Growing up I had several Native American friends. The sleep overs and camp outs I was privelaged with had Shamans teaching the old ways. One belief was that a warrior who had no fear could never be pierced by spear, arrow or even bullet. It was believed they would pass through brave warriors without harming them. I have had a bullet pass right through me with little damage. Was it shear luck or is their truth to this old ways story?
People who are less fearful have a tendency to not receive as much damage. When you're afraid, not only does the stress of the situation affect your immune system and health, but fear often causes you to do stupid things and to act rashly. Fear fogs your mind in panicked situations, and while fear is a hindrance, fearlessness is stupidity.
Anyway, people who are less afraid in dangerous situations usually have a clear mind and can avoid damage that would have been caused if one were afraid, even if the difference is minute.
If one shows fearlessness and bravery in battle, they are less apt to be hurt, because fearlessness often frightens others and they will avoid confrontation you. Being fearful is usually a sign of weakness and makes you an easy target.
None the less, Despite the deep moral lessons the proverb holds, if a bullet is shot with precision at you, it will find its mark.
Perhaps strong belief of impervious-ness, accompanied by fearlessness, and a bit of energy causes an avoidance to danger, somewhat like casting a protection spell.
Sorry, I'm on a tablet, and the blasted thing is more difficult to use than rocket science!
No that is a very sound assesment of it. I know many people saw my guardian angel (for lack of better terms) behind me when it happened but I did not have a chance to feel any emotion as I had no clue the woman had a pistol and was planning to shoot me. When the cop that rushed to see about me told me I had been shot I did not even realize it at first. The chest xray showed the bullet passed perfectly between heart and lung missing bone all the way through so I figure part luck / part devine.
I have seen many bullet wounds (in Korea) and, unless it was a direct head or heart wound,it was rarely fatal. Shrapnel was far more dangerous.
The Chinese had a light machine gun we used to call a "burp gun", because of its extremely rapid rate of fire. I once saw a man who carried a wounded officer for quite a distance; and it turned out he had no less than seven bullet wound down his left-hand side.Both soldiers survived.
There is no doubting the power, and the bravery, of the American Natives. The reason why they were "beaten" by the "whiteman" was that they never discovered gun powder.(Well, not early enough!).It was the same with the Incas and Aztecs; and many of the African natives.
I think that if you use a little common sense and look at the history of how many Native Americans died during the 1800's and even earlier from wounds received in battle you would quickly see that this story has little basis in fact. No matter how brave someone is bullets and other projectiles will still kill you if they hit you.
Yes, indeed Lark. But it depends where they hit you. And in the 1880s there wasn't the medical knowledge there is now. Many men killed in those days may well have recovered in more modern times.
But I agree. The story of a human body immune from death or injury from a weapon, is rather silly. But many, over the years, have been told they were immune, for various reasons; and they believed it! And so they would fearlessly go into battle, and almost instantly be killed.
