Posted by Tane on May 30, 2009 at 4:58pm in Politics
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.
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
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Chronology of events in America and how they dealt with themselvees and non-whites:
1600s Most of various tribes scattered throughout the continent didn't know whether they were Americans as there was no one to tell them.
1774 Continental Congress (colonists from England) leaves it to each state who shall be a voting citizen.
1776 Full citizenship to white male property owners, with six states granting it to all white males whether they had property or not. Some states had higher property qualifications than others and some even required membership in a specified religion. This is the basis for the Declaration of Independence.
1781-89 Articles of Confederation accept in principle that the central government should regulate Indian affairs.
1789 Secretary of War is placed in charge of Indians.
1790 Naturalization denied free whites unwilling to give up foreign titles of nobility.
1812-21 Six western states join the union with full white male sufferage. Four of the original states abolish property requirements.
1826 First treaty signed by US (John Quincy Adams) and Hawaiian Kingdom.
1830 Indian Removal Act passes Congress, calling for the relocation of eastern Indians to a territory west of the Mississippi River. Cherokees contest it in court, and in 1832, the Supreme Court decides in their favor, but Andrew Jackson ignores the decision. From 1831-39, the Five Civilized tribes of the Southeast are relocated to the Indian Territory. The Cherokee "Trail of Tears" takes place in 1838-39.
1842 US signs treaty with Hawaiian Kingdom recognizing its sovereignty, independence and neutrality. It also was a treaty of perpetual friendship, a favored nation, comity and navigation.
1853-56 US acquires 174 million acres of Indian lands through 52 treaties, all of which it will subsequently break.
1856 North Carolina becomes the last state to abolish the property requirement. Previous barred Catholics and non-Christians are enfranchised and in a few states even white male immigrants not yet naturalized are allowed to vote.
1857 Under Dred Scott decision, no black person can be a citizen.
1858 Stephen Douglas debates Abraham Lincoln, arguing that "I believe the government was made on the white basis. I believe it was made by white men for the benefit of white men and their posterity for ever, and I am in favor of confining citizenship to white men... instead of conferring it upon negroes, Indians,and other inferior races." Lincoln disagrees.
California passes a law barring the entry of Chinese or Mongolians.
1866 Civil Rights Act declares all persons born in the US - except Indians - to be natural citizens.
1869 Territory of Wyoming grants women sufferage in state elections.
1870 15th Amendment is passed: "The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the US or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude." South deals with the amendment by instituting poll taxes, iliteracy tests, and grandfather clauses that limit the vote to the offspring of the formerly enfranchised.
Naturalization of black immigrants (but not Asians) is permitted.
1871 Residents of the District of Columbia lose the right to vote for mayor and city council as a territorial form of government with appointed governor is installed.
General Sheridan issues orders forbidding western Indians to leave reservations without permission of civilian agents.
1874 Supreme Court rules that it is not unconstitutional to deny women the right to vote.
1875 Page Law bars entry of Chinese, Japanese, and "Mongolian" prostitutes, felons, and contract laborers.
1878 Chinese are ruled not eligible for naturalized citizenship.
1882 Chinese Exclusion Law suspends immigration of laborers for ten years.
Late 19th century Exclusion from naturalization of prostitutes, convicted felons, lunatics, polygamists and persons likely to be a 'public charge'. Early 20th century Exclusion from naturalization of anarchists, communists, and the illiterate.
1893 United States conspired against the Hawaiian Kingdom and invades the capitol city of Honolulu, placing it under belligerent occupation after setting up a Provisional Government of US Americans who then renamed it the Republic of Hawaii.
1897 The citizens of the Hawaiian Kingdom signed the Ku'e Petitions protesting against annexation to the US and restoration of the Queen.
1898 After two failed attempts for annexation, the US passed the Newlands Resolution to annex the Hawaiian Kingdom; ignoring the people's protests, the U.S. Constitution's rule of 2/3rds majority vote to ratify a treaty of annexation which made the Newland's Resolution unlawful; and called it the US Territory of Hawaii.
1902 Chinese Exclusion is extended for another ten years.
1904 Chinese Exclusion is made indefinite.
1915 Eleven states have given the women the right to vote.
1918 Servicemen of Asian Ancestry who served in World War I receive right of naturalization.
1919 American Indian soldiers and sailors receive citizenship.
1920 the 20th Amendment, giving women the right to vote, is ratified since non-white men were allowed to vote.
1923 Asian Indians ruled not eligible for naturalized citizenship.
1924 Congress gives the right to vote to original Americans, the Indians.
1940 Congress passes Nationalities Act granting citizenship to all Native Americans without diluting tribal authority.
1941 After declaring war on Japan, 10,000 Japanese-Americans along Pacific Coast states and Hawaii are rounded up and interned in Department of Justice camps.
1943 The Chinese Exclusion Act is repealed. The annual immigration quota for Chinese is set at 105.
1945 The War Brides Act permits immigration of Asian spouses and children of American servicemen in the war.
1946 Luce-Celler bill grants right of naturalizaton and small immigration quotas to Asian Indians and Filipinos.
1949 5,000 highly educated Chinese in the US granted refugee status after China institutes a Communist government.
1952 One clause of the McCarran-Walter Act grants the right of naturalization and a small immigration quota to Japanese.
1957 Utah becomes the last state to permit Indians to vote.
1959 US declares Hawaii to be a State, US Americans in Hawaii voted for it.
1964 Civil Rights Law passes for Blacks.
1965 Immigration Law abolishes "national origins" as basis for allocating immigration quotas to various non-white countries, Asian countries now on equal footing.
1974 Residents of the District of Columbia regain the right to vote for mayor and city council lost over a century earlier but still lack voting representation in Congress or real power over their budget and criminal justice system.
Aloha Tane,
What an informative treatise. Mahalo.
I have long wondered where the divergence between the western thought of 'ownership' and the indigenous concept of being tenants of, or being part of the land, came from. Now I'm beginning to understand.
It is born of the ego of civilization believing its manao to be superior simply because civilization includes a form, structure, or organization that is manmade. Conversely, the indigenous people found structure exists as a manifestation of their spiritual beliefs; God.
Clearly, civilization has significant benefits. But, if it is founded upon the belief that these benefits are solely due to the intellect of man, and not a manifestation of God, this explains how the 'civilized' world can justify their destruction of their fellow man and justify ignoring the commandment "Thou shall not kill" by simply calling it manifest destiny.
So, tell me: Who are the savages?
We are the people we've been waiting for Aloha Ke Akua,
j.
Replies
1600s Most of various tribes scattered throughout the continent didn't know whether they were Americans as there was no one to tell them.
1774 Continental Congress (colonists from England) leaves it to each state who shall be a voting citizen.
1776 Full citizenship to white male property owners, with six states granting it to all white males whether they had property or not. Some states had higher property qualifications than others and some even required membership in a specified religion. This is the basis for the Declaration of Independence.
1781-89 Articles of Confederation accept in principle that the central government should regulate Indian affairs.
1789 Secretary of War is placed in charge of Indians.
1790 Naturalization denied free whites unwilling to give up foreign titles of nobility.
1812-21 Six western states join the union with full white male sufferage. Four of the original states abolish property requirements.
1826 First treaty signed by US (John Quincy Adams) and Hawaiian Kingdom.
1830 Indian Removal Act passes Congress, calling for the relocation of eastern Indians to a territory west of the Mississippi River. Cherokees contest it in court, and in 1832, the Supreme Court decides in their favor, but Andrew Jackson ignores the decision. From 1831-39, the Five Civilized tribes of the Southeast are relocated to the Indian Territory. The Cherokee "Trail of Tears" takes place in 1838-39.
1842 US signs treaty with Hawaiian Kingdom recognizing its sovereignty, independence and neutrality. It also was a treaty of perpetual friendship, a favored nation, comity and navigation.
1853-56 US acquires 174 million acres of Indian lands through 52 treaties, all of which it will subsequently break.
1856 North Carolina becomes the last state to abolish the property requirement. Previous barred Catholics and non-Christians are enfranchised and in a few states even white male immigrants not yet naturalized are allowed to vote.
1857 Under Dred Scott decision, no black person can be a citizen.
1858 Stephen Douglas debates Abraham Lincoln, arguing that "I believe the government was made on the white basis. I believe it was made by white men for the benefit of white men and their posterity for ever, and I am in favor of confining citizenship to white men... instead of conferring it upon negroes, Indians,and other inferior races." Lincoln disagrees.
California passes a law barring the entry of Chinese or Mongolians.
1866 Civil Rights Act declares all persons born in the US - except Indians - to be natural citizens.
1869 Territory of Wyoming grants women sufferage in state elections.
1870 15th Amendment is passed: "The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the US or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude." South deals with the amendment by instituting poll taxes, iliteracy tests, and grandfather clauses that limit the vote to the offspring of the formerly enfranchised.
Naturalization of black immigrants (but not Asians) is permitted.
1871 Residents of the District of Columbia lose the right to vote for mayor and city council as a territorial form of government with appointed governor is installed.
General Sheridan issues orders forbidding western Indians to leave reservations without permission of civilian agents.
1874 Supreme Court rules that it is not unconstitutional to deny women the right to vote.
1875 Page Law bars entry of Chinese, Japanese, and "Mongolian" prostitutes, felons, and contract laborers.
1878 Chinese are ruled not eligible for naturalized citizenship.
1882 Chinese Exclusion Law suspends immigration of laborers for ten years.
Late 19th century Exclusion from naturalization of prostitutes, convicted felons, lunatics, polygamists and persons likely to be a 'public charge'. Early 20th century Exclusion from naturalization of anarchists, communists, and the illiterate.
1893 United States conspired against the Hawaiian Kingdom and invades the capitol city of Honolulu, placing it under belligerent occupation after setting up a Provisional Government of US Americans who then renamed it the Republic of Hawaii.
1897 The citizens of the Hawaiian Kingdom signed the Ku'e Petitions protesting against annexation to the US and restoration of the Queen.
1898 After two failed attempts for annexation, the US passed the Newlands Resolution to annex the Hawaiian Kingdom; ignoring the people's protests, the U.S. Constitution's rule of 2/3rds majority vote to ratify a treaty of annexation which made the Newland's Resolution unlawful; and called it the US Territory of Hawaii.
1902 Chinese Exclusion is extended for another ten years.
1904 Chinese Exclusion is made indefinite.
1915 Eleven states have given the women the right to vote.
1918 Servicemen of Asian Ancestry who served in World War I receive right of naturalization.
1919 American Indian soldiers and sailors receive citizenship.
1920 the 20th Amendment, giving women the right to vote, is ratified since non-white men were allowed to vote.
1923 Asian Indians ruled not eligible for naturalized citizenship.
1924 Congress gives the right to vote to original Americans, the Indians.
1940 Congress passes Nationalities Act granting citizenship to all Native Americans without diluting tribal authority.
1941 After declaring war on Japan, 10,000 Japanese-Americans along Pacific Coast states and Hawaii are rounded up and interned in Department of Justice camps.
1943 The Chinese Exclusion Act is repealed. The annual immigration quota for Chinese is set at 105.
1945 The War Brides Act permits immigration of Asian spouses and children of American servicemen in the war.
1946 Luce-Celler bill grants right of naturalizaton and small immigration quotas to Asian Indians and Filipinos.
1949 5,000 highly educated Chinese in the US granted refugee status after China institutes a Communist government.
1952 One clause of the McCarran-Walter Act grants the right of naturalization and a small immigration quota to Japanese.
1957 Utah becomes the last state to permit Indians to vote.
1959 US declares Hawaii to be a State, US Americans in Hawaii voted for it.
1964 Civil Rights Law passes for Blacks.
1965 Immigration Law abolishes "national origins" as basis for allocating immigration quotas to various non-white countries, Asian countries now on equal footing.
1974 Residents of the District of Columbia regain the right to vote for mayor and city council lost over a century earlier but still lack voting representation in Congress or real power over their budget and criminal justice system.
What an informative treatise. Mahalo.
I have long wondered where the divergence between the western thought of 'ownership' and the indigenous concept of being tenants of, or being part of the land, came from. Now I'm beginning to understand.
It is born of the ego of civilization believing its manao to be superior simply because civilization includes a form, structure, or organization that is manmade. Conversely, the indigenous people found structure exists as a manifestation of their spiritual beliefs; God.
Clearly, civilization has significant benefits. But, if it is founded upon the belief that these benefits are solely due to the intellect of man, and not a manifestation of God, this explains how the 'civilized' world can justify their destruction of their fellow man and justify ignoring the commandment "Thou shall not kill" by simply calling it manifest destiny.
So, tell me: Who are the savages?
We are the people we've been waiting for Aloha Ke Akua,
j.