WHAT!! …Christian Antisemitism’?!?! -7

   I have spent the last 6 tidbits writing just ‘some’ of the terrible things past church leaders have said about Jews; however, those were just words! Now, what’s even worse…are the things that actually happened. In other words, whether the words of past ‘Christian’ leaders directly inspired the past horrendous violence against Jews or not, the acts of unmitigated terror—both past and present--require tears and introspection from every Christian…because as ongoing demonstrations around the world against Israel after the infamous October 7, 2023 Hamas attack testify--antisemitism is still alive and well!!
   Although there were many Catholic European Inquisitions, I would like to begin with what is arguably the most brutal: the Spanish Inquisition , beginning in 1478. Tragically, and of course unbiblically, the Spanish sought to uncover and destroy a “heresy” among baptized Jews. The Catholics created names for these Jews:
1.The Conversos, which referred to those Jews who were new converts.  
2.Marranos, which referred to those who were converts but still secretly
   practicing Judaism.
   The Church in Spain determined these groups needed to be watched closely to weed-out heretical practices. And, what was their heresy? “failure to eat pork; failure to work on Saturday; failure to where their best clothes on Sunday; keeping the Biblical feasts; observing Jewish customs of any kind; saying Jewish prayers; preparing food according to Jewish law; associating with non-baptized Jews; intermarriage of children of Marrano families with children of other Marrano families.”* Biblically, none of these things are heresy, but were invented accusations, unveiling the actually motive of the Inquisitions: antisemitism, i.e.Jew-hatred.
  Shockingly, many Jews were forced to adopt Spanish Catholicism to avoid torture, and even death. However, because conversion to Christ can only occur through love(2Cor5:14**) and free choice (Rom10:9,10); and because these Spanish Jews were converted by force, means more than likely, few became authentic Christians. And what’s worse, because these ‘so-called Christians’ tried to convert the Jews using force, means few of these Spanish Catholics were themselves ever actually converted to Christ!!
   Let’s allow Dr Michael Brown to continue to tell this absolute horror story. “Violators, or frequently those merely accused of being violators, would have their property confiscated. They would be subjected to harsh confinement and horrible torture, leading to mock trials, degradation and often death at the stake. If those sentenced to die would renounce their “heresies” and publicly confess ‘the Faith’, then the Church would show them mercy: they would be strangled and then put to the flame, burned dead instead of alive!”
“It is estimated that 30,000 Marranos were burned at the stake in Spanish Inquisitions from the fifteenth century until 1808. In addition to this, in 1492, all non-baptized Jews were expelled from the country. Stripped of their possessions, and without any means to defend themselves, the sentence of mass expulsion against these poor souls was virtually a sentence to mass death. Those who “converted” did not fare much better—they were treated as second-class citizens by the other Catholics, and just one wrong move could consign them to the fire.”  (pg78)
“Baptized Jews who wavered but then wanted to be reconciled to the Church were subjected to an act of penance called the “verguenza”(“shame”). They were paraded through the streets, men and women alike, bareheaded, barefooted, and naked to the waist. The procession was headed by a group of monks, followed by the half-naked penitents, cruel physical discomfort being added to their mental torture, for the weather was so raw and cold that it had been considered expedient to provide them with sandals, lest they should have found it impossible to walk.
   They held unlit candles in their hands (indicating that they were yet in spiritual darkness), and they were marched through the city until they arrived at the Cathedral. A chaplain would make the sign of the cross on the foreheads of these Jews---many of whom had been prominent citizens and respected leaders of their city before the Jew-hate craze erupted---and then he would recite these words: “Receive the Sign of the Cross which you denied, and which, being deluded, you lost.”
   After this, a sermon would be preached, and the sentence would be announced: They were to be whipped in procession on each of the following six Fridays, being naked to the waist, bareheaded and barefooted; they were to fast on each of those six Fridays, and they were disqualified for the rest of their lives from holding office, benefice, or honorable employment, and from using gold, silver, precious stones, or fine fabrics.
   When their six-week penance was completed, they had to give alms to the extent of one-fifth of the value of their property.
   THIS was how ‘the church’ treated those who returned to the fold!”  (pg78-79)
 
   Tens of thousands of Spanish Jews were humiliated, tortured, and murdered…in the NAME of Jesus, the Jewish Messiah! I have two questions:
            1.What scripture did these pseudo-Christians use to support these
                 actions?
            2.From what example of Jesus did they use to behave in this
​               manner?
 
   On the contrary, the people*** that did these things were demon-possessed!!!
 
 
*“Our Hands are Stained with Blood” Dr Michael Brown pg 77
** “…love of Christ controls us…” 2Cor5:14 (NAS)
***I will not call them Christians!!!