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Page 98
 Page 98 - Red Jacket's Response

The reading selection

   This reading is condensed from a well known speech by the Seneca Indian leader Red Jacket.  The Seneca were part of the Iroquois confederation, called the Six Nations.  In 1805 he met with other chiefs and a white missionary eager to spread Christianity to the Iroquois tribes.
 
   Red Jacket is an especially interesting man of that time because he worked on many occasions as a "bridge" between the Native culture and that of the white Americans.
 
   In this speech he reveals a high degree of tact, diplomacy, and respect for the good intentions of the missionary who is visiting.  But he makes a sophisticated argument that defends the Indians' own religion without denying the missionary's beliefs.  Red Jacket argues that "the Great Spirit" has given different groups different religions according to their own understanding of the world and spirituality.
 
   The issue raised by Red Jacket is one that theologians today frequently discuss and debate.


The picture

  The drawing shows a Native American (not Red Jacket himself, however) protecting an Indian youth.

Group discussion questions

   Red Jacket makes several complaints about the behavior of white settlers, going back to the earliest days of contact.  He says the Indians shared their land with the settlers, but the settlers were not satisfied and wanted the whole country.  He complains that settlers hired different Indian tribes to fight against each other, killing many people.  Red Jacket also complains that settlers brought alcohol among the Indians, which was very destructive.
   Finally, Red Jacket complains that the whites want to force their religion on the Indians.

   Red Jacket makes several interesting arguments for the missionary to consider. 
   He asks the missionary why "the Great Spirit" did not give the Indians' ancestors knowledge of the Christian holy book, the Bible.  The implication is that perhaps God decided not to do so for a valid reason.
   He points out that while the whites claim there is only one true religion, there are many religious differences among the settlers themselves. 
   Finally, he points out that "the Great Spirit" made many differences between the Indians and the white Americans.  Red Jacket makes his point by asking "Since He has made so great a difference between us in other things, why may we not conclude that He has given us a different religion according to our understanding?"






Copyright Notice

   Copyright 2018 by David Burns.  All rights reserved.  Illustrations and reading selections appearing in this work are taken from sources in the public domain and from private collections used by permission.  Sources include: the Dover Pictorial Archive, the Library of Congress, The National Archives, The Hart Publishing Co., Corel Corporation and its licensors, Nova Development Corporation and its licensors, and others.  Maps were created or adapted by the author using reference maps from the United States Geological Survey and Cartesia Software.  Please see the home page for this title for more information.