[Vision2020] Bartolome de las Casas
DonaldH675@aol.com
DonaldH675@aol.com
Thu, 30 Oct 2003 15:41:55 EST
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Dear Visionaries,
The following links offer first person documentation of Spanish conquest and=
=20
occupation of Central and South America and the Caribbean Islands. They abl=
y=20
refute Mr. Wilkins claims that:
1) =E2=80=9CThere was a burning desire not merely to increase the wealth and=
commerce=20
of kingdoms, but to learn about the world and to spread the knowledge of=20
Christ. Christianity prevented Europe's interest in the rest of the world fr=
om=20
becoming predominantly selfish or exploitative=E2=80=9D
2) The Explorers exemplified this mentality more often than not. After Corte=
z=20
was appointed Governor-General of Mexico, he brought in priests to instruct=20
the natives in the Christian faith. They were not to force conversions at=20
sword-point but rather to instruct, teach, and live exemplary lives that God=
might=20
bring these benighted savages to a knowledge of Himself. These priests were=20
granted amazing success. Within a decade, over a million Mexicans had receiv=
ed=20
Christian baptism.
3) =E2=80=9CNo one (as far as I can see) can justify everything that was do=
ne to the=20
Indians (especially in the 19th century). But we must remember that they had=
=20
no concept of "ownership" --- nor any reservations about killing prior=20
inhabitants. Those whom we call "Indians" are actually indo-europeans who ca=
me to=20
this continent many moons ago and killed off the inhabitants they found here=
. We=20
must not justify the sins of anyone .... Europeans, Indians, Northerners,=20
Southerners, Africans, South Americans, etc. but let's be careful about taki=
ng=20
sides with unbelievers without careful examination of all the facts.=E2=80=
=9D
The Wilkins quotes are from a Conference of American History lecture=20
delivered January 7, 1999. http://www.homeschoolchristian.com/ChristianEd/W=
ilkins.html
For those interested in a first person account of the Spanish Conquistors an=
d=20
their treatment of indigious people I suggest:
Griffin, Nigel (tr. & ed.). Bartolom=C3=A9 de las Casas - A Short Account of=
the=20
Destruction of the Indies. Penguin. 1992.=20
For a scholarly discussion (with an actual academic-style bibliography)=20
please see http://oregonstate.edu/dept/philosophy/ideas/papers/keen.html
Both these sources include textual extracts of de las Casas work,=20
biographical information and current academic comment. =20
Best,
Rose Huskey
=20
=20
=20
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<P><FONT face=3D"Times New Roman" size=3D3>Dear Visionaries,</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=3D"Times New Roman" size=3D3>The following links offer first p=
erson documentation of Spanish conquest and occupation of Central and <st1:p=
lace>South America</st1:place> and the <st1:place><st1:PlaceName>Caribbean</=
st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType>Islands</st1:PlaceType></st1:place>.<SPAN styl=
e=3D"mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>They ably refute Mr. Wilkins clai=
ms that:</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=3D"Times New Roman" size=3D3>1) =E2=80=9CThere was a burning d=
esire not merely to increase the wealth and commerce of kingdoms, but to lea=
rn about the world and to spread the knowledge of Christ. Christianity preve=
nted <st1:place>Europe</st1:place>'s interest in the rest of the world from=20=
becoming predominantly selfish or exploitative=E2=80=9D</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=3D"Times New Roman" size=3D3>2) The Explorers exemplified this=
mentality more often than not. After Cortez was appointed Governor-General=20=
of Mexico, he brought in priests to instruct the natives in the Christian fa=
ith. They were not to force conversions at sword-point but rather to instruc=
t, teach, and live exemplary lives that God might bring these benighted sava=
ges to a knowledge of Himself. These priests were granted amazing success. W=
ithin a decade, over a million Mexicans had received Christian baptism.</FON=
T></P>
<P><FONT face=3D"Times New Roman" size=3D3>3)<B> </B><SPAN style=3D"mso-spac=
erun: yes"> </SPAN>=E2=80=9CNo one (as far as I can see) can justify ev=
erything that was done to the Indians (especially in the 19th century). But=20=
we must remember that they had no concept of "ownership" --- nor any reserva=
tions about killing prior inhabitants. Those whom we call "Indians" are actu=
ally indo-europeans who came to this continent many moons ago and killed off=
the inhabitants they found here. We must not justify the sins of anyone ...=
. Europeans, Indians, Northerners, Southerners, Africans, South Americans, e=
tc. but let's be careful about taking sides with unbelievers without careful=
examination of all the facts.=E2=80=9D</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=3D3><FONT face=3D"Times New Roman">The Wilkins quotes are from=
a Conference of American History lecture delivered <st1:date Month=3D"1" Da=
y=3D"7" Year=3D"1999">January 7, 1999</st1:date>.<SPAN style=3D"mso-spacerun=
: yes"> </SPAN></FONT></FONT><A href=3D"http://www.homeschoolchristian=
.com/ChristianEd/Wilkins.html"><FONT face=3D"Times New Roman" size=3D3>http:=
//www.homeschoolchristian.com/ChristianEd/Wilkins.html</FONT></A></P>
<P><FONT face=3D"Times New Roman" size=3D3>For those interested in a first p=
erson account of the Spanish Conquistors and their treatment of indigious pe=
ople I suggest:</FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in; mso-margin-top-alt=
: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"><st1:City><st1:place><SPAN style=3D"FON=
T-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica">Griffin</SPAN></st1:place></st1:City><=
SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica">, Nigel (tr. & ed=
.). Bartolom=C3=A9 de las Casas - A Short Account of the Destruction of the=20=
</SPAN><st1:place><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica">In=
dies</SPAN></st1:place><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetic=
a">. Penguin. 1992.</SPAN><FONT face=3D"Times New Roman" size=3D3> </FONT></=
P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in; mso-margin-top-alt=
: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"><FONT face=3D"Times New Roman" size=3D3=
>For a scholarly discussion (with an actual academic-style bibliography) ple=
ase see </FONT><A href=3D"http://oregonstate.edu/dept/philosophy/ideas/paper=
s/keen.html"><FONT face=3D"Times New Roman" size=3D3>http://oregonstate.edu/=
dept/philosophy/ideas/papers/keen.html</FONT></A></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in; mso-margin-top-alt=
: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"><FONT size=3D3><FONT face=3D"Times New=20=
Roman">Both these sources include textual extracts of de las Casas work, bio=
graphical information and current academic comment.<SPAN style=3D"mso-spacer=
un: yes"> </SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in; mso-margin-top-alt=
: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"><FONT face=3D"Times New Roman" size=3D3=
>Best,</FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in; mso-margin-top-alt=
: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"><FONT face=3D"Times New Roman" size=3D3=
>Rose Huskey</FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;=
mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"><o:p><FONT face=3D"Times New Roman" size=3D3>&=
nbsp;</FONT></o:p></P>
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New Roman" size=3D3> </FONT></o:p></P>
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