The last three months of 1492 saw Columbus and his three ships Discover and claim many Islands for Christ and Spain. Then in December, Christopher headed home with two ships and 50 men, laden with all kinds of exotic birds, animals plants and even several Arawak Indians to teach Spanish to return to the Carribean as translators. They also had Gold artifacts which provoked intense Gold fever with the hopes that great new wealth could fund Crusades of Liberation to free the Holy Seplecure from the Muslim control.
They left 40 men behind at the First Spanish settlement in the New world La Navidad(the Nativity). The horrible irony was that this fort with the Holy name was settled with the only kind of men Columbus could find to make this journey, rough rogues and ex-convicts; and one of the worst mistakes in history is that not one Priest had come with. The tragedy that followed when 40 men were tempted by the lovely native girls was that they had no spiritual restraints and they aggressively took possesion of many young girls. The fathers, brothers and sweethearts who had been friends to Columbus were outraged and killed all the Europeans who only paid lip service to the real Christian Faith of Columbus. And so began the estrangement between races.
The next reality that fanned hatred was that the next two major native groups that the Spaniards encountered had 1 disgusting abomination in commmon. The Carribs and the Aztecs were cannibals. Plus the fact that they had more Gold than the Arawaks.
So when Columbus returned to the Tragic scene at La Navidad his heart was somewhat hardened and he became a stern and demanding Governor pushing the natives to produce Gold and crops for Spain. He was not as good a Leader on land as he was at sea and the rest of his life was frustrating; but he opened a great door to a whole new world. The poor man even gets blamed for diseases that ravaged the natives; but the natives were immune to syphallis which brought an awful death to countless Europeans.
The vast majority of the bad treatment of the natives was not perpetrared by Columbus. Bartoleme de Las Casas, the Priest who fought for the good treatment of the natives, had this to say about Columbus, “He was devoted to his Christian Faith, never took the Lords name in vain and did everything for the Holy Trinity. He observed all Holy days and took Communion often. He was a gentleman of great force of spirit, of lofty thoughts who undertook worthy deeds; patient and long suffering, quick to forgive, endowed with great forbearance in hardships and adversities which were always occurring which were incredible and infinite; ever holding great confidence in Divine Providence.”
Columbus is hated by people who hate Christ; and they have painted a false picture of a Great Man who deserves his holiday to be reinstated and celebrated for the right reasons. Please join me October 12, 2018 to Celebrate and be inspired by the life of Christopher Columbus, a man who gave his life to bring the Light and the Glory of Jesus Christ into the Darkness.
*** Mark “The Freedom Poet” Skogerboe *** is a Life and Liberty News contributor and a lover of American freedom. Mark has authored several books, hosted well known radio talk shows. He has also appeared regularly on the Liberty Today television program. His knowledge of history and our Founding Fathers makes him a popular speaker for conservative groups and rallies.
