The Missionaries: God Against the Indians

by Norman Lewis

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Norman Lewis's stunning examination of the disturbing cultural and environmental devastation wrought in the name of religious salvationAcclaimed travel essayist Norman Lewis spent his life traversing the globe and offering thoughtful commentary on the cultures he visited. In The Missionaries, he turns his critical lens on those missionaries who embed themselves in indigenous cultures to convert the locals to Christianity. What begins with the well-meaning goal of improving the lives of show more native people, though, often has the opposite effect.Focusing mainly on tribes in South America, but also in show less

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Based on his experiences with missionaries in Southeast Asia and Central and Latin America, Lewis has written a scathing account of how some missionary sects deal with indigenous peoples in their bid for the conquest of souls. He cites the creation of fear and the establishment of dependency upon goods which, without becoming wage-earners, the Indians could not procure. As native peoples are hurried through the process of acculturation, Indian customs and ways of life, ceremonies, art, music, and dance are often lost only to be replaced by illness, apathy, and forced labor. This volume combines autobiography, travel writing, and social commentary.

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41+ Works 2,987 Members

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Grote ABC (645)

Common Knowledge

Original title
Missionaries
Original publication date
1988

Classifications

Genres
Anthropology, Nonfiction, Religion & Spirituality, Travel, Biography & Memoir
DDC/MDS
266.008998ReligionChristian organization, social work & worshipMissionsMissions; Home and ForeignMissions; Home and Foreign
LCC
F2230.1 .M5 .L48Local History of the United States, Canada and Latin AmericaLatin America. Spanish AmericaSouth AmericaGeneral
BISAC

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137
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Reviews
2
Rating
½ (3.63)
Languages
Dutch, English, German, Spanish
Media
Paper, Ebook
ISBNs
13
ASINs
3