Regardless anti-Christian or not

I realize the OP was probably made in jest, but I'm going to throw in my two cents just for the heck of it:

it was a very good idea to spread Christianity to these backwards folks who are dying from diseases from sailors sleeping with their brothers I think it was a great good old time --- i'm happy that the Christians got involved

I disagree...at least in the capacity to which the movie depicts Christianity's arrival in Hawaii.

There were Christian missionaries--like Jerusha, the minister who was excommunicated for marrying an islander, and the minister who resigned for performing the ceremony--who understood that love, mercy and compassion were the key to converting the natives, not demanding that they meet some made-up standard of perfection before allowing them to be baptized. If their approach had been the dominate one, history may have told a different story.

And as far as the diseases go, that was bound to happen with or without the missionaries' involvement because of the islands' location along major trade routes.

reply share

add reply

formatting help

Many of these native regions, Polynesian or the North American continental natives, were at war with one another in a tribal aspect, so regardless, there was going to be death, either by war of their own doings or the plagues brought by the white man.

The idea it was a peaceful region was brought about by the unfamiliar sight of existence to the white man. The closest there was in our society was farm life.

Yes, it would have been interesting if things were reversed; if natives of some sorts or another sailed to Europe and unbeknownst picked up the vile virus and carried it back to their people and their land.

And ya know what? I'd be willing to be it would still be the white countries fault for having the disease in the first place.

reply share

add reply

formatting help