The Sovereign Voice issue 4 | Page 80

This reveals the philosophical root of a “Doctrine of Discovery” especially concerning Christopher Columbus’ “finding” America almost forty years later in 1492. The explorer felt completely justified and authorized to “take possession of the land” based on this prior, deceptive religious proclamation to conquer and “own” what was “discovered” in the name of Christendom. (1484 CE) Pope Innocent VIII deliberately and deceptively issued the Papal Bull Summis desiderantes affectibus reinforcing the standing church law of allowing marriage annulment and seizure of assets of any person (almost exclusively women) found to be a heretic. His false legal arguments were used by many to justify the suppression of women’s rights, starting witchhunts that lasted 300 years. (This pope created weird fictitious claims to justify the reality of witches including appalling proclamations that witches can fly, change shape, and have intercourse with the Devil.) (1486 CE) Pope Innocent VIII subsequently published Papal Bull Malleus Maleficarum claiming that belief in witchcraft is heresy and that women are more likely to become witches than men “...because the female sex is more concerned with things of the flesh than men.” This false and unholy determination supported suppression of women’s rights up until the 20th Century. Even today the Roman Catholic Church continues to repress women’s spiritual equality. (1493 CE) Upon explorer Christopher Columbus’ return to Europe having made “great discovery of new land,” Pope Alexander VI issued the next significant Papal Bulls in this quest for power. Inter Caetera of May 3 and 4, 1493, “granted” to Spain (at the request of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella) the right to conquer the lands which Columbus had already discovered, as well as any territory that Spain may “discover” in the future. Months later, Bull Dudum siquidem dated September 25, 1493, declared the Roman Catholic Church (“under” King Ferdinand) was entitled to all land in South America: “If the Indians refuse, he may quite legally fight them, kill them, and enslave them, just as Joshua enslaved the inhabitants of Canaan.” Thus we’ve surveyed the foundation for five centuries of false ownership of lands and violent injustices to all the indigenous peoples of the world. Papal Bulls: Romanus Pontifex and Inter Caetera have set the stage for total domination of all non-Christian lands, and have served as the legal foundation for slavery and genocide. These Bulls are the foundation for the Roman Catholic Church’s “Doctrine of Discovery” — and it’s time to abolish them, setting into motion a complete restoration of the land and all of her people into a new earth. Many of us are calling for revocation of these fifteenth century Papal Bulls to spark worldwide dialogue for Indigenous advocates, policy-makers, and all denizens of this planet to address the Doctrine’s unnatural policies toward sacred ancestral lands and their people. Let us envisage this beneficial breakthrough for the sake of all sentient beings. May all be happy! So be it! TheSovereignVoice.Org