This whole Papal statement is NOT the rescinding or nullification of the Doctrine of Discovery.

It's literally just saying 'oh, a bunch of Indigenous people claimed it hurt them for years, but now they actually got to prove it, so I'm gonna say it's bad, but keep it'

The Doctrine of Discovery, for those who don't know, was issued as a favor to a king who wanted to do a global land grab.

The DoD states that any lands held by non-Christians is free for the taking, as are all resources (including people), for 'the glory of God'.

Now, this BULL is what led to the heads of Europe deciding that all of the 'New World' (ie anything on the North or South continents of 'Americas'), Australia, Aotearoa, India, the continent of Africa, the rest of Oceana, and anything else not in Europe, was to be laid claim BY

Europe.

Why did Europe feel the need to own all of the world and all of the people populating the rest of the globe?

For starters, they were greedy bastards who wanted to couch their greed in 'Godliness'.

So what better way to prove that your nation is 'Godly' than kill and

Steal land, people, and animals from all over the world???

(Psst .. ever wonder why the British Museum has so much shit from all over the world that they claim to own? This document, right here).

African people's being stolen and taken all over the world for slavery? This same

Effed up document.

The US and Canada? Both the results of this document... DESPITE ENGLAND STEPPING AWAY FROM THE CATHOLIC CHURCH AND NOT OBEYING ROME IN ANY OTHER AREA.

Also, big shock for some of you, the Manifest Destiny bullshit that led to 'western expansion' is a rewrite

Of this fucked up land-theft at the hands of the 'good Christian people' of Europe.

Yep, this document is soaked in blood.

'This is so old it doesn't matter anymore.'

Yeah? Then why did RUTH BADER GINSBURG REPEATEDLY USE IT TO RULE AGAINST INDIGENOUS PEOPLE??

It's also been used by other US Supreme Court justices as recently as LAST YEAR to rule against Indigenous people, as a weapon to break a treaty and continue ongoing land theft and genocide.

But sure, please, tell me how this bull doesn't affect today. 🙄 I digress.

But in all seriousness, this papal bullshit is why we have the gender binary, institutionalized racism, and and global warming among other crisis.

So why is this 'news' from the Vatican so hilarious and offensive?

IT'S JUST A LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT THAT WILL MAKE PEOPLE THINK

THE CATHOLIC CHURCH GIVES A FUCK ABOUT INDIGENOUS PEOPLE ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD.

It doesn't do anything but say 'yeah, ok, so stealing your land and murdering millions of you in the name of our God wasn't great, so we can admit that. But the rule still stands.'

It means that Catholics get to feel great, as if their ruler did something worthwhile.

It means racists who misunderstand this will say 'oh, but the pope removed that. What's your excuse now?'

And it means Jack shit beyond that.

It's a fucking land acknowledgement.