conquered and christianized

"'Chile sits there waiting to be conquered and Christianized, Señor Marqués Gobernador, a duty that we, the subjects of the emperor, cannot neglect,'" 

(Allende, Inés of My Soul, p.105)

This week's quote comes from the great Pedro de Valdivia.  At this point, Pedro is trying his best to gain authorization for his expedition to Chile.  Chile is his dream, it is all he wants to achieve, it is where he hopes to found a marvelous utopian society.  The words Pedro uses to sway his superior are the essence of the explorer mentality--conquest in the name of Christianity. Those explorers who set out to the New World left under the banner, or rather the pretext, of Jesus Christ.  

There is a musician that I enjoy who goes by the name of Lupe Fiasco.  Much of Lupe's music reflects his thoughts regarding political and social issues in American and around the world.  A song entitled American Terrorist came to mind while pondering the many themes of conquest in Inés of My Soul.  This particular track describes forms of oppression and attack that come from more recent history.  There is one line that really jumps out at me, "Bibles and glorious Qurans the books that take you to heaven and let you meet the Lord there have become misinterpreted, reasons for warfare, we read 'em with blind eyes I guarantee you there's more there."

If we examine the definitions of two distinct words Pedro said--in the same breath--conquered and christianized, we will find that something doesn't quite add up.  Conquer means--to gain or acquire by force of arms.  That sounds quite fierce. What does christian mean? One who professes a belief in the teachings of Jesus Christ.  The last time I check, Christ never professed seizing anything by force--let alone inflicting his own teachings by force.  If Pedro and the explorers of the 1500's truthfully believed their quest was ordained of God, then terrible misinterpretation of holy scripture was running rampant in the New World.  Taking land and life for the sake of God just doesn't make sense.  Like Lupe Fiasco says, maybe the people of that time were reading the Bible with blind eyes and not willing to understand the true meaning of Christianity.