musicology1985;1627933 said:
There's really nothing else for me to elaborate on in regards to the subject. I've covered everything that I needed to.
I am disappointed in Disciplined though for bringing up that book and not following through on it. I thought that he would have had a rebuttal by now.
Don't be...because I wasn't done.
major pain;1627806 said:
People got quiet around here...
A few excerpts from that same book...
On the night of the 13th of October, all the Templars in the French dominions were simultaneously arrested. Monks were appointed to preach against them in the public places of Paris,
and in the gardens of the Palais Royale; and advantage was taken of the folly, the superstition, and the credulity of the age, to propagate the most horrible and extravagant charges against the order.
They were accused of worshipping an idol covered with an old skin, embalmed, having the appearance of a piece of polished oil-cloth. "In this idol," we are assured, "there were two carbuncles for eyes, bright as the brightness of heaven, and it is certain that all the hope of the Templars was placed in it; it was their sovereign god, and they trusted in it with all their heart." They are accused of burning the bodies of the deceased brethren, and making the ashes into a powder, which they administered to the younger brethren in their food and drink, to make them hold fast their faith and idolatry; of cooking and roasting infants, and anointing their idols with the fat; of celebrating hidden rites and mysteries, to which young and tender virgins were introduced, and of a variety of abominations too absurd and horrible to be named.
And the crimes they were accused of...remember Major, your fraternity is a historic and direct linkage to the Templars.
1. That at their first reception into the order, or at some time afterwards, or as soon as an opportunity occurred, they were induced or admonished by those who had received them within the bosom of the fraternity, to deny Christ or Jesus, or the crucifixion,
"2. That the brothers jointly did this.
"3. That the greater part of them did it.
"4. That they did it sometimes after their reception.
5. That the receivers told and instructed those that were received, that Christ was not the true God, or sometimes Jesus, or sometimes the person crucified.
"6. That they told those they received that he was a false prophet.
"7. That they said he had not suffered for the redemption of mankind, nor been crucified but for his own sins.
"8. That neither the receiver nor the person received had any hope of obtaining salvation through him, and this they said to those they received, or something equivalent, or like it.
"9. That they made those they received into the order spit upon the cross, or upon the sign or figure of the cross, or the image of Christ, though they that were received did sometimes spit aside.
"10. That they caused the cross itself to be trampled under foot.
"11. That the brethren themselves did sometimes trample on the same cross.
A.D. 1309."15. That they did these things in contempt of Christ and the orthodox faith.
"16. That they did not believe the sacrament of the altar.
"17. That some of them did not.
"18. That the greater part did not.
"19. That they believed not the other sacraments of the church.
"20. That the priests of the order did not utter the words by which the body of Christ is consecrated in the canon of the mass.
"21. That some of them did not.
"22. That the greater part did not.
"23. That those who received them enjoined the same.
"24. That they believed, and so it was told them, that the Grand Master of the order could absolve them from their sins.
"25. That the visitor could do so.
"26. That the preceptors, of whom many were laymen, could do it.
"27. That they in fact did do so.
"28. That some of them did.
"29. That the Grand Master confessed these things of himself, even before he was taken, in the presence of great persons.
"30. That in receiving brothers into the order, or when about to receive them, or some time after having received them, the receivers and the persons received kissed one another on the mouth, the navel. . . . . . . !!
. . . . . . . . .
"36. That the receptions of the brethren were made clandestinely.
"37. That none were present but the brothers of the said order.
p. 218
The succeeding articles proceed to charge the Templars with crimes and abominations too horrible and disgusting to be named.
"46. That the brothers themselves had idols in every province, viz. heads; some of which had three faces, and some one, and some a man's skull.
"47. That they adored that idol, or those idols, especially in their great chapters and assemblies.
"48. That they worshipped it.
"49. As their God.
"50. As their Saviour.
"51. That some of them did so.
"52. That the greater part did.
"53. That they said that that head could save them.
"54. That it could produce riches.
"56. That it had given to the order all its wealth.
"56. That it caused the earth to bring forth seed.
"57. That it made the trees to flourish.
"58. That they bound or touched the head of the said idols with cords, wherewith they bound themselves about their shirts, or next their skins.
"59. That at their reception the aforesaid little cords, or others of the same length, were delivered to each of the brothers.
"60. That they did this in worship of their idol.
"61. That it was enjoined them to gird themselves with the said little cords, as before mentioned, and continually to wear them.
"62. That the brethren of the order were generally received in that manner.
. . . . . . . . .