Chief Jahtlohi Rogers, M.D. of the Cherokee Nation of Mexico has given great insight into the depth and duration of the Cherokee religious beliefs.

He says, "I WILL TELL YOU A TRUE THING! Since 1 B.C., there has not been a Christian who does not tell of ‘Jesus' by using that very same name. Since 500 A.D., there has not been a Muslim who does not tell of Mohammed by using that very same name. In 1750, the Cherokees knew Jesus and God by five commonly accepted Old Testament names, yet knew nothing of the New Testament name ‘Jesus'. Where and how did the Cherokees obtain such ancient knowledge? When asked, upon first contact with Europeans, they replied ‘directly from God'".

Chief Rogers explains that whatever truths have been spoken by apostles or messengers or prophets of other religion is also found in the Cherokee nation religious beliefs. However, there is a difference, for the Cherokee, the message comes directly from God, whom they call Unayklanahi - the one creator of all things.

The message comes directly from Unayklanahi because "You need not bow to other human permission to believe in anything you believe to be true; as a Cherokee it is your responsibility to do so without fear, for this is the most traditional way of the Cherokee."

The Cherokee see God differently however, he is described as "not the vengeful god of a small tribe of war loving people." He is the God in whom the Cherokee believe as benevolent and has no specific chosen people. He is of all living things, and only people have been chosen by Unayklanahi in the way they were created - the ability to choose their own path.

The Cherokee will explain that the path to Unayklanahi is by using their heart, the soul, and their mind for that which is good or a good or principled person.

Similar to the path to Nirvana, the Cherokee strive to walk this path, and call those who are on it, "A ni yun wi yah". Anybody who chooses to walk the path of good and to be a good or principled person is A ni yun wi yah. When they walk this path, they have chosen Unayklanahi's white path of peace. This is as ancient as the Cherokee nation itself.

The Cherokees believed that Unayklanahi was good, noble, and benevolent. To be A ni yun wi yah was to be the child of God and to be a peacemaker. Their goal was to move toward god and goodness in thought and action.

Where and when did these belief's originate? The legend goes that approximately 3500 to 4000 years ago, the Cherokee were visited by a spiritual being who taught these principles to the people. They learned how to live in peace and harmony with animals, humans and all other aspects of nature, showing the proper respect to nature to keep that harmony.

There are similarities in the stories of the spiritual being arriving to teach the Cherokee just as Jesus arrived to teach the Jewish people. Thus some believe it could have been the same spiritual being teaching the same message of peace and harmony and that God is benevolent.
There are other interesting similarities, such as: The ancient Cherokees also knew what a swine was and had prohibitions against eating it, as well as other foods considered unclean. They would keep one day without work for prayer. They would only marry outside of their clan. A Cherokee woman could divorce her husband without physical violence against her. And exactly the same as the Old Testament: if a man died, his wife could be taken as a second wife by a surviving brother of the deceased husband.

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