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March 10, 2020 11:29 AM Subscribe
The fundamentalist Bolsonaro government of Brazil has put an evangelical missionary in charge of its isolated and uncontacted indigenous tribes.
Ricardo Lopes Dias is linked to the New Tribes Mission (NTM), a Florida based organization now rebranded as Ethnos360.
Etnos360 is one of the largest and most extreme missionary organizations, whose objective is to contact and evangelize uncontacted tribes around the world at whatever cost,
whether they like it or not, and was responsible for the death of Chagabi Etacore, a leader in neighbouring Paraguay.
Ethnos360 is heavily indicated in Sexual abuse both in the USA and abroad.
Ethnos360 actively fundraises to buy helicopters to invade Indigenous spaces.
In 2013 Smithsonian published an article The Lost Tribes of the Amazon; often described as “uncontacted,” isolated groups living deep in the South American forest who resist the ways of the modern world—at least for now.
Ricardo Lopes Dias is linked to the New Tribes Mission (NTM), a Florida based organization now rebranded as Ethnos360.
Etnos360 is one of the largest and most extreme missionary organizations, whose objective is to contact and evangelize uncontacted tribes around the world at whatever cost,
whether they like it or not, and was responsible for the death of Chagabi Etacore, a leader in neighbouring Paraguay.
Ethnos360 is heavily indicated in Sexual abuse both in the USA and abroad.
Ethnos360 actively fundraises to buy helicopters to invade Indigenous spaces.
In 2013 Smithsonian published an article The Lost Tribes of the Amazon; often described as “uncontacted,” isolated groups living deep in the South American forest who resist the ways of the modern world—at least for now.
This is absolutely unacceptable!
posted by Katjusa Roquette at 11:45 AM on March 10, 2020 [6 favorites]
posted by Katjusa Roquette at 11:45 AM on March 10, 2020 [6 favorites]
It's like the world's leaders are in a race to see who can be the biggest asshole to as many people as possible.
posted by Thorzdad at 11:48 AM on March 10, 2020 [11 favorites]
posted by Thorzdad at 11:48 AM on March 10, 2020 [11 favorites]
Ethnos360 is the most sinister name since Blackwater.
posted by saladin at 11:53 AM on March 10, 2020 [18 favorites]
posted by saladin at 11:53 AM on March 10, 2020 [18 favorites]
it's mostly about exterminating anyone who stands in the way of rampant unrestrained kleptocratic capitalism, the assholery is just a side benefit to them.
posted by poffin boffin at 11:54 AM on March 10, 2020 [27 favorites]
posted by poffin boffin at 11:54 AM on March 10, 2020 [27 favorites]
Bolsonaro's government really, really wants the Amazon and everything associated with it to go away so ranchers can have more grazing land.
posted by Holy Zarquon's Singing Fish at 12:05 PM on March 10, 2020 [4 favorites]
posted by Holy Zarquon's Singing Fish at 12:05 PM on March 10, 2020 [4 favorites]
Well, there you go. Yet another reason to reject religion and eating beef all in one.
posted by Everyone Expects The Spanish Influenza at 12:23 PM on March 10, 2020 [7 favorites]
posted by Everyone Expects The Spanish Influenza at 12:23 PM on March 10, 2020 [7 favorites]
There's also this chestnut in the original article:
"Alves is a founder of Atini, the NGO behind a controversial draft bill before Congress which, if approved, could give the state the power to remove indigenous children from their communities on the mere suspicion they may be at risk of practices it deems dangerous."
They seek straight-up genocide.
posted by Saxon Kane at 12:29 PM on March 10, 2020 [12 favorites]
"Alves is a founder of Atini, the NGO behind a controversial draft bill before Congress which, if approved, could give the state the power to remove indigenous children from their communities on the mere suspicion they may be at risk of practices it deems dangerous."
They seek straight-up genocide.
posted by Saxon Kane at 12:29 PM on March 10, 2020 [12 favorites]
reducing indigenous genocide to beef and ranching is missing the point that the purpose is for a small minority of already unimaginably wealthy people to profit by any means necessary. if every cow on earth died overnight, this would still be happening.
posted by poffin boffin at 12:36 PM on March 10, 2020 [26 favorites]
posted by poffin boffin at 12:36 PM on March 10, 2020 [26 favorites]
My mother raised me on these principles. I'm crying so hard right now I can't breathe.
posted by lextex at 12:45 PM on March 10, 2020 [7 favorites]
posted by lextex at 12:45 PM on March 10, 2020 [7 favorites]
The fundamentalsit Bolsonaro government
I think you spelled that wrong.
There's an 'h' missing near the end.
posted by Cardinal Fang at 12:58 PM on March 10, 2020 [3 favorites]
I think you spelled that wrong.
There's an 'h' missing near the end.
posted by Cardinal Fang at 12:58 PM on March 10, 2020 [3 favorites]
Can I just go, like, punch him?
Or, can imagine the ghost of Anthony Bourdain appearing in this guy's office to simply look at him and say, "you're a douche", and then disappearing in a puff of cigarette smoke?
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 1:01 PM on March 10, 2020 [3 favorites]
Or, can imagine the ghost of Anthony Bourdain appearing in this guy's office to simply look at him and say, "you're a douche", and then disappearing in a puff of cigarette smoke?
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 1:01 PM on March 10, 2020 [3 favorites]
So I guess all the money my parents sent to New Tribes Mission... uh... worked?
posted by clawsoon at 1:03 PM on March 10, 2020 [2 favorites]
posted by clawsoon at 1:03 PM on March 10, 2020 [2 favorites]
These arseholes are based out of Sanford, Florida.
posted by adamvasco at 1:28 PM on March 10, 2020 [3 favorites]
posted by adamvasco at 1:28 PM on March 10, 2020 [3 favorites]
This will not end well...
posted by jim in austin at 1:51 PM on March 10, 2020
posted by jim in austin at 1:51 PM on March 10, 2020
I'm generally against contacting isolated peoples. Aside from the health impacts (very serious) - they don't WANT contact - they know exactly where we are and have (sensibly) decided that the rest of the world isn't good for them. Human rights must include not being contacted against your will.
That said, I am insanely curious about who they are and how they live and what they think about everything - and so I can't help but imagine a fantasy what-if we sent in very well-sterilized and disguised robots just to observe them and record their languages, etc. (Of course, this would be a total violation of their privacy and so ethically we shouldn't do it.)
But until I started googling some other links, I didn't know that some academics have have suggested that areful contact should be made - because contact will be made (legally or illegally), so that it's better if it's been planned and controlled. And some groups have - often due to illegal contact and abuse - reached out, but that's still dangerous for them to do so, if not planned.
But yeah, this is not good - not direct contact, certainly not missionary contact. Any contact should be initiated by the groups themselves - and ethically, I feel that they they should also be informed about the dangers of contact before choosing whether to contact or not. (How, I have no idea - maybe that robot idea isn't so bad?)
posted by jb at 2:23 PM on March 10, 2020 [1 favorite]
That said, I am insanely curious about who they are and how they live and what they think about everything - and so I can't help but imagine a fantasy what-if we sent in very well-sterilized and disguised robots just to observe them and record their languages, etc. (Of course, this would be a total violation of their privacy and so ethically we shouldn't do it.)
But until I started googling some other links, I didn't know that some academics have have suggested that areful contact should be made - because contact will be made (legally or illegally), so that it's better if it's been planned and controlled. And some groups have - often due to illegal contact and abuse - reached out, but that's still dangerous for them to do so, if not planned.
But yeah, this is not good - not direct contact, certainly not missionary contact. Any contact should be initiated by the groups themselves - and ethically, I feel that they they should also be informed about the dangers of contact before choosing whether to contact or not. (How, I have no idea - maybe that robot idea isn't so bad?)
posted by jb at 2:23 PM on March 10, 2020 [1 favorite]
ctrl + f "daniel everett"
So, have thez ever heard of the missionary who was converted to atheism by the Pirahã people of the Amazon? (previously)
I feel like unless you're fundamentally open to being converted yourself, you have no business talking to people about religion or spirituality. If your belief is closer to certainty than to hope, it's delusion (or ideological manipulation), not belief.
posted by ipsative at 2:31 PM on March 10, 2020 [6 favorites]
So, have thez ever heard of the missionary who was converted to atheism by the Pirahã people of the Amazon? (previously)
I feel like unless you're fundamentally open to being converted yourself, you have no business talking to people about religion or spirituality. If your belief is closer to certainty than to hope, it's delusion (or ideological manipulation), not belief.
posted by ipsative at 2:31 PM on March 10, 2020 [6 favorites]
extreme side note, Netflix commissioned a Colombian Amazon crime/supernatural series last year called “Frontera Verde.” it’s mostly set at the rainforest border of Brazil and Colombia. i learned about it via the FB group “Folk Horror Revival,” where tge show seems to have been well received. I have not found any evidence of English, Spanish, or Portuguese critical responses. I am enjoying the show. I look forward to finding critical work on it.
posted by mwhybark at 3:16 PM on March 10, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by mwhybark at 3:16 PM on March 10, 2020 [1 favorite]
Any constructive suggestions on how to stop Ethnos 360?
posted by Mesaverdian at 4:06 PM on March 10, 2020 [4 favorites]
posted by Mesaverdian at 4:06 PM on March 10, 2020 [4 favorites]
Their website is horrible and fascinating. It's so perky and certain of itself. They even call their missions "Wayumi," a Yanomamo word.
From their site: "2,500 of the world's people groups are unreached. What's it like to meet those people? What's it like to reach those people?" They don't give a shit that the people are "reached" just fine, and they don't ask "what's it like to be those people?"
posted by The corpse in the library at 5:20 PM on March 10, 2020 [1 favorite]
From their site: "2,500 of the world's people groups are unreached. What's it like to meet those people? What's it like to reach those people?" They don't give a shit that the people are "reached" just fine, and they don't ask "what's it like to be those people?"
posted by The corpse in the library at 5:20 PM on March 10, 2020 [1 favorite]
I feel like unless you're fundamentally open to being converted yourself, you have no business talking to people about religion or spirituality.
....You haven't met any actual missionaries, have you?
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:33 PM on March 10, 2020 [3 favorites]
....You haven't met any actual missionaries, have you?
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:33 PM on March 10, 2020 [3 favorites]
aggressive evangelism/proselytizing is always pretty scary in practice, as a thing that encourages people to deliberately violate commonly accepted social boundaries, even when those people truly believe they have the best of intentions; i see no good intentions among these appalling individuals.
posted by poffin boffin at 6:58 PM on March 10, 2020 [7 favorites]
posted by poffin boffin at 6:58 PM on March 10, 2020 [7 favorites]
There is a curare for this affliction.
posted by Oyéah at 7:33 PM on March 10, 2020 [11 favorites]
posted by Oyéah at 7:33 PM on March 10, 2020 [11 favorites]
From Survival Intenational today: Indigenous leaders in the Javari Valley have denounced the NTM’s plans as “a genocidal onslaught.”
“The doors are now open”: indigenous people denounce missionaries targeting uncontacted tribes, as NTM / Etnos360 in Brazil unveil their new helicopter for reaching uncontacted tribes in the Javari Valley.
Stephen Corry, Director of Survival International, said today: “The NTM has a record of manhunts and contacts leading to death and disease, sex abuse in its schools, and bringing in deadly epidemics. It enforces a narrow view of religion which wouldn’t be recognized by many Christians. These are the last people who should be anywhere near uncontacted tribes, and putting one in ‘charge’ of them is grotesque and criminal. The intention is clearly to remove the Indians once and for all.
posted by adamvasco at 6:51 AM on March 11, 2020 [2 favorites]
“The doors are now open”: indigenous people denounce missionaries targeting uncontacted tribes, as NTM / Etnos360 in Brazil unveil their new helicopter for reaching uncontacted tribes in the Javari Valley.
Stephen Corry, Director of Survival International, said today: “The NTM has a record of manhunts and contacts leading to death and disease, sex abuse in its schools, and bringing in deadly epidemics. It enforces a narrow view of religion which wouldn’t be recognized by many Christians. These are the last people who should be anywhere near uncontacted tribes, and putting one in ‘charge’ of them is grotesque and criminal. The intention is clearly to remove the Indians once and for all.
posted by adamvasco at 6:51 AM on March 11, 2020 [2 favorites]
> I am insanely curious about who they are and how they live and what they think about everything
Me too! For me, it's a bit like interacting with space aliens... check out some videos of the contacts described in the National Geographic article you linked: 1 2
Some local context. (tl:dr Pressure from logging is making some isolated tribes initiate contact. But these are only a few, most want to be left alone and should be respected)
Also seconding Daniel Everett, his book about the Pirahã is great, the excerpt on the Amazon page really describes the alien-ness of interacting with a radically different culture.
posted by Tom-B at 7:21 AM on March 11, 2020 [1 favorite]
Me too! For me, it's a bit like interacting with space aliens... check out some videos of the contacts described in the National Geographic article you linked: 1 2
Some local context. (tl:dr Pressure from logging is making some isolated tribes initiate contact. But these are only a few, most want to be left alone and should be respected)
Also seconding Daniel Everett, his book about the Pirahã is great, the excerpt on the Amazon page really describes the alien-ness of interacting with a radically different culture.
posted by Tom-B at 7:21 AM on March 11, 2020 [1 favorite]
I think it would be cool if people tried not to compare actual human beings whose rights and lives are at risk to space aliens. I get that there is no intentional malice there, and that people coming from certain perspectives might not even assign any negative valence to the term, but that's far from universal and in my opinion it would be better to find different ways of expressing the cultural otherness of isolated tribes.
posted by Acheman at 7:46 AM on March 11, 2020 [8 favorites]
posted by Acheman at 7:46 AM on March 11, 2020 [8 favorites]
As a 3rd-gen atheist I tend to regard all religions with equal disdain, but evangelicals are really starting to get put on a shit list all their own.
posted by signal at 8:00 AM on March 11, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by signal at 8:00 AM on March 11, 2020 [1 favorite]
On a related note, Amazon could collapse in 50 years.
posted by Slothrup at 8:12 AM on March 11, 2020
posted by Slothrup at 8:12 AM on March 11, 2020
Any constructive suggestions on how to stop Ethnos 360?
Or what organizations could we support who work against this crap? Or would otherwise help people resist interference with their lives?
posted by sneebler at 12:47 PM on March 11, 2020
Or what organizations could we support who work against this crap? Or would otherwise help people resist interference with their lives?
posted by sneebler at 12:47 PM on March 11, 2020
> Any constructive suggestions on how to stop Ethnos 360?
> Or what organizations could we support who work against this crap? Or would otherwise help people resist interference with their lives?
As a Brazilian, I beg you: boycott Brazil!
The main thing is to realize that these religious efforts are just the tip of the spear. The real driving force behind them is economic: mainly cattle, soy and mining interests. So, get informed, organize and boycott!
How Larry Fink, Joe Biden’s Wall Street Ally, Profits From Amazon Cattle Ranching, a Force Behind Deforestation
A Top Financier of Trump and McConnell Is a Driving Force Behind Amazon Deforestation
A Canadian Company Wants to Build Brazil's Largest Open-pit Gold Mine: Now That Bolsonaro Is in Power, It Just Might Succeed
Prompted by Amazon fires, 230 investors warn firms linked to deforestation
posted by Tom-B at 7:16 AM on March 12, 2020 [6 favorites]
> Or what organizations could we support who work against this crap? Or would otherwise help people resist interference with their lives?
As a Brazilian, I beg you: boycott Brazil!
The main thing is to realize that these religious efforts are just the tip of the spear. The real driving force behind them is economic: mainly cattle, soy and mining interests. So, get informed, organize and boycott!
How Larry Fink, Joe Biden’s Wall Street Ally, Profits From Amazon Cattle Ranching, a Force Behind Deforestation
A Top Financier of Trump and McConnell Is a Driving Force Behind Amazon Deforestation
A Canadian Company Wants to Build Brazil's Largest Open-pit Gold Mine: Now That Bolsonaro Is in Power, It Just Might Succeed
Prompted by Amazon fires, 230 investors warn firms linked to deforestation
posted by Tom-B at 7:16 AM on March 12, 2020 [6 favorites]
> I think it would be cool if people tried not to compare actual human beings whose rights and lives are at risk to space aliens.
Point taken! They're human beings and we must fight to protect them as such.
It's just that I, as a 1st generation immigrant, have always felt as the Other. Sometimes I have difficulty communicating in my own country, and Otherness has always fascinated me — thus my interest in sci-fi, aliens and first contact stories. Basically I have this point of view because I've always felt like a space alien myself.
But yeah, I understand that removed from this context, Othering is a cruel thing to do, because it's dehumanizing. My apologies!
posted by Tom-B at 7:27 AM on March 12, 2020 [1 favorite]
Point taken! They're human beings and we must fight to protect them as such.
It's just that I, as a 1st generation immigrant, have always felt as the Other. Sometimes I have difficulty communicating in my own country, and Otherness has always fascinated me — thus my interest in sci-fi, aliens and first contact stories. Basically I have this point of view because I've always felt like a space alien myself.
But yeah, I understand that removed from this context, Othering is a cruel thing to do, because it's dehumanizing. My apologies!
posted by Tom-B at 7:27 AM on March 12, 2020 [1 favorite]
I have met Tom-B and can confirm that he might well be what he feels.
Also he introduced me to one of the best if not the best music venue in the country.
Now sadly no more.
posted by adamvasco at 8:51 AM on March 12, 2020 [1 favorite]
Also he introduced me to one of the best if not the best music venue in the country.
Now sadly no more.
posted by adamvasco at 8:51 AM on March 12, 2020 [1 favorite]
....You haven't met any actual missionaries, have you?
Empress Callipygos, I have in fact met a few! On that I'll say that some are quite close to this openness, meaning that while they may not go full atheism like Everett, they do let their contact with other beliefs challenge their own, and grow from it.
My Catholic school (and my sister) did missions every summer. They explicitly did not attempt to convert but rather support and bring joy and hope. I know her own faith and sense of vocation have grown and developed as a consequence.
I'm on board with this way of practice, though I understand the difference between missions within an already mostly Catholic community, and working in service of a colonialist agenda. But I don't see why we couldn't apply the same principle to any kind of mission. Jesus did preach, but mostly inspired by example (and miracles too, I suppose, but I don't know what to make of that tbh), and didn't seem to care much for labels.
posted by ipsative at 11:45 AM on March 13, 2020
Empress Callipygos, I have in fact met a few! On that I'll say that some are quite close to this openness, meaning that while they may not go full atheism like Everett, they do let their contact with other beliefs challenge their own, and grow from it.
My Catholic school (and my sister) did missions every summer. They explicitly did not attempt to convert but rather support and bring joy and hope. I know her own faith and sense of vocation have grown and developed as a consequence.
I'm on board with this way of practice, though I understand the difference between missions within an already mostly Catholic community, and working in service of a colonialist agenda. But I don't see why we couldn't apply the same principle to any kind of mission. Jesus did preach, but mostly inspired by example (and miracles too, I suppose, but I don't know what to make of that tbh), and didn't seem to care much for labels.
posted by ipsative at 11:45 AM on March 13, 2020
Empress Callipygos: are you saying that (evangelical) missionaries are open-minded enough to convert to the religions of those to whom they proselytize?
posted by Saxon Kane at 5:59 PM on March 13, 2020
posted by Saxon Kane at 5:59 PM on March 13, 2020
That is, that they'd listen and take it seriously and even participate in some rituals, etc. to see if it felt "right" to them? Or that this sort of thing happens regularly? And I mean beyond just doing it for appearances? I don't know what that would actually entail, though...
posted by Saxon Kane at 6:01 PM on March 13, 2020
posted by Saxon Kane at 6:01 PM on March 13, 2020
Empress Callipygos: are you saying that (evangelical) missionaries are open-minded enough to convert to the religions of those to whom they proselytize?
I am saying THE COMPLETE AND TOTAL OPPOSITE is the case, in my own experience with evangelical missionaries.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 8:12 PM on March 13, 2020
I am saying THE COMPLETE AND TOTAL OPPOSITE is the case, in my own experience with evangelical missionaries.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 8:12 PM on March 13, 2020
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posted by poffin boffin at 11:35 AM on March 10, 2020 [70 favorites]