I am aware of the bloody history of the Aztecs. Does that mean they deserved genocide in the name of the Catholic Church?
I cannot speak of deserts. I can only speak of what was, what happened, and what was the result. They were certainly practicing self-genocide in the name of Cuatlique, who gave no option of "convert or die" just simply, "die."
Much like our own society is killing its newborns. I shudder to think what we deserve.
The Catholic Church did not commit genocide on the peoples of the Americas. The Church sent missionaries to liberate the native populations from what many consider the most institutionally evil society in history. It was the Aztecs, who numbered only about 20% of the population of Mesoamerica who were committing genocide on its neighboring tribes. In 1487, in one four day ceremony, between 80,000 and 100,000 human victims sacrificed and then ritually eaten.
The Aztecs were overthrown in 1521 by Hernan Cortez who had a force of only 400 soldiers and 100 sailors from his scuttled ships. He relied heavily upon his alliances with the neighboring tribes who provided most of the manpower for his conquest.
Cortes and his troops killed fewer natives than were sacrificed in any given week, but millions died as a result of the diseases introduced by the Europeans. The conquered and liberated Indians rapidly embraced Christianity. In 1531 St. Juan Diego, an Aztec peasant and convert to Catholicism, had his Marian apparition. The most complete and rapid conversion took place in the following 10 years over 9 million converted to Catholicism.