Bernal Diaz Essay
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When the Spanish first entered New Spain, they were shocked at what was found. To their disgust, the natives were practicing sacrifice and cannibalism. Both of which are very much against the Spanish religious beliefs. The Spanish felt the need to rid the Indians of their faith and instead impress upon them that of Christianity. In Bernal Diaz's, The Conquest of New Spain, the Spanish's Christian religion is pitted against that of the native Indians.
Bernal Diaz's first encounter with Indian idols and practices occurred during the expedition of Francisco Hernandez. Diaz describes entering some prayer-houses with painted figures of "great serpents and evil-looking gods." The walls were covered with blood and cross-like symbols. Diaz expresses, "We stood astonished, never having seen or heard of such things before." The priests with blood-clotted hair had just sacrificed humans to "ensure victory" over the Spanish...