--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I certify to you that, with the help of…" description: "\"“I certify to you that, with the help of God, we shall powerfully enter into your country and shall make war against you in all ways and manners that w..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b8c/david-e-stannard-28592_war_i-certify-to-you-that-with-the-help-of-g_45638.jpg" --- # I certify to you that, with the help of God, we shall… ![“I certify to you that, with the help of God, we shall powerfully enter into your country and shall make war against you in all ways and manners that we can, and shall subject you to the yoke and obedience of the Church and of Their Highnesses. We shall take you and your wives and your children…” quote by David E. Stannard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b8c/david-e-stannard-28592_war_i-certify-to-you-that-with-the-help-of-g_45638.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b8c/david-e-stannard-28592_war_i-certify-to-you-that-with-the-help-of-g_45638.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b8c/david-e-stannard-28592_war_i-certify-to-you-that-with-the-help-of-g_45638.jpg) > ““I certify to you that, with the help of God, we shall powerfully enter into your country and shall make war against you in all ways and manners that we can, and shall subject you to the yoke and obedience of the Church and of Their Highnesses. We shall take you and your wives and your children, and shall make slaves of them, and as such shall sell and dispose of them as Their Highnesses may command. And we shall take your goods, and shall do you all the mischief and damage that we can, as to vassals who do not obey and refuse to receive their lord and resist and contradict him.”” [David E. Stannard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-e-stannard/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A declaration of violent colonization framed as divine mandate, promising conquest, subjugation, and exploitation of a people and their resources. **In simple terms:** Colonial conquest justified by religion. Key Takeaway Colonialism uses religious rhetoric to legitimize oppression. Themes colonialism religion violence exploitation power Mood grim ominous authoritative Type political proclamation propaganda When to use this quote - military invasion - forced conversion - resource seizure - enslavement of civilians Key Concepts imperialism slavery cultural domination Practical Applications - historical analysis of colonization - educational curricula on imperial violence Questions to Reflect On - How does framing war as divine duty affect resistance? - What are the long‑term impacts of such conquest on the subjugated society? A Different Perspective Some may argue the rhetoric reflects the era's norms, but it still reveals deliberate cruelty and dehumanization. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Church Highnesses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/church-highnesses-670290/) [Obedience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obedience/) [Slaves Shall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slaves-shall-670291/) [Vassals Obey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vassals-obey-670288/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [Yoke Obedience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/yoke-obedience-670289/) ## Related quotes > [The blacks of this region are a cheerful, careless, dirty, race, not hard worked, and in many respects indulgently treated. It is of course…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-c-bryant/the-blacks-of-this-region-are-a-cheerful-careless-dirty-race-not-hard/) [William C. Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-c-bryant/) > [Knowledge forbidden? Suspicious, reasonless. Why should their Lord Envy them that? Can it be sin to know, Can it be death? And do they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/knowledge-forbidden-suspicious-reasonless-why-should-their-lord-envy/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [Adam became so proud that he wished to become God and died for his pride; the Son of God humbled Himself unto death, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-of-kronstadt/adam-became-so-proud-that-he-wished-to-become-god-and-died-for-his/) [John of Kronstadt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-of-kronstadt/) > [Obedience is the psychological mechanism that links individual action to political purpose. It is the dispositional cement that binds men to systems of authority.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-milgram/obedience-is-the-psychological-mechanism-that-links-individual-action/) [Stanley Milgram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-milgram/) > [ “In 1914... \[German\] history, poetry, dream and the individual moment were all combined in one exhilarating sensation...The nation was a creation of one's imagination,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-rites-of-spring-modris-eksteins/in-1914-german-history-poetry-dream-and-the-individual-moment-were/) [The Rites of Spring Modris Eksteins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-rites-of-spring-modris-eksteins/) > [Faith is the power, obedience the sacrifice, love the means, Christ the reason.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boyd-k-packer/faith-is-the-power-obedience-the-sacrifice-love-the-means-christ-the/) [Boyd K. 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The history of obedience to the Great Commission is full of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ross-paterson/god-uses-one-whom-others-would-have-passed-over-without-a-second/) [Ross Paterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ross-paterson/) > [Today the meaning of the word believe has been weakened. In the eyes of most it has become a mere acknowledgment of a certain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bevere/today-the-meaning-of-the-word-believe-has-been-weakened-in-the-eyes/) [John Bevere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bevere/) > [If you don't plan to live the Christian life totally committed to knowing your God and to walking in obedience to Him, then don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-arthur/if-you-don-t-plan-to-live-the-christian-life-totally-committed-to/) [Kay Arthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-arthur/) > [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Take what I cannot give: my heart, body, thoughts, time, abilities, money, health, strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-prentiss/bring-into-captivity-every-thought-to-the-obedience-of-christ-take/) [Elizabeth Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-prentiss/) ## More by David E. Stannard > [“As with Hispaniola, Tenochtitlán, Cuzco, and elsewhere, the Spaniards’ mammoth destruction of whole societies generally was a by-product of conquest and native enslavement, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-e-stannard/as-with-hispaniola-tenochtitl-n-cuzco-and-elsewhere-the-spaniards/) [David E. Stannard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-e-stannard/) > [“Should Indian adults attempt to use the California courts to bring such killers to justice, they invariably were frustrated because the law of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-e-stannard/should-indian-adults-attempt-to-use-the-california-courts-to-bring/) [David E. Stannard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-e-stannard/) > [“Given the shortage of women in California during these early years of white settlement, “a likely young girl” might cost almost double that of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-e-stannard/given-the-shortage-of-women-in-california-during-these-early-years-of/) [David E. Stannard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-e-stannard/) > [“Elie Wiesel is right: the road to Auschwitz was being paved in the earliest days of Christendom. But another conclusion now is equally evident:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-e-stannard/elie-wiesel-is-right-the-road-to-auschwitz-was-being-paved-in-the/) [David E. Stannard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-e-stannard/) > [“And on April 30th, one month later, a royal decree was issued suspending all judicial proceedings against any criminals who would agree to ship…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-e-stannard/and-on-april-30th-one-month-later-a-royal-decree-was-issued/) [David E. Stannard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-e-stannard/) > [“No sooner were the ships unloaded, however, than sickness broke out among the crews. It quickly spread among the natives, who had come to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-e-stannard/no-sooner-were-the-ships-unloaded-however-than-sickness-broke-out/) [David E. Stannard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-e-stannard/) > [“For while those like Señor Coma of Aragon were drawing a parallel between darkness of flesh and commitment to cannibalism—while Columbus and others were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-e-stannard/for-while-those-like-se-or-coma-of-aragon-were-drawing-a-parallel/) [David E. Stannard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-e-stannard/) > [“On the very day that Columbus finally set forth on his journey that would shake the world, the port of the city he sailed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-e-stannard/on-the-very-day-that-columbus-finally-set-forth-on-his-journey-that/) [David E. Stannard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-e-stannard/) > [“For among the many things that warfare does is temporarily define the entire enemy population as superfluous, as expendable—a redefinition that must take place…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-e-stannard/for-among-the-many-things-that-warfare-does-is-temporarily-define-the/) [David E. Stannard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-e-stannard/) > [“The destruction of the Indians of the Americas was, far and away, the most massive act of genocide in the history of the world.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-e-stannard/the-destruction-of-the-indians-of-the-americas-was-far-and-away-the/) [David E. Stannard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-e-stannard/) > [“Such brutishness was beyond the English capacity for tolerance. Especially when the vulgarians in question occupied such lovely lands. So, as they had for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-e-stannard/such-brutishness-was-beyond-the-english-capacity-for-tolerance/) [David E. Stannard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-e-stannard/) > [“The people of this island and of all the other islands which I have found and seen, or have not seen, all go naked,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-e-stannard/the-people-of-this-island-and-of-all-the-other-islands-which-i-have/) [David E. Stannard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-e-stannard/) > [“In the symbolic, economic, and familial spheres the Iroquois were matriarchal, that is, female dominated. Iroquoian women headed the family long-house, and much of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-e-stannard/in-the-symbolic-economic-and-familial-spheres-the-iroquois-were/) [David E. Stannard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-e-stannard/) > [“There was one little child, probably three years old, just big enough to walk through the sand. The Indians had gone ahead, and this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-e-stannard/there-was-one-little-child-probably-three-years-old-just-big-enough/) [David E. Stannard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-e-stannard/) > [“This, then, was the Old World on the eve of Columbus’s departure in 1492. For almost half a millennium Christians had been launching hideously…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-e-stannard/this-then-was-the-old-world-on-the-eve-of-columbus-s-departure-in/) [David E. Stannard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-e-stannard/) [Explore all 19 David E. Stannard quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-e-stannard/) ## More Obedience quotes > [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Take what I cannot give: my heart, body, thoughts, time, abilities, money, health, strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-prentiss/bring-into-captivity-every-thought-to-the-obedience-of-christ-take/) [Elizabeth Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-prentiss/) > [If you don't plan to live the Christian life totally committed to knowing your God and to walking in obedience to Him, then don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-arthur/if-you-don-t-plan-to-live-the-christian-life-totally-committed-to/) [Kay Arthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-arthur/) > [Today the meaning of the word believe has been weakened. In the eyes of most it has become a mere acknowledgment of a certain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bevere/today-the-meaning-of-the-word-believe-has-been-weakened-in-the-eyes/) [John Bevere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bevere/) > [“God uses one whom others would have passed over without a second glance. The history of obedience to the Great Commission is full of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ross-paterson/god-uses-one-whom-others-would-have-passed-over-without-a-second/) [Ross Paterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ross-paterson/) > [The Christian man must aim at that complete obedience to God in which life finds its highest happiness, its greatest good, its perfect consummation,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-barclay/the-christian-man-must-aim-at-that-complete-obedience-to-god-in-which/) [William Barclay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-barclay/) > [Christianity does not oppose debauchery and uncontrollable passions and the like as much as it opposes... flat mediocrity, this nauseating atmosphere, this homey, civil…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/christianity-does-not-oppose-debauchery-and-uncontrollable-passions/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [The whole duty of man is summed up in obedience to God's will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/the-whole-duty-of-man-is-summed-up-in-obedience-to-god-s-will/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [“There is indeed something delightful about being able to combine obedience and disobedience in the same act.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/there-is-indeed-something-delightful-about-being-able-to-combine/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [“Women who join together with each other to deny the male god who cursed their sex and to reject his demands for obedience, praise,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trista-hendren/women-who-join-together-with-each-other-to-deny-the-male-god-who/) [Trista Hendren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trista-hendren/) > [Faith is the power, obedience the sacrifice, love the means, Christ the reason.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boyd-k-packer/faith-is-the-power-obedience-the-sacrifice-love-the-means-christ-the/) [Boyd K. Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boyd-k-packer/) > [ “In 1914... \[German\] history, poetry, dream and the individual moment were all combined in one exhilarating sensation...The nation was a creation of one's imagination,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-rites-of-spring-modris-eksteins/in-1914-german-history-poetry-dream-and-the-individual-moment-were/) [The Rites of Spring Modris Eksteins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-rites-of-spring-modris-eksteins/) > [Obedience is the psychological mechanism that links individual action to political purpose. It is the dispositional cement that binds men to systems of authority.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-milgram/obedience-is-the-psychological-mechanism-that-links-individual-action/) [Stanley Milgram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-milgram/) > [Adam became so proud that he wished to become God and died for his pride; the Son of God humbled Himself unto death, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-of-kronstadt/adam-became-so-proud-that-he-wished-to-become-god-and-died-for-his/) [John of Kronstadt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-of-kronstadt/) > [Knowledge forbidden? Suspicious, reasonless. Why should their Lord Envy them that? Can it be sin to know, Can it be death? And do they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/knowledge-forbidden-suspicious-reasonless-why-should-their-lord-envy/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [In order to the attaining of all useful knowledge this is most necessary, that we fear God; we are not qualified to profit by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-henry/in-order-to-the-attaining-of-all-useful-knowledge-this-is-most/) [Matthew Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-henry/) [Browse all 1,729 Obedience quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obedience/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I certify to you that, with the help of God, we shall powerfully enter into your country and shall make war against you in all ways and manners that we can, and shall subject you to the yoke and obedience of the Church and of Their Highnesses. 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