The first body
bearing this name was founded in 1184 and soon set about rooting out
heresy, including the Cathars. This involved brutal interrogations,
including torture and burnings at the stake.
Later forms
of the Inquisition were set up in Spain, where they set about destroying
the Jewish and Moorish communities who had both lived there for
hundreds of years and had created flourishing colonies. It also
carried out a reign of terror in Spanish colonies such as the Philippines
and South America, before finally being abolished in Mexico in 1821 and
Bolivia in 1834.
The Portuguese
Inquisition from 1536 terrorised Spanish Jews who had been forced to free
from Spain. Later they operated in the Portuguese province of Goa in
India where they targeted Jews and Hindus. They also worked in
Brazil. It was finally abolished in 1821.
The Roman
Inquisition or Congregation of the Holy Office of the Inquisition was
established in 1542 and likewise set about terrorising anyone seen as not
following the doctrine of the Catholic Church to the letter. Galileo
for example was imprisoned and died under arrest after committing
the crime of proposing that the earth revolved around the sun and not vice
versa. In 1908 the name of the Congregation became "The Sacred
Congregation of the Holy Office", which in 1965 was further changed to
"Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith" as retained to the
present.
Cardinal Joseph Alois
Ratzinger presided over the "Congregation for
the Doctrine of the Faith" from 1981 until becoming Pope in
2005. He was known as God's Rottweiler for his defence and
promulgation of traditional Catholic doctrine.
Perhaps one of
his most worrying comments was regarding Buddhism, which he called an
"autoerotic spirituality" that seeks "transcendence without imposing
concrete religious obligations." He also made the point that, by the year
2000, Buddhism would replace Marxism as the church's biggest foe. (See
National Catholic Reporter Vol. 35, No. 17, Feb. 27, 1999). Perhaps he was not aware that Marxism had all but
disappeared by 1990. He has also made other blunders such as quoting
a former Byzantine monarch's comment regarding Islam at a
particularly insensitive time.
Whilst it can be
accepted that the former German Cardinal may not have volunteered for the
Hitler Youth, which he joined aged 14, his views seem to be, from these
and other remarks, to be to put it mildly, far right, reactionary and very
insensitive.
The Cathars have
been described as western Buddhists, the comments of Pope Benedict XVI
can't help but to give the uneasy feeling that perhaps
little has changed in over 800 years and that there are still those
within the Catholic Church who would like to see their 'foes' again burnt
at the stake.
Hasn't
there been enough genocide? I appeal to all my readers
to advocate tolerance towards the views and differences of others, to
regard all people as friends until proven
otherwise, never to blanket people as 'foes' without
justification and to support the persecuted and
needy.
