: Oh, of course. Now i see how foolish i have been. The things i have read as regards the hopi, and my contention that eagle sacrifice forms an integral part of their existence can be rebutted by you, who have not even bothered to look into whether this is an accurate representation of the matter at hand.Cynic: I think it goes without saying that the Hopi people will survive without performing this ritual. Food, water, and shelter are the necessities of live- not religion. But will their cultural traditions survive? Perhaps. In case of eagle torture I don't much care if that tradition survives or not. But anyone who lives in an American society and goes to an American public school, owns a car, a television, a gun, wears jeans, or eats groceries bought at a store isn't living the Hopi tradition either. You can't tell me that practicing eagle torture and going to pow-wows once or twice a year can REALLY salvage their traditional way of life. That is, regrettably, already nothing more than a dead intellectual curiosity.
: Such wisdom. Please hold still while i cut out your heart so that i can gain some part of thine magnificent knowledge oh omniscient one.
Cynic: Besides, if the native American's really did have the only valid spirituality on Earth (you'll find billions who'd disagree with you) then they aren't being very nice to restrict outsiders from learning about or practicing Native religious ceremonies. Why can't we have spirital fulfillment as well? Sounds pretty selfish if you ask me. How are non-indigenous people supposed to learn to care about Native traditions if it's forbidden to share them with outsiders? To me it is little wonder that so many really couldn't give a damn if these traditions expire.
