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HOLY RACISTS
Readers may be surprised to know how the popes regarded non-European
peoples in their writings. Terms like 'barbarous', 'savage', 'superstitious'
were routinely used to describe non-Europeans. Way back in 1493, the year
after Columbus set his eyes on the Native Americans, Pope Alexander VI
issued a bull (edict) instructing Spain and Portugal that "barbarous nations
be invaded and brought to the faith".

In 1840, Pope Gregory XVI praised the missionaries in America and the East
who go out in search of those "sitting in darkness" and entering "the woods
and caves of savages".

Leo XIII (1878-1903) was even more explicit. To him Europe belongs to the
"civilised nations" (never mind the barbarities of the colonizers) and he
declares himself to be "indeed the Vicar of Christ". He is plainly ignorant
about indigenous cultures and practices but this does not stop this man of
God from dismissing them as 'barbarous people' (On Socialism 1878). Leo's
successor, Pius X, was to use the word 'barbarous' again in 1912.

But let's return to Leo. The encyclicals referred to below are abbreviated
SA, CA and NC.
Africans are described by Leo as "that wretched part of the human race". The
teachings of Christ will "release it from the superstition and misery in
which it has been mired for so long." (SA 1890, para 3).

Native Americans to Leo were barely human before the Europeans came. It was
the Europeans who raised them "from a state of blindness to the common level
of the human race, from savagery to gentleness and humanity" (C4 1892).
These Native Americans are "a mighty multitude cloaked in miserable
darkness, given over to evil rites and the superstitious worship of vain
gods. (They live) in a barbarous state and with savage manners; (and they)
lack the knowledge of the one true God." (CA 1892).

Hindus attract Leo's attention in NC 1893: here he lauds Francis Xavier: "he
converted hundreds of thousands of Hindus from the myths and vile
superstitions of the Brahmans to the true religion..."

His vocabulary seems to be taken straight from the race theorists of the
time. To Leo, the people living outside Europe are one undifferentiated
mass, backward and helpless, awaiting deliverance by the Europeans. Can this
be the 'Vicar of Christ' and 'Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Church'
speaking - and passing summary judgment on distant peoples he doesn't know?
The arrogance and lack of charity are breath-taking. Jesus had clearly
commanded: "Stop judging by mere appearances..."(John 7:24)

Indeed, can Leo really sit in judgment - given the shabby record of the
Church Inquisition and of many unworthy holders of the papal office (among
them killers, usurers, fornicators, heretics)? It also needs to be stated
that superstitions are not the monopoly of non-Europeans - superstitious
practices and witchcraft have been rampant in Europe and high church clerics
were not exempt. Pope Urban VIII (1623-44), for example, believed in magic
and horoscopes. He ordered astrologers to cast the horoscopes of all the
cardinals in Rome in order to discover when they would die. In 1628, he was
troubled by the possible evil influence of an imminent lunar eclipse and
called upon Campanella (an ex-heretic) to perform a magical ritual for
protection. The ritual worked and Urban was saved!

ON COLUMBUS
Pope Leo also wrote a special encyclical in 1892 to commemorate Columbus
'discovery' of America. Writing to the American bishops (C4 1892), the Pope
described the exploit of Columbus as "this immortal achievement.  the
highest and grandest ever accomplished by man."

"Through the constant interchange of business and ocean trade, an incredible
addition was made to our knowledge of nature while the prestige of the
European name was marvellously increased. Those countries hitherto
uncultivated and inaccessible have made such rapid strides in civilisation,
wealth and fame.The whole world is eager to celebrate the memory of the
event and glorify its author."

Surely he means the European world. What of the Natives? Were they ready to
celebrate or to mourn? The church has since learnt to be a bit humble and in
contrast, the US Council of Churches issued a statement in 1992 (the 500th
anniversary of Columbus' trip) condemning the "discovery" as " invasion and
colonization with legalized occupation, genocide, economic exploitation,
institutional racism and moral decadence."
It called for "a year of repentance and reflection rather than celebration."

NOTE:
1) Readers may be shocked to hear that Alexander VI referred to above was
one of the most dissolute popes of the church - he kept mistresses, had 10
known illegitimate children, sought bribes to appoint cardinals, then
poisoned them and himself dies from poisoning. To read more, click
www.goacom.com/overseas-digest/Archives 2/history 11.html.

 2) For a more detailed critique of Leo's encyclicals, click
www.goacom.com/overseas-digest/Archives 2/leo13.1.html



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