Hi I'm new here but this post was brought to my attention by a friend. A few years ago I found a number of similarities between Joseph Smith and Red Jacket. I'm going to hijack your thread and add them here.
This post will propose a another piece in the puzzle, another source or inspiration for parts of the Book of Mormon. The source that I propose is from Speeches of a Native American called Sa-Go-Ye-Wat-Ha otherwise known as Red Jacket and also news relating to the Seneca Native Americans. Red Jacket was well known for his oratory skill and was actually a Native American Apologist. He is most well known for his Speech given in 1805 to a Christian Missionary in response to proselytizing efforts. This speech was widely circulated at the time.
The full text of Red Jacket's 1805 speech is available here
http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeche ... jacket.htm In the 1805 speech Red Jacket defended the Native American religion and attacked the Christian missionaries and their efforts to convert Native Americans on the following points. All these themes raised in the 1805 speech are found in the Book of Mormon with answers to the questions which is
by its design meant to convert Native Americans Underneath each point I've put themes in the Book of Mormon that touch on these issues. :
1. That the white people relied on
a book (the Bible), but that they disagreed on religion, the Seneca never disagreed on religion
Book of Mormon Themes wrote:That the book (the Bible) had been corrupted leading to the confusion with Christians.
1 Ne. 13: 21, 23-24, 28-29, 38 ; 1 Ne. 14: 23
2. That God had given his red children
different customs of their forefathers which they should follow that the Great Spirit gives different people
different religions according to their understandingBook of Mormon Themes wrote:That people shouldn't follow "foolish traditions of their fathers".
Enos 1: 14 ; Mosiah 1: 5 ; Mosiah 10: 12 ; Mosiah 26: 1 ; Hel. 5: 19, 51 ; Hel. 15: 4, 7, 15 ; Alma 3: 11 ; Alma 9: 8, 16-17 ; Alma 17: 9, 15 ; Alma 18: 5 ; Alma 21: 8, 17 ; Alma 23: 3 ; Alma 24: 7 ; Alma 25: 6 ; Alma 26: 24 ; Alma 30: 14, 16, 23, 27, 31 ; Alma 31: 16 ; Alma 37: 9 ; Alma 60: 32 ; 3 Ne. 1: 11
3. If the Great Spirit intended Indians to have the book and religion
why didn’t He give it to Indians and their forefathers with the means of understanding it.
Book of Mormon Themes wrote:That the Great Spirit did give the Native Americans the true religion according to their understanding, but that they fell into apostasy.
2 Ne. 31:3
4. That
the Great Spirit gave the island for the use of Native Americans, the White man had asked for a seat and the Native Americans gave them one believing them to be friends the White man had now taken their whole country and were not content just taking the country but now wanted to take their religion from them
Book of Mormon Themes wrote:That America is a promised land meaning that God had given it to the Native Americans before but now He has given it for the Gentiles, it could be theirs again if they converted to Christianity a.k.a. Mormonism.
5. That Red Jacket had been to a meeting and had seen that
they collected money and assumed this was to pay the minister and that the Christians might want money from them
Book of Mormon Themes wrote:That there should be no paid ministry
1 Ne. 22: 23 ; Morm. 8: 32-41
6. That the white man had
deceived them in order to take things in the past
Book of Mormon Themes wrote:A common theme in the Book of Mormon deceiving to take things
Alma 20: 13 .
7. Red Jacket said that neighbours were Christian and so he would
see the effect that it would have on the neighbours, if it made them good or bad Book of Mormon Themes wrote:The Book of Mormon states clearly if something has a good effect then it is a good
Secondly I found this speech delivered by Red Jacket in 1822
here.
In this speech Red Jacket uses the argument that God gave different customs, natures and habits in the same way he gave different skin colours in people and animals and that these cannot be changed without displeasing the Great Spirit. Interestingly in this speech Red Jacket made this interesting statement about Native Americans becoming black men.
Red Jacket wrote:And I say that it is a fact, that whenever you find a tribe of Indians that have been christionized and have changed their custom or habit, which the Great good Spirit gave them, you will see that they are a poor, worthless, lying, ragged, miserable and degraded set of beings; and instead of becoming white men, as they expected to have become by changing their customs and habits, they have formed connections with the blacks, and have become black men in their actions and conduct. I say, therefore, that the Great Spirit will not suffer his Red Children to change their religion or custom. But when they attempt to do it punishes them by turning them into Black Men.
Red Jacket was speaking figuratively but the idea of God "turning [Native Americans] into black men" as a result of changing God given habits, but also "becoming white men" is shown in the following scriptures.
Book of Mormon wrote:2 Ne. 5: 21 And he had caused the cursing to come upon them, yea, even a sore cursing, because of their iniquity. For behold, they had hardened their hearts against him, that they had become like unto a flint; wherefore, as they were white, and exceedingly fair and delightsome, that they might not be enticing unto my people the Lord God did cause a skin of blackness to come upon them.
Alma 3: 6 And the skins of the Lamanites were dark, according to the mark which was set upon their fathers, which was a curse upon them because of their transgression and their rebellion against their brethren, who consisted of Nephi, Jacob, and Joseph, and Sam, who were just and holy men.
3 Ne. 2: 14-16
14 And it came to pass that those Lamanites who had united with the Nephites were numbered among the Nephites;
15 And their curse was taken from them, and their skin became white like unto the Nephites;
16 And their young men and their daughters became exceedingly fair, and they were numbered among the Nephites, and were called Nephites. And thus ended the thirteenth year.
1830 Edition Book of Mormon: 2 Nephi 30:6: “their scales of darkness shall begin to fall from their eyes; and many generations shall not pass away among them, save they shall be a white and a delightsome people."