[Straight Vermonter]

Spain's "civil rights" record during the era of the inquisition compares favorably to most of the rest of Europe.

[js1138]

Spain's "civil rights" record during the era of the inquisition compares favorably to most of the rest of Europe.

That's OK if you believe the politics and truth evolve, but not good enough if you believe the church derives its authority from an unchanging God.

[tjwmason]

Spain's "civil rights" record during the era of the inquisition compares favorably to most of the rest of Europe.

Also the Inquisition compares favourably with Spanish civil practice at the time. A documentary produced by the B.B.C. (who are notoriously anti-Catholic) gave evidence that people arrested for saecular crimes (e.g., theft) would sometimes start to shout blasphemies so that they would be taken to the Inquisition's gaols rather than the saecular ones.

These were rough times, the Inquisition was no worse than most, and far better than many. It is simply that the printing-press, and anti-Catholicism from the heretical prots came along at the wrong time.