The Silence Behind History
For too long, history has been told by those who had the power to shape it, rather than by those who lived it. Arthur Ripley’s book, Built on Lies, starts where truth was silenced. It invites readers to look at what they were taught and ask a hard question: what was left out?
The Foundation of Control
What if the systems we trust—religion, law, education—were built on lies? Not all of them, but enough to keep some people in power and others in pain. This is what the book reveals: control was masked as guidance, and religion was sometimes used to excuse hate.
Not Just Black and White
The story isn’t only about race—it’s about humanity. The book shows how both Black and White people were damaged by lies told over centuries. Africans were stolen, beaten, and erased. But White people were also taught to believe they were better. That lie cost everyone something.
Churches Played A Role
Many forget the Church’s part in shaping racism. But the book brings it to light: Popes gave written orders to enslave and destroy people who didn’t follow their faith. These weren’t fringe ideas—they were public, legal, and deadly. And they shaped the world we live in now.
A Life Without Mercy
The book gives chilling examples of how enslaved Africans were treated. They were branded like cattle, denied education, and punished without reason. A White man could kill a slave and only pay the owner, not face justice. Even animals had more rights. That cruelty was built into the law.
Reparations Aren’t Revenge
One of the strongest messages in Built on Lies is this: reparations are not about guilt. They are about repair. Healing must begin somewhere. Paying what was stolen is the first step in rebuilding what was lost, not just in terms of money, but also in terms of justice.
A False Image of Christ
Arthur Ripley points out something simple, yet powerful: Jesus was not White. He was a man from the Middle East, a region known for its brown-skinned inhabitants. Yet films, art, and teachings show him as pale. Why? Because showing Christ as White helped keep White supremacy alive. It was a lie that shaped belief.
Truth Isn’t Meant To Hurt
Telling the truth about history is not an attack. It’s an act of healing. The book shows that when people face what really happened, they stop repeating it. When lies fade, growth begins. That’s why truth matters—it makes space for something better.
We All Play A Part
Change doesn’t come from anger alone. It comes when people understand their role in the story, whether they caused harm or were harmed by silence. The book calls on all of us to do more than learn. It calls us to care.
Start Where You Are
You don’t need power to begin. You only need honesty. Ask questions. Listen. Look again at what you were taught. That’s how healing begins. That’s how we change a story built on lies—by telling a new one, based on truth.