-— However, where did Jesus Christ give His flock the right to take up the sword against another group of people not involved in armed combat? -—
In the Middle Ages, the public promulgation of heresy was considered a crime against the State. Heretics were prosecuted. This was the case in Catholic and Protestant kingdoms.
The idea is incomprehensible to modern man, but becomes understandable when one properly classifies Mohammedanism as a great heresy.
Catharism was a “New Age” religion that forbade marriage. Its spread would have literally wiped out the nation. For this reason, Catharism was viewed as a grave threat to the State.
I have to say the very false foundations of Catharism would have literally died out on its own.
Such church-state functioning and alliance is alien to the NT church. The only one exercising in such a fashion was Saul of Tarsus and we know the rest of his story.
It also alien to our founding. Oh the founders knew of this history and the current ongoings. That is what makes us different.