First Letter from Small Man to the Sacred Family in Village of Pleasure 11
11
FOLLOWING TRADITIONS
1Walk this road of life following in my footsteps, as I also walk this road following in the footsteps of the Chosen One. 2I have great respect for you. You have never forgotten to hold on to the things I have taught you. You have followed the traditions that I entrusted to you in the same manner that I gave them to you.
3Here is another tradition I want you to understand: the Chosen One is headman over each and every man, giving each one loving guidance. In the same way the husband is headman over his wife and his family, giving them loving guidance. In a similar manner the Great Spirit is headman over the Chosen One, giving loving guidance to all.
4So then, any man who prays or speaks for the Great Spirit with his head covered brings shame to his head.
This could be because, in the traditions of the tribes of Wrestles with Creator (Israel), some men would cover their heads and faces when they prayed, being ashamed of their broken ways. So covering their heads and faces would then be a sign of shame. The Chosen One has taken away all shame, so men should not cover their heads in shame when they pray. # 11:4 Hebrews 4:15-16; 2 Corinthians 3:17-18
5But any woman who prays or speaks for the Great Spirit with her head uncovered brings shame to her head. She would then be the same as a woman who has cut all the hair from her head.#11:5 Deuteronomy 21:12 6If a woman is unwilling to cover herself in this way, she should cut off all her hair. But if this would bring shame to her, then she should cover her head.
This was most likely a strong cultural tradition that Small Man (Paul) was respecting. It might be similar to some of our Native cultures in which women are not permitted to sit at the drum with men or to dance in the circle without wearing a shawl. It would bring shame to her and her husband or to the sacred family. Small Man (Paul) only sets this rule for women who pray and speak for the Great Spirit, which would have applied only to those who were leaders in the sacred family. This tradition was most likely not for all times, cultures, and places.
7A man should not cover his head, for man was created to reflect the image of the Great Spirit and bring him honor. But the Great Spirit took the woman from the man’s side to bring honor to the man. 8In the beginning the man came first, and then the woman came from the man. 9For the man was not created because the woman needed him, the woman was created because the man needed her.
10It is for this reason that a woman who prays or speaks for the Great Spirit should wear on her head the sign of her right to speak. In this way, she will show respect to the spirit-messengers#11:10 Or possibly human messengers. See glossary of biblical terms. who watch over the sacred family.#11:10 Revelation 2:1
11On the other hand, because of our Honored Chief, we should see that women need men and men need women. 12For even though the first woman was made from the man, men are now born from women, and both come from the Great Spirit, who created all things.
13So you must decide for yourselves whether it is right for a woman to pray to the Great Spirit without a covering on her head. 14Does not our own tradition and culture teach you that it is not natural or honorable for a man to wear his hair long, 15but that for a woman to wear her hair long brings honor to her? For her hair is given to her as a natural covering.
16Anyone who does not agree with me about these things should know that in the Sacred Families of the Great Spirit we follow no other tradition.
SMALL MAN BRINGS STRONG CORRECTION
17As I instruct and guide you in these things, I find nothing honorable about your gatherings. For when you come together, you are doing more harm than good. 18First of all, when you have your sacred family gatherings, I have heard that you divide up into opposing groups, and I can see some truth in this. 19For these kinds of splinter groups are certain to happen and make it easy to see who among you walks in a good way and who does not.
20At your gatherings, you are not eating the ceremonial meal in the manner given to us by our Honored Chief. 21For each one of you hurries to fill his own belly first, with no thought for the hungry among you. So then, one has too much to eat, and another too much to drink, while others remain hungry and thirsty.
22This should never be! Do you not have food and drink in your own homes? Are you trying to shame those who are poor? Have you no respect for Creator’s sacred family? What can I say to you? Did you think I would speak well of you for this? I will not!
THE CEREMONIAL MEAL OF THE CHOSEN ONE
23This is the sacred tradition that came from our Honored Chief, a tradition that I have received and passed on to you: On the night that Creator Sets Free (Jesus) our Honored Chief was betrayed, he took some frybread. 24He then gave thanks to the Great Spirit, broke the frybread into pieces, and said, “This is my body, broken for you. Eat it to remember me.”
25In the same manner, when the evening meal was over, he took the cup of wine, gave thanks to the Great Spirit, and said, “This cup represents the new peace treaty, brought into being at the cost of my lifeblood. Whenever you drink this cup, drink it to remember me.”
26For until our Honored Chief returns, each time you ceremonially eat from this frybread and drink from this cup, you are retelling the story of his death and its full meaning and purpose.
THE WRONG WAY TO EAT THE CEREMONIAL MEAL
27For this reason, if you eat from the frybread or drink from the cup of our Honored Chief in a way that does not honor him, you will have to give an answer. For you have dishonored his body and blood. 28Before you eat the frybread and drink from the cup, you should think deeply about yourself and the part you have played in this story. Then with good hearts you may eat and drink.
29All who eat and drink without recognizing that this is the body of our Honored Chief will bring judgment on their own heads. For they have not thought about what it means to take part in the body of the Chosen One. 30It is for this reason that many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen into the sleep of death.#11:30 John 11:11-13; Acts 7:60 31But if we would be deeply honest with ourselves, we would not need to be judged.
32When the Great Spirit judges us, it is for our own good to teach us how to walk in his ways. Then we will not be found guilty along with those who walk in the ways of this world.
33So then, my sacred family members, when you gather to share in this ceremonial meal, show respect and wait for each other. 34If you are hungry, you should eat something at home before you come. In this way, you will not be found guilty in the way you treat the body of the Chosen One and those who belong to him.
I will give further instructions about the other things when I come to you again.
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