Poem on “Native Americans into the Apostolic Fold” & Joel’s Army

http://www.talk2action.org/sto…

Is there a way to reach out to “Native Americans (being brought) into the Apostolic fold” while the Anti-Indian Movement exists? I haven’t a clue, only to share a story and a poem I wrote a long time ago. I don’t know what needs to be said, yet saying nothing doesn’t feel right either, because the concept of Spiritual Warfare has become synonymous with redemptive violence in theory.

Let me start by sharing a story.

Crossposted at Native American Netroots

So off the man went in search of this plant. First, he searched around the town, then he started his searching abroad. While this man was searching, Iktomi went to this man’s family and became friendly with them. The farther this man went to search, the friendlier Iktomi got with his family.

After a year had passed the man came back with the plant Iktomi had asked for, but Iktomi was no where to be found. So the man decided to take the plant back to his house and wait. But when he returned home, he returned to an empty house. His wife and child were nowhere to be seen All he seen was a note written by Iktomi.

The note told of how he, Iktomi, went to his family after the man started searching for personal gain. Being as proud as you are, as selfish as you could be, when you left to obtain personal gain you lost everything you had. This was the final line of the note.

“Efforts to bring Native Americans into the Apostolic fold are repeated throughout the country including Alaska.” What does it mean, though?

http://www.talk2action.org/sto…

In Oklahoma a combination of leaders from the New Apostolic Reformation and Intercessors for American are training Native Americans in spiritual warfare and “Christian military” training. These efforts to bring Native Americans into the Apostolic fold are repeated throughout the country including Alaska.

“Spiritual warfare” connotates taking  “control of the earth from the devil and an array of demons.”

Would “God’s avenging army” commit violence, believing they are the “body of Christ” in order to force “peace” on earth so Jesus will return?

http://www.splcenter.org/intel…

Joel’s Army followers, many of them teenagers and young adults who believe they’re members of the final generation to come of age before the end of the world, are breaking away in droves from mainline Pentecostal churches. Numbering in the tens of thousands, they base their beliefs on an esoteric reading of the second chapter of the Old Testament Book of Joel, in which an avenging swarm of locusts attacks Israel. In their view, the locusts are a metaphor for Joel’s Army.

Despite their overt militancy, there’s no evidence Joel’s Army followers have committed any acts of violence. But critics warn that actual bloodletting may only be a matter of time for a movement that casts itself as God’s avenging army.

I wrote a poem a long time ago that relates to this mindset, but not these actions. The mindset is illogical, so maybe an illogical poem might get through, albeit a slim chance.

The pitch and intensity of the military rhetoric of this branch of the global Dominionist movement has substantially increased since the beginning of 2008,” writes The Discernment Research Group, a Christian watchdog group that tracks what they call heresies or cults within Christianity. “One can only wonder how long before this transforms into real warfare with actual warriors.”

Let me quote something positive first.

http://www.nativeamericans.com…

Out of the Indian approach to life there came a great freedom, an intense

and absorbing respect for life, enriching faith in a Supreme Power, and

principles of truth, honesty, generosity, equity, and brotherhood as a guide

to mundane relations.

Black Elk, Oglala Sioux Holy Man

1863-1950

And now I’ll share the old poem.

The Meaning

An eon past,

A blink for God’s eye

I drowned in the Sea of Dead Souls.

Swarmed they in the blood of my ancestors –

Neither in Heaven nor in the Abyss resting.

But like Shadows in the night –

Danced they o’er my soul.

My bodies pried open –

Only a little evil entering at a time

Until the Apocalypse,

So it appeared –

Like a misty reflection upon water.

An eon past,

A blink for God’s eye

The Devil unlocked my soul –

With the key I had lost possession of.

The Sun was dim –

I was beside myself in soul.

My senses belonged not to me,

But to the Prince of Darkness.

An eon past in suffering, torment and anguish,

But what about the key which unlocked my soul –

From whence I looked upon Pestilence

And said it was good?

The key,

Yes the key to my soul.

In that Dark Night I demanded

An explanation from my Lord.

“I walk and am weary; I seek but do not find.

My wings are made of iron –

Why hast thou forsaken me?

Thy rivers run deep as the

Land of Milk and Honey.

Why, my Lord –

Do I suffer so Night and Day?”

I remembered the key used by evil to unlock my soul.

“I can see thy Holy Angels of the Quarters.

I can commune with them and serve them, thus serve thee –

My Lord.”

The Lord of Heaven answered,

“Why do you think I allowed Beelezebub to use the key?

The meaning is the suffering.”

Shadow Of The Wind

Every day is an inquisition

Who are you? What are you? Why?

I’m alive, I belong, I’ll be back

It’s a half truth, still a whole lie

In the garden of good and evil

You’ll come, but you know

The spider only spins

The Shadow of The Wind

The Shadow of The Wind

————————————————–

My relatives, come back home. Do not think the Creator feels no pain and the Earth Mother’s heart doesn’t break and isn’t breaking. It would be better to stand on one square foot of your land in dignity than to follow their foolishness into the redemptive violence they are preparing for. Here’s the connection, and I strongly urge you to read “‘Joel’s Army'” and omnicide in the name of God.” One more thing, when they proclaim it’s time to burn your medicine bundles, tell them to burn their Bibles first.

After a year had passed the man came back with the plant Iktomi had asked for, but Iktomi was no where to be found. So the man decided to take the plant back to his house and wait. But when he returned home, he returned to an empty house. His wife and child were nowhere to be seen All he seen was a note written by Iktomi.

The note told of how he, Iktomi, went to his family after the man started searching for personal gain. Being as proud as you are, as selfish as you could be, when you left to obtain personal gain you lost everything you had. This was the final line of the note.

http://fwe.cwis.org/2008/10/17…

The Anti-Indian Movement in the United States and Canada began in the late 1960s as a reactionary movement against efforts by Indian leaders to reclaim their rights under treaties with both Canada and the United States. Reactionary is the key term to describe this movement.

Paralleling the Anti-Indian Movement and using it to stoke bigotry on and near Indian reservations non-Indian groups began to form in the 1970s opposing Indian governments and the claims of rights by Indian peoples. Ne0-Nazis, survivalists, environmental bigots and religious zealots slowly combined forces politically organizing against Indian tribes. Bigoted, anti-democratic and white supremacist groups sought to take advantage of the attacks on Indians and began building support for their efforts from individuals resenting Indian people.