The Inquisition

[Phasmid]

I've been looking into the inquisition today since it sounded interesting. It's been extremely disturbing to read what took place... I mean even the simple pictures drawn back in the day are enough to make me wince. People being skinned, burned, pulled apart, hacked apart... suffering incalculable amounts of pain.

The thing I find most amazing though, is that some people, dispite all this, refused to denounce their beliefs... I mean that is truely, truely mind-blowing. They believed so strongly in salvation through faith alone that they'd be skinned rather than renounce it!!! That's incredible!!!

Even children were butchared because of their beliefs... some of the torture is just unimaginable. They had vices, which were strapped to the legs of the victims and squeezed until the leg, knee joint, or any part of the body was but pulp. They had a device, which slowly crushed the skull vertically using a grinder-like head piece. The teeth and eyes would pop out... I mean... it's just so horrible... it's hard to imagine... even now I feel tears in my eyes... how could people do this in the name of God!?! HOW!? It's disgusting...

But it's left me with a few questions... it's directed to Christians, but anyone is welcome to answer.

1) How is it fair that these Christians had to suffer so horribly for their faith, while most Christians today simply struggle not to look at porn, or other such sins? These people wouldn't refute their beliefs, even in the face of the most brutal torture imaginable, yet the most Christians suffer with today is congestion, parking fines and Jeremy Kial.

2) There's a belief amongst some Christians that Revelation 17 (I think it's that one) has come to pass in the form of the Catholic church. They believe the inquisition continues today right under our noses. I have the video here YouTube - Catholic Inquisition and The Torture Tools it's an hour long though. I was just wondering what people think about it. If you have the time and stomach to watch it, please let me know your thoughts.

3) Do Christians think they will suffer these things in the next life before going to Heaven? Like a test if you will? I think Jesus said something about having to carry our crosses... could it mean we'll suffer pain equivilent to our bad deeds before entering Heaven? This question's related to my first since I simply don't comprehend how it's fair that I could go to Heaven by being Christian under these easy circumstances, while people a few hundred years ago may have had to suffer burning before getting there.

4) If the beliefs of the people in the video are to be true, then does that mean that Hell really is torture and suffering for all eternity i.e. the classic idea of Hell, rather than the state of mind concept?

5) Is it possible that the victims of the inquisition suffered even more than Jesus did on the cross? And does it mean anything if they did (or didn't)?

 

[GadFly]

It is true there was an inquisition. Critics of Christianity use this hideous time to point at Christians today and say, look what Christians did to each other and unbelievers. See the evil? They look at the Crusades in the same light. But what they are viewing is not Christianity as Christ taught it. Jesus did not favor stoning women to death even when guilty of adultery in public. He taught men to do good for evil and to forgive sins. He taught love and forgiveness.

Those who did evil, regardless of the age in which they lived and regardless of what their religion was called, were evil and John in his epistles to th church identified these evil workers as anti-Christ. It really pleases Satan to do evil deeds and have haters of Christ to say that the followers of Christ did this evil. Real followers of Christ may have suffered the inquisition but they did not participate in the evil of those times nor do real followers of Christ do evil today.

The theory behind Christianity is that Christ in his teachings will make the world a better place to live. Hopefully a day will come when no man will have to suffer because he is or is not a Christian, because he is black, because he speaks with a different tongue, or because of sexual orientation. Until that day comes, it is the Christian's obligation to preach peace and love.

To go to heaven, Christians may not have to suffer as Christians of old, because the forerunners of today's Christians have indeed been the salt of the earth. The teachings of Christ have made the world better. Those who do evil in the name of Christianity are following Satan,not Christ. We must not be duped into calling the works of Satan of Christ nor the works of Christ, the works of Satan. Putting an unfair twist or spin on this distinguishable fact was called by Jesus as the sin against the Holy Ghost. Jesus did not appreciate spin of religious facts.
Phasmid this is a good thread and deserves much participation.
GadFly