Are Christians Animistic?

[wandering peacefully]

No offence intended but I can see why being a Mormon with their strict adherence to tradition such non-Christian concepts would not be acceptable but the church. I am not a traditional Christian, and have been told that my teaching is that of a false prophet or a cultist so my opinion might be just that an opinion. I can tell you that no traditional Christian church I know of teaches that a Christian can be an Animist. That said I too feel some inanimate objects and lower forms of life such as plants possess some kind of soul or force. Is this force natural or supernatural? I don't know! The difference is I do not worship any object except for the Hebrew God. The key word is worship. I do not know of any bible teaching etc that forbids the belief that inanimate objects or lower life forms have a lifeforce etc. we just can not worship them. To complicate matters a little more there are 'churches', or cults that teach 'Christian Animism’ doctrines.

Animism isn't about worshipping everything in nature. Native Americans do not worship nature. They believe everything in nature is connected and has a "spirit" so to speak. The animals spirits are protectors and people become connected with the particular spirit which has come to them either in a dream or through actual contact or vision quests. That animal then becomes their protector and guide and the person takes on the attributes of their animal. There can be many guides for one person.

Christianity is definitely not accepting of this spiritually and participants in Animism are labeled heathens. That is the reason for forced conversion in the contact period.
Some Tribes are now successfully incorporating their ancestors spirituality with the Christianity they were forced into but mainstream Christians, if that is a term, do not believe in it as the Natives do.

 

[MrMrdevincamus]

Animism isn't about worshipping everything in nature. Native Americans do not worship nature. They believe everything in nature is connected and has a "spirit" so to speak. The animals spirits are protectors and people become connected with the particular spirit which has come to them either in a dream or through actual contact or vision quests. That animal then becomes their protector and guide and the person takes on the attributes of their animal. There can be many guides for one person.

Christianity is definitely not accepting of this spiritually and participants in Animism are labeled heathens. That is the reason for forced conversion in the contact period.
Some Tribes are now successfully incorporating their ancestors spirituality with the Christianity they were forced into but mainstream Christians, if that is a term, do not believe in it as the Natives do.

Yes that is what I said in my first reply. The forced conversions you mention was not enacted as often as many believe**. In any case forced conversion was not a Christian method that was condoned or taught anywhere in the bible. It was enforced as were the early missionary's with no biblical support. But 200 years ago more or less there were many Christian and other religions that enforced false teachings as the law of the land. Btw some tribes were Animalistic, check this out;

The Native American way of life and religion - Revision 5 - GCSE ...

The Native American way of life and religion - Revision 5 - GCSE History - BBC Bitesize
Although many Native Americans believed in a great spirit - called Wakan Tanka - their religion was animistic . It was based on the desire to appease 'the spirits', which they did in a variety of ways.

notes;

** (SOURCED FROM THE WEB)........The American Indian Religious Freedom Act is a United States Federal Law and a joint resolution of Congress that provides protection for tribal culture and traditional religious rights such as access to sacred sites, freedom to worship through traditional ceremony, and use and possession of sacred objects for American ...
Native American religion - Wikipedia