“When injustice becomes law, resistance becomes duty” (Thomas Jefferson).
What was the Inquisition? This movement was initiated by the state and the religious authority to rid society of threats, depravity, and public resistance.
Inquisition Communist scare of the 1950s (McCarthyism)
Religious persecution Political persecution
Misguided religious and cultural traditions Viewing progressiveness incorrectly
Fear of those who challenge the established order Seeing anyone with a questioning mind as a threat
Long ago, a horrid thing happened in Europe and in many European Colonies. It was called the Inquisition, an instrument of the Catholic Church, and used by the present day public authorities to quell political and social protest and challenges from those considered rebels(Heretics).
In that day the Church of Rome was seen as the very roots of Western society, that which kept society on a path of righteousness and functioning practice. The political rulers of the day, kings, nobles and lords allied themselves to the church with absolute reason for doing so. The church kept them in power, you see. There was a hierarchy prescribed to the present day society where authority flowed from God to the Pope, Noblemen, Cardinals, and Priests to the public. Church law was often edited for the benefit of the higher classes. Therefore, rebels standing against local or regional lords were viewed as heretics that stood against the wishes of the pope, church laws and God himself. This church established a council of the Inquisition that roamed Europe looking for heretics, those different, rebels, witches and those in league with the devil. Any form of social, cultural or political wrongdoing was dealt with with a heavy hand. The rich may have been accused of wrongdoing, but they were able to seek their freedom through financial donations. The poor faced the Inquisition with terror and fear since no one was there to represent them. The church-Lord alliance maintained the most severe of punishments.
The Inquisition evolved into a massive witch-hunting movement. Millions of people perished having been accused of witchcraft and being in League with the Devil. There actually existed witch hunters who simply went to a village, watching who was odd, different, or threatening to the authorities and voila, a witch was found and declared. Strange methods of finding a witch were developed. One involved sticking a pin into the back side of a person, usually a woman, and if she did not cry out in pain, she was possibly a candidate for interrogation. The interrogators usually got a confession, leading to that person’s death.
There exist today religious, cultural and political organizations trying to acquire similar powers to prosecute and punish those deemed different or living contrary to established religious or cultural norms. Arrest, torture and disappearances happen daily in places such as Iran, Saudi Arabia, and many African Nations. Fanatical Religious Dogma has cost millions of people their lives, and for what? The Acquisition and use of power. Power encompasses every aspect of control of others, whether it be through intellect, threat or violence. America is experiencing a cultural quest to return to the good old days, traditional society, faith and culture. Those deemed contrary to this quest face persecution in social media, public forums and within the media.
Right here in North America, a wide spread censorship of various forms of art such as the written word, paintings and others are targeted by neo-conservative movements, parental groups(Moms of Liberty) and religious organizations(both Christian and Muslim) expressing direct confrontation to what once was the expression of free speech. Gatherings of the public to burn such censored objects occur throughout America just as Nazi’s burnt the books of Progressive writers and those written by Jewish authors in Pre-War Germany. Such groups membership mean well, trying to protect their young from attitudes and ideas thought repulsive to the parents, while conservative ideology manipulates these groups’ actions and objectives. The election of Donald Trump to the Presidency opened the doors of social discontent and mistrust of all things Federal. Presently, an alliance between the Federal Administration and these Neo conservative groups are forming both Federal and state policies denying American Citizens their Civil and Constitutional Rights. No matter, because 4 years is a long time, and those who protect All Americans’ Rights and Freedoms are on the run from the cost-cutting wrath of Elon Musk(Secretary of Efficiency). As usual, Republicans put the rights of citizens second to the rights and obligations of Corporate America.
“We cannot permit any form of inquisition within or without the law or apply any religious test to the holding of office. The mind of America must always be free”(Calvin Coolidge)
Never should such horrors happen in a civilized world. Just one question needs to be asked. Is our world being transformed right before our eyes and into what form of chaos?
Steven Kaszab
Bradford, Ontario
[email protected]
