November 5, 2015
Dear Liberty,
At the turn of the 15th century, Spanish Jews were under persecution from King Henry III of the Castile-Leon region in Spain. They were given the ultimatum of baptism or death. Choosing Catholicism over execution, these Jews became known as Conversos. As with any forced conversion, the change for many was only surface deep. (see A Change Of Heart) Privately, they continued to practice their Jewish faith earning them the derogatory label of Marranos. Spain’s anti-Semitism grew as speculation intensified that all Conversos were false converts.
With the marriage of Ferdinand II and Isabelle I in 1469, the kingdoms of Aragon and Castile-Leon were united as one region. The Iberian Peninsula, which consisted of Spain and Portugal, was completing the Reconquista reclaiming the area for Christianity. The Moors (Muslims), who had attacked and conquered them some 770 years before, were almost completely removed from the area. (see A Crusade For The Truth) The Spanish Roman Catholic Church and the Spanish monarchies had become indivisible. It was believed if you vowed allegiance to one, you were vowing allegiance to the other. Desiring political unity within their empires, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabelle pressured Pope Sixtus IV into issuing an Inquisition. More importantly, they insisted the church relinquish control of it to the government.
On November 1, 1478, the Pope relented and signed a Papal Bull creating The Tribunal of the Holy Office of the Inquisition. He granted individual monarchs sole authority in appointing inquisitors in their kingdoms. Historically, the Catholic Church conducted Inquisitions on baptized members only to cleanse the church of false Catholics. The interrogations were conducted by church officials and convicted parishioners were usually sentenced to simple acts of penance. The Spanish Inquisition was different because it was controlled by the powerful hand of the secular government, even though church officials were appointed to leadership roles.
The state quickly began to abuse its power, targeting citizens outside of the Catholic faith. Unlike Inquisitions under church authority, the government controlled Spanish Inquisition terrorized anyone not conforming to the Catholic monarchy, including Jews, Muslims, and even Christian Protestants. Events such as this is exactly why the Founding Fathers made it paramount that the authoritative powers of the church and state were kept mutually exclusive. (see Separation Of Church And State) It is also why Sharia Law is so incredibly dangerous.
A major turning point of the Spanish Inquisition occurred on October 17, 1483. Under duress from the crown, the Pope appointed Tomas de Torquemada the first grand inquisitor of Spain. Torquemada was a long-time close spiritual consultant of the monarchy and had been instrumental in advocating for the Inquisition from behind the scenes. Even though the Pope resisted many of the state’s tactics, leaders in the church, such as Torquemada, used the state to enforce their personal beliefs and agendas. Once in control, Torquemada turned the Inquisition into the infamous, oppressive tribunal known in history.
Torquemada aggressively targeted Marranos and added Moriscos (Islamic converts), Jews, and Moors in his crosshairs. Believing all these groups presented a religious and social threat to Spain, he was determined to achieve religious purification. In addition to prosecuting crimes of heresy and religious abandonment, Torquemada provided inquisitors twenty-eight new articles that extended violations to blasphemy, homosexuality, polygamy, witchcraft, and more. He also authorized the use of torture to acquire evidence.
Exploiting his connection with the monarchy, Torquemada convinced the King and Queen to issue a decree on March 31, 1492, forcing Spanish Jews to once again choose between baptism or exile, even though the Catholic faith strictly prohibited forced baptisms. Over 160,000 Jews were banished from Spain.
As the Inquisition dragged on, new Protestant Christians rising out of the Reformation were quickly exterminated. (see The Knock Heard 'Round The World) While the rest of Europe experienced the spread of religious freedom, Spain continued to purge itself of any opposing view. With no one else left to attack, the inquisitors eventually turned on their own Roman Catholic membership.
In the same way Ferdinand and Isabelle used Catholicism, the Left uses climate change. It is their religion. Earth is their god, evolution is their creation story, abortion is their sacrament and Global Warming is their great commission. Opposing the official religious beliefs of the Spanish state was considered a threat to the state itself. The Global Warming Progressive Left agree and are reacting the same way.
The more the evidence mounts against their theories, the harder activists try to silence their opponents. Their actions, accusations and demands for retribution are no different than the reprehensible methods of the Spanish Inquisition. Using intimidation, threats and punishment to force conversion or suffer the consequences, their tactics mirror those of Torquemada. They are even going as far as soliciting the government to help propagate their cause. Unfortunately, this administration embraces the activists advocating punishment and oppression on those who do not conform to their religion and bow to the altar of climate change.
As their science continues to fall apart, Global Warming activists proceed to turn up the heat. (see Actions Speak Louder Than Words) Environmentalist Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., complained a year ago, “I wish there were a law you could punish them (skeptics) with. I don’t think there is a law that you can punish those politicians under.” The Obama Administration is actually working on that. In a speech earlier this year, Al Gore declared the proposed federal cap-and-trade system would punish companies exceeding their carbon-emission limits. “We need to put a price on carbon to accelerate these market trends...And in order to do that, we need to put a price on denial in politics.”
In September, twenty Global Warming scientists stepped up their propaganda. Instead of just implying skeptics should be punished, they are demanding it. These scientists insist Obama prosecute those who dare have an opposing opinion and throw them in jail. Employing their same old tired accusations, they implied skeptics’ findings are influenced by research funded and supported by the fossil fuel industry. Yet Global Warming scientists’ backing is never analyzed. It is widely known federal grants flood laboratories corroborating man-made climate change while anyone publishing a report to the contrary is stripped of their funds and sent to the back of the science lab.
A few weeks ago John Kerry resurrected the Left’s mantra that anyone who denies climate change should be disqualified from holding political office. Apparently someone who continues to exam the empirical evidence of climate change is too inept to be politician. Yet one who blindly accepts the theory as fact, slamming the door on all scientific evidence that disproves that theory, is eagerly welcomed in the ruling class.
It has been said before if you want to control an issue, control the language. The Associated Press fell in line two months ago and are doing their part. In their official “usable terms” list, the AP changed the labels used for those refusing to swallow the Progressive agenda. (see Everything Free But Speech) According to Paul Colford, the AP VP and Director of Media Relations, “We are adding a brief description of those who don’t accept climate science or dispute the world is warming from man-made forces...Our guidance is to use climate change doubters or those who reject mainstream climate science and to avoid the use of skeptics or deniers.” Colford defended the change admitting their scientists complained that man-made Global Warming skeptics “aren’t skeptics because ‘proper skepticism promotes scientific inquiry, critical investigation and the use of reason in examining controversial and extraordinary claims.’”
As I explained in great detail in “The Science Is Settled, Part I and Part II”, to close your mind to opposing science is the true definition of a science denier. Skepticism is the natural, healthy process of science but since the Left still has to destroy dissenters, they just change the terms.
If the science was there to support man-made climate change than the facts would stand on their own. The truth is, they’re not. The theory is falling apart as more and more evidence surfaces confirming the data and models are manipulated, falsified and out-right made up. The only other option they have is to destroy those who are shining a light on the truth. But, isn’t that how Satan always works?
Liberty, mankind loves to believe it is evolving and progressing into a more advanced and intelligent being. But as history proves, mankind continues to repeat the same cruel, primitive, oppressive deeds as thousands of generations before us. And after all this time, I have yet to find one instance where the oppressors were on the right side of the argument.
“For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:10
That’s my 2 cents.
Love,
Mom
THE AMERICAN INQUISITION
