I know it was. The problem is that you, and others who use this comparison, make a false "thread of truth" because you don't understand the history you're lampooning.
The Inquisition was about reestablishing Christian rule after centuries of Muslim rule. It was intended to find those in government who only pretended to be Christian in their efforts to subvert the Crown.
Your comparison fails because it is reversed. In the AGW argument, it would be the subversives who are on a witch hunt seeking out the Christians who seek rein in their lies. A more apt comparison would have the pretended Christians in government seeking to outlaw Christian doctrine.
It matters because language matters. When you accept the premise of the argument (in this case it would be that the Church did an evil thing because the Inquisition was evil), you validate the truth of the argument. In your comparison, your premise was wrong and I called you on it. It's nothing personal, I'm just tired of the ongoing attacks (subtle or otherwise) on the Church, in particular, and Christianity, in general, especially on a conservative forum.
I do absolutely understand and I see it very clearly.
Men are corruptible and the Church was corrupted by evil men. And to deny whenever someone or something is wrong, is wrong. In addition, it removes all credibility and legitimacy when someone attempts to defend the indefensible. Worst of all: without scrutiny and introspection, evil will continue.
I don’t pretend to know what God might think but it has to bother Him (IMHO). Because people are extremely vulnerable through their faith and for someone to exploit that vulnerability (knowingly or unknowingly) is evil of the worst kind. It is a direct sin against God (IMHO). There is probably a special place in He!! for those people.
Bottom line: whenever I am asked why I can continue to be a Christian when so many so called Christians a bad — my response is: “it is not the messenger that is important, but the message.” The messenger is a flawed human being who will eventually succumb to evil but the message is perfect and perfection.
This is why I avoid all organized religions and seek the Truth on my own.