But how could he explain anything to them, when they understood good but not goodness, strong but not strength, black but not blackness? Give us bread! the Savages cried. Heal us!They were frightened by the consecrated wine, believing that the Black-Gowns drank human blood. This is the blood of JESUS, said Pere Masse. Was that a man? they asked.He was the SON OF GOD, but He became a man to die for us. In memory of his sacrifice, we drink His blood. At this they drew back and whispered in their language, with many terrified glances.
In "Fathers and Crows" by William T. Vollmann, the protagonist grapples with the challenge of communicating complex ideas about morality and spirituality to those who lack the nuanced understanding of concepts like goodness and strength. The indigenous people, referred to as 'Savages', express their immediate needs for sustenance and healing, revealing a stark disconnect between their urgent desires and the deeper philosophical meanings behind the rituals and beliefs being presented to...
