People of the Circle; People of the Four Directions explores the common spiritual symbols of the Native People of North and South America. Drawing on poems; stories; ceremonies; and ethnological writings; Scott McCarthy gives examples of the use of circles; the four directions; and the number four; both individually and in combination; as common themes that run through all the Native cultures of the Americas. The ceremonies and lifeways presented here will encourage a sharing and understanding between cultures; as cultures meet; sometimes colliding; sometimes entwining. “Without a sense of the Creator’s presence; it would be difficult for many human beings to comprehend life.†Picture the following scenarios: A Spanish soldier or Franciscan friar sometime shortly after the invasion of Mexico and an Aztec merchant: As they "size up" each other; what are the religious symbols that each wears to express a particular spirituality?A mid-nineteenth-century settler living in Wyoming greets some Cheyenne visitors at his homestead: What might be the content of their individual prayers later that night? Prayers for understanding; protection?Modern-day tourists passing through the Black Hills area; visit Bear Butte State Park (a huge mountain rising above the plains that was; and is; an ancient place of worship for several tribes) and are surprised to see and hear Sioux and Cheyenne vision questers praying and singing as they are sequestered among the bushes; trees; and rocky mountain ledges: Some are praying; others are simply enjoying the outdoors. Do they share any aspects of spirituality?
#266444 in Books Prometheus Books 1998-10-01 1998-10-01Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 8.40 x 1.09 x 5.64l; 1.10 #File Name: 1573922471442 pages
Review
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful. Highly recommendedBy JAKThis book will expose the history behind today's conflicts from the Sunni/Shitte divide to the beliefs strategy of ISIS. In fact it is a lot easier to understand that the claim of ISIS that they represent the true Islam has some support from history. The Crusades were like child's play compared to the aggression depravity of Muslims starting in the seventh century continuing until today. Political correctness fear muffles the truth.20 of 20 people found the following review helpful. Good read - important readBy Paul JacksonFor an ordinary history of wars; rulers and kingdoms; this book is a remarkably good read. It's fun and easy reading; that's hard to put down. I found myself thumbing through the book when I had finished; disappointed that there was no more; looking for perhaps some part of a chapter that I had missed. The author has wonderful sense of humour. At the same time; he's presenting the 1300 years of history of almost unrelenting war; driven by Islam's efforts to conquer and convert Europe and Christianity. The war has ebbed and flowed over the centuries; and is ebbing again; funded by oil. This is history we must know; to understand where we are now; and how brutal we will need to become; before we push back this latest onslaught. The death toll for this latest round in a war of civilizations lasting over a millenium has hardly begun to be taken. Islam is a cancer on human civilization. We might have thought we were in remission; but oil money has reinvigorated the cancer; and a shrinking world means that no place is a far away place anymore.3 of 3 people found the following review helpful. The Muslim Time LineBy Byron FitzgeraldDiscussions of Islam always require that Muhammad's role as the perfect man be considered. Unlike Jesus; there is significant historical data on Muhammad and relatively reliable information on the man himself. The real problem for the student is that there is a denial on the part of Muslims of the historical facts and an image has been created that bears little resemblance to reality. This book strips away the covering of the mythical Muhammad and shows the man and his followers for the opportunists and religious fanatics that they truly were. The reader is allowed to made his own evaluation as to whether Islam is a religion of peace and exposes the reasons for the progression of the expansion of this political/religious force.
