The Natives and the Spanish

My history reading tonight is the starter for this journal. The reading talks about the horrible treatment of the indigenous peoples of Central and South American by the Spanish. The Spanish who were capable of such cruelties were Catholic. This spoke to me especially because I myself am Catholic, and it brought me to questioning how someone who theoretically believed in the same moral core that I do, could be capable of such cruelties. I suppose that perhaps they lacked conviction- but I also suppose that they were just as influenced by their environments as any human being. They were raised and lived in a culture that emphasized greed and domination- and so they emphasized greed and domination (so says the text). In contrast, the Native Americans lived in a society emphasizing hospitality and openness (so says the text). It made me reaffirm my opinion from an earlier journal. I think forgiveness is much more important that justice- for one cannot show forgiveness unless shown forgiveness, one cannot show kindness unless shown kindness, one cannot show hospitality unless shown hospitality, one cannot show charity unless shown charity.