The Inquisition: Only the Tip of the Iceberg of Religious Persecution

Though modern scholarship has whittled the long believed high death toll of the Catholic wide Inquisition down to a considerably smaller figure, it is only a drop in the bloody bucket of violence and persecution committed under religious pretenses.

In my meanderings on the Inter-webs researching my last post regarding blasphemy laws, I came across the Wiki page for the infamous Inquisition (officially the Supreme Sacred Congregation of the Roman and Universal Inquisition) instituted by the Roman Catholic Church. It has long been held in the public consciousness as the embodiment of religious oppression and persecution, most famously being featured in Edgar Allan Poe's classic short story The Pit and the Pendulum (in which he takes considerable historical liberties) and, of course, Monty Python's memorable, cheeky take on their nefarious doings. Though recorded history is replete with endless atrocities committed in the name of religion (both of the pagan and monotheistic persuasion), it is the legacy of the Inquisition and its particularly vicious methods of torture utilized to combat heresy that resonates so strongly to the present day. The ruthless spirit of the enterprise is perhaps best captured in the words of the sixteenth century Italian cardinal Giovanni Caraffa, appointed head of the Roman Inquisition by Pope Paul III and who would go onto be elected Pope himself:

"Firstly when the faith is in question, there must be no delay; but at the slightest suspicion, rigorous measures must be resorted to with all speed. Secondly, no consideration is to be shown to any prince or prelate, however high his station. Thirdly, extreme severity is rather to be exercised against those who attempt to shield themselves under the protection of any potentate, and fourthly, no man must lower himself by showing toleration toward heretics of any kind."

Not surprisingly, in this same righteous sentiment, the future Pope Paul IV created one of the first Jewish Ghettos in Europe by papal bull, Cum nimis absurdum, in which the supreme pontiff declared, "As it is completely absurd and improper in the utmost that the Jews, who through their own fault were condemned by God to eternal servitude, can under the pretext that pious Christians must accept them and sustain their habitation, are so ungrateful to Christians, as, instead of thanks for gracious treatment, they return contumely, and among themselves, instead of the slavery, which they deserve..."

Fueled by such fanaticism the office of the Inquisition - which was most prominent in the Catholic Kingdoms of Spain and Portugal, their respective overseas colonies, and last but not least in the Vatican ruled Papal States - waged ruthless spiritual warfare against all enemies, real or imagined, of the Universal Church for well over four centuries. Perhaps its most well known victims are the scientific pioneers Giordano Bruno (who before being burned at the stake in 1600 was imprisoned for seven years for asserting the Copernican theory of a helio-centered universe, among other grave heresies) and Galileo Galilei, placed under house arrest and initially forced to recant his astronomical findings that further supported helio-centrism (he later recanted his recantation). 

So given the sordid picture painted by the historical record and embellished by the popular imagination, imagine my surprise upon reading that the general consensus of modern historians regarding the Inquisition's body count is amazingly minuscule. According to Cullen Murphy, author of the book God's Jury: The Inquisition and the Making of the Modern Word, "The inquisitors were excellent record-keepers -- at times truly superb. One surviving document gives the expenses for an execution down to the price of the rope used to tie the victims' hands. But a lot of the records have been lost. An estimate that has wide credibility among historians is that about 2 percent of those who came before Inquisition tribunals were burned at the stake, which would mean several tens of thousands of people. The rest suffered lesser punishments."

 Certainly well short of the horrendous numbers often thrown about by eager atheists, freethinkers, and even other Christians (so much for brotherly love) when attempting to show how much evil the Catholic Church has wrought in the world. While the history of Mother Church is a checkered one at best and downright heinous at worst, the numbers don't lie in this case. Freethinkers of all stripes, who rightly value the use of reason and empirical evidence, should take extra care not to fall prey to the same emotional bias and sensationalism they accuse religious extremists of indulging in.

On the other hand, do the smaller figures lessen the persecution visited upon "heretics," "infidels," etc. by the Catholic Church as well as the myriad Protestant denominations? (To quote Frank Costanza, you'll get yours in a minute, Protestant peeps). Hell no! It is just as much a tragedy for one person to be beaten, tortured, or murdered for refusing to violate the dictates of their conscience as it is for one million people to be so callously treated, whether for reasons political, social, or spiritual. To again quote Murphy: "The Inquisition was based on intolerance and moral certainty. It tried to enforce a particular view, often with violent means. There's nothing new about hatred and persecution; human beings have been very good at this for millennia. What's new about the Inquisition is that persecution is institutionalized. It persists for generation after generation" (emphasis added). . Unfortunately, as the pages of history attest, organized religion in general - and the Abrahamic faiths of Christianity and Islam in particular - ranks among the worst perpetrators of such affronts to human dignity. The deprivations of the Inquisition are only the tip of the iceberg of religious intolerance and violence.

"Oh, spare us with your God-hating clap trap, MacCormack!" I hear some of you saying. "You want empirical evidence? The records clearly show that atheistic philosophies like Communism are CLEARLY responsible for the most violence in history!"

Yes, my good people, there is no denying the unspeakable track record of such brutal regimes as the Soviet Union, the People's Republic of China, and North Korea. However, as many scholars have pointed out, the structure of said regimes - operating within a Marxist framework - share many of the same rigid, dogmatic traits of an orthodox religion, i.e.  unquestioning allegiance of its subjects to the omnipotent code of a God-like,  Messianic leader. For those who are so inclined to investigate further, I recommend starting with this short but illuminating video by noted skeptic and best-selling author Sam Harris. But I digress...

Empirical evidence, you say? Well, let's take a brief look-see at said evidence, including some of the major modern era world religious wars, mass movements of persecution, and religious inspired colonization conflicts, including the speculated numbers for the Inquisition:

The Crusades, including campaigns against heretical Christian groups like the Cathars and the rival Eastern Orthodox Church, as well as the Muslim occupiers of the Holy Land: 1.7 million dead.

The Thirty Years' War, waged by rival Catholic and Protestant States in the Holy Roman Empire, 1618-1648: 5.9 million dead.

French Wars of Religion, between French Catholics and Huguenot Protestants, 1562-1598: 2.8 million dead.

English Civil War, where Protestant Parlimentarian forces ousted the Catholic friendly monarchy of Charles I, 1642 - 1651: estimated 190,000 dead.

Oliver Cromwell's conquest of Ireland, August 1649 - April 1653: 200,000 + military and civilian casualties; 50,000 Irish Catholic landowners have their property confiscated and are sent to the West Indies as indentured servants; All Irish rebels captured are executed; the practice of Catholicism banned in Ireland.

Spanish Conquest of Aztec Mexico, 1521 - 200,00 Aztec deaths.

Spanish Conquest of Incan Peru, 1532 - 2,000 dead, 5,000 taken prisoner and enslaved.

The Great Witch Craze, including the Salem Witch Trials, 15th - 18th Centuries: 40,000 alleged witches and other heretics put to death by both Catholics and Protestants throughout Europe and European colonies in the Americas. In his papal bull Summis desiderantes affectibus, issued in 1484, Pope Innocent VIII ordered an increase in the prosecution of alleged magicians, sorcerers, and witches, who were in need of "correcting, imprisoning, punishing and chastising... according to their deserts." Innocent would also go on to confirm the infamous Tomas de Torquemada's appointment as Grand Inquisitor of the Spanish Inquisition.

Muslim conquests of India, 12th century to 16th century - Indian population decreases by 80 million during 4 century span.

Spanish Inquisition, 1478 - 1834 - est. 1,250 executed, 40,000 Jews expelled from Spain by order of King Ferdinand and Isabella in 1492, forced conversion of both Marrano Spanish Jews and Muslims to Christianity.

Portuguese Inquisition, 1536 - 1824 -  est. 1,183 executed.

Roman Inquisition, c. late 16th century - c. early 20th century: est. 1,250 executed.

That's just a sampling, but I believe the point has been made. While religion is certainly not the only cause of widespread cruelty, suffering, and general inhumanity across the globe, it has definitely been an oft used justification for the perpetration of said barbarities. However, contrary to the thinking of militant atheists, who ironically harbor an Inquistorial zeal to destroy all forms of religious worship, combating fire with fire will only lead to a further conflagration. As Einstein sagely noted, "We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them."

 Thankfully, with the advent of the Renaissance, when the seeds of humanism first took root, and their subsequent blooming during the Enlightenment, with the concepts of religious liberty and freedom of conscience, the gnarled roots of ignorance and superstition were slowly but surely being pulled from the intellectual landscape.  

Though religious radicalism is still rearing its noxious, ugly head (primarily, but not exclusively, in the form of fundamentalist Islam), its once powerful appeal to fear is but a ever fading shadow of its former self. In keeping with the upward march of progress and evolution, it will - fiercely but inevitably - be regulated to the dust bin of history. 

I will leave you with a line from the great Bob Ingersoll (whose criminally under read work will be quoted quite liberally; the blog's name is a title of one of his lectures, after all):

"Day by day, religious conceptions grow less and less intense. Day by day, the old spirit dies out of book and creed. The burning enthusiasm, the quenchless zeal of the early church have gone, never, never to return. The ceremonies remain, but the ancient faith is fading out of the human heart. The worn-out arguments fail to convince, and denunciations that once blanched the faces of a race, excite in us only derision and disgust. As time rolls on, the miracles grow mean and small, and the evidences our fathers thought conclusive utterly fail to satisfy us."

If you enjoyed the content of this post, check out my best-selling e-book, Dragon Heart, available in the Kindle Store on Amazon.com. As always, comments and feedback are encouraged.

Pennsylvania Teenager Charged with "Desecration" of Jesus Statue

Given what an eventful year 2014 was news-wise, it is perhaps understandable - and sadly so - that such a troubling story slipped under the national radar:

Back in July of this past year, a 14 year old boy hailing from Everett, Bedford County, Pennsylvania, took several pictures simulating oral sex with a Jesus statute, located on the grounds of a Christian organization called "Love in the Name of Jesus Christ" and posted them to his Facebook page. What was more than likely a stupid and immature attention getting stunt then escalated into full blown legal action, with the local authorities pressing charges against the backwards ball cap wearing bro.

"Looks like a clear cut case of trespassing," I can imagine many of you saying. "What's so bad about that!? That young ruffian had no business doing such crass things to those fine church going folk! The hooligan is getting what he deserves!"

Yes, perhaps, if he had actually been charged with trespassing on the organization's property. What he was in fact accused of was - wait for it - “Desecration of a Venerated Object.” Yes, people, t'was not an egregious typo - "Desecration of a Venerated Object," which is defined, as passed under a state statute passed in 1972, as "Defacing, damaging, polluting or otherwise, physically mistreating in a way that the actor knows will outrage the sensibilities of persons likely to observe or discover the action." The maximum sentencing term under the statute, by the way, is two years in jail.

"Oh come on, MacCormack!" I hear you crowing again. "He clearly defaced the statute!"

Did he physically vandalize it? Spray paint it? Urinate or defecate on it? Exactly. While, as I said previously, that the young meat-head is certainly worthy of being crowned with a dunce cap for his stunt, it certainly is a far cry from property damage.

"Oh yea, well it must have deeply offended the members of the faith community!"

It appears the members of "Love in the Name of Jesus Christ" actually take to heart that good old Christian tenant of forgiveness: The organization did not seek to press charges against the boy.

The same could not be said of local District Attorney Bill Higgins, who pontificated in verbose fashion, “This troubled young man offended the sensibilities and morals of our community.” Furthermore, he thundered after renting his garment, if his steadfast upholding of the law “tends to upset the ‘anti-Christian, ban-school-prayer, war-on-Christmas, oppose-display-of-Ten-Commandments’ crowd,’ I make no apologies.”

But of course, as seems to be the case more often than not with such outwardly pious moral crusaders, Mr. Higgins has some considerable skeletons in his own closet. Apparently, in Mr. Higgins' mind, the petty posturing done by the teen to the statue is far more offensive to the "sensibilities and morals" of the community than his admittingly having an affair in his office back in 2008 (the woman who Higgins conducted the affair with later accused him of sexual assault, but the charges were dropped).

Despite public outcry over the severity of the charges, which included a protest the week before the young man's court date, he was sentenced with the following:

"The boy must not use social media during a six-month probation period as well as perform 350 hours of community service.

Among the other punishments, he must obey a curfew of 10 p.m., no alcohol or other controlled substances monitored by random drug testing and stay in school."

While thankfully not charged with the maximum penalty of two years in prison, the boy's punishment is excessively ridiculous, when placed in the context of what he did. As straight up dumb as the act in question was, it was no where near, contrary to presiding Judge Thomas Ling's opinion, an infringement of the organization's "rights to practice their faith." He made a jackass of himself by simulating getting dome from JC and trespassed on private property, but he wasn't charged because of that: He was charged because he offended the tender, sectarian sensibilities of Pharisees like Bill Higgins who blatantly abuse their power to uphold the law - which, by the way, mandates separation of church and state (i.e. the First Amendment to the U,S. Constitution and Article II of the Pennsylvania Bill of Rights) in order to enforce their world views on the public at large.

The fact that we are even still discussing this in the second decade of the 21st century, in a nation that prides itself as being the bastion of freedom, is incredible. What is even more incredible is the fact that, at present,  several states still have laws outlawing blasphemy on the books, including Massachusetts, the vaunted "Cradle of Liberty." Furthermore, the last conviction for blasphemy in this country occurred in 1928, in the case of Charles Lee Smith, a little less than a century ago. Not 1628, 1728, or 1828 (when the Roman Inquisition still had a strong pulse in the Papal States), but 1928. 

Is this post intended to be a warning cry against the looming implementation of an American Inquistion, with fanatical friars and frenzied evangelists waiting in the wings and chomping at the bit to put all manner of heretics to the rack in the name of Christ? Far from it: I will leave all conspiratorial speculation in the capable hands of experts such as Mssrs. Alex Jones and Glenn Beck and stick to the basic facts.

What this whole affair does demonstrate, however, is that as long as such laws remain codified on the books for hypocritical blowhards like Bill Higgins to prosecute in attempt to tyrannize hearts and minds behind the facade of "public morality", the notion of religious liberty in this country is an utter farce.

The words of Robert Ingersoll, legendary 19th century American lawyer, Civil War veteran, and orator, who served as the defending attorney in the famed Reynolds blasphemy trial in 1877, remain as right as rain in our own day:

"For thousands of years people have been trying to force other people to think their way. Did they succeed? No. Will they succeed? No. Why? Because brute force is not an argument.

No orthodox church ever had power that it did not endeavor to make people think its way by force and flame.

I want you to understand what has been done in the world to force men to think alike. It seems to me that if there is some infinite being who wants us to think alike he would have made us alike. Why did he not do so? Why did he make your brain so that you could not by any possibility be a Methodist? Why did he make yours so that you could not be a Catholic? And why did he make the brain of another so that he is an unbeliever — why the brain of another so that he became a Mohammedan — if he wanted us all to believe alike?

After all, maybe Nature is good enough and grand enough and broad enough to give us the diversity born of liberty. Maybe, after all, it would not be best for us all to be just the same. What a stupid world, if everybody said yes to everything that everybody else might say.

The most important thing in this world is liberty. More important than food or clothes — more important than gold or houses or lands — more important than art or science — more important than all religions, is the liberty of man."

If you enjoyed the content of this post, check out my best-selling e-book, Dragon Heart, available in the Kindle Store on Amazon.com. As always, comments and feedback are encouraged.