature of man to be divided, between this and that.
What are you trying to say? I've been directly involved, im not speaking "hypothetically" or as some high minded academic who has not moved their nose from a musty book and never seen it... IVE BEEN THERE, TOUCH WHAT THEY TOUCHED, PRAYED LIKED THEY PRAYED, LISTEN TO THE STORIES AND FELT THE PRESENCE OF THERE "ANCESTORS"... MY STATEMENT IS A TRUE WARNING. TRUE TESTIMONY. ITS NOT ALL FUN AND GAMES WHEN YOU'VE GOT DEMONS RUNNING AROUND YOU. I love native folks but it is what it is. Now if we are talking about going to evangelize sure by all means. But just going to hang out without being prepared for what could happen is foolish...Do i think all aspects of "cultures" (which i have seen and participated in many) are demonic? NO of course not. But OP asked if they should go to a powpow and i was giving my honest assessment.
Your above paralleling of "christianity" and "native tribal spirituality" seems dangerous to me. I can understand where you are coming from, I like to study multi-religions myself. But In the context of OP's question its wise to warn them. The Devil is subtle, a liar, a thief, a murder, out to steal kill and destroy.
 

Taken

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What are you trying to say? I've been directly involved, im not speaking "hypothetically" or as some high minded academic who has not moved their nose from a musty book and never seen it... IVE BEEN THERE, TOUCH WHAT THEY TOUCHED, PRAYED LIKED THEY PRAYED, LISTEN TO THE STORIES AND FELT THE PRESENCE OF THERE "ANCESTORS"... MY STATEMENT IS A TRUE WARNING. TRUE TESTIMONY. ITS NOT ALL FUN AND GAMES WHEN YOU'VE GOT DEMONS RUNNING AROUND YOU. I love native folks but it is what it is. Now if we are talking about going to evangelize sure by all means. But just going to hang out without being prepared for what could happen is foolish...Do i think all aspects of "cultures" (which i have seen and participated in many) are demonic? NO of course not. But OP asked if they should go to a powpow and i was giving my honest assessment.
Your above paralleling of "christianity" and "native tribal spirituality" seems dangerous to me. I can understand where you are coming from, I like to study multi-religions myself. But In the context of OP's question its wise to warn them. The Devil is subtle, a liar, a thief, a murder, out to steal kill and destroy.

I didn’t challenge your experiences.
Nor do I Lump Sum all people...be they called Christians, Tribal Indians, Tribal Jews, whatever, into one tidy they are all the same. They may be similar, yet even that which is similar IS individual.

People all have their Individual beliefs.
Most IMO do believe in a Higher Power, by whatever name they call it...
Many IMO do celebrate (by numerous methods), their own Higher Power....BE that Higher Power ... a Holy Spirit or Demonic Spirit.

Scripture itself is a Prime and Verifying text that IMO does a marvelous Job of Addressing Spiritual Higher Powers...Good and Evil according to God ...as well as Good and Wicked men who may hold a positional religious or political Power over and above the general population.

You gave your answer and opinion to the OP, so did I.
I do not find open Public invitations in an open Public setting, to Observe Indian, Greek...blah, blah, any other’s culture, as an enticement to sway people to Become a cult follower of their culture.

You gave a Warning. Okay.
I don’t see Pow Wow’s as a Religious Ceremony, that requires a Warning.
 
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Blue Dragonfly's

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What are you trying to say? I've been directly involved, im not speaking "hypothetically" or as some high minded academic who has not moved their nose from a musty book and never seen it... IVE BEEN THERE, TOUCH WHAT THEY TOUCHED, PRAYED LIKED THEY PRAYED, LISTEN TO THE STORIES AND FELT THE PRESENCE OF THERE "ANCESTORS"... MY STATEMENT IS A TRUE WARNING. TRUE TESTIMONY. ITS NOT ALL FUN AND GAMES WHEN YOU'VE GOT DEMONS RUNNING AROUND YOU. I love native folks but it is what it is. Now if we are talking about going to evangelize sure by all means. But just going to hang out without being prepared for what could happen is foolish...Do i think all aspects of "cultures" (which i have seen and participated in many) are demonic? NO of course not. But OP asked if they should go to a powpow and i was giving my honest assessment.
Your above paralleling of "christianity" and "native tribal spirituality" seems dangerous to me. I can understand where you are coming from, I like to study multi-religions myself. But In the context of OP's question its wise to warn them. The Devil is subtle, a liar, a thief, a murder, out to steal kill and destroy.
I am a native. And what you felt IF you attended any of our ceremonies , which I don't believe that you did, what you felt was the great spirit calling out of you what is deep seeded inside.
You're a ''new Member'' and enter this thread to slur native people's tradition?
Riiiiiight.
You're false. And God is watching.
 

Triumph1300

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By Bluedragonfly: You're the one that made the derogatory remarks about internet links in post 7.


This is what I posted in post 7.:

I don't consider all internet links correct.
Something you might think about.
I found (to use an example) some Wkipedia sites with errors.


What is derogatory about this post?
 
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Enoch111

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Should Jesus have hung out in a world of sinners?
You too can hang out with Native Americans all year long and share the Gospel. But when they have their pow-wows they are connecting with their ancestral religions one way or another. Indeed as they themselves admit "pow-wow" can also be equivalent to "medicine men". And medicine men are essentially shamans. And shamans depend upon evil spirits, not the Lord Jesus Christ. They call them "the spirits of nature" and no doubt they are very real.
 

quietthinker

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...shocking! ...he hung out with sinners. He definitely won't get elected as a deacon.
when we get him to jump through all our hoops he'll be given a 10/10......and when we get to jump through the hoops of those who 'know' ....hallelujah, we'll be approved :)
 
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