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The High God

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Submitted By kajnurse07
Words 601
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Americans personify things in nature as spiritual. They believe that there is one Supreme God, just as those who practice African American religions. In Native American religions the High
God is separate from the spirits of Earth. Very similar to African beliefs, Native Americans believe there are lesser deities called to on a regular basis and that the High God is only present in situations of great emergency. Most Native American religions practice this belief of the High
God. (30-31)

Some Native American religious groups think of the High God as a personal God. They call this a Great Spirit. They believe that the Great Spirit presents itself in the form of humans, items in nature, and things in the spiritual world. These personal Gods are of divine and sacred power. Some believe that anything that has an influence over life is a Great Spirit. (30-31)

The role of ancestors is an element of religions that played a special importance. Our textbook explains ancestor veneration as the act of honoring ones’ ancestors. Both African and
Native American religions practice ancestor veneration.

In African religion ancestors are the most important and most recognized spirits.
Africans believe that the deceased continue to live in the afterlife. Unlike the High God as mentioned before, ancestors take a great interest in everyday life of the humans left on Earth.

Ancestor spirits watch over people’s lives and participate in affairs that take place. These spirits are believed to be able to help people, a whole family, a community, or a nation if they wanted to. Africans consult their ancestors before important events in their lives such as: a birth of a child or before fighting in a battle. People often will practice the act of sacrificing things to ancestors. They will offer things up before having them for themselves as a sign

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