"Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition!"
Posted on 05/07/2007 10:42:12 AM PDT by NYer
On May 9 and 16, PBS will air a four-part docudrama called “The Secret Files of the Inquisition.” Catholic League president Bill Donohue raised some concerns today:
“PBS will not air a movie that its officials say paints Muslims in a bad light, ‘Islam vs. Islamists,’ but it has no qualms about showing a flick that Catholics have every right to question. This film is advertised on PBS’s website with an eerie black background depicting all the ‘T’s’ as crosses. All that is missing is Dracula’s voiceover. ‘For over half a millennium a system of mass terror reigned,’ it says, and ‘Thousands were subject to secret courts, torture and punishment.’ This is plainly dishonest.
“As British historian Henry Kamen has shown in his magisterial work, The Spanish Inquisition: A Historical Revision, almost all the conventional wisdom about the Inquisition is wrong. By comparison with secular courts at the time, the Inquisition’s methods were more humane, e.g., defendants could be represented by an attorney. Edward Peters, another student of the period, says, ‘Modern historiography has completely blown the old Inquisition propaganda out of the water. No one seriously contends that hundreds of thousands or millions were killed, or that the Protestant countries were any more humane than Spain was.’ Indeed, scholars today refer to the old school mythology as ‘the Black Legend,’ a tale of lies spun by Elizabethan England. No wonder that in 1994, BBC/A&E aired ‘The Myth of the Spanish Inquisition.’
“Here’s what we know. Of the approximately 125,000 cases tried by the Spanish Inquisition, 1 percent resulted in the death penalty. Of the so-called witch hunts, where women were burned at the stake, secular courts executed 50,000 (not all of whom were women); less than 100 were killed by the Inquisition. Solzhenitsyn once compared the killings that took place in the Soviet Union in 1937 and 1938 to the killings that took place during the Spanish Inquisition and found that 20,000 were killed per month in the U.S.S.R. and 10 were killed per month during the Inquisition. But don’t look for such comparisons on PBS. To do so might get in the way of the truth.”
"Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition!"
The Truth Behind the Most Notorious Suppression in Religious History Told in the Words of the Victims Themselves; An Epic, Intimate Look at Thousands of Innocent Men, Women and Children who Suffered During a Reign of Terror that Spanned More Than Six Centuries -
Murder, betrayal, terror and torture - every detail of the Inquisition was documented by the Catholic Church in secret files that have been locked away for centuries. But in 1998, more than 700 years after the Inquisition began, the Vatican finally opened the heretofore sealed archives of the longest and most notorious suppression in religious history. As Pope John Paul II said at the time, "the Inquisition belongs to a tormented phase in the history of the Church, which ... Christians [should] examine in a spirit of sincerity and open-mindedness."
On Wednesdays, May 9-16, 2007, 9:00-11:00 p.m. ET, PBS presents the American television premiere of SECRET FILES OF THE INQUISITION, an extraordinary look at one of the darkest chapters in Christianity's history. Narrated by actor Colm Feore, the four-part docudrama portrays the true stories of the tragic victims of the religious intolerance of the Inquisition, spanning time periods and locations from medieval France to 15th-century Spain, Renaissance Italy and even into the 19th century.
Drawing on these documents, and on additional historical research, the miniseries tells its tale through detailed re-creations of pivotal events — from the Inquisition's all-out war on the Cathars in 13th- and 14th-century France to its last determined effort to maintain power in the face of the 19th-century's rising democratic tide.
SECRET FILES OF THE INQUISITION is at once epic and intimate, focusing on compelling characters in the 600-year drama, from the ruthless architects of the Inquisition to its helpless victims. Each episode features first-person testimonies from the files - verbatim accounts from nobles and peasants, priests and scholars, and mothers and fathers defending themselves and their families against accusations of heresy, literally arguing for their lives.
The series includes commentary from Catholic theologian Rev. Joseph A. Di Noia, Undersecretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith at the Vatican, and, according to The Guardian (London), "possibly the highest ranking Vatican official ever to be interviewed publicly on the subject."
SECRET FILES OF THE INQUISITION also includes insights from some of the world’s foremost writers and researchers on the Inquisition, including Medieval scholar David Gitlitz (Secrecy & Deceit, A Drizzle of Honey); historian and papacy expert Stephen Haliczer, Northern Illinois University; novelist Charmaine Craig, author of The Good Men; David Kertzer, author of The Kidnapping of Edgardo Mortara, The Popes Against the Jews and Prisoner of the Vatican; and Agostino Borromeo of Sapienza University in Rome.
The series was shot in high definition in Spain at historic locations that include castles, monasteries and cathedrals. An ensemble cast of Spanish and Canadian actors and more than 60 extras were engaged in the re-enactments.
SECRET FILES OF THE INQUISITION has been honored with the Leo Awards for Best Cinematography and Best Original Score and the Gold Medal for Docudrama from the New York Festivals.
Series creator David Rabinovitch was presented with Canada's Gemini Award for Best Direction. The series marks a return to directing for Rabinovitch after serving as vice-president for production at KCTS Seattle. His work has received numerous honors, including the Peabody Medal, two Emmys and four CINE Golden Eagles.
Underwriters: Floyd and Delores Jones Foundation, Public Television Viewers, PBS and Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
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May 2, 2007
IS PBS ANTI-MUSLIM?
Last night, Catholic League president Bill Donohue saw the documentary, “Islam vs. Islamists: Voices from the Muslim Center,” at a private screening in New York City. Originally scheduled to air on PBS as part of an 11-part series dealing with post-9/11 developments, the film has run into trouble with PBS for being “alarmist.”
Donohue addressed this issue today:
“The only thing alarmist about this film is PBS: How dare a public entity take money from the taxpayers for an allegedly public service and then spike a documentary that doesn’t accord with its politics. In the insular world that PBS officials live in, real Muslims are Islamists—radical extremists who want to kill the infidel (read: mostly Jews and Christians). Yet this documentary demonstrates that most Muslims are not extremists. Which begs the question: Is PBS anti-Muslim for trying to censor this look at the way most Muslims live?
“By casting Islamists as unrepresentative of Muslims, this documentary is able to do more to generate positive relations between Muslims and non-Muslims in the Western world than anything PBS has previously aired. To ban it is to contribute to the invidious stereotype that most Muslims are machete-wielding thugs.
“If there is one criticism of the film that needs to be made it is the unchallenged assertion, made by several Islamists, that they desire to live in Western nations as ‘parallel societies.’ This is absurd: the Amish live parallel to the rest of us—these extremists want to impose sharia law on everyone. And on this score, there can be no compromise.
“Pope Benedict XVI was unfairly criticized last year for citing Islam as a religion that too often allows reason to become unbuckled from faith. This film offers proof that he was right. It also shows, as the Holy Father understands, that most Muslims do not incline to violence.” Contact PBS President and CEO Paula Kerger: pkerger@pbs.org and tell her you want PBS to air this film.
NB: It appears that the address above has been disabled due to a high volume of e-mails. Please visit http://www.pbs.org/ombudsman/feedback.html to send your thoughts to the PBS ombudsman, Michael Getler. |
PBS has also been airing a “historical minute” on Jamestown (celebrating 400 years). The same “historical minute” has been airing for several weeks.
It concerns the “requirement” of the citizens to attend Christian services two times every day “and twice on Sunday” or face punishment (stocks and lash).
PBS is a disgusting waste of US taxpayer dollars.
My analysis of the inquisition is simply that it shows the necessity of the separation of church and state. From what I understand, the various inquisitions were not started under order from the Vatican, rather, it was the heads of states suppressing dissent under the guise protecting the state religion.
Okay. That should be accurate. I wonder what "features" means.
I'd guess the docudrama will have to focus on the most dramatic cases. Four hours of people being found innocent would make for some dull TV.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/obituaries/2002315521_jonesobit06m.html
In 1986, the couple formed the Floyd and Delores Jones Foundation, a conduit that brings contributions to many community organizations. In addition to supporting KCTS, the foundation financed a chair in the arts at the University of Washington and also gave to the American Civil Liberties Union Foundation and Planned Parenthood Foundation. It recently made a grant supporting the Union Gospel Mission's plans to build a center for abused women in South Seattle.
Earlier this year, the new cancer center at Virginia Mason Medical Center was named for Mrs. Jones after the couple made a $1 million contribution to the hospital.
"The family has a very strong commitment in improving the care of cancer patients," said Andrew Jacobs, chief of cancer services at Virginia Mason. "Delores was a very intelligent, expressive person who knew her mind. She knew exactly what she wanted and where she was going."
While the Joneses were devoted philanthropists, they were very humble, said Jacobs.
Son Steven Jones, who lives in Seattle and on Camano Island, agrees.
"They weren't ostentatious in their manner," he said. "They sought to give back to society what they felt society had given to them."
He said his mother had twice beaten breast cancer and believed that contributing to the Virginia Mason hospital was a way to pay back for the care she had received. "We felt Virginia Mason saved my mother's life," Jones said.
He said his mother was a tremendous crusader for women's rights and was a very socially conscious Democrat. She also was a great cook, he said, and delighted in providing for her family.
In 1997, members of the Association of Fundraising Professionals honored the Joneses by naming them outstanding philanthropic couple of the year. Floyd Jones said he and his wife have given away more than $4 million.
He said his wife's biggest passion probably was the public-television station, although she was also committed to Planned Parenthood.
While she never considered getting into politics herself, Delores Jones was an activist Democrat and a member of EMILY's List, which donates to Democratic women candidates. She also was a close friend of Democratic Sen. Patty Murray from their PTA days.
As one will note, these are all entities that love TRUTH and the Roman Catholic Church!
Socialists have to constantly rewrite history in order to survive. They’ve been doing it since Stalin had official photos air brushed to remove party officials he’d imprisoned in purges. Eventually Stalin stood alone in every photo.
Socialism is all about appearances, PR, marketing and self-promotion, the creation of heroic myths. That’s how cult leaders sell their product. That’s why it preys on the minds of the young and those who are naive their whole lives.
In example, ask a liberal who is at fault for the Vietnam war and they’ll blame Nixon. They’ve ‘forgotten’ the roles played by JFK and LBJ in the massive escalation of the war. And Bill Moyers played a role too. Like Tenet and Sandy Berger, Moyers has to rewrite history to excuse himself.
Watch it Dude - or you’re going to get the comfy chair!
Catholics ARE Christians. An attack on Catholics is in fact an assault on all Christians.
You wrote: “Inquisition is one of the darkest Chapters in history of Roman Catolic Church, not Christianity. Other Christian Churches have nothing to do with it. We should give due credit where the credit is due.”
The inquisition was not a dark chapter in the history of the Catholic Church. And the Catholic Faith IS Christianity. Also, Christian sects most definitely had things like the worst of the inquisition stereotypes: the Anglicans and English Reformed certainly hunted down and killed a large number of Catholics, the Scots and Lutherans certainly “tried” and executed large numbers of “witches” who were, in fact, completely innocent.
Protestants often simply dispensed with trials altogether and murdered their hated Catholic or non-conformist targets. At least the inquisition allowed you to name your enemies and their testimony would be discounted, and some inquisition tribunals allowed defense lawyers.
Only Catholic Spain, with its inquisition, managed to almost completely avoid the witch crazes of the 16th and 17th centuries. That is not an accident.
Bump
I won’t trust PBS with the truth any further than I can toss a feather.
Nevertheless, that won’t stop the Christian hating atheists from drooling over this. They’d love anything that paints religion in a bad light so they can go on about what wonderful people they are personally and take the moral high ground.
Bravo...nicely said! The individual to whom you are responding has surely never read any of Hillaire Belloc’s work on either the Protestant Reformation or the Inquisition!
Frank
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