Defense of the Inquisitions

The Angelus ^ | 11/1999 | Jean-Claude Dupuis

[traditionalist]

Please read the article and judge it on its merits. I know that the author is affiliated with the SSPX, an organization which I do not support. But just because a scholar supports a problematic (perhaps schismatic) organization does not mean his scholarship is without value.

[drstevej]

***At any rate, the death penalty constituted less than 1% of the sentences pronounced by the Inquisition. Most of the time, the heretics were condemned to wearing the cross on their clothes, to making pilgrimages, to serving in the Holy Land or to undergoing a flagellation, often merely symbolic. Sometimes the tribunal confiscated their goods or imprisoned them. The inquisitorial prisons were not as terrible as has been claimed. They must even have been more comfortable than the common prisons, since some criminals admitted to heresy in order to be transferred to them.***

Thanks, a symbollic flagellation, a trip to the Holy Land and a bed and breakfast sounds like a great vacation!

I think the thread belongs in humor.

"The Inquisition, what a show..." (History of the World, Part I)

[drstevej]

ping -- bring your thumb screws and tongue tongs!

[drstevej]

EWTN on the Inquisition

For example, Fray Tomas de Torquemada, the Grand Inquisitor whose very name is now a symbol of ruthless cruelty, actually checked the excessive zeal of the earlier inquisitors in many ways, including the limiting and mitigating of torture. Walsh thinks that torture under Torquemada was no worse than that used by American police in the 1930s. Also, under Torquemada's entire tenure as Grand Inquisitor (1483-1498), 100,000 prisoners passed before his various tribunals throughout Spain. Of this number, less than 2% were executed. In Barcelona, from 1488 to 1498, "one prisoner out of 20 was put to death" (23 executions). Torquemada is not the monster of the Black Legend; still, he was responsible for, as an estimation, between 1,000 and 1,500 deaths. And by burning, the common method for those times.

Even by EWTN reporting the score stands:

Torquemada - 1,000 to 1,500 burned

Calvin - 1 burned (and this one was the decision of the Geneva city government rather than Calvin.)

[traditionalist]

Why stop at Calvin? Why do you not count the death toll of Cromwell and Elizabeth? What about the witch hunts, which the inquisition prevented in countries where it operated?

[CCWoody]

Thumb Screws? Tongue Tongs? ROTFLOL!

Torquemada was no worse than that used by American police in the 1930s.

Torquemada's personal slogan: "Hey, were properly benchmarked with the Secular world governments. Any more and we'd be considred Pagan!" (Posthumously (sp) attributed, of course)

[drstevej]

Add 'Bloody' Mary to the list as well. My point re: Calvin was not that persecution was exclusively Catholic, it was not as the Anabaptists understood well. Thieleman Van Braght's, The Martyr's Mirror (anabaptist author of the 17th c.) is sobering.

My comment was for the Arminians on the thread that think and post like the Servetus case was THE episode of persecution of the Reformation era. It was a very spiritually intolerant era.

It should not be whitewashed on either side!

[Gumlegs]

Ahhh, the good old days.

[Matchett-PI]

I see you're interested pointing out what can result from the spiritual immaturity of some zealous Christians, and/or the outright cynicism of power-hungry opportunists who claim to be Christians and like to dominate others.

. What do you think of the RCC's refusal to retract its official denial of religious freedom and its right to use violence to force people to accept its doctrines?

As documented by the Hefleys in their book, By Their Blood: Christian Martyrs Of The 20th Century, (Mott Media, 1979), wherever the Church of Rome has political power, it still does all it can to keep the Bible away from the people. Do you know that in "Catholic" countries the Bible is still shunned as "dangerous.”

Do you agree with me that any organization which would use the arm of secular governments to enforce its religious beliefs on others, is itself potentially dangerous to our freedoms?

[Jerry_M]

"Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition!" (Michael Palin)

[aimhigh]

This article reminds me of a modern day anarchist trying to defend Nazi Germany, and deny the holocaust. The victim of this article is truth. The inqjisitors had two motives.
1. destroy the lives an anyone who wouldn't submit to the RCC.
2. confiscate and keep their wealth.
It was truly corrupt.

[traditionalist]

You make assertions without any supporting evidence. Typical.

[APBaer]

"the saints who lived in the era of the Inquisition never criticized it"

Possible reasons:
1. They were too busy dishing it out.
2. Not a good idea, just as few would tell Saddam he had bad breath.
3. If they criticized it and were executed by it, it would be difficult to afterwards, regardless of their perceived Godliness, canonize them.

[APBaer]

" If they criticized it and were executed by it, it would be difficult to afterwards, regardless of their perceived Godliness, canonize them. "

Cognitive dissonance

[ArrogantBustard]

Regarding your point number three, you might want to discuss the matter with Saint Joan of Arc. Or maybe not. You might have to re-think your opinion of the Catholic Church, if you did so.

[aimhigh]

Between Foxes Book of Martyrs and Martyr's Mirror, the evidence is overwhelming. Except to those who would have no problem repeating the inquisition and the murders. Apparently, our Catholic posters believe their church can do no wrong, and who cares about the evidence. Just call the evidence lies, and all is well. It's time to grow up kids.

[RnMomof7]

Apparently, our Catholic posters believe their church can do no wrong, and who cares about the evidence. Just call the evidence lies, and all is well. It's time to grow up kids.,

I think it comes under the heading of " whos sins you shall retain they are retained":>)

[drstevej]

I repeat:

***At any rate, the death penalty constituted less than 1% of the sentences pronounced by the Inquisition. Most of the time, the heretics were condemned to wearing the cross on their clothes, to making pilgrimages, to serving in the Holy Land or to undergoing a flagellation, often merely symbolic. Sometimes the tribunal confiscated their goods or imprisoned them. The inquisitorial prisons were not as terrible as has been claimed. They must even have been more comfortable than the common prisons, since some criminals admitted to heresy in order to be transferred to them.***

Thanks, a symbollic flagellation, a trip to the Holy Land and a bed and breakfast sounds like a great vacation!

I think the thread belongs in humor.

[Hank Kerchief]

You make assertions without any supporting evidence. Typical.

aimhigh is the Pope?!

I didn't know that.

Hank

[narses]

Do you know that in "Catholic" countries the Bible is still shunned as "dangerous.”

I'd be very, very interested in any proof you might have of that claim. Could you post links or other proofs?