NationStates Jolt Archive

The Inquisition is often looked at as one of the most evil things in history. And yes, sometimes it did get out of hand when a corrupt Inquisitor got power. But the Inquisition itself was not nearly as bad as many think and did not have millions killed and tortured like history book say. The Inquisition was a Church court that, when it did give punishment, the "punishment" was usually a pilgrimage or charity work. Enough of the incorrect history. Here is a better description-

From Crisismagazine.com-

The first in order of importance in Catholic history was the Inquisition against the Albigensians—a heresy that encouraged suicide, euthanasia, abortion, sodomy, fornication, and other modern ideas that were distasteful to the medieval mind. The struggle against the Albigensians erupted into war—and a war that could not be carefully trammeled within crusading boundaries. So Pope Gregory IX entrusted the final excision of the Albigensian heresy to the scalpel of the Inquisition rather than the sword of the Crusader.

Did this Inquisition of the 13th century strike fear into the people of western Europe? No. Its scope was limited; its trials and punishments more lenient to the accused than were those of its secular counterparts. Inquisitional punishment was often no more than the sort of penance—charity, pilgrimage, mortification—that one might be given by a priest in a confessional. If one were fortunate enough to live in England, northern France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Scandinavia, or, with the exception of Aragon, even, at this time, Spain, the risk that one might be called before an inquisitional trial was virtually zero. The focus of the Inquisition was in the Albigensian districts of southern France; in Germany, where some of the worst abuses occurred; and in those parts of chaotic Italy rife with anticlerical heresy. In all cases, inquisitional courts sat only where Church and state agreed that peace and security were threatened.

But what about the Spanish Inquisition? Wasn't it ruthless? No, that is not the case-

More famous, certainly, is the Spanish Inquisition. The Spanish Inquisition was a state-run affair, where the Church’s role was to act as a brake of responsibility, fairness, and justice on the royal court’s ferreting out of quislings (who were defined, after centuries of war against the Muslims, as those who were not sincere and orthodox Catholics). Recent scholarship, which has actually examined the meticulous records kept by the Spanish Inquisition, has proven—to take the title of a BBC documentary on the subject—"The Myth of the Spanish Inquisition." We now know, beyond all doubt, that the Monty Python sketch of inquisitors holding an old lady in "the comfy chair" while they tickle her with feather dusters is closer to the truth than images of people impaled within iron maidens. (One of the standard works of scholarship is Henry Kamen’s The Spanish Inquisition: A Historical Revision, Yale University Press.) In the course of an average year, the number of executions ordered by the Spanish Inquisition—which covered not only Spain but its vast overseas empire—was less than the number of people put to death annually by the state of Texas. And this at a time when heresy was universally considered a capital crime in Europe. The myth of the Spanish Inquisition comes from forged documents, propagandizing Protestant polemicists, and anti-Spanish Catholics, who were numerous. The fact is, far from being the bloodthirsty tribunals of myth, the courts of the Spanish Inquisition were probably the fairest, most lenient, and most progressive in Europe.

Wow, this reminds me of a rediculous show on The History Channel that was literally called: "The Inquisition, really not that bad." Well, maybe it wasn't if you were on the "right" side. I doubt that anyone on the receiving end of it would agree, however.

Please, can we not try revising history for one day on NS?
-And the Albegensians encouraged fornication? My history teacher (a devout Catholic, mind you) told me they believed sex was evil...

Oh Commando, always trying to revise history to your perspective.

Oh Commando, always trying to revise history to your perspective.

You disregard history and instead listen to humanist, Protestant forgeries about history.

Commando3']You disregard history and instead listen to humanist, Protestant forgeries about history.

Trusting Spanish Catholic accounts of the Inquisition is like trusting Nazi accounts about the Holocaust.

Commando3']You disregard history and instead listen to humanist, Protestant forgeries about history.
Okay then, I know I'll be invoking Godwin's Law here, but does that mean the Holocaust was nothing by "humanist, Protestant fogeries?"

Commando3']You disregard history and instead listen to humanist, Protestant forgeries about history.
You disregard history and instead listen to Fundementalist revisionists.

The most amusing thing is that Spain was much better off before the Reconquista and the Inquisiton, and the subsequent expulsion of the Jews in 1492. Their policy of religious uniformity effectively created a kind of new Dark Age in Spain that resulted in continuous decline in all sectors of commerce and learning, not to mention temporal power, over the following centuries.

The most amusing thing is that Spain was much better off before the Reconquista and the Inquisiton, and the subsequent expulsion of the Jews in 1492. Their policy of religious uniformity effectively created a kind of new Dark Age in Spain that resulted in continuous decline in all sectors of commerce and learning, not to mention temporal power, over the following centuries.
Before Castille and Aragon (sp?) joined forces. The Moors were actually fairly tolerant of other religions.

Before Castille and Aragon (sp?) joined forces. The Moors were actually fairly tolerant of other religions.

As a result, Spain was able to take the lead in science and learning in Europe throughout the Middle Ages.

Commando3']You disregard history and instead listen to humanist, Protestant forgeries about history.

Please tell me precisely what is so damn wrong about humanism.

Please tell me precisely what is so damn wrong about humanism.

I meant secular humanism.

Commando3']I meant secular humanism.
Ah yes, the work of SATAN!!!!!!!

Please tell me precisely what is so damn wrong about humanism.

It encourages dangerous concepts like logic, and learning, and free thought! You should only believe that which has the Imprimatur! Repent now, heretic! ;)

The Muslims were not the rightful owners of Spain (they conquered it by force as they do everything) and as of that the Spanish people had the right to expell them.

Wow, what a good justification! Let's kick everyone but the Indians out of America!!

Commando3']The Muslims were not the rightful owners of Spain (they conquered it by force as they do everything) and as of that the Spanish people had the right to expell them.

Main Entry: con·quer
Pronunciation: 'kä[ng]-k&r
Function: verb
Inflected Form(s): con·quered; con·quer·ing /-k(&-)ri[ng]/
Etymology: Middle English, to acquire, conquer, from Old French conquerre, from (assumed) Vulgar Latin conquaerere, alteration of Latin conquirere to search for, collect, from com- + quaerere to ask, search
transitive senses
1 : to gain or acquire by force of arms : SUBJUGATE
2 : to overcome by force of arms : VANQUISH

So, of course they "conquered by force" - that's how you conquer! :rolleyes:

Commando3']The Muslims were not the rightful owners of Spain (they conquered it by force as they do everything) and as of that the Spanish people had the right to expell them.

The Vandals took Spain from the Romans, who took it from Carthage, who had taken it from the Phonecians and Greeks, who had taken it from the Iberian tribes....

The inhabitants of Spain at the time had no more legitimate claim to it than the Moors or anyone else.

Just out of curiosity, is anyone on here actually going to directly attempt to refute the points made in the original post, or is everyone going to cling to the standard idea's about the inquisituion. Because having read just over a page of replies I see no intellegent counters.

Commando3']I meant secular humanism.

Okay, well then what's so damn wrong about secular humanism?

Just out of curiosity, is anyone on here actually going to directly attempt to refute the points made in the original post, or is everyone going to cling to the standard idea's about the inquisituion. Because having read just over a page of replies I see no intellegent counters.

It's a thread by [NS]Commando3. Intelligent counters would be a waste, as they are apparently "protestant forgeries". :rolleyes:

Just out of curiosity, is anyone on here actually going to directly attempt to refute the points made in the original post, or is everyone going to cling to the standard idea's about the inquisituion. Because having read just over a page of replies I see no intellegent counters.

You make a good point. I could certainly refute his statements. I do not do so for two reasons.

1. Anything I say would fall on deaf ears.
2. I don't let things get to me anymore. It's not healthy for me to get worked up as I once did.

I hope you understand.

It's a thread by [NS]Commando3. Intelligent counters would be a waste, as they are apparently "protestant forgeries". :rolleyes:

In other words, you can't prove me wrong so your making an excuse.

Commando3']In other words, you can't prove me wrong so your making an excuse.

I don't need to prove you wrong. Historians have already done that.

Did the Albigensians attack the Catholics first, or did the Catholics attack them simply because they were considered heretics?

Commando3']In other words, you can't prove me wrong so your making an excuse.
Its not it, its just that you're a prick and you never listen. :)

Revisionism at its finest. Next thing you know, Richard the Lion Hearted will be portrayed as a good guy and not the actual ruthless prick that he really was.

Oh wait....

I don't need to prove you wrong. Historians have already done that.

If by "historians" you mean atheist, Muslim, and Protestant forgers than yes you are right.

Commando3']If by "historians" you mean atheist, Muslim, and Protestant forgers than yes you are right.

You'd be funny, if you weren't so sad.

See? We can't give you any proof, because you'll say, in an ad hominem attack, "Oh, s/he's Protestant/Muslim/Atheist/Pagan/Wiccan/Buddist," and dismiss anything we say.

Commando3']If by "historians" you mean atheist, Muslim, and Protestant forgers than yes you are right.

HEAD
HIT
KEYBOARD

Why are you so convinced that there is a conspiracy AT ALL?

And don't just tell me "because it is true".

I'd like to congratulate Commando3 on his efforts to destroy Christianity single-handed. He's doing it far better than any of the athiests, agnostics, etc, could!

HEAD
HIT
KEYBOARD

Why are you so convinced that there is a conspiracy AT ALL?

And don't just tell me "because it is true".

History tells us so. The number killed by the Spanish Inquisition throughout the whole Spanish empire was less than Texas executes annually.

I'd like to congratulate Commando3 on his efforts to destroy Christianity single-handed. He's doing it far better than any of the athiests, agnostics, etc, could!

This is not about religion. It's about the misinterpretation of the Inquisition and its effect on our society. People should be told the truth about history.

Sources?

See? We can't give you any proof, because you'll say, in an ad hominem attack, "Oh, s/he's Protestant/Muslim/Atheist/Pagan/Wiccan/Buddist," and dismiss anything we say.

I want a real historical document proving me wrong. show me a reliable, nuetral source that has the number of people killed by the Inquisition.

Commando3']I want a real historical document proving me wrong. show me a reliable, nuetral source that has the number of people killed by the Inquisition.
Actually you made the charge that it was less and you haven't presented any proof. :rolleyes:

Commando3']History tells us so. The number killed by the Spanish Inquisition throughout the whole Spanish empire was less than Texas executes annually.

That's basically a strawman anyway, since Texas doesn't execute anyone for heresy.

All that says is that Texas has more irredeemable criminals than the spanish empire had heretics. It doesn't change the fact that the spanish inquisition killed a lot of people for very silly reasons.

Commando3']I want a real historical document proving me wrong. show me a reliable, nuetral source that has the number of people killed by the Inquisition.

Then get one yourself. You're the one claiming it "wasn't so bad" - now, BACK UP YOUR CLAIM, by showing US a "reliable, neutral source" that has the number of people killed by the inquisition.

This is just the same sort of B.S. as claiming the Holocaust didn't happen, and then not backing up your assertions with any form of proof. The onus is not on Holocaust survivors or their descendants to disprove such an assertion - why would it be otherwise in this instance?

And if it "wasn't so bad", then maybe you'd like to try the role of the inquisitionee - then maybe you'd be in a position to tell the rest of us how good or bad it really is.

Okay then, I know I'll be invoking Godwin's Law here, but does that mean the Holocaust was nothing by "humanist, Protestant fogeries?"

As they (or rather, he) say, History is but a lie agreed upon.

Commando3']You disregard history and instead listen to humanist, Protestant forgeries about history.

As a historian I can tell you that it is the sacred duty of every historian, the singular greatest lesson that is drummed into our heads, to remain obejctive. Of course that is not always possible due to personal bias but you cannot possibly claim that those interpretations are any more true (or false) than your own interpretation. Just because a Protestant wrote an account makes it no more biased than if a Catholic worte an account

*Puts a sign that read "Don't feed the troll"*

I would suggest that everybody leaves the thread to die, forgotten in the annals of Forum Bullshit. There's no reason to continue bumping this thread. We all know that Commando won't change his mind. The best thing to do is to ignore him and his threads.

The Ignore button is your friends. I know I sleep much better since I discovered it.

*Puts a sign that read "Don't feed the troll"*

I would suggest that everybody leaves the thread to die, forgotten in the annals of Forum Bullshit. There's no reason to continue bumping this thread. We all know that Commando won't change his mind. The best thing to do is to ignore him and his threads.

The Ignore button is your friends. I know I sleep much better since I discovered it.

What is this sacred button of which you speak

The fact that this thread exists at all just boggles my mind. The Inquisition grew out of the Albigensian Crusade. In 1209, Pope Innocent III launched this attack against the Cathars of southern France, turning against Christians since a lasting crusader kingdom wasn't seemingly possible.

The Cathars and their city of Albi became a target. They actually were heretics, in that they believed in dualism (like the 2nd century Greek Gnostics) and were docetists.

Using a papal bull against heretics, issued by Pope Lucius III in 1184 and codified by the Fourth Lateran Council in 1215, Innocent instituted a ferocious campaign against the Cathars with such notable events as the sacking of the city of Beziers in 1209, where over 20,000 men, women and children were killed and causing papal legate Arnaud to remark on granting mercy to Catholics in the city, "Kill them all, for God knows His own." And this is just the ramping up to the actual Inquisition.

While the wholesale slaughter and burning of Cathars (or, indeed, because of Pope Lucius' bull, anyone who had ever actually met a Cathar) continued for 20 years, Pope Gregory IX in 1227/31 instituted the Papal Inquisition. By this time most of the Cathars had either gone into hiding or were dead, but Greg wasn't happy with this and still felt there were plenty of heretics to hunt down. I guess he was right, in that the remaining Cathars were killed in incidents such as Montwimer in 1239, with 183 burned, and the Massacre at Montsegur in 1244, with 215 Cathar prefecti, Cathar believers who had taken the sacrament of consolamentum, burned.

The first 100 years of the Papal Inquisition were primarily concerned with infighting between different religious sects within the Catholic church. The Dominicans and Franciscans took out after the Waldensians, the remaining Cathars, the Knights Templar, the Fraticelli and, eventually, the Protestants. Almost immediately, though, the greed and power hunger that sparked the Inquisition became apparent. The Waldensians were a group of religious believers who, like other groups emerging at the time, felt the Catholic church had lost it's way and should renounce all worldly goods and live their lives as mendicants. This notion obviously didn't set well with the wealthy and powerful Church leadership, leading to the excommunication of the Waldensians in 1184. They then became a target of the Papal Inquisition, with one of the most famous events being "Piedmont Easter," where 1,712 men, women and children were massacred by French forces. The Knights Templar, established in 1192 as protectors for pilgrims to the Holy Lands. In early 1300, King Phillip IV of France found himself deep in debt to the Paris Temple (the Knights Templar's local office in Paris) and in 1307 he charged the entire order with heresy with the Inquisition of France bringing the formal charges against the order. The charges were never proved (unless one counts admissions made under torture), but the order was dissolved by the Council of Vienne in 1312 and their leader, Templar Grand Master Jacques de Molay burned alive in 1314. After the dissolution, the French crown received cancellation of all debts as well as a tidy sum of the Templar's monetary worth.

This is just a very brief overview of the start of the Inquisition and doesn't even begin to take into account the famed excesses of the Spanish Inquisition. Already the Church is knee-deep in blood and bodies and that's just because it was tearing at itself for the failed Crusades.

Much of history may be subjective or lost to time and interpretation. The Inquisition, however, can not be rewritten. It is a glaring black mark on the soul of a corrupt Church more interested in worldly power and wealth than spiritual guidance.

What is this sacred button of which you speak
Click on the name of the poster.
Click on Public Profile.
Click on Add to Ignore List

The fact that this thread exists at all just boggles my mind. The Inquisition grew out of the Albigensian Crusade. In 1209, Pope Innocent III launched this attack against the Cathars of southern France, turning against Christians since a lasting crusader kingdom wasn't seemingly possible.

The Cathars and their city of Albi became a target. They actually were heretics, in that they believed in dualism (like the 2nd century Greek Gnostics) and were docetists.

Using a papal bull against heretics, issued by Pope Lucius III in 1184 and codified by the Fourth Lateran Council in 1215, Innocent instituted a ferocious campaign against the Cathars with such notable events as the sacking of the city of Beziers in 1209, where over 20,000 men, women and children were killed and causing papal legate Arnaud to remark on granting mercy to Catholics in the city, "Kill them all, for God knows His own." And this is just the ramping up to the actual Inquisition.

While the wholesale slaughter and burning of Cathars (or, indeed, because of Pope Lucius' bull, anyone who had ever actually met a Cathar) continued for 20 years, Pope Gregory IX in 1227/31 instituted the Papal Inquisition. By this time most of the Cathars had either gone into hiding or were dead, but Greg wasn't happy with this and still felt there were plenty of heretics to hunt down. I guess he was right, in that the remaining Cathars were killed in incidents such as Montwimer in 1239, with 183 burned, and the Massacre at Montsegur in 1244, with 215 Cathar prefecti, Cathar believers who had taken the sacrament of consolamentum, burned.

The first 100 years of the Papal Inquisition were primarily concerned with infighting between different religious sects within the Catholic church. The Dominicans and Franciscans took out after the Waldensians, the remaining Cathars, the Knights Templar, the Fraticelli and, eventually, the Protestants. Almost immediately, though, the greed and power hunger that sparked the Inquisition became apparent. The Waldensians were a group of religious believers who, like other groups emerging at the time, felt the Catholic church had lost it's way and should renounce all worldly goods and live their lives as mendicants. This notion obviously didn't set well with the wealthy and powerful Church leadership, leading to the excommunication of the Waldensians in 1184. They then became a target of the Papal Inquisition, with one of the most famous events being "Piedmont Easter," where 1,712 men, women and children were massacred by French forces. The Knights Templar, established in 1192 as protectors for pilgrims to the Holy Lands. In early 1300, King Phillip IV of France found himself deep in debt to the Paris Temple (the Knights Templar's local office in Paris) and in 1307 he charged the entire order with heresy with the Inquisition of France bringing the formal charges against the order. The charges were never proved (unless one counts admissions made under torture), but the order was dissolved by the Council of Vienne in 1312 and their leader, Templar Grand Master Jacques de Molay burned alive in 1314. After the dissolution, the French crown received cancellation of all debts as well as a tidy sum of the Templar's monetary worth.

This is just a very brief overview of the start of the Inquisition and doesn't even begin to take into account the famed excesses of the Spanish Inquisition. Already the Church is knee-deep in blood and bodies and that's just because it was tearing at itself for the failed Crusades.

Much of history may be subjective or lost to time and interpretation. The Inquisition, however, can not be rewritten. It is a glaring black mark on the soul of a corrupt Church more interested in worldly power and wealth than spiritual guidance.

You bring up many tragic incidents where corrupt Inquisitors went overboard. However the common man was usually given community service as a punishment. The Cathar incident was not the Inquisition though. Sure they were attacking heretics but those were soldiers not Inquisitors. The Inquisition was a court, not an army. As for killing the people that was wrong but Pope John Paul II has issued an apology for the innocents killed by Papal mistakes.

The bloodiest Inquisition incedents were secular Inquisitions. The "Papal" Inquisition was oftentimes run and managed by local lords as the papacy could not be everywhere at once.

The Templar were accused of 12 counts, including blasphemy, idolatry, sodomy, homosexuality, ect. These may have been true. We won't ever know. What we do know is that the Pope pardoned the Templar Order and the message never arrived, so the secular Inquisitors run by the French crown killed them.

As for the Prods they were fair game. As sad as it is they were a whole new thing and killed just as many Catholics as Inquisitors killed them, if not more. Thats just the way things were back then. I'm not saying it was right, but for the time period thats just the way it was.

Chapman: Trouble at mill.
Cleveland: Oh no - what kind of trouble?
Chapman: One on't cross beams gone owt askew on treadle.
Cleveland: Pardon?
Chapman: One on't cross beams gone owt askew on treadle.
Cleveland: I don't understand what you're saying.
Chapman: [slightly irritatedly and with exaggeratedly clear accent] One of the cross beams has gone out askew on the treadle.
Cleveland: Well what on earth does that mean?
Chapman: *I* don't know - Mr Wentworth just told me to come in here and say that there was trouble at the mill, that's all - I didn't expect a kind of Spanish Inquisition.

[JARRING CHORD]

[The door flies open and Cardinal Ximinez of Spain [Palin] enters, flanked by two junior cardinals. Cardinal Biggles [Jones] has goggles pushed over his forehead. Cardinal Fang [Gilliam] is just Cardinal Fang]

Ximinez: NOBODY expects the Spanish Inquisition! Our chief weapon is surprise...surprise and fear...fear and surprise.... Our two weapons are fear and surprise...and ruthless efficiency.... Our *three* weapons are fear, surprise, and ruthless efficiency...and an almost fanatical devotion to the Pope.... Our *four*...no... *Amongst* our weapons.... Amongst our weaponry...are such elements as fear, surprise.... I'll come in again.

[The Inquisition exits]

Chapman: I didn't expect a kind of Spanish Inquisition.

[JARRING CHORD]

[The cardinals burst in]

Ximinez: NOBODY expects the Spanish Inquisition! Amongst our weaponry are such diverse elements as: fear, surprise, ruthless efficiency, an almost fanatical devotion to the Pope, and nice red uniforms - Oh damn!
[To Cardinal Biggles] I can't say it - you'll have to say it.
Biggles: What?
Ximinez: You'll have to say the bit about 'Our chief weapons are ...'
Biggles: [rather horrified]: I couldn't do that...

[Ximinez bundles the cardinals outside again]

Chapman: I didn't expect a kind of Spanish Inquisition.

[JARRING CHORD]

[The cardinals enter]

Biggles: Er.... Nobody...um....
Ximinez: Expects...
Biggles: Expects... Nobody expects the...um...the Spanish...um...
Ximinez: Inquisition.
Biggles: I know, I know! Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition. In fact, those who do expect -
Ximinez: Our chief weapons are...
Biggles: Our chief weapons are...um...er...
Ximinez: Surprise...
Biggles: Surprise and --
Ximinez: Okay, stop. Stop. Stop there - stop there. Stop. Phew! Ah! ... our chief weapons are surprise...blah blah blah. Cardinal, read the charges.
Fang: You are hereby charged that you did on diverse dates commit heresy against the Holy Church. 'My old man said follow the--'
Biggles: That's enough.
[To Cleveland] Now, how do you plead?
Clevelnd: We're innocent.
Ximinez: Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!

[DIABOLICAL LAUGHTER]

Biggles: We'll soon change your mind about that!

[DIABOLICAL ACTING]

Ximinez: Fear, surprise, and a most ruthless-- [controls himself with a supreme effort] Ooooh! Now, Cardinal -- the rack!

[Biggles produces a plastic-coated dish-drying rack. Ximinez looks at it and clenches his teeth in an effort not to lose control. He hums heavily to cover his anger]

Ximinez: You....Right! Tie her down.

[Fang and Biggles make a pathetic attempt to tie her on to the drying rack]

Ximinez:Right! How do you plead?
Clevelnd: Innocent.
Ximinez: Ha! Right! Cardinal, give the rack [oh dear] give the rack a turn.

[Biggles stands their awkwardly and shrugs his shoulders]

Biggles: I....
Ximinez: [gritting his teeth] I *know*, I know you can't. I didn't want to say anything. I just wanted to try and ignore your crass mistake.
Biggles: I...
Ximinez: It makes it all seem so stupid.
Biggles: Shall I...?
Ximinez: No, just pretend for God's sake. Ha! Ha! Ha!

[Biggles turns an imaginary handle on the side of the dish-rack]

[Cut to them torturing a dear old lady, Marjorie Wilde]

Ximinez: Now, old woman -- you are accused of heresy on three counts -- heresy by thought, heresy by word, heresy by deed, and heresy by action -- *four* counts. Do you confess?
Wilde: I don't understand what I'm accused of.
Ximinez: Ha! Then we'll make you understand! Biggles! Fetch...THE CUSHIONS!

[JARRING CHORD]

[Biggles holds out two ordinary modern household cushions]

Biggles: Here they are, lord.
Ximinez: Now, old lady -- you have one last chance. Confess the heinous sin of heresy, reject the works of the ungodly -- *two* last chances. And you shall be free -- *three* last chances. You have three last chances, the nature of which I have divulged in my previous utterance.
Wilde: I don't know what you're talking about.
Ximinez: Right! If that's the way you want it -- Cardinal! Poke her with the soft cushions!

[Biggles carries out this rather pathetic torture]

Ximinez: Confess! Confess! Confess!
Biggles: It doesn't seem to be hurting her, lord.
Ximinez: Have you got all the stuffing up one end?
Biggles: Yes, lord.
Ximinez [angrily hurling away the cushions]: Hm! She is made of harder stuff! Cardinal Fang! Fetch...THE COMFY CHAIR!

[JARRING CHORD]

[Zoom into Fang's horrified face]

Fang [terrified]: The...Comfy Chair?

[Biggles pushes in a comfy chair -- a really plush one]

Ximinez: So you think you are strong because you can survive the soft cushions. Well, we shall see. Biggles! Put her in the Comfy Chair!

[They roughly push her into the Comfy Chair]

Ximinez [with a cruel leer]: Now -- you will stay in the Comfy Chair until lunch time, with only a cup of coffee at eleven. [aside, to Biggles] Is that really all it is?
Biggles: Yes, lord.
Ximinez: I see. I suppose we make it worse by shouting a lot, do we? Confess, woman. Confess! Confess! Confess! Confess
Biggles: I confess!
Ximinez: Not you!

Commando3']The Muslims were not the rightful owners of Spain (they conquered it by force as they do everything)
And how do you think that the Christians got to Spain? Do you think that they had always been there? :rolleyes:

Using a papal bull against heretics, issued by Pope Lucius III in 1184 and codified by the Fourth Lateran Council in 1215, Innocent instituted a ferocious campaign against the Cathars

Haha, I would imagine a papal bull would be an impressive beast.

God Commando, just shut up! NOBODY BELIEVES YOU.