Free Republic
Browse · Search
Religion
Topics · Post Article

To: count-your-change
By the time the Spanish Inquisition began under the Catholic Isabella and Ferdinand, hundreds of thousands of Jews had been driven out of Spain

That did not happen until 14 years after the start of the Inquisition.

those remaining forced into baptism as Catholics, the "conversos".

Nobody was forced to convert. Those who did knew they would be under the authority of the Church.

the monarchy and the Catholic Church had s strong profit motive for condemning Jews to the Inquisition

By "Jews" you are referring to voluntary Catholic converts and their children (often by marriage with non-converts)? Jewish Converts were judged by the same standard as any other Catholic. The Spanish Inquisition was very scrupulous and the vast majority of people investigated were never convicted. Those convicted were guilty of working to destroy the church and state. Many Bishops and top government officials fell into this category.

in today money hundreds of millions of dollars worth of property was stolen and ended up in the coffers of the state and state Catholic Church.

LOL. Yes this must seem shocking by today's standards when the rich (especially bankers) are not prosecuted for breaking the law. Wealth provides the means to bribe politicians. If rich gangsters are not taken down, they will corrupt society. In Catholic Spain, the rich had to follow the same rules as everybody else. That is why the Inquisition enjoyed huge popular support among the middle class and poor.

1,673 posted on 11/13/2010 11:33:44 AM PST by mas cerveza por favor
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1663 | View Replies ]


To: mas cerveza por favor
no mas cerveza for you! Consult a reliable history like Schaff or Lea, por favor.
1,691 posted on 11/13/2010 4:47:29 PM PST by count-your-change (You don't have be brilliant, not being stupid is enough.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1673 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Religion
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson