Friday the 13th

They didn't do what they did with safe deposits and such to make a profit, or because they wanted to; it was a necessity. If it weren't for that, most of the wealth of the kings and lords of the Christian Nations would have been lost to Muslim Raiders. They did what they did because they were the only ones who could. If it weren't for the Templars and the Hospitallers, the Crusades would have gone much, much differently, if they had even gotten off the ground to begin with. We owe these men much more than most people realize, and they certaily deserve more honor and respect than has been shown here. You and I might not even be here if it weren't for them. During that time, there was no mercy shown to the enemy. The Muslims may very well have wiped out the entire Christian Race had it not been for them. They were that good. There were feared and respected by their enemies, and what happened in the end is nothing short of an atrocity.

BTW, his name was Jacques DeMolay, not Charles (just FYI). It's true that many Templars "confessed" to the trumped-up charges against them, simply to avoid torture. DeMolay and a few other high ranking Templars were brought in front of a huge crowd, ostensible to make a public confession, but instead DeMolay screamed at the top of his lungs and declared that the Templars were innocent, and that the charges against them were completely untrue. Of course, this enraged his captors, and he along with his officers were taken to an island, tied to stakes and burned alive as heretics. Even as the flames started to engulf him he screamed out a curse on both the pope and King Phillip to meet him before God within a year. They both dies within a year. I can only hope that Jacqes watched as the Good Lord gave them what they deserved on their day of judgement.

Here's a good article about DeMolay: www.templarhistory.com...

One of my very favorite stories.

akilles:

Where or How did you get your avatar?

Did you know that's the symbol to activate people with Greenstar Programming?

Originally posted by The Axeman
BTW, his name was Jacques DeMolay, not Charles (just FYI).

Did I really call him Charles DeMolay!?!?!?!? I have no idea WTF was going through my head when I wrote that, sorry. I'm a little distracted here at work.

Heres the links youre looking for - www.prweb.com...
www.nationmaster.com...

The trials and executions contiuned even AFTER the templars were found innocent by the pope. The so called "CHINON PARCHMENT" and other top secret papal documents were restricted from contact with the outside world in the 17th century by pius IV until the 19th century

[edit on 13-5-2005 by andy1972]

[edit on 13-5-2005 by andy1972]

I don't think the Entire Christian Race was at risk of being exterminated there, Axeman.

Maybe they would have had to accept conversion at some point, but you HONESTLY think Muslims would have killed everyone, just because the 'opportunity' was there, the 'chance' to kill people does not ever go away, or become a good idea at some times.

So the Crusades only happened because the Knights Templar went over there, and started something.

Think of it this way, the same Authority that gave the Knights their mystical knowledge, and their 'authority', and allowed them to be the 'first' bankers decided it was time to pull in the reigns.

Nowadays it would have been corporate downsizing! People would merely have been fired, reduced from a prestigious position to a low-class job.

Now think of it this way. The Church was against banking. But they let the Knights bank. I swear, this was no accident.

And so, when the time came for the Powers that Be to centralize their power again (because you will always have too many commoners who think they are above the law, when they are in fact, only commoners), they couldn't just ask for the money back, now could they?

So please, everyone, stop feeling so sorry for the "honorable" men that died. If they didn't play with money, they wouldn't have got burned.

Originally posted by akilles
I don't think the Entire Christian Race was at risk of being exterminated there, Axeman.

Maybe they would have had to accept conversion at some point, but you HONESTLY think Muslims would have killed everyone, just because the 'opportunity' was there...

Yes, I do. I think given the chance, the Muslims would have completely exterminated all Christians. Those who wouldn't convert, of course. I suppose you are partly correct in your assumption that converts would have been spared. So, perhaps it is more accurate to say that the Christian RELIGION would have been wiped out. And from what I recall, it was not the Knights that started the Crusades... It was the Christian kings, trying to reclaim the Holy Land for their people. That's what the Crusades were about. Holy places.

So please, everyone, stop feeling so sorry for the "honorable" men that died. If they didn't play with money, they wouldn't have got burned.

Whatever, Akilles. I will give you that the money is part of what brought about their demise. But that's not what did it completely. What brought the Templars down can be summed up in two words. IGNORANCE and GREED. Period.

Perhaps if you knew anything of honor you would recognize this fact.

Are you seriously so closed minded, or do you say the things you say merely to get a rise out of people? I know what my money's on.

Oh and BTW, Andy1972, I neither of the links you provided seem to be correct... Am I missing something?


[edit on 5/17/05 by The Axeman]

I just don't understand why Akilles repeated, almost word for word, the same post he made a few weeks ago.

Maybe he's like MUZAK on an elevator, you know how the tape is a constant loop that runs for 5 or 6 hrs. at a time. LOL