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History’s Mysteries: The Inquisition

This installment of the “History’s Mysteries” series reveals the myths surrounding one of the darkest events in the history of man and religion — the inquisition of thousands of “unbelievers” at the hands of the Catholic Church. Relying on evidence uncovered when the Vatican opened its libraries to select scholars — and on the opinions of the scholars themselves — this compelling program brings a wealth of little-known facts to light.

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  1. Religion and it’s followers are a very ugly human being, truly weird and morraly weak

  2. Someone have his fantasia glasses on. You have your history so messed up. Hey Travis William Gale; you mind explain the Ante-Nicene Fathers and textual criticism manuscript and autograph evidence? You can’t get that fantasia of yours in any shape or form fit in the history. I think I just leave you with your Nature god and that Chance, where you have so much faith. I don’t wanna upset your little religious mind with more facts for now. Try to watch more that nature channel evolution propaganda and maybe you can build up more of that deluded hatred that you can then come here to vomit, and make monkey out of your self, again.

  3. Actually, the Christian faith lies basis to all material succes in the West.

  4. I wish they would take off documentaries that are no longer available from this site !

  5. The documentary avoids the question of why the Waldensians were persecuted. They throw the word Heresy without identifying and characterizing it. It is very well documented the reason, Hugenots in France and Waldensians were wiped out almost was because they believed, copied, carried, read and preached the BIBLE!!! is it so difficult to tell it how it is??? The ‘holy’ roman empire didn’t believe in the Bible and still DOESNT. For the message of the Bible is of a God of supreme love enough to become a man and suffer death from his own creation. People who believe the Bible have been persecuted all thoughout history. The bible believing groups were never powerful or had an army. To create an empire and call it Christian DOES NOT make it christian. The religion that Bible talks about is in the heart no in political power, traditions and force. The Religion of the bible is in man’s consciences. What a great deception the Catholic church really is. It has spread a religion that is not bible based, and the foundation of which is fear, and respect for its ‘authority’. It has developed over the centuries as bastion of “chrstianity’, but we all know that it is the most deceiving craft of human politics of all times and it persecutes those who are christians and believe in the Bible. It hid the Bible from generations and condemmed people who read it. It put to death many people for adhering to the simple truths of the Bible and it disseminates its own gospel of power and authority. Now the US government and legislators are catholic for the most part. New laws abide in this land now. Laws that favor secret prisons, the demise of habeas corpus and secret arrests. Persecution will arrise again. Evil human nature again will persecute bible believing christians.

  6. @Christiana.

    The fact that you are an educator makes.me weep.for the children you are filling with your indoctrination. There is no historical truth here. And the invention of forgiveness is so that those attrocities commuted by the church can be cleansed from history and is the vehicle for continued domination. I find it interesting that you advocate forgiveness while your God showed none. Of he were a forgiving God then why did Jesus have to die on the so called cross foe our so called sins? Why the fuck didn’t your God just forgive us all? And for that matter why didn’t he just forgive the entire cities and nations full of hos own children rather than have others slaughter them.? Why did he drown the entire world instead of just forgiving them? All questions I am quite sure you never asked yourself. And by the way, if you take offense to me telling you the truth about your blatant stupidity, then forgive me! Then get your head out of your ass and wake the hell up and stop indoctrinating those children. They rely on you to help them know.the truth.

  7. @SF

    Right dude. You are so fucked in your logic. By your reasoning, the fact that I don’t believe in the Easter bunny means he must exist. When you turn 13 I hope you have a better grasp of your own thoughts. Its so disconcerting to read the regurgitated drivel you just posted. Everyone that read it is now dumber for having done so.

  8. @LarryBennet

    You didn’t come here to see a truthful documentary. You came here for the sole purpose of having some douchebag prop up your retarded beliefs. One question, 2 millennia? Really dude? Are you that ignorant about your own chosen ridiculigion.? The fucking Bible as you know it wasn’t even started until 600 years after the death of your ficticious Christ. From there it was another 300 years before the bullshit got picked up by some crafty dickheads and spun into the fairy tale we know today. There is a reason for the Gregorian calendar we use today. The most prominent reason being the ability to set a timeline advantageous to those who need to establish a timeline for their great lie. If you want the real truth don’t ask your preacher and for Christ’s sake you definitely wont find it in any fucked up piece of trash from the history channel. Just the fact that you are looking for vindication in a corporate production of the so called truth speaks volumes to your conviction. It tells me you know you are being lied to and want a reason to believe it because it is much more conveinient than actually pursuing the truth. Way to bolster your steadfast beliefs dude. LOL.

  9. @ DaftAida

    Atheism.is no more a religion than not playing soccer is a sport. You had some gold thoughts there. Then you spoiled it by saying that not believing in God is a religion. So o guess since I don’t believe in the Easter bunny then Santa clause must exist. Come on dude. Get the fuck away from your TV

  10. Oh that’s rich! Invented to save human souls. LOL. Invented to wrest political control and dominate power centers and keep people in the dark about EVERYTHING. Fucking assholes. Religion has done NOTHING for mankind. NOTHING. It has rather destroyed and seperated us and has served as a division bell. Every one of you shithead believers have the blood of millions on your hands. And its not just those who have died before but those who are being murdered and enslaved now. Not to mention those who will be murdered and enslaved and allowed to die because you are to weak to reject bullshit in favor of reason and responsibility. You are scum. You are the most despicable form of human. Because you KNOW you are wrong and refuse to turn away because those around you would refuse to converse with you anymore. Well I say gather your friends and head out to sea and set the ship to sinking. See how many of your bretheren stay on the ship believing your God will save you and then see how many of them trample each other to get a seat in the life boats. You fucking hippocrits. If heaven is truly awaiting you and heaven is so damned glorious, then why do you fear death!? Why do.you still wear your seatbelts? Hurry home to your asshole jealous vindictive murderous malicious greedy narcissistic rapist God and be done with it. Leave those of us who know you are idiots to actually live our lives without your bullshit meddling moronic dogmatic ways. Leave us to build an actual civilization. Not the theological heirarchy of slavery and servitude that you peddle. Rid us of your foul genes as soon as possible. Please. We implore you. Sacrifice yourself to your stupidity sooner rather than later. Perhaps then we can rid ourselves of the parasites who prey on us through you. Fucktards.

  11. Oh, and by the way Larry, you say that humans are to blame for the problems of the church because, after all, they are merely human. Fair point. You go on to say that the church must be right because they have millions of followers. Which would be comprised of people. To sum up your point then-individual humans who run the church are fallible, but millions of believers can’t be wrong.Another nice religious game being played here-more followers equals more correctness, more plausibility, more truth. Another easy, lazy stance by a lazy religious nut.

  12. The professor states the church need not apologize as much of what happened was not the fault of the church 2:27.
    Pope Innocent the Third is reported as the first to rationalize the Kristian Killing of hundreds of thousands of innocent people. To answer the expected question of what to do with the property of the condemned, the Pope includes the penalty that they be “stripped of their goods.” 5:16 He of course intends to enrich the church.
    King Phillip of France is reported to have the same underlying reason to go after the Knights Templars and the documentary reports the Jews were targeted for their possessions.
    It is fair to assume all authority became tied to the atrocity for the same reason.
    ONLY the masses understood the reason to be totally about religion; specifically, faith and allegiance to Christianity.
    That—is the diabolic cleverness behind the atrocity; that the masses did not realize the ulterior purpose or if they did, to make a charge of it, they would have to first defend the accused—which no one would dare attempt.
    This fact of history is proof that religion is a sham, as if Popes cannot resist abusing their position even at the cost of the lives of others for material gain, then how could the common person rely on their faith to that pope or religion? Unknowingly having faith in a false representative of God, does not make the fraud true. IT IS A FRAUD!
    The pope wanted the property, as did the others that copied the first scheme. It was all a scheme. THE INQUISITION WAS NOT TO EXCISE HERESY. The heresy was the distraction.
    Popes and Kings, people in authority are usually the most clever of the people they Lord over.
    Remember recently we had an “economic melted down,” as they describe it, whereas trillions were lost, thousands, millions(?) lost their investments, pensions and homes.
    The cause or culprits were identified as those who took out loans and could not afford to pay them back.
    “Subprime loans” and “Adjustable Rate Mortgages” were easily identified, as the masses were personally aware they existed. (The true cause of the disaster are that banks are able to claim 10 times the amount deposited with them and other financial tricks we haven’t heard of.)
    But how could the masses complain? Who would care to defend someone who knowingly agreed to a loan they could not afford? (See how clever the trap is? The victim must admit to being the cause, as few will claim themselves completely stupid.)
    A Japanese firm that suffered heavy financial losses reported the CEO committed suicide as the man took full responsibility. (Isao Inokuma)
    If there was any truth to Christianity the Pope would submit to suicide.
    It is an outrage to realize, all these bad people got away with so many bad things they did to so many people—for so long of time. God hasn’t punished the Vatican as far as we can see and His feeble attempt to “save” us by sending His incompetent Son, who wound up nailed to a pole is ludicrous, as is the faithful expecting this same divine Person to return (whenever) and save us again.
    If there is any truth to a God, it is He rewards those who are Evil and those who Lie.

  13. Found the documentary filled with, albeit sad, historical truth. The confluence of governmental systems and the Catholic Church were operating in very different circumstances and with specific economic and political agendas of their living day. Definitely, an ugly spot on the Church’s History; however, we live and learn, and just like Jesus would instruct – forgive. As a Catholic and an educator, it is important to recognize that this was the reality of the day, acknowledge, and use the acquired information to understand ‘not so pleasant’ moments in our world’s history.

    Additionally, I find the inquisitors seemed to have a liking and penchance towards the “nearness of God” disguised as power and various methods of torture. Definitely sadistic and demented performances but “with good suspect” of course. NOT. ugh.

  14. All you need to do is look back 500 years in-time and see what human beings did. Not just the church but the pioneers of science! The most religious people I have ever met are atheist. This is because, atheist believe in the improbable just as Catholics believe in the so called improbable – Jesus came to save us all. Where did the big bang come from? no answer = believing in the improbable = faith.

    Right or wrong, on average religion produces god fearing, decent people. Most charitable organisations are founded on religious principles. Yet there is a growing number of atheist that persecute the religious for their beliefs and a sincere urge to help others both spiritually and in life.

  15. A good documentary. After reading some of the blogs, I am more convinced than ever that spirituality is not the problem. Human nature is the greatest threat to itself, because of greed. Heresy(choice) threatens loss of control for those who have the most to lose. Since evil (inequity) is running the world, those who choose to think for themselves will always be considered the greatest threat to toppling that which should have died long ago. (global pyramid scheme)

  16. Is it just me or that Professor Henry Kamen looks like Gerald Celente?

  17. I believe that all of the commenters here are ignoring the fact that 500 years have passed since all this happened. Our ancestors saw the world in a much different way than we do. Do you know where Peking is? Do you understand that it is now Bejing? Have you ever been there? Have you seen pictures of it? Read description of it? Hell was just as real a place to them as Beijing is to us. How can we, of any religion, be held responsible for the action of our fathers?

  18. religion is old politics… every party is changing its forms according to times… nothing is neutral or free choice kind.
    The new trends are just a need for a new flavor to fit in the actual context. It’s very simple, you like the same brand, you go together. Adaption is the way of existence! Better open your eyes wider!!

  19. Verdade Toddzilla. Aqui no Brasil os Cristãos têm forte representação no Congresso e interferem todo o tempo na política também. Em quase todas as casas politicas (âmaras de vereadores, tribunais de justiça etc) eles se fazem presentes com crucifixos e orações.
    Não pagam impostos e conseguiram grande parte do espectro de Rádios e Tv’s que são concessões do Estado.
    Como querem que a gente fique quieto, que a gente não se incomode? Imagine como isso acontece em países mais atrasados que os Estados Unidos? Precisamos de muita, muita conscientização para equilibrar esse quadro poder.
    Acho que esse quadro é também desequilibrado nos Estados Unidos, pelo que vejo nas notícias que me mandam.
    Na verdade, os grupos hegemônicos sempre querem segurar o poder e não abrir mão. Eles se incomodam muito quando percebem que o poder está lhes saindo das mãos…

  20. Sure, Larry, I’ll be happy to let Christians believe what they believe, if they would do the same for me. But they won’t. They come up to me on the streets asking if I know Jesus; others don’t ask but scream their messages on street corners and in parks (often angry, demeaning diatribes against non-believers informing us we’re going to hell, even though many of us non-believers lead less angry, violent lives and are more respectful of people in general because we believe we only have one life and it should be lived in a positive manner-religious folk can do whatever bad behavior they want-they are forgiven! No matter what!)-still other christians bring their awkward ‘niceness’ to your door, whether you want them there or not. Yes, you are right Larry, we should leave poor christians alone. Besides, they are heavily arned.

  21. I watched this documentary thinking it might be a balanced study of something in history that had to be understood in context, but found it just another diatribe against Christianity and especially, Catholicism. It’s okay, the Church has big shoulders. Of course the Church has made many mistakes, after all, it is run by human beings, but it still has had some kind of draw, for hundreds of millions of people around the world for more than 2 millenia. Perhaps, I mean, just maybe it is because it is guided by the Holy Ghost, as Jesus promised. If you don’t want to believe that; fine. In the meantime why don’t you just live your life and let believers live theirs?

  22. the Jesuit wizards infiltrated the church, launching an inquisition of the Knights Templars which turned into a general intelligence op involving the favourite pastimes of these psychopaths: torture. the marvelous (protestant, remember) King James 1 also enjoyed similar pastimes under the guise of witch trials which were really political ends by means of terrorising the population and turning them into spies and traitors.

    when the protestant graft was transplanted on to the ‘unversal religion’ of christianity via Lutherian progenitors (who owned the first printing press), this was to extend the simple control method of dialectic as a means of division and control. The seat of control never left Vatican City but was extended to form the the new British Empire, from which would spring USA. where the catholics/jesuits had opened up globally ‘through the love of jesus christ’ the Anglo-American alliance would ensure the end goal: global domination under one rule of law.

    inquisition is the method by which the occult intelligence takes a stranglehold on peoples and nations from the Phoenicians, Venetians, Romans, Grecians, British and American empires. they are of one tribe, deploying psychospiritual and physical torture as a means of asserting and maintaining control. human gullability for superstitious tales and belief in false ideologies led to the tragic situation today of virtually all peoples involved in one religion or another all serving the same purpose. even atheism is a religion. the new one is a mismash of Hindi/Bahai/Judaism/Satanism/Gnosticism/Christianity and muslim. it’s the new age; the age of man, as conquerer over nature, earth and all earthly dominions through science.

    their descartes, and neitzche, mengeles and frued all playing the same melody through differing instruments and tones.

    the apparant attack on the RC church is of course to deflect the same atrocities by the Anglican church (for that matter, all religious churches, mosques, temples, sinmagogs) which too, takes orders from Rome.

    where humanity is to blame is one of wilfull ignorance and laziness of mind. this results in a lack of empathy and compassion for others of a different or ‘outside’ indoctrination, circumstances, colour, language.

    they want to be led by dirty old men and fat women in frocks and funny hats; they want to remain on their knees and yoga mats, they think they are chosen, they think they are ‘light’ awaiting a saviour or guru whilst they switch off the light.

    if all those billions of believers truly had faith, they would not require churches, rituals, bibles or outside leadership. it’s all mind kontrol hynotism, spell casting, soul catching programming. in honour of a jealous, destructive and hateful lesser god.

  23. Religion! The worst and cruelest system ever devised by man kind to control conquer and feed of the blood of other human beings. Religion has kept and continues to keep man kind in the dark ages, it goes against logic, reasonable rational though and sciences. The same principles that apply to war conquests apply to conquests of religion, whether that be Christian, Muslim, or Satanism aka Judaism. In war you conquer a country, that means you get more reaches, you get more land and you get more soldiers for your armies which makes you more powerful and capable of conquering other countries. Same principle with religion, you influence more people to believe in your religion, that means your church or Mosque gets more riches, more lands, and more soldiers to support your batshit insane beliefs. Religion is nothing more than a plague a disease