Saturday, June 19, 2010

The Myth of the Spanish Inquisition by Ellen Rice

 "The Myth of the Spanish Inquisition," a 1994 BBC/A&E production, will re-air on the History Channel this December 3 at 10 p.m. It is a definite must-see for anyone who wishes to know how historians now evaluate the Spanish Inquisition since the opening of an investigation into the Inquisition's archives. The special includes commentary from historians whose studies verify that the tale of the darkest hour of the Church was greatly fabricated.

In its brief sixty-minute presentation, "The Myth of the Spanish Inquisition" provides only an overview of the origins and debunking of the myths of torture and genocide. The documentary definitely succeeds in leaving the viewer hungry to know more. The long-held beliefs of the audience are sufficiently weakened by the testimony of experts and the expose of the making of the myth.

The Inquisition began in 1480. Spain was beginning a historic reunification of Aragon and Castile. The marriage of Ferdinand of Aragon and Isabella of Castile created a unified Hispania not seen since Roman times. Afraid that laws commanding the exile or conversion of Jews were thwarted by conversos, i.e. synagogue-going "Catholics," Ferdinand and Isabella commissioned an investigation or Inquisition. They began the Inquisition hoping that religious unity would foster political unity, and other heads of state heralded Spain's labors for the advent of a unified Christendom. The documentary clearly and boldly narrates the historical context, which intimates that the Spanish were not acting odd by their contemporary standards.

The Inquisition Myth, which Spaniards call "The Black Legend," did not arise in 1480. It began almost 100 years later, and exactly one year after the Protestant defeat at the Battle of Mühlberg at the hands of Ferdinand's grandson, the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V. In 1567 a fierce propaganda campaign began with the publication of a Protestant leaflet penned by a supposed Inquisition victim named Montanus. This character (Protestant of course) painted Spaniards as barbarians who ravished women and sodomized young boys. The propagandists soon created "hooded fiends" who tortured their victims in horrible devices like the knife-filled Iron Maiden (which never was used in Spain). The BBC/A&E special plainly states a reason for the war of words: the Protestants fought with words because they could not win on the battlefield.


The Inquisition had a secular character, although the crime was heresy. Inquisitors did not have to be clerics, but they did have to be lawyers. The investigation was rule-based and carefully kept in check. And most significantly, historians have declared fraudulent a supposed Inquisition document claiming the genocide of millions of heretics.

What is documented is that 3000 to 5000 people died during the Inquisition's 350 year history. Also documented are the "Acts of Faith," public sentencings of heretics in town squares. But the grand myth of thought control by sinister fiends has been debunked by the archival evidence. The inquisitors enjoyed a powerful position in the towns, but it was one constantly jostled by other power brokers. In the outlying areas, they were understaffed - in those days it was nearly impossible for 1 or 2 inquisitors to cover the thousand-mile territory allotted to each team. In the outlying areas no one cared and no one spoke to them. As the program documents, the 3,000 to 5,000 documented executions of the Inquisition pale in comparison to the 150,000 documented witch burnings elsewhere in Europe over the same centuries.


The approach is purely historical, and therefore does not delve into ecclesial issues surrounding religious freedom. But perhaps this is proper. Because the crime was heresy, the Church is implicated, but the facts show it was a secular event.

One facet of the Black Legend that evaporates under scrutiny in this film is the rumor that Philip II, son of Charles V, killed his son Don Carlos on the advisement of the aging blind Grand Inquisitor. But without a shred of evidence, the legend of Don Carlos has been enshrined in a glorious opera by Verdi.

The special may be disturbing to young children. There are scenes of poor souls burning at the stake, and close-ups of the alleged torture devices. Scenes depicting witches consorting with pot-bellied devils are especially grotesque. For kids, this is the stuff of nightmares.

Discrediting the Black Legend brings up the sticky subject of revisionism. Re-investigating history is only invalid if it puts an agenda ahead of reality. The experts - once true believers in the Inquisition myth - were not out to do a feminist canonization of Isabella or claim that Tomas de Torquemada was a Marxist. Henry Kamen of the Higher Council for Scientific Research in Barcelona said on camera that researching the Inquisition's archives "demolished the previous image all of us (historians) had."

And the future of the Black Legend? For many it may continue to hold more weight than reality. There is the emotional appeal against the Church. The dissenters of today may easily imagine Torquemada's beady eyes as a metaphor of the Church's "dictatorial, controlling, damning" pronouncements. The myth is also the easiest endorsement of the secular state: "de-faith" the state and de-criminalize heresy. Who will be the revisionists in this case? Will the many follow Montanas' lead in rewriting history?

Our 20th century crisis of man playing God - usurping power over conception, life, and death - leaves us with no alternative but to qualify our demythologization of the Inquisition with a reminder: 3,000 to 5,000 victims are 3,000 to 5,000 too many.
http://www.catholic.net/RCC/Periodic.../article4.html

and more:

As British historian Henry Kamen has shown in his magisterial work, The Spanish Inquisition: A Historical Revision, almost all the conventional wisdom about the Inquisition is wrong. By comparison with secular courts at the time, the Inquisition’s methods were more humane, e.g., defendants could be represented by an attorney. Edward Peters, another student of the period, says, ‘Modern historiography has completely blown the old Inquisition propaganda out of the water. No one seriously contends that hundreds of thousands or millions were killed, or that the Protestant countries were any more humane than Spain was.’ Indeed, scholars today refer to the old school mythology as ‘the Black Legend,’ a tale of lies spun by Elizabethan England. No wonder that in 1994, BBC/A&E aired ‘The Myth of the Spanish Inquisition.’

Si Eli Soriano ba ay itiniwalag sa Iglesya ni Nicolas Perez?

Born from a poor family in Pasay City, Philippines, Soriano claim to be an “exceptional, consistently receiving the highest honors… and was awarded the highest possible grade in the entire history of his grade school.”* Unfortunately, he did not finish his secondary schooling due to an alleged “skirmish” with his acting school directress over a topic on religion. Soriano’s follower took this not as a “twist of fate but rather [an alleged] manifestation of God’s work of hand bringing him to his real destiny.”* His parents were members of Iglesia ng Dios Kay Kristo Hesus, Haligi at Suhay ng Katotohanan founded in 1936 by a former Iglesia ni Cristo (1914) follower namely Nicolaz Perez. Perez along with Teofila Ora left the I.N.C. fold in 1922 probably after learning that Jesus Christ was Mighty God but “not” the Almighty God and proceeded to establish the Iglesia Verdadero de Cristo. It did not took long for the two former leaders of I.N.C. (1914) to develop discord among themselves. This occurrence drove Perez to register his new group under the name, Iglesia ng Dios Kay Kristo Hesus, Haligi at Suhay ng Katotohanan Soriano’s desire to read and memorize the Scripture was prompted by his membership in Perez’ group at a young age of 17 years old. His followers noted of his “zealous [ness] in his religion.”* His skill in “explaining” and remembering the Bible verses was noticed by the other members so that he became “a preacher, a debater and a minister”* of the said group. He was even believed to be a “special confidante of Perez, explaining to him the teachings and the mysteries of the word of God.”* Unknown to many, he was said rumored to be groomed as the successor of Perez after he dies. In 1975 just after Perez’ death, some members were stunned when the leadership was passed on to Levita Gugulan, a woman. At first, Soriano might have yielded to that decision but it did not take long before he along with a few others rebelled against Gugulan’s leadership. They believed that women as leaders in church are not biblically supported. It was reported that in 1976, Soriano and his allies were excommunicated by Gugulan. And the following year (1977), he registered a new group namely,

Iglesia ng Dios kay Kristo Hesus, Haligi at Saligan ng Katotohanan.

Which later evolved to,

Mga Kaanib sa Iglesia ng Dios kay Kristo Hesus, Haligi at Saligan ng Katotohanan sa Bansang Pilipinas, Inc. (1990) and Bayan ng Katotohanan (1993).

Most likely because of a lawsuit filed by Gugulan’s group with reference to the “name” of Soriano’s newly founded organization called,

Iglesia ng Dios kay Kristo Hesus, Haligi at Saligan ng Katotohanan

which is somewhat similar with the former’s group name

“Iglesia ng Dios kay Kristo Hesus, Haligi at Suhay ng Katotohanan.”

This episode continues to cause confrontation between the two religious groups.

Update 4-Jan-2003: Now since the highest court of the land (the Philippine Supreme Court) ruled, once in for all, in favor of Gugulan's group, the name of Soriano's church was drastrically changed to: "Iglesia Ni YHWH at ni YHWSA HMSYH" (Church of YHWH and YHWSA HMSYH).

Update 4-Nov-2004: Now they prefer to be known as, Members Church of God International.

ANG PALUSOT NI ELI SORIANO SA JER 6:16

SA JER 6:16 WALANG MABABASANG DATING DAAN AYON NA RIN MISMO SA KATWIRAN NI INGKONG ELI SORIANO NA HINDI NA KAILANGAN DAW IPALIWANAG ANG NAKASULAT KUNDI BABASAHIN NALANG KAYA.

PAULIT-ULIT MO MANG BASAHIN YUNG JER 6:16 WALANG MABABASANG DATING DAAN.

NGAYON SAN MABABASA YUNG DATING DAAN? DITO SA JOB 22:15 NA YUNG DATING DAAN PALA NILAKARAN NG MASASAMANG TAO.

NGAYON ANO ANG PALUSOT DITO NI SORIANO? YUNG NAGSASALITA DAW DITO MASAMANG TAO KAAWAY NG DIOS NA SI ELIPHAZ KAYA HINDI DAW TOTOO KUNDI PARATANG LANG DAW ITO.

IISA-ISAHIN NATIN NGAYON PARA MALAMAN NATIN ANG KATOTOHANAN.

SA JOB 22:15 PINAYUHAN NI ELIPHAZ ANG KAIBIGAN NYANG SI JOB NA HUWAG MAGPATULOY SA (ADD) DAHIL NILAKARAN NG MASASAMANG TAO ITOY SALITA HINDI PATUNGKOL SA DIOS KUNDI PATUNGKOL SA MASASAMANG TAO

SA JOB 42:7 NAGALIT BA ANG DIOS KAY ELIPHAZ DAHIL SYA BA AY NAGSALITA NG LABAN SA ADD? HINDI PO! NAGALIT ANG DIOS DAHIL MAY SINABI SYANG HINDI MATUWID PATUNGKOL SA DIOS AT HINDI LABAN SA (ADD) ANG IKINAGALIT NG DIOS KAY ELIPHAZ. BINALUKTOT NI ELI SORIANO PARA MAPALUSOT YUNG KASAMAAN NG ANG DATING DAAN.

TANONG? ANO NAMAN ANG ANG GINAWA NI ELIPHAZ LABAN SA DIOS??

SAGOT: ANG MALING AKALA NYA NA SI JOB AY KASAMA O KASAPI SA ANG DATING DAAN NA NILALAKARAN NG MASASAMANG TAO.JOB 22:5

KAYA BINTANG NI ELIPHAZ IYAN NA INAKALA NYA MIYEMBRO NA SI JOB NG ANG DATING DAAN KAYA TOTOO NA YUNG DATING DAAN IYON ANG NILALAKARAN NG MGA MASAMANG TAO.
TAMA SI ELIPHAZ DYAN ANG SINASABING MALI NI ELIPHAZ EH YUNG BINTANG AT PARATANG NYA NA AKALA

NYA SI JOB AY MIYEMBRO SA ANG DATING DAAN. IYAN ANG MALI NI ELIPHAZ KASI SI JOB MATUWID KAYA

HINDI SYA MIYEMBRO NG ANG DATING DAAN NA NILALAKARAN NG MASASAMANG TAO.

SA JOB 1:8 SABI NG DIOS SI JOB PERPECTO, AT UMIIWAS SA KASAMAAN. IYAN ANG SINASABING PAPURI NG DIOS KAY JOB. TAPOS PAGBIBINTANGAN NI ELIPHAZ NA MIYEMBRO NG ANG DATING DAAN NA

NILALAKARAN NG MGA MASASAMANG TAO NA SYANG KINAROROONAN NI ELI SORIANO NA SA SARILI NYA MISMO YUNG ANG DATING DAAN TAPOS BIGLANG KAMBYO MAGIGING PALIKONG DAAN NARIN KAYO.

SABI NI ELI SORIANO MALI DAW SI ELIPAHAZ KAYA HINDI NA DAW DAPAT PANIWALAAN.
HINDI LAHAT NG SINABI NI ELIPHAZ AY MALI. ANG MALI LANG NYA YUNG BINTANG NYA KAY JOB. NA AKALA NYA MYEMBRO SI JOB SA DATING DAAN NA NILAKARAN NG MASAMANG TAO. PERO TAMA NA YUNG DATING DAAN NILAKARAN NGAYON NG MASASAMANG TAO NA SYANG KINAROROONAN NG MGA ADD NGAYON.

SA JOB 22:21-22 ITO NAMAN ANG SABI NI ELIPHAZ NA DAPAT AY KILALANIN ANG DIOS, AT ANG MGA UTOS NG DIOS  AT DAPAT ILAGAK SA PUSO ANG MGA SALITA NG PANGINOON ( MALI DAW ITO AYON SA ADD KASI SI ELIPHAZ ANG MAY SABI)

THEREFORE KUNG MALI! MASAMA ANG PAGKILALA NILA SA DIOS AT PAGTANGGAP SA KANYANG MGA UTOS, AT PAGLAGAY NG SALITA NG PANGINOON SA ATING MGA PUSO KASI SABI NG MGA ADD MALI SI ELIPHAZ.


NGAYON SA JER 6:16 LALAPAT KAYA ITO SA MGA PALIKONG DAAN NI SORIANO?  TINGNAN NATIN KUNG KAKAMPI SA KANYA ANG TALATANG ITO NA JER 6:16.

SA JER 6: 16,,, MAYROONG SINASABING DATING LANDAS NA DOON SA DATING LANDAS NA YAN NANDODOON

ANG MABUTING DAAN. NA KUNG SAAN TAYO DAPAT NA MAGSILAKAD PARA MASUMPUNGAN NATIN NG KAPAHINGHAHAN NG ATING KALULUWA.

TUMUTUKOY ITO SA DAAN NA PINAKA UNA O YUNG DATI NA NA LANDAS NA KUNG SUNDAN NATIN ANG

PAKAHULUGAN NI SORIANO SURIIN NATIN KUNG LALAPAT NGA BA SA KANILA ITO. SAMAKATWID ANO BA YUNG PINAKAUNANG SAMAHAN NG PANANAMPALATAYA SA KASAYSAYAN NG MGA LINGKOD NG DIOS?

1. ANG PINAKA UNA AY YUNG TINATAWAG NATIN NA PATRIARCHAL RELIGION NA KINABIBILANGAN NG MGA

NINUNO NA SILA ABRAHAM, ISAAC, JACOB, JOB.

2.PANGALAWA YUNG JUDAICAL RELIGION NA KINABIBILANGAN NAMAN NILA NI  MOSES, LEVI, AARON  AT MGA PROPETA.

3.ANG IKATLO ANG TINATAWAG NA CHRISTIAN RELIGION, KAYA NASA HEB 1:1-2 NA ANG DIOS AY

NAGSALITA SA IBAT-IBANG PANAHON SA ATING MGA MAGULANG UNA YUNG ANG TIME NG PATRIARCHAL

RELIGION, PANGALAWA SA IBAT-IBANG PARAAN SA PAMAMAGITAN NG MGA PROPETA IYUN ANG TIME NG JUDAICAL RELIGION SA PANAHON NILA MOSES AT MGA PROPETA,

YUNG IKATLO SA PAMAMAGITAN NG KANYANG ANAK AY NAGSALITA SA MGA HULING ARAW NA ITO SA

PAMAMAGITAN NG KANYANG ANAK ITO YUNG TIME NA NG KRISTYANISMO.


YAN DIN ANG KATUPARAN SA ZACARIAS 13:8-9 NA DALAWANG BAHAGI AY MAHIHIWALAY AT MAMATAY ITO.

YUNG PATRIARCHAL RELIGION AT JUDIACAL RELIGION PERO ANG WIKA MAHIHIWALAY AT MAMATAY IBIG

SABIHIN MAWAWALA NA PERO YUNG IKATLO DAW ANYA, SILAY DADALISAYIN PARANG PAGSUBOK SA GINTO

ITO NA YUNG CHRISTIAN RELIGION. ITO NA YUNG RELIHIYON SA MODERNONG PANAHON YUNG ITINAYO NI

KRISTO.


NGAYON BALIKAN NATIN YUNG JER 6:16 SA MODERNONG PANAHON KUNG ITANONG NATIN YUNG PINAKA UNA O

DATING RELIHIYON O DAAN DAHIL NASA GAWA 24:14 YUNG DAAN NA TINATAWAG NA SEKTA SO YUNG SEKTA NA ITINAYO NI KRISTO THAT IS THE RELIGION FOUNDED BY GOD IN MODERN TIMES KUNG ITANONG NATIN KUNG SINO ANG PINAKA DATI O PINAKA UNA O DATING DAAN SA PALIWANAG NI SORIANO AY WALANG IBA

KUNDI ANG IGLESIA KATOLIKA.

ITO YUNG PATUNAY SA 1JUAN 5:9 TINATANGGAP DAW YUNG PATOTO NG TAO EH ASAN YUNG PATOTO NG TAO EH DI

SA KASAYSAYAN, ITO SA ,


WORLD HISTORY BY WEBSTER p. 211,  WORLD HISTORY by Obrien p. 138, Groiler encyclopedia Vol.

5. 106 Enternational Encyclopedia Vol 15. p. 520  THE CATHOLIC CHURCH FOUNDED BY JESUS.


VS.



ANG DATING DAAN CHURCH OF GOD INTERNATIONAL INCORPORADA PTY.LTD founded by.  Eli SorianO

1980 NAPAKA KENGKOY NAMAN NYAN NAUNA PA YUNG SAN MIGUEL BEER SA INYO 1890 MGA BALIW LANG AT

MGA TANGA-TANGA  LANG MANINIWALA SA INYO MGA HIBANG NA YATA KAYO TAPOS MAKIKIPAG KUMPITENSYA

KAYO SA IGLESIA KATOLIKA NA ITINATAG NG DIOS WALA KAYONG MAGAGAWA KC ANG DIOS SUMASA AMIN

HEB 13:6, AWIT 118:6, KAYA NASA MAT 12:30 ANG HINDI SUMASA AKIN AY NAGSASAMBULAT KAYA KAYO

PANG-ILANG KULTO NA KAYO MULA NG ITATAG NI ELI SORIANO YUNG IGLESIA NYA? KATUPARAN YAN NAG

SASAMBULAT O NAGKALAT NA KAYO.

PARA MAGING MAKATOTOHANAN NAMAN KAYO AY PAG ARALAN NINYO ANG KASAYSAYAN PARA HINDI KAYO MALOKO NI INGKONG.

Saturday, May 22, 2010

Pentecost Sunday - Cycle C 2010


Pentecost Video from Sharefaith on Vimeo.

The word Pentecost comes from the Ancient Greek “pentekoste” which literally means the fiftieth day. It commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples of Jesus.

credit: Fr. Stephen Cuyos MSC 

Sunday, April 11, 2010

Feast Of The Divine Mercy

Our Lord's Mercy grants forgiveness of all sins and punishment on Feast of Divine Mercy, Mercy Sunday, mercy for even the most hardened sinners!

Read  the Homily of His Holiness John Paul II during the canonization  of Sr Mary Faustina Kowalska. Go here..

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

SC upholds suspension of ‘Ang Dating Daan’

NA KARMA KANA! KAWAWA KA NAMAN. IYAN NA ANG BUNGA NG PAGTATAGO MO.



By Dona Pazzibugan
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 19:53:00 03/16/2010

Filed Under: Conflicts (general), Religions, Television

MANILA, Philippines—The Supreme Court upheld a three-month suspension imposed on the religious television program, “Ang Dating Daan,” back in 2004 for the use of offensive and obscene language by its evangelist-host Eliseo “Brother Eli” Soriano.
In a full court decision issued on March 15, the high tribunal ruled with finality against Soriano's motion for reconsideration, affirming its original ruling last April 29, 2009 in favor of the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB)'s disciplinary action against Ang Dating Daan.
Voting 11-4, the Supreme Court rejected Soriano's argument that the suspension imposed by the MTRCB constituted “prior restraint” on the media and that his language during the show's August 10, 2004 broadcast was not obscene and offensive.
The high court reminded Soriano that “the medium he used to make his statements was a television broadcast which is accessible to children of virtually all ages.”
“As already laid down in the decision subject of this recourse, the interest of the government in protecting children who may be subjected to petitioner’s invectives must have precedence over his desire to air publicly his dirty laundry,” the court went on, pointing out that Soriano's use of vulgar language was not appropriate for a program with a “G” or for general audience rating.
The high court also rejected Soriano's claim that the court should stay out of cases of conflict between religious groups.
It said even religious programs were covered by the MTRCB's regulatory power.
The Supreme Court said the exercise of religious freedom could be regulated by the state “when it will bring about the clear and present danger of some substantive evil which the state is duty bound to prevent.”
The MTRCB took action against Ang Dating Daan based on a complaint filed by the religious group Iglesia ni Cristo led by Michael Sandoval, INC minister and host of television program, “Ang Tamang Daan.”
Sandoval complained that Soriano slandered him in Ang Dating Daan by calling him names.
Soriano countered that the INC implied in their show that he was asking for an extravagantly huge amount of contributions.
Those who concurred with the decision penned by Associate Justice Presbitero Velasco Jr. were Associate Justices Renato Corona, Antonio Nachura, Teresita Leonardo-De Castro, Arturo Brion, Diosdado Peralta, Lucas Bersamin, Mariano Del Castillo, Martin Villarama Jr., Jose Perez and Jose Mendoza.
Chief Justice Reynato Puno and Associate Justices Antonio Carpio, Conchita Carpio-Morales and Roberto Abad dissented.
In his separate opinion, Carpio insisted that the show's suspension “indiscriminately infringes upon free speech.” Citing a landmark case in the United States, he said while Soriano’s utterances might be indecent he still enjoyed the constitutional protection for free speech.