do you think the spanish inquisition was a proper course of action and
how does it reflect on christian morals.

Of course *I* don't. The Inquisition tried to destroy my people. I have
no love for them.


The Inquisition gets its name from a particularly ugly form of torture
involving genital mutilation.


They were monsters claiming to serve the Lord. They hoarded wealth,
made up accusations to destroy political rivals of their members and
supporters, and were the most efficient intimidators the world had ever
seen up to that time.

AB,as for how the inqusition reflects on Christian morals, it is one of
the most extreme cases of the natural course that Christianity has taken
through the centuries. It was the interpretation of one group of poeple
of Christianity and what they believed was within their rights to
administer to uphold the truth of their faith as they saw it.

How does this reflect? It was repeated in Germany by Hitler? It is
being repeated everyday in the middle east and in Africa. It just keeps
reflecting, reflecting the views and opinions of religious groups and
what they would do to enforce thiers over another.

No it wasn't.
Even the Pope John Paul II apologized to the world for that, and another
things like anti-semitism sponsored by the catholic church.

This has nothing to do with Christianity, or any religion, though.


Take Stalin- an ATHEIST- who killed more people than any singular
genocide, before or since. He beat Hitler's mark many times over. In
fact, he killed more people than ALL Genocides in history, before and
since, combined.


Which may make the case that religion softens the xenophobic/genocidal
instinct within us humans. Probably wouldn't be able to hold that point
against scrutiny, but it certainly absolves religion of any guilt in
crimes against humanity.

Measure that guilt to the crusades.

religion was a motivator in that one. On both sides.

Ok, fine. Add in the crusades and Stalin's still, twice over, the
bigger killer.


No war has ever been fought over religion. Politics, wealth, pride,
greed, power, oppression, and good old fashioned human cruelty. But
never religion.

Poet, Look at every major conflict that we are aware of, throughout
history. When you have some real numbers, come bact to your thought,
you might want to amend it. There are been more conflicts and more
lives taken in the name of religion than have been lost all other
conflicts, and natural disasters put together.

Oh? Name ANYTHING that was truly about religion. Any war, any conflict.
There are things where liars claimed they were doing it in God's name.
But never a war was fought that wasn't about those in power either
getting more power, or trying to prevent the loss of their power.

Oh. Wait. There has been plenty of wars with those without power trying
to take it from those who did have it.

Poet>

Perhaps in the closed circles of government yes war for power, glory,
money and control.

But they used religion as the motivator for the masses. Without the
help of the religious leaders at the time they could not have fueled the
armies.

Ask a true mujahdeen if he/she fights for money or glory in the
afterlife.

Oh. You're absolutely right. High and lofty ideals can be subverted by
evil men. "Even the devil can quote scripture" isn't just a religious
truth. Hell, if it was, it wouldn't be accurate in my religion anyways.
No devil to do the quoting.


But it isn't just religion that can do this. Patriotism is a much, much
crueler method. Look at Stalin's impergium. Claiming to install
communism- a philosophy that promised prosperity to the poor, scientific
progress, the premise that all men deserved to be free and equal. People
committed horrific acts, many of them believing what they did was right.


Or are we going to claim that those ideals are responsible for the
cruelties, too?

I'm having a monty python flashback...

to force beliefs on to anyone for the sake of their servatude
is just wrong

no matter why or in whose name it is done in

simple as that

live and let live

and if they don't wanna let live then do unto them as they would do unto
others

just a thought

but hey what do i know