todays terrorists will be yesterdays heretics

with all this news of torture surfacing lately it made me see the similarities between the war on terror, and the inquistion in western europe. ok, it is not as harsh as getting burnt at the stake yet. but i am beginning to see a pattern developing. first you get the public accustomed to the idea of torture, as in its ok to do it if it saves lives by preventing terrorist attacks. after a while we will gradually get de-sensitized by it and it will become more widespread with less and less reasons for doing it. (maybe done out of public eye, but information will be leaked to the media).
the only difference is that instead of 'heretics' (or any belief other than the church) now it is 'terrorists' (or any belief which contradicts western values/religions).
The inquisition started because it feared other religions would become more popular than Roman Catholicism. now we see islam becoming increasingly popular and the west wants to stop its popularity by lablleling them 'terroists' and using scare tactics against them. If or when the number of muslims decreases then other incompatable religions will be targeted, then it will be anyone who is 'unpatriotic'....roll on new world order.
thats my prediction anyway, what do ya think?

There is a certian truth there.... in a sence it is a type of inquisition. but the current events are a powerless peoples atempts to make war with the beast. America is the best make no dowbts about it... it is not how it should have been , or was intended, it is a outcome of fear and coldwar mentality. we are so afraid to lose our first place position that we will stangle the world before we stop living Comfort Eagle

Shame we have to use force for others to accept our way of life.
i was looking into how the inquisition worked, (taken from (www.crf-usa.org...)

When the Inquisition came to a suspected area, the local bishop assembled the people to hear the inquisitor preach against heresy. He would announce a grace period of up to a month for heretics to confess their guilt, recant, and inform on others.

During this period, the Inquisition would collect accusations. If two witnesses under oath accused someone of heresy, the accused person would be summoned to appear. Opinions, prejudices, rumors, and gossip were all accepted as evidence. The accused was never told the names of the accusers, nor even the exact charges.

Inquisitors examined the accused in secret. Anyone who refused to confess immediately was assumed to be guilty. Inquisitors were trained only in religion, and they would try to trap the accused with religious questions. For example, an inquisitor might ask, "Do you believe what the holy church believes?"

"I am a faithful Christian," the fearful suspect might reply.

"So!" the inquisitor might shout. "We already know you believe in heresies! You're saying your beliefs are the true Christianity and the church is false!"

No lawyers were allowed, because it was considered heresy to defend a heretic. The only possible escape was to recant as quickly as possible and name the names of other heretics.

Government authorities worked closely with the Inquisition. They would deliver the accused to the inquisitors, and, when asked, they would torture those who refused to recant. During torture, the religious inquisitors would stand by as witnesses to record confessions or take down the names of other heretics. The government also carried out the final sentence of imprisonment or death.

Those who recanted immediately might receive a fairly light sentence -- saying prayers, fasting, being whipped in public, or making a pilgrimage. Some who recanted were forced to wear a yellow cross of felt sewn on all their clothing. The cross marked them as a former heretic, and many people would stay away from them in fear.

Many who refused to recant right away were sentenced to prison for life. If they refused to recant at all, the Inquisition turned them over to government authorities to be burned alive. Some inquisitors were so thorough that they went after the dead. If a dead person was accused of heresy, his or her bones could be dug up and burned.

For most accused heretics, there was no appeal. A few rich or powerful people might beg the pope to change a sentence, but for most of the condemned, the sentence was final. The families of those sent to prison or to the stake lost their property.

Similarities:
1)in the USA and probably the UK secret military hearings (with no legal defence) are on the agenda where suspected terrorists are being arressted with no charge, no evidence and possibly facing death penalties.

2)people being tortured into admintting they are a terrorist.

3)People are being encouraged to spy on each other. and inform on anyone who is a suspected terrorist.

4)Laws being introduced in the UK which allow the courts to seize money from convicted crminials (terrorists) if they suspect it was earned illegally.

5) No id cards for suspected terrorists. like the former heretics who were shunned and made to wear different clothing.

it just seems to me like everything is going full circle.

Originally posted by no_name
now we see islam becoming increasingly popular and the west wants to stop its popularity by lablleling them 'terroists' and using scare tactics against them. If or when the number of muslims decreases then other incompatable religions will be targeted, then it will be anyone who is 'unpatriotic'....roll on new world order.
thats my prediction anyway, what do ya think?

The fastest growing religion in the world and in America.

Most converts to Islam are Christians.

Your theory may be true, I see why not.