What We Weren’t Told
History is full of missing pieces. Many people were never told the truth about how deeply racism and power were connected. Arthur Ripley’s book, Built on Lies, fills in those gaps, not to shame, but to reveal. Because without the truth, healing stays out of reach.
Race Was Invented
Before colonizers divided people by skin, there was no concept of race. It was made up. A system created by powerful men to control others, justify slavery, and spread fear. This lie became law. It became religion. And it spread across continents.
Slavery Was Systemic Evil
Enslaved Africans weren’t just unpaid labour—they were broken in body, mind, and soul. They were stolen, chained, branded, and sold. Children were separated. Women were assaulted. Generations lost their freedom—and their names. These truths may not be easy, but they are necessary.
Religion Was Weaponized
Popes gave permission to invade and enslave entire nations. The book explains how the Church’s written orders gave kings the right to destroy those who were not Christian. This wasn’t spiritual. It was about power. The Church grew rich, and millions suffered.
The Doctrine Still Stands
One of the most alarming insights is that these church doctrines—like the 1493 Papal Bull “Inter Caetera”—have never been revoked. These old laws still linger in the background of today’s legal and political systems. That means the roots of injustice are still alive and legally active. That truth matters.
Lies Built The Nation
The U.S. was founded on powerful words—“all men are created equal.” Yet many of the founders owned slaves. The book highlights this contradiction, showing how freedom was promised with one hand and stolen with the other.
Pain Was Taught As Normal
The most dangerous lie was that suffering was normal for certain people. The book exposes this deeply. It reminds us that ignoring pain does not remove it. It stays in families, in systems, in silence until it is named.
Women And Children Suffered
Slavery didn’t spare anyone. Women were forced to bear children they didn’t choose. Young boys were assaulted and trained to be silent. The book holds nothing back in revealing how families were destroyed for generations, all in the name of protecting greed and dominance.
Change Starts With Truth
We cannot fix what we deny. This is why the book matters. It invites readers to look, learn, and then live differently. Not to dwell in the past, but to stop bringing it into the future.
You Have A Choice
The system will not change itself. It changes when people care enough to speak, to act, to listen. You don’t need all the answers. You just need to start. Truth is not the enemy—fear is. And once truth rises, fear begins to fall.