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