Baptism font in the old cathedral of Barcelona, where the Indians brought back by Columbus were baptizedIt's true that Columbus was not really sure where he was going - his goal was simply to sail west until he reached somewhere in Asia - and remained mistaken throughout his life about where he had actually gone. But for all that uncertainty, his remarkable voyage in 1492 changed the world.
In today's world obsessed with political correctness, it is in vogue to criticize Columbus for somehow being responsible for the death and subjugation of the people of the New World. But as Columbus wrote and the Book of Mormon confirms, he was driven by the Holy Ghost to see his history-making journey through to its world-changing conclusion. It hardly seems fair to blame him for what came afterwards, anymore than it would be fair to blame Henry Ford for global warming.
It is well to remember that his life made our life possible.
Happy Columbus Day!
1 comment:
You assume industry or Henry Ford is related to 'global warming'. Could it be the sun warming or could it be nothing at all and temperatures are not really changing significantly? Could it be just a shortsighted faulty perception because some scientists are bored?
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