When the missionaries came to Africa they had the Bible and we had the land. They said 'Let us pray.' We closed our eyes. When we opened them we had the Bible and they had the land.
Interpretation
This quote reflects the impact of colonialism and the loss of land and culture due to religious and ideological imposition.
Desmond Tutu's quote poignantly critiques the historical events surrounding colonialism and missionary work in Africa. It highlights the ironic situation where the missionaries, armed with the Bible and their beliefs, asked the indigenous people to pray, leading to a scenario where the colonizers gained control over the land while the locals ended up with foreign religious texts. This reflects broader themes of power dynamics, cultural exploitation, and the devastating consequences of colonial practices.
In practice
Referencing this quote in a lecture about the effects of colonialism on indigenous cultures.
The fossil reserves that have already been discovered exceed what can ever be safely used. Yet companies spend half a trillion dollars each year searching for more fuel. They should redirect this money toward developing clean energy solutions
As much as the world has an instinct for evil and is a breeding ground for genocide, holocaust, slavery, racism, war, oppression, and injustice, the world has an even greateer instinct for goodness, rebirth, mercy, beauty, truth, freedom and love.
Children are a wonderful gift. They have an extraordinary capacity to see into the heart of things and to expose sham and humbug for what they are.
Religion is like a knife: you can either use it to cut bread, or stick in someone's back.
Gaza is going to test who believes in the worth of human beings.
Where we come from does not determine who we can become. What we look like places no limits on what we can achieve. We should all have the right to express ourselves, all have the right to be heard, all have the right to be what we can be: To reach for the sky and touch the stars. No matter who we are, no matter whether we are man or woman, or rich or poor: _x000D_ My voice, my right. My voice counts.
And this, our life, exempt from public haunt, finds tongues in trees, books in the running brooks, sermons in stones, and good in everything.
We are so accustomed to disguise ourselves to others that in the end we become disguised to ourselves.
Democracy is based upon the conviction that there are extraordinary possibilities in ordinary people.
A great fortune is a great slavery.
We knew - but didn't want to know - what was going to happen, the sky descending upon our heads like the shadow of a falling piano in a cartoon.
Any genuine philosophy leads to action and from action back again to wonder, to the enduring fact of mystery.
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