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.
Re: Native American By: WhiteRav3n / Knowledgeable
Post # 11 Mar 30, 2014
I believe that the extremes taught in such traditions is meant to facilitate courage, willpower, and confidence which is known even scientifically within the placebo effect to create physical improvement on our health. And many scientists believe that the mind has the ability to heal any illness or injury in the body if the person believes it strongly enough. They are trying to harness this in a controlled way and even cancer treatment centers are incorporating spiritual practices to supplement this ability to self heal. Science is equally beginning to learn how involved our conscious mind is in how our body reacts. When we see someone hurt emotionally or physically our brain mimics it as if we are the ones hurt. So to drive into a warrior's mind that he can in fact be impervious to damage would not only cause him to not show pain but also survive longer on the battlefield and allow those that fight by his side to equally endure longer without distraction from the battle itself. Our doubt, fear and distrust is our greatest enemy.
You have to understand that medicine people are there to help the people not necessarily tell them the truth.
Let's bring it to a situation most can relate to. You don't tell someone failing in school that they are a failure do you? No! You tell them they're doing great, and they will do better! You tell them they can achieve anything they put their mind to! Do you believe they're doing well? Heck no! Can they become great? Of course. Will they succeed if they are given the truth? No.
When in war, do you tell your soldiers they are going to die. No! You tell them they are going to win because they will fight harder. Every good leader that has defied the odds has done it.
This is why the modern world is so cynical and negative. Sigh
