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UNDERSTANDING WESTERN CONCEPTS The Papal Bulls established the framework of Western concept regarding non-white civilizations. John Calvin, a Frenchman, developed it further on a religious level as he broke away from Catholicism concepts and merged the doctrines to fit the predestination and personally interpreted the bibled to fit his values and concepts. Throughout Europe, many subscribed to his version of Christianity which made its way over to the British colonies in America. This renegade set of Christian ideals recreated their creed to establish the WASP (White Anglo-Saxon Protestant) society which today still represents the United States of America. The right of conquest afforded to Christians, stemmed from the Old Testament; whereby, the Jewish people who declared they were the chosen people by God, fell out of favor with Him. The Christians picked up the banner and justified it with the New Testament.

It was in the Middle East that Christianity began to flourish and soon spread throughout the "civilized" countries of that time. Europe was still on the edges of civilization, living in mud huts along the rivers as barbaric heathens. Pope Urban II sent out his edict in 1095, Papal Bull Terra Nullius, land of no consequences, empty of human habitation belonging to no one. This meant that Christians were given the right of discovery and could claim land in non-Christian areas; even as Europe, itself, was dotted with principalities and tribes at that time. The inhabitants were deemed subhuman and not civilized by their standards; thus had no nation to recognize as similar to theirs.

In 1452, Pope Nicholas V sent out the Papal Bull Romanus Pontifex, that stated these barbaric, non-Christians needed to be converted and civilized according to their standards. In essence, they could occupy the land but have no rights since it is God-given only to Christians. The natives on the land could be put in perpetual slavery; the monarchs convert them and use them as they wish; and make profit off of them, since they were considered property and their possession. Pope Alexander VI issued Papal Bull Inter Caetera in 1493, the Doctrine of Conquest. This justified waging war on all non-Christians; a jure belli, a just war blessed by God, a jihad/crusade of which gave legitimacy of Christian domination over pagans, sanctifying enslavement, and dispossession of property.

It wasn't until 29 May 1537 when Pope Paul III wrote his Papal Bull Sublimus Dei, that he declared "indians" and all other people later discovered by Christians were truly men and real humans. Probably as an attempt to reverse the mindset established by the previous Bulls which formulated the doctrine of Manifest Destiny. This was later reversed by yet another pope; thus the status quo of previous mindset prevailed.

Between 1712 through to 1914 (the end of the Age of Liberalism), the formation of nation-states in Europe developed and rose to great powers. Adoptions of Asian/Middle East civilizations by Europeans fortified their growth. Europe commonly accepted the right to discovery of countries unknown to all Christian people and no other "member" could interfere in their conquest of the globe. The USA and Europe asserted the ultimate dominion to be in themselves and acknowledged the rights of "natives" as occupants.

The aberrant-thinking John Calvin built his presbtery on a democratic foundation where people were to choose; but the ministers chosen, were to rule. Calvin's reformed theology is either God is not omnipotent or man is not self-determinate; thus accepting the conclusion adverse to liberty. He also stated that faith alone is salvation - it is Divine Predestination. "Some men are born devoted from the womb to certain death, that His (God's) name may be glorified". That means, only certain Christians are destined to go to heaven; supplanting public teachings of centuries past. He omits Christian history to interpret the bible by relying on the "internal persuasion" of the Holy Spirit as he sees it. The Bible is a given; it is by "decree" of God that events come to pass which no reason can be given. He further claims, God's will, fixes an absolute order; physical, ethical, religions, never to be modified by anything we can attempt. Heathen virtue is but apparent and that of non-Christians merely "political" or secular; which goes to say, that converted Christian "natives" will never get to heaven. Common-natured civilization is external only and justice or benevolence have no intrinsic value or no supernatural value. "All the works of unbelievers are sinful and the virtues of the philosophers are vices". Calvin goes on to say, impulse and enticement are all the will that we have; thus, the printed Bible is declared all-sufficient to the mind which the Spirit was guiding; justification by faith alone, the Bible only, as the rule of faith. Those that subscribed to Calvinism were also Presbytery, Quakers, and Puritans (in the spirit of Jewish legalism).

Conjoin both the Papal Bulls and Calvinism and you get Manifest Destiny that cradles the US American/Euro form of capitalism and ethics. There is no guilt or remorse in this line of thinking. This is the White Anglo-Saxon Protestant (WASP) society and culture that US America takes pride in and force-educates its citizens to uphold. Europe is based on the same foundation to various degees within its territories and possessions. Colonialism and racism are imbued in their thinking who live and survive within that nefarious box. Don't you think it's time to break that box and destroy it forever? --- Tane