"But while religion inspired the masses, another agent was at work upon the nobility. These were fierce and lawless; tainted with every vice, endowed with no virtue, and redeemed by one good quality alone, that of courage. The only religion they felt was the religion of fear. That and their overboiling turbulence alike combined to guide them to the Holy Land. Most of them had sins enough to answer for. They lived with their hand against every man; and with no law but their own passions. They set at defiance the secular power of the clergy, but their hearts quailed at the awful denunciations of the pulpit with regard to the life to come. War was the business and the delight of their existence; and when they were promised remission of all their sins upon the easy condition of following their favourite bent, is it to be wondered at that they rushed with enthusiasm to the onslaught, and became as zealous in the service of the Cross as the great majority of the people, who were swayed by more purely religious motives? Fanaticism and the love of battle alike impelled them to the war, while the kings and princes of Europe had still another motive for encouraging their zeal. Policy opened their eyes to the great advantages which would accrue to themselves, by the absence of so many restless, intriguing, and blood-thirsty men, whose insolence it required more than the small power of royalty to restrain within due bounds. Thus every motive was favourable to the Crusades. Every class of society was alike incited to join or encourage the war; kings and the clergy by policy, the nobles by turbulence and the love of dominion, and the people by religious zeal and the concentrated enthusiasm of two centuries, skilfully directed by their only instructors." - found here robby.caltech.edu/~mason/Delusions/epd_crusades.html

"When Rome at one time determined to exterminate the hated sect, a bull was issued by the pope, condemning them as heretics, and delivering them to slaughter. (See Appendix.) They were not accused as idlers, or dishonest, or disorderly; but it was declared that they had an appearance of piety and sanctity that seduced "the sheep of the true fold." Therefore the pope ordered "that malicious and abominable sect of malignants," if they "refuse to abjure, to be crushed like venomous snakes."--Wylie, b. 16, ch. 1. Did this haughty potentate expect to meet those words again? Did he know that they were registered in the books of heaven, to confront him at the judgment? "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these My brethren," said Jesus, "ye have done it unto Me." Matthew 25:40.

This bull called upon all members of the church to join the crusade against the heretics. As an incentive to engage in this cruel work, it "absolved from all ecclesiastical pains and penalties, general and particular; it released all who joined the crusade from any oaths they might have taken; it legitimatized their title to any property they might have illegally acquired; and promised remission of all their sins to such as should kill any heretic. It annulled all contracts made in favor of Vaudois, ordered their domestics to abandon them, forbade all persons to give them any aid whatever, and empowered all persons to take possession of their property."--Wylie, b. 16, ch. 1. This document clearly reveals the master spirit behind the scenes. It is the roar of the dragon, and not the voice of Christ, that is heard therein." - found here http://www.champs-of-truth.com/books/gc/Controversy.txt

-- John (John@sfnoise.com), April 20, 2004

Answers

John asked, "What is this?"

LOL! It sounds like it might be anti-Catholic propaganda, but I can't really tell because it doesn't make any sense.

-- Bill Nelson (bnelson45-nospam@hotmail.com), April 20, 2004.

as a soldier and future officer of the air force, i am a student of war. A member of the greatest human military force to ever exist in the world. I willingly sign my life to defend peace, liberty, justice and what i believe in. This piece insults me to no ends. I may cool off and address the blatant lies of paragraphs II and III, but let me make one grevious error from paragraph I fully clear.

This article seeks to promote the idea that there was a class of soldiers and men who loved only to kill in battle. I reject this thought. this is the ignorance of one who has never been a member of a fighting unit, who has never had to hold a comrade while he died crying for his mother. I am fortunate to be a student and not be elligable for deployement, but there will come a day where my country may call me to fight. i rue that day should it come, but i will do it because i have a duty. there is no one, i repeat NO ONE on this earth who understands peace and desires it more than the soldier who has seen action in the field.

war is a terrible thing today when fighting is pushing a button and shooting from a distance. it is a grizzly art whose product is death and a bunch of men with memories that will haunt them forever. And war was worse when it was hand to hand with weapons like swords, arrows, and spears. There isnt a true soldier who revels in war and killing. To say that a class of men once existed who delighted only in killing and equating them to be soldiers in battle is INSULTING. i dont even have to go to war to know that soldiers who live through it can't stand the death they have had to wreak upon enemies.

whoever wrote this is a sick person who has no respect for the sacrifices that soldiers have made throughout history to protect liberty, life, and their beliefs.

-- paul h (dontSendMeMail@notAnAddress.com), April 21, 2004.