Page 551 - Way of Life Encyclopedia of the Bible Christianity. Based on the King James Bible

ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH

mangled pieces of their own bodies, with urine, or Germany, Netherlands, Bohemia and other countries
excrement. At night, the victims of the Inquisition were were murdered by the harlot “church.”
chained closely to the floor or wall where they were a A warning to separatists today. The Roman Catholic
helpless prey to the rats and vermin that populated Church and the papacy is possibly the most power
those bloody torture chambers. hungry institution in the world. The pope claims
The religious intolerance that prompted the Inquisition absolute authority over, not only all Christians, but the
caused wars which involved entire cities. In 1209 the
city of Beziers was taken by men who had been entire world, including civil governments and non-
promised by the pope that by engaging in the crusade Christian religions. Whenever possible, the pope has
against heretics they would at death bypass purgatory exercised this authority without mercy. “However much
and immediately enter heaven. Sixty thousand, it is Roman priests in our own country [America] may cry
reported, in this city perished by the sword while blood ‘tolerance,’ the official ‘infallible’ law of the System to
flowed in the streets. At Lavaur in 1211 the governor which they belong is against it. Romanists are in favor
was hanged on a gibbet and his wife thrown into a of tolerance only in countries where they are in the
well and crushed with stones. Four hundred people in minority. The papacy has fought religious freedom at
this town were burned alive. The crusaders attended every step” (Halley). Whenever and wherever the pope
high mass in the morning, then proceeded to take can rule, he WILL rule. History proves this.
other towns of the area. In this siege, it is estimated
that 100,000 Albigenses (Protestants) fell in one day. “Christian church unity must center on Rome, Pope
Their bodies were heaped together and burned. John Paul II told some 30,000 Catholic and Protestant
At the massacre of Merindol, five hundred women youths gathered in Rome for an end-of-the-year
were locked in a barn which was set on fire. If any ecumenical peace vigil. The European youths, led by
leaped from windows, they were received on the points Roger Schutz of the famed ecumenical community of
of spears. Women were openly and pitifully violated. Taize, France, met in Rome December 27 through
Children were murdered before their parents who were January 1981, for a pilgrimage of prayer in the parish
powerless to protect them. Some people were hurled churches and catacombs of Rome. ... Meeting with
from cliffs or stripped of clothing and dragged through them December 30 in St. Peter’s Basilica, Pope John
the streets. Similar methods were used in the massacre Paul focused on two themes: church unity and
of Orange in 1562. The Italian army was sent by Pope reconciliation, and the Christian task of building a
Pius IV and commanded to slay men, women, and ‘civilization of love’ in the world ... he said, ‘THIS
children. The command was carried out with terrible UNITY OF THE CHURCH, given by Christ, marred by
cruelty, the people being exposed to shame and torture Christians and therefore ceaselessly to be rebuilt, WAS
of every description. ... ESPECIALLY ENTRUSTED TO THE APOSTLE PETER ...
TO PETER ALONE ... EVERY CHURCH DESIRING TO
An illustration from Ridpath’s History of the World is PRESERVE THE APOSTOLIC TRADITION MUST FOR
hanging by his feet in stocks. The fire is heating a THIS PURPOSE MAKE SURE IT REMAINS IN
poker to brand him and blind his eyes. COMMUNION WITH ROME.’ The pope also bluntly
Some of the popes that today are acclaimed as ‘great’ rejected non-institutional Christianity” (Why Were Our
by the Romish church lived and thrived during those Reformers Burned).
days. Why didn’t they open the dungeon doors and This rejection of non-institutional Christianity refers
quench the murderous fires that blackened the skies of to, N.T. churches outside of an organizational hierarchy.
Europe for centuries? If the selling of indulgences, or
people worshiping statues as idols, or popes living in If Bible-believing Christians do not wake up and fight
immorality can be explained as ‘abuses’ or excused with their spiritual weapons (Ephesians 6) against this
because these things were done contrary to the official growing ecumenical monster, we who live in countries
laws of the church, what can be said about the that allow freedom of religious worship could within
Inquisition? It cannot be explained away as easily, for one generation find ourselves, or our children, in
though sometimes torture was carried out beyond bondage to a world church headed by the Roman pope.
what was actually prescribed, the fact remains that the The Bible does not promise that we will be taken out
Inquisition was ordered by papal decree and confirmed of the world without experiencing the beginnings of
by pope after pope! (Woodrow, Babylon Mystery
Religion, pp. 105-109). bondage to the world church. We will not see its
We have seen only a minuscule part of the awful culmination. We will not see the revelation of the
slaughter unleashed by the RCC upon those who dared Antichrist, but we could very well see the days when the
to question its “authority” and separate from it to form harlot church begins to enjoy success in the
N.T. churches. “The number of martyrs under papal consolidation of worldwide power. In fact, missionaries
persecutions far outnumbered the early Christian and Christian workers the world over are already
martyrs under pagan Rome. Hundreds of thousands experiencing many forms of hindrance and persecution
among the Albigenses, Waldenses, and Protestants of from this ecumenical spirit.

Way of Life Encyclopedia of the Bible & Christianity 551