Navajo Nation hosts Native American Church conference

Once simple, the practice of American Indian medicine is becoming more complex as medicine men travel around the globe and laws governing use of feathers, herbs and plants become more stringent.

[Taxpayer]

Interesting that this article is right below "Sebelius: New Efforts to Improve Indian Health Care".

Seriously though, alternative medicine has been gaining credibility in the western world for the last 30 - 40 years or so, especially as health care costs for traditional medicine keep climbing.

[huhhh]

I just hope Tribal Officials don't use this to take a day leave with pay (saying it's a conference they need to attend). This is more a religious conference and an update as to what you carry over territory borders for those who practice their religion by using Peyote.

[James WFE Mooney]

If you are interested in who Native American Rights Fund is check out the National Public Radio broadcast, http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php...

[James WFE Mooney]

"Is a Native American who is a Christian and not a member of a Native American religion, still permitted to have eagle feathers?" Great question, the way I understand the Laws concerning Eagle Feathers if you are a member of a federally recognized Tribe and or DNA recognized American Native Person the answer is YES, but you have the Native American Church of North America and / or its affiliate 'closed door' Native American Churches with the backing of the Law Firm 'Native American Rights Fund (NARF)' who are attempting to persuade the United States and all Tribal Governments that you DO NOT, regardless of your Tribal Affiliation and or DNA proof of your American Native Heritage, thus attempting the legislation of religion by governments based on racial and / or political criteria. I find these attempts to use Governments public funds (Tribal, Federal and State Agencies; Attorney Generals and Drug Enforcement Administration and etc.) by NARF to blemish the principles of the first amendment criminal.

If you are a member of a bona fide Native American Church you have the legal rights to have Eagle Feathers in your possession regardless of your race.

Should you are interested in who Native American Rights Fund (NARF) is check out the National Public Radio broadcast, http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php...

James Warren 'Flaming Eagle' Mooney, Co-Founder of Oklevueha Native American Church, www.nativeamericanchurch.net

[Soaring Eagle]

Mr. Mooney needs to be referred to the Utah State Attorney's Office once again. He just doesn't get it. What a shame!! Leave our Indian Religion alone, get a certified census number, and then come back and sit among us.

[James WFE Mooney]

Soaring Eagle wrote:

Mr. Mooney needs to be referred to the Utah State Attorney's Office once again. He just doesn't get it. What a shame!! Leave our Indian Religion alone, get a certified census number, and then come back and sit among us.

Soaring Eagle, you need to refer yourself to some 'common sense'. The State of Utah Supreme Court and the United States Attorney's Office of Salt Lake City handed State of Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff and State of Utah Indian Affairs Forest Cuch butts on a platter for your information.

You own a religion, give me a break what arrogance for anyone to think or say they own a religion. Because a person has not been assigned a Tribal Prison Number does not mean he does not have American Native Blood flowing through his or her veins.

Soaring Eagle get a life!

[Upset with Mooney]

Mr. Mooney you are the very reason why the policies as they relate to freedom of indigenous religion have become stringent. There is a reason why they say you have to be a member of a federally recognized tribe. There is nothing in the policies that refer to DNA. You can not answer your own questions as your percieve them. It is what it is. It's unfortunate that you chip away at the sovereign rights of Native tribes.

[James WFE Mooney]

Soaring Eagle, you need to refer yourself to some 'common sense'. The State of Utah Supreme Court and the United States Attorney's Office of Salt Lake City handed State of Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff and State of Utah Indian Affairs Forest Cuch butts on a platter for your information.

You own a religion, give me a break what arrogance for anyone to think or say they own a religion. Because a person has not been assigned a Tribal Prison Number does not mean he does not have American Native Blood flowing through his or her veins.

Soaring Eagle get a life!

[Upset with Mooney]

James WFE Mooney wrote:

<quoted text>
Soaring Eagle, you need to refer yourself to some 'common sense'. The State of Utah Supreme Court and the United States Attorney's Office of Salt Lake City handed State of Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff and State of Utah Indian Affairs Forest Cuch butts on a platter for your information.
You own a religion, give me a break what arrogance for anyone to think or say they own a religion. Because a person has not been assigned a Tribal Prison Number does not mean he does not have American Native Blood flowing through his or her veins.
Soaring Eagle get a life!

Mr. Mooney you contradict yourself in the above statement. You have time and time again referred to yourself as the CO-FOUNDER of a religion. Don't you think you created an imposed ownership of religion?

[Soaring Eagle]

Mr. Flaming Eagle,
You failed to produce a document which states you have a federal census number,or that you have a FEDERAL TRIBAL PRISON NUMBER!! How disrespectful you have become ... The truth must hurt!!

Thank you for your comments,"Upset with Mooney." You hit it right on the nail.

[BlueDog]

This sounds like an event worth checking out. The information being disseminated sounds wonderful.
It should be a great turn out. Good work putting this conference together.

[Harvey]

Sounds heavy duty.

[Harvey]

fyi... http://peyote.org/

[willa]

I would so enjoy attending this conference. I was raised in the NAC. I remember when I was a little girl the absolute need for the BIA to stop our ceremonies. We did not have the freedom of our way to worship and to practice our ceremonies then. I recall very vividly the BIA cops whom many were tribal members, and they would come with their spotlights to spy on us and try to break up our worship. We prevailed then as we we will today and to the end.
There are many Mr. Mooney's in the world, one just has to realize there will always be. He is the type who brings harm yes, he is a bully and bullies are ignorant. Pray for him. One day, perhaps not in this life time he will meet his Maker, and then he will know the truth. He will have to swallow his ugly tongue.

[MorningWater]

"Is a Native American who is a Christian and not a member of a Native American religion, still permitted to have eagle feathers?"
hello! its a illegal. unless your recogonized by a NAC chapter as a member to obtain a permit to handle feathers, peyote, ect.

[James WFE Mooney]

The Native American Church (NAC) is an Earth Based Healing religion that was incorporated in 1918.

Because of this Incorporation, by federally recognized tribal members, the Native American Church Incorporating qualifies the NAC for 'all' freedoms and protection that ‘all’ the Catholic and Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Churches and their perspective branches receive.

The United States Government does not set policies for the Catholic and Mormon Churches, or does the government dictate what type of wine or brand of wine it can use for its Sacrament nor does the Government tell the Mormons who can inter their temples based on racial or political standards.

Tribal governments nor does any United States, State or any of their agencies set policies for the Native American Church or any other church worshiping in the United States of America.

The way the spirit touches every Roadman's heart is what tells him or her what to do or not to do, not what some tribal and / or federal government agency try's to tell them what to do.

As a matter of Law all U.S. government agencies are to protect the Roadman’s inspirations promptings, providing they do not meet a ‘compelling interest’.

By law federal government agencies do not set religious doctrines.

Tribal governments historically have been used, by questionable influences, to the demise of the American Native culture and its spiritual practices.

Thankfully things are changing, however judging from the agenda of this conference sponsored by the Navajo Nation, we have a ways to go.

However, with all this said I think and feel this conference is a step in the right direction for people worshiping American Native indigenous ceremonies.

[James WFE Mooney]

Soaring Eagle wrote:

Mr. Flaming Eagle,
You failed to produce a document which states you have a federal census number,or that you have a FEDERAL TRIBAL PRISON NUMBER!! How disrespectful you have become ... The truth must hurt!!
Thank you for your comments,"Upset with Mooney." You hit it right on the nail.

"You failed to produce a document which states you have a federal census number, or that you have a FEDERAL TRIBAL PRISON NUMBER!" This may be surprising to you but to honor my American Native Ancestry and their spiritual ways, that was passed onto me, I do not feel or think it necessary to seek or to be assigned a FEDERAL TRIBAL PRISON NUMBER to worship the dictates of my heart.

I do not mean any disrespect to people that are federally recognized American Native people, I just call these census numbers and tribal numbers for what they really are. Think about it for a moment, does any other citizen of the United States need or are required to have a number to describe who they are other than people in prison.

[James WFE Mooney]

willa wrote:

I would so enjoy attending this conference. I was raised in the NAC. I remember when I was a little girl the absolute need for the BIA to stop our ceremonies. We did not have the freedom of our way to worship and to practice our ceremonies then. I recall very vividly the BIA cops whom many were tribal members, and they would come with their spotlights to spy on us and try to break up our worship. We prevailed then as we we will today and to the end.
There are many Mr. Mooney's in the world, one just has to realize there will always be. He is the type who brings harm yes, he is a bully and bullies are ignorant. Pray for him. One day, perhaps not in this life time he will meet his Maker, and then he will know the truth. He will have to swallow his ugly tongue.

Willa, thank you for the prayers.

[James WFE Mooney]

Upset with Mooney wrote:

<quoted text>
Mr. Mooney you contradict yourself in the above statement. You have time and time again referred to yourself as the CO-FOUNDER of a religion. Don't you think you created an imposed ownership of religion?

Upset with Mooney, this must be a new revelation to you, but there is a 'really' big difference from being a co-founding of a church and a religion. I have never said or claimed I co-founded a religion.

I honor your way, you choose to worship the creator and I do not attempt to get government and / or Tribal agencies to dictate to you on how you may or may not worship or for whom I worship with based on race.

[James WFE Mooney]

Harvey wrote:

fyi... http://peyote.org/

Harvey, yes the James Mooney that assisted the Native American Church to be incorporated is my Great Grandfather.

And it is also true that the Huichole people are the caretakers of the medicine and that I received a blessing by them and Leslie Fool bull of the Lakota Sioux, Rosebud Reservation Native American Church to take these Medicine's to the White Man.

And yes these facts were verified by United States Attorney's and their investigators.