The Effects of Religion on Specific Civilizations

Since I believe we find that many people believe religion may be a direct cause of wars and conflicts, I just want to start a topic to analyze the effects of ancient and modern religions on humans of ancient and modern times.

First I am going to list what I know, or believe I know off the top of my head.

America was affected by Christianity during its only civil war since its manifestation as a sovereign nation. “Under God” is referenced in the constitution, which I believe represents the Father of Christ who gave Mary the Virgin a child to bear. The southern confederate states were in favor of keeping human slaves, a race they believed inferior. Under God all races and all humans, men and woman, are created equally.

This belief is beneficial to mankind because it helps remove the boundaries which can cause suffering as well as removing the limitations which prohibit human rights development. The people who wanted to separate from the union because they believed their profits were more important than the livelihoods, freedom, and well being of equally created human beings. I will not go into why they believed this was the case, but the fact is that belief is not Christ-like at all. When the union won the war and banned slavery this was a direct victory against evil and evil thinking.

It is unfortunate to know however that the forefathers and predecessors had taken the land that they fought on from a technologically primitive variety of different cultures of people, and were still in the process of taking more. These people had never been exposed to the sacrifice of Christ and never knew about his teachings. In many instances these Native Tribes were polytheists and believed in many Gods. It is unknown whether this is a cause of them not being as developed enough technologically to defend against the invasion of Christians.

It should also be noted that the Spanish and the Portuguese were doing the exact same thing in South America, the only difference was the language used. It is curious to wonder why they went through such different end result as North America.

I will post more as I do more research.

Actually this is really interesting if researched well.
I'd love to see a study done on how different religions core beliefs have effected cultures over the years.

Lets see, effects of Religion on Civilizations?

1095-1271: Pope Urban II calls for Christians to Crusade upon Jerusalem to take back the Holy Land. He declared that the war would count as a full penance for all participants. The city of Jerusalem was massacred, every single man, woman, and child killed in the name of god. From this came eight more Religious Crusades and massacres between 1100 to 1271. These events forever destabilized the middle east, and set the grounds for Muslim hatred towards western religion.

Another thing is I have heard from many people and from things I have read the Jewish people have supposedly been persecuted since time can remember. The biggest question is why? What is it about Jews that causes others to persecute them?. To be honest I have almost no knowledge on Jewish beliefs and practices. I am in the process of getting a hold of english copies of the Quran and Torah from their native lands.

It is my belief that Christian ideology has helped to stop torture as punishment for people who have sinned. Criminals in this country and many Christian countries are given many chances to rehabilitate themselves thanks to the opportunity of not being tortured or killed outright. Many people who have committed crimes have gotten another chance to make themselves better people thanks to forgiveness. I myself have been given another chance and done much good since turning from the path of evil thoughts.

I have read and viewed reports of people in Muslim and African nations where criminals are punished with physical mutilation or amputation. This deeply limits the opportunity for the individual to rehabilitate themselves and will actually build resentment into him/her. The only plus to that is the mass reduction of repeat offenses.


On to another civilization now. The Romans were, as far as I know, the only people to crucify people. Was this as a sacrafice to their gods, because earlier in their history they were polythiest. At what point did they become Roman-Catholic and adopting Christianity, in the sense that they accept Christ as the Divine Son of God and their savior.

Don't kid yourself. War persists in spite of religion. Religion is just about the only thing that has ever had a pacifying effect on humans. Unfortunately, some continue to force their will on others, even in the name of their "peaceful religion."

You have a very glaring error in your post..as do many who use the Crusades as a starting point for Muslim/Christian division.

Suggest strongly that you look up the Battle of Tours in France and Charles Martel..circa 732 AD.
The truth of history is that so many of us ..myself included ...are very ignorant of history as a whole. Most who use the Crusades dont even mention that the Muslims were on the move and invading Europe in the late 600s and into the early 700s AD. They were finally stopped by Charles Martel in 732 AD at the Battle of Tours. This history can be read on the web.

Fact..the Muslims were the first to invade...yet you never hear any news people informing you of this fact...of history. Nor any Muslims either. Why is this Wolf of War?????

Do not ever attempt to use the Crusades against any knowlegable Christian who knows history. I do not approve of the Crusades or what they represent..but I do know that the Muslims were on the move long before the so called Christian Crusades..some 300 years before ....which were certainly not Christian in how they were carried out. This is very telling to those who can think this through to its logical and resonable conclusion. Very telling! Think it through Wolf of War.


Thanks,
Orangetom

Grady Phillpot posts:

" War persists in spite of religion"

War seems to be, at times, the natural state of human beings world wide.
Many in these rooms are provincial enough to try to put much of the blame on religion ..particularly Christianity.

Of particular intrest to me is the history of the nations of ancient times who constantly waged war against each other ...with the help of thier gods.
I find it very intresting the total abscence of this view in a attempt to blame wars on Christianity or the Hebrew God.

Concerning the Hebrew God of the Olde Testament...it is of intrest to me to observe unbelievers in different rooms and thier posting technique while totally avoiding the nations surrounding Israel..and what they were doing in wars with other Pagan nations in the name of their gods. A very intresting omission and also very telling.

The limited history of which I know goes like this.
of the major empires of olde.

Egyptian Empire ..conquered by the Assyrians/Babylonians
Assyrians conquered by the Persians
The Persians conquered by the Greeks and
The Greeks conquered by the Romans.

This is the basic outline..I may have this incorrect in the arena of the Assyrians/Babylonians but my main point is that the Nation of Israel was but a tiny spec in this world wide arrangement of Empires. A tiny nation surrounded by mostly pagan nations who fought each other as much or more than they fought the nation of Israel.
One comes up with some intresting conclusions when one sees the history from this larger perspective than the one unbelievers tend to post here on many of these boards.

Remember ..these were merely the nations in and around the mid east..in ancient times...what were they doing in Europe..Germanina...Gaul...in what is today the UK. What were they doing in the Russias..in China...in India ..in ancient times.??? What was the status of thier gods??? Their wars??
When you begin realizing this view it becomes clear how little history we are actually taught next to the importance of this history to us and our understanting of it.

Something to think about ...outside of much of what we have been taught.

Thanks,
Orangetom

Originally posted by orangetom1999
You have a very glaring error in your post..as do many who use the Crusades as a starting point for Muslim/Christian division.

Suggest strongly that you look up the Battle of Tours in France and Charles Martel..circa 732 AD.
The truth of history is that so many of us ..myself included ...are very ignorant of history as a whole. Most who use the Crusades dont even mention that the Muslims were on the move and invading Europe in the late 600s and into the early 700s AD. They were finally stopped by Charles Martel in 732 AD at the Battle of Tours. This history can be read on the web.

Fact..the Muslims were the first to invade...yet you never hear any news people informing you of this fact...of history. Nor any Muslims either. Why is this Wolf of War?????

Do not ever attempt to use the Crusades against any knowlegable Christian who knows history. I do not approve of the Crusades or what they represent..but I do know that the Muslims were on the move long before the so called Christian Crusades..some 300 years before ....which were certainly not Christian in how they were carried out. This is very telling to those who can think this through to its logical and resonable conclusion. Very telling! Think it through Wolf of War.


Thanks,
Orangetom

My point of my post was not about who started the fight, it was about how religion was used to incite the battle. think about it, the most important point of the crusades was the fact it was made into a RELIGIOUS battle, where the pope ORDERED Christians to go fight in a Holy War, for the purpose of RESOLVING all sins that the person may have. Thats a great example of Religions effects on civilizations. Its very powerful, to be able to tell every member of a religious group to go to war, and that theyre sins will be resolved, for the sake of taking back a piece of land. And that allowed people to fight for three hundred years, in the belief that it was a war for god.

Powerful stuff.

Ok..lets look at it this way...since so many like to use the Roman Catholic church as representing all of Christianity carte blanch ..by default. Roman Catholicism plays through as representing Christianity ..all of Christianity.

Where are the Biblical instructions allowing the Church to take such a stance..Olde or New Testaments? Chapters and verse please?

The chapter and verse which says that in going to war a man can absolve another of all sins. Did this not maintain unto the time after Martin Luther in the practice of indulgences..even for future sins??? For a price. The only diffrence here is the price was going to war for Rome.

If this chapter and verse cannot be found to support this practice or stance of Rome and the Popes..they are obviously operating outside of Biblical instructions for a church. Thus meaning they are operating outside of Christian instruction and are not Gods Church...they have violated the Covenant...and taken upon themselves another covenant. Also another god. It is in fact ..that simple to those who can think it through. This is exactly the kind of thing that got the Hebrews in such trouble over and over ...substituting mens ideas and instruction as if they were the Word of God...when they were not. They substituted counterfit doctrines and practices and attempted to make them look like God's instructions..when they were not Gods instructions.
I am not particularly being rough on Rome here as many non Roman Churchs are doing exactly the same pattern of operation today.

I am trying to slug my way through a book by a pastor named John Hagee..titled "Jerusalem Countdown."
This book is trying my patience very hard and I have to force myself to read it ..I tend to get frustrated reading this kind of stuff and skip over whole portions of the chapters when the pattern is so predictable. He makes me think of one of these churchs of which I speak.

Thanks,
Orangetom

in the late 600s AD and into the 700s AD the Muslims were on the move to conquer Europe in a invasion up the Iberian Pennensula and into France.
The Religion of Peace. WHat was the incentive for them to do this in the name of Peace?? " May the Sword of Islam rest upon the neck of the Infidel." Whom did they put to the sword or convert in this attempt.

We again under Suleman see the taking of Constantnople and the invasions into eastern Europe. They decided to take Europe through another route. This became the Ottoman Empire. What was the motive for spreading this war under the guise of a religion? A religion of peace.
It is very intresting what one sees a priesthood doing ..in public and then again in private..not just the Muslims but others.

Thanks,
Orangetom

Originally posted by orangetom1999
Ok..lets look at it this way...since so many like to use the Roman Catholic church as representing all of Christianity carte blanch ..by default. Roman Catholicism plays through as representing Christianity ..all of Christianity.

Where are the Biblical instructions allowing the Church to take such a stance..Olde or New Testaments? Chapters and verse please?

The chapter and verse which says that in going to war a man can absolve another of all sins. Did this not maintain unto the time after Martin Luther in the practice of indulgences..even for future sins??? For a price. The only diffrence here is the price was going to war for Rome.

If this chapter and verse cannot be found to support this practice or stance of Rome and the Popes..they are obviously operating outside of Biblical instructions for a church. Thus meaning they are operating outside of Christian instruction and are not Gods Church...they have violated the Covenant...and taken upon themselves another covenant. Also another god. It is in fact ..that simple to those who can think it through. This is exactly the kind of thing that got the Hebrews in such trouble over and over ...substituting mens ideas and instruction as if they were the Word of God...when they were not. They substituted counterfit doctrines and practices and attempted to make them look like God's instructions..when they were not Gods instructions.
I am not particularly being rough on Rome here as many non Roman Churchs are doing exactly the same pattern of operation today.

I'm not trying to say that the religion caused the crusades, The topic creator was asking about information on the effects of religion on civilizations, and examples. It does not matter if there wasn't a verse in the bible saying anything, the point is that its religious leaders used the religion to incite all of its believers to bear arms and fight. Thats a powerful example of religion effecting a civilization.

Think about it, its like if Panama decided not to let any Wal-mart stores in its country, and Wal-mart told all its customers to bare arms, and go fight panama, and if they do, they'll give the customers a 25% discount on all denims and khaki pants.

Its an entire group of people in a civilization going to fight because of theyre religious belief.

Wal Mart is a religion..complete with priesthood???

Think this one through carefully..very carefully..not all is as seems here.

Thanks,
Orangetom

Originally posted by orangetom1999
Wal Mart is a religion..complete with priesthood???

Think this one through carefully..very carefully..not all is as seems here.

Thanks,
Orangetom

Your just not getting what I'm saying, stop trying to fight it. I am not trying to attack your religion, and your just basically being ignorant to everything that I've been saying.

Wal-mart was an example, to make it easier to understand.

The point is, The Crusades were manipulated by religious leaders for political reasons, and used religious dogma to convince its followers to bear arms in the civilization and blindly go and fight.

The topic of the thread is The Effects of Religion on Civilizations. That was an example of how a religion effected the people of a civilization, and showed how deep rooted it was in that culture

It's back to the research library for you. It's correct that everyone in the walled city of Jeruselem were slaughtered but this was not done by the Moslems. When the Chrisrian Crusaders finally arrived in Jeruselem they set siege upon the city. When they finally did break in, they killed everybody. The trouble is...like most poorly thought plans and the Crusades qualify as the world class example of idiocy, the people in the city were mostly Christian. The Moslem commander allowed them sanctuary in the city to protect them from local hostiles.
The good Christian Knights arrived tierd but full of Christian fervor (which all too often passed for reason) and set about doing "god's will" as they saw it.
The result, slaughter of those they were supposed to be saving!
Pathetic really, but consistent with religious thinking and actions through history.
A bit if research will let you in on Urban's II real reasons for his blunder. They were not alrtuistic in nature and proved him to be the self-serving incompetent history and good research paints him to have been,
skep

There was nothing noble or moral about the Crusades.
I do understand your point Wolf of War about religion changing history and civilizations. I really do. My point is that this religion in play here in your example was not Christian at all..by their conduct or the conduct of carrying out the war. We often tend to take it for granted that they were Christian because it says so in some history book or they shovel it out in school and we never think about it any further.

Your main problem is that you dont understand the religion of the "Priesthood" or sometimes called the "Priest Kings" ...including Walmart.

Go back in history books and check out the religions of different nations..especially pagan nations ..like Tyre, Rome, Greece..and many in the Ancient Mid East. Then watch this system survive into the middle ages in Europe with the Kings and thier priesthhoods..under the psuedo guise of Christianity. In most of these nations you see a attempt by Kings or leaders to control their kingdoms through variations of "Divine Right Kingship" The priesthood were there to support this system and give the King a legitimacy. It was a very nice arrangement. The priesthhood seldome had to go out into the fields and grovel as did the ordinary peons.
From the earliest days of recorded civilizations ...to the middle ages ..little changed in most nations. A royalty lived reasonably well for the times on the production of the bulk of peoples and the priesthood lived in like manner by supporting the Kings. It was a nice fleecing arrangement.
A "Divine Right King" thier power came from God..through thier priesthood to him. They were blessed and crowned by the religious authority. Who under this system can go against God. Gods will. To do so would condem one to damnation both her on this earth and in the next life.

Enter Oliver Cromwell..in the 1600s in England. The English Civil war is a textbook example of many things ...including the death of "Divine right of Kings". This Civil War is the classic example, to those who know history, of Religion changing a nation and affecting others who know the significance of the change.
This was a religious war the likes of which human reason and logic want people to know nothing about ......ever!! This is why it is so seldome taught in most history books.
Charles 1st wanted to be a divine right king like the other kings on the continent and wanted the ability to tax for whatever purposes he needed. If parliment, who gained the taxing authority under the Magna Carta, would not grant him the taxes he wanted the king would dismiss parliment and pass his own taxes in spite of the Magna Carta. A divine right king can do this for his authority is absolute.
To the English People who had been given in English..a bible.. the King James Version ...they knew thier King was in Heaven not on the throne of England. The English King was limited in his power..not divine right. The King was the administrator of just English Law. Not unlimited in his authority and power. The King had broken the Magna Carta. A divine right king could not break the Magna Carta. An administrative king ...limited in his power could break the law and was accountable.
ON this issue the battle lines were drawn and the English Civil war commenced. Many bloody years of war ensued.
When it was concluded the English people put thier Kings head on the chopping block and cut it off. This is the first time in history that a people had ever executed thier king. Kings had been killed before but by other royalty..never by a ordinary people. Very bad news for the king club.
Thus ended in the Western World ...."Divine Right of Kings."

This is important to us...why????????????? Because our expression of the end of "Divine Right of Kings in America is called "Seperation of Church and State."

This is what the founders called the "Mischief" that Governments with unlimited powers tended to get into when thier authority is not curbed. This is why it is supposed to be called "Limited Government". The founders understood this history. They were not ignorant of history at all.

To keep Government or Kings and the priesthood seperate...from joining forces to fleece the public. This is what history records if you know what you are looking at ...over and over and over and over..ad nauseum.

Religion ..the right religion and for the right reasons is the tool that will do it. Always ..without exception.

This is why ceratain religious beliefs will never be taught in public schools neither will the English Civil war..lest someone accidently catch wind of this principle throught the history of what happened.
Our founders were not ignorant of this history of the English Civil war ..nor of the history of the Priesthood...going way back.to the times of the ancients.

Wolf of War...observe closely...it is historically demonstratable that the nations which broke away from this practice of Divine right Kings...absolute power ..in the monarchy ...were the nations to go on to progress above the basic substance level. This means Northern Germany , the lowland countrys..holland/netherlands..House of Orange...and England.
These are the nations which within two hundred years there was a difference in the standard of living among ordinary peoples which exists unto today. Most other nations were to remain the same basic substance among most peoples...because of this priest kings divine right system.
YOu can apply this to the orient...to india...to any nation...historically and look at the standard of living of the ordianry person.
Anywhere you saw real progress ..in nations .like the orient ..it came from one of these nations mentioned who broke out of the priest kings ...divine right of kings dogma.

Wolf of War..if you understand what I am alluding to ...think long and hard about what will happen to civilizations ..like Europe or UK or the United States if the Mullahs or Imans have their way and join thier priesthood and governments back the way they want them to be. Think long and hard on this.
Also think long and hard on why they dont teach this in public school or in the news media which is supposed to be "looking out for you"!!

When you know and understand this pattern ..and look around you at the things and institutions you take for granted ...other things become quite obvious.

So ...what is the religion and priesthhood of Wal Mart??

Thanks,
Orangetom

If you think my previous post was crazy and way off the mark...think seriously about what I am going to post here about unlimited Government or to put it another way ..divine right government. Either way it is unlimited power and authority over its citizens.

King Charles 1st of England wanted to impose new taxes to support a war on the continent. Parliment was not in favor of this.

The ability of a Government historically to take moneys from its people means a lowered standard of living for its peoples to support this effort.

Our government is asking for another 140 billion dollars to support this war effort in Afganistan and Iraq. THey get this money by raising the Deficit.
A Government with unlimited ability to raise the Deficit for expenditures is like a divine right king. They can create this moneys out of nothing and spend it in our economy to take goods and services out of this country and send them overseas..in a war. We must live on less but more money is now in circulation chasing the rest of the goods available in our economy. What must eventually happen to prices??? How is this different from taxation. How is this different from a divine right king taxing us directly for it.
I can tell you one thing this is definitelly doing ...reducing the purchasing power of our dollar. It is getting weaker. What will another 140 billion new dollars do to the value of the American Dollar.
You know those guys who want to buy our port facilities...the ones so controversial in the news and congress. What I see them saying is that they dont want the worthless dollars..they would rather have the port facilities. At least the ports will hold some value in the long run.
Do you hear a economic expert say this in the evening news??

Think long and hard on this ..how is a unlimited spending government any different from a divine right king??? THey can buy up anything like this.

John Maynard Keynes

"Economic Consequences of the Peace"

"The quickest way to destroy the capitalist system is to debauch the currency"

What would you say is the religion of a government like this ..who deficit spend the nation into the drink?? How about Wal Mart...?? with thier influence on Government???? What is the priesthood which connects these two and others??

Thanks,
Orangetom

so..are my examples a effect of religion on Civilizations???

Thanks,
Orangetom



What about Wal Mart??

Well Wolf of War was not trying to argue anything, and I was not creating this topic in order that people argue our personal beliefs, which Wolf of War was not doing. He was simply posting an example of the effects of false representatives of a religion on a civilization, which I believe is just. Of course it does not represent true Christianity, but back then those false doctrines did in fact have the effect it had.

Your examples in comparing to the government are also just. What are we to do as citizens now though of this government? Just like the citizens of King Charles Day should we also behead our own King (government) ? If we did it would go against the teachings of Christ. We are to forgive and pray for those who commit sins against others (even against millions). It is the duty of God to punish the sinners, we are not to judge lest we be without sin.

Anyways let’s site other examples on the good effects of religion on civilizations. I personally see this in today’s justice systems.

I believe Americas justice system is based on Christian beliefs of Forgiveness. for instance, one of the ten commandments states that people shall not steal. Yet those who are will be punished somewhat, but will be forgiven and allowed to go back into society and try to rehabilitate themselves. Now the only drawback to this is many people would be likely to repeat their offenses, some on a much larger scale. It is only after many repeats of this crime that the punishment becomes very severe. Of course in the end the system still forgives the individual and allows him/her to return to society and make better of themselves. Let us not forget that many other will not commit any transgression again after their first offense.

Compare this with some nations in other parts of the world. I have read in Pre-War Iraq thieves would be punished with dismemberment of certain limbs, primarily the hand or foot. As brutal as this punishment may be, it most definitely reduces the possibility of repeat offenses, both physically and in the individual's mind. It also sets a rather intense message to avert others from committing the crime. The downside is the reduction of the individual’s quality of life as well as the mental trauma he will carry for the duration of his mortal existence.

It is hard to say which method is superior or even humane. Although the Christian method is more humane on the individual it opens up the opportunity for him/her to carry out transgressions against others, many others in some instances. We see this in the news sometimes when we hear about people who have served many years for murder, rape, and robbery being released only to commit the same crime again. That does not necessarily mean we should abandon forgiveness, because we have also heard of many who have turned their lives around and affected many people’s lives in a positive light. I personally have abandoned my ways of past after serving only a little bit of time in jail. Granted it was like my fourth offense. That is the beauty of forgiveness. You will have as many chances as you need to turn your life around until you do.

Are there any other examples, or would we like to discuss mine?

Good post you have made there.
One of the points I was making is that many things appearing to be Christian are not in fact Christian..but counterfits. One must look closely to see the difference. A counterfit is not the opposite of the real thing but it must appear to be as close to the real thing as possible to pass..otherwise to many people would know the difference. This is core to the religion of politics...which is in fact a religion. The difference being that this religion has two faces...one for the public and one for the memebers in private. And certainly a very zealous devout core group practicing this religion of politics. This is the main religion which has influenced Civilizations through out history while appearing to be Christian. This is not a new phenomonon. It is very ancient in its pedigree.
I am aware of the history and practices you describe. THe punnishments inflicted in some social structures. It does in fact curb alot of crime among many peoples. Not all but many. THe core differences being in the manner or spirit in which certain peoples conduct themselves. This being due to the raw material of which some people are made. Some it is good raw material and bears good fruit..others because it is lousy raw material and cannot bear good fruit. Not possible for these peoples to do anything else. This is why the Fruit is very telling....if one is educated in fruit inspection.
When you look at certain Fruit inspection ...this is the arena where history is often so clouded...not accidental. It is deliberate in order to put everything and anything on the same plane such that many of us no longer know the difference outside of our emotional jags in which we are pre conditioned.

As to the American Justice System being based on Christian beliefs....this may have been in times past..but it has been greatly "hijacked " by another system today to the point that it has become watered down an mostly a facade of its former self. This becomes obvious by some of the decisions coming down in the last 30years. They have to do with particular groups not necessarily the bulk of the American peoples. To put it another way ..Decisions have often been made for the purposes of supporting certain political groups or partys not in the intrest of the American People.
This has become more and more obvious to people who can think outside of the standard emotional rhetoric of the partys.

You have a good post here ..DYepes.
Thanks,
Orangetom

Originally posted by DYepes
The southern confederate states were in favor of keeping human slaves, a race they believed inferior. Under God all races and all humans, men and woman, are created equally.

This was something rooted even back to the founding fathers: Thomas Jefferson was a notable slave owner (fathering at least one child with one of his household staff.)

Abraham Lincoln emancipated the slaves, but did not believe in desegregation: he did not believe the two races should live in the same communities.

Up until the founding of the US, prejudice and inequality in the world was determined by social and financial position. The 'all men are created equal' refers to that type of differentiation--but one 'problem' solved created another 'problem:' racism. Racism is an American invention.

This belief is beneficial to mankind because it helps remove the boundaries which can cause suffering as well as removing the limitations which prohibit human rights development.

Boundaries are human nature, secondary to egoistic consciousness. But I understand what you are saying.

Are human rights something that should be developed? Or rather: reclaimed?

When the union won the war and banned slavery this was a direct victory against evil and evil thinking.

I don't know. I think that is where racism began... We took away this place we had made for a certain group of people (a good thing, definitely) but didn't make room according to the equality principle upon which this country was founded upon.

In many instances these Native Tribes were polytheists and believed in many Gods.

Then there is 'the Great Spirit.' Head Honcho. God almighty? Why not? How do we know it's not? They lived in much closer proximity to God, already. Why did we believe we had to 'convert' them?

'The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul.'

It is unknown whether this is a cause of them not being as developed enough technologically to defend against the invasion of Christians.

It was an intensive genocide--a combination of deadly (to the indigenous people of this continent) european disease, trickery, and straight up slaughter.

The Indians fought each other, sure--but they did share this place. We came along, wanting a new and better way of life (wherever we came from as immigrants). We took away the way of life of those already here in that quest. One cannot steal something from another in order to gain it for themselves. One of the main ideas seemed to be 'christianizing the heathen.'
One of the driving desires behind our founding father's fight for independence was 'freedom of religion'--freedom to choose and even freedom not to choose.

It's hypocrisy at its finest.

It should also be noted that the Spanish and the Portuguese were doing the exact same thing in South America, the only difference was the language used. It is curious to wonder why they went through such different end result as North America.

I'm not sure what you mean by 'different end result.' The results were basically the same, weren't they? Extermination of entire cultures or just short of complete annihilation. Definitely something was put to death through the mass murders done in the name of 'christianity.'