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There was never any official and universal pogrom against Jews per se in Spain. Jews were present at all levels of society under the united monarchy. However, given the ethnic and political realities of the time -- which you so conveniently fail to describe in your post -- the Alhambra Decree expelling the Jews (and Muslims) from Spain was entirely just and proper. The rightful Christian rulers of Iberia had just finished winning an 800-year war against the forces of Islam -- a war fought town by town, battle by battle, throughout which the cause of Islam had been helped and financed by the Jewish leaders of Spain. During the war, many Jews who had ostensibly converted to the Christian faith continued to secretly live and practice as Jews, and had formed alliances with the Muslim invaders. By 1492, there was no room in Spain for a Spaniard whose loyalty to Crown and Cross was in question; to be a Spaniard, one had also to be Catholic. Thus the Decree.

Meaning no disrespect, but it is obvious to me that you, like most Americans, have only the sketchiest awareness of history (especially Spanish history). I don't blame you; I blame our educational system, the curriculum of which has been designed and controlled by WASPs to propagandize children against Spain, Catholic Christianity, and all life and thought counter to the WASP worldview. Fortunately, it is possible to educate oneself in the facts of history as it actually happened. To that end, I recommend to you William Thomas Walsh's excellent book Characters of the Inquisition (MacMillan, New York, 1940). An inexpensive paperback edition (1987, ISBN 0-89555-326-0) is available from TAN Books and Publishers.

There was never any official and universal pogrom against Jews per se in Spain. Jews were present at all levels of society under the united monarchy. However, given the ethnic and political realities of the time -- which you so conveniently fail to describe in your post -- the Alhambra Decree expelling the Jews (and Muslims) from Spain was entirely just and proper. The rightful Christian rulers of Iberia had just finished winning an 800-year war against the forces of Islam -- a war fought town by town, battle by battle, throughout which the cause of Islam had been helped and financed by the Jewish leaders of Spain. During the war, many Jews who had ostensibly converted to the Christian faith continued to secretly live and practice as Jews, and had formed alliances with the Muslim invaders. By 1492, there was no room in Spain for a Spaniard whose loyalty to Crown and Cross was in question; to be a Spaniard, one had also to be Catholic. Thus the Decree.

Ah.. the good old days! It wasn't a pogrom, per se, you say? Those silly Jews, siding with the Muslims... what were they thinking? Trading one dhimmi status for another and still no true homeland to settle in. That whole Diaspora thing must have escaped your notice. By the way, Pope John Paul II already apologized for the Inquisition. Don't make us have to keep apologizing for it.

Your fantastical worship of monarchies a sign that you are deeply disturbed. Please go read Thomas Paine's "Common Sense" and learn a little more about why our founding fathers wanted a free republic and not another monarchy (get it, the name of this forum -- check that URL thingee if you're confused).

You're insulting fellow Catholics with your monarchy gobbly goop. Americans do not want to be ruled by a king.

"Characters of the Inquisition"

Lolol!

A merry bunch of tricksters, no doubt.

There was never any official and universal pogrom against Jews per se in Spain.

And that's exactly the kind of bonehead defense an inquisitor might offer.

"Convert or get out," said Ferdie and Izzie.

And if they didn't get out?

There was never any official and universal pogrom against Jews per se in Spain... the Alhambra Decree expelling the Jews

Now, now, now; what did I tell you about inserting more padding between mutually exclusive statements?

You must learn to at least keep up the polite pretense of respecting your readers' intelligence, even if doing so in reality is beyond you.

I want to thank you for your posts; I’ve cut and copied it to numerous people who have gotten really good laughs out of it.

Indeed, I think it is going to be a subject of an article in Israel about Christian extremeism -— most Roman Catholics are pretty well balanced people, and your defense of the Inquisition and desire for a papal state in the United States was exactly the kind of thing that was needed.