>> 1%?!? I don't think any modern madman was "successful" enough to achieve that rate. Never-mind, I have something more important to question.<<
You start with the presumption that there was no charge that could ever merit death then? Without the inquisition, the accused were usally killed. With the inquiisition, 99% of them are spared. That's pretty amazing actually.
>>Is the author trying to say life was more or less precious to those living at that time? <<
What he is saying is that the Inquisition was a remarkable leap forward in justice, which demonstrates a respect for life.
>> When did it stop being about the universal truth?<<
When Protestants decided that that they could have 15,478,386 opinions on any moral standard, and they were all okay, as long as they disagreed with Catholic tradition.
>> IMO, this is just as true now as it was then. <<
Well, your flat out wrong then. OUR society is built on religious pluralism and secualr standards of law, and loyalty. There are very few institutions which rely *directly* on religion in America.
No, I do not.
Without the inquisition, the accused were usally killed. With the inquiisition, 99% of them are spared. That's pretty amazing actually.
The only thing that would convince me a 99% survival rate is good, would be New Testament justification for one execution for the sin/crime of heresy.
What he is saying is that the Inquisition was a remarkable leap forward in justice, which demonstrates a respect for life.
The black death was part of his point, which you seem to have dropped, when I think it's a key to the point he was attempting to make. Include the black death & I find myself thinking he's steering modern minds to a conclusion. Do you need me to spell it out?
>> When did it stop being about the universal truth?<<
When Protestants decided that that they could have 15,478,386 opinions on any moral standard, and they were all okay, as long as they disagreed with Catholic tradition.
Tsk, tsk.
>> IMO, this is just as true now as it was then. <<
Well, your flat out wrong then. OUR society is built on religious pluralism and secualr standards of law, and loyalty. There are very few institutions which rely *directly* on religion in America.
We seem to define "fabric of a community" differently. What do you think allowed/allows us to build community as you described?