Clergy Quotes
Spinoza’s ideas were considered so radical and dangerous that he was the only man in history who was excommunicated by the Catholics, the Jews and the Muslims. This quotation, in the 17th century outraged almost every cleric. This is one of the strongest and unequivocal statements about the desirability of separation of church and state. Interestingly, as early as this statement was, Spinoza believed that harm extended to both religion and government.
Jefferson wrote his friend that the New England clergy had opposed him because he would block their efforts to merge church and state. Inscribed in the rotunda of the Jefferson Memorial in Washington DC. The third sentence is often quoted without the first two.
Executed by the English for his part in the Easter Uprising. His observations seem even more prescient as later theocracies like Iran ruined their societies and progress and twisted the Islamic religion. Ireland’s independence did not separate the state from the control and influence of the Roman Catholic Church despite the warnings of Connolly and others. However, conflict with the Church in 2010 over the church sexually assaulting children and impeding the civil authorities from investigating and protecting the criminals led to a reexamination and a diminution of the role of the church in Ireland.
Poland was one of the Nazi occupied nations which cooperated in the mass murder of Jews and facilitated the Holocaust. Even after the war, much of the Polish Catholic clergy maintained virulent anti-Semitic views and in 1946 Polish thugs with the encouragement of some priests engaged in a pogrom in Kielce of returning Polish Jewish refugees. Catholic Primate of Poland, Augustus Hlond, made numerous anti-Semitic statements further exacerbating the problem. Many cast blame on Pope Pius XII who was not very vocal during the Nazi era regarding the ill treatment and murder of Jews, Gypsies, and handicapped, giving a “green light” to the Polish Prelate and those lower anti-Semitic priests. Papal apologists note that Hitler could have turned on the Catholic Church; the Pope had to walk a fine line between condemning evil and risking the welfare of the Church. Nonetheless, many Catholic priests risked and some lost their lives speaking out against the Nazi evil and protecting Nazi targets.
The Fascist Dictator hinted at all the Church property that the State might seize and began to place taxes on the Church and in a brilliant political stroke actually negotiated the Lateran Pacts of 1929 with the Church whereby the Dictator would guarantee all the churches property and protect its officials end exempt the church from taxation and all the Church had to do was have all their Italian Bishops swear to this oath of political support for the dictatorial fascist state and its outrages and aggression and denial of rights. He actually have the church more religious power than they had enjoyed in Italy for years. For example he turned over the public school curriculum to the church with no other religion considered. Despite thus oath of the Italian bishops, there were a number of individual Catholic priests who aided the anti-Fascist resistance, but for the most part Mussolini bought the political and moral support of the Catholic Church. Apologists for the Church at the time point out that the entire Vatican and the Pope was totally within the dictator’s span of control, and he could jail any of the Holy see who criticized him or have them executed as he did so many others. He could also loot the Vatican and sell off holy relics and other object to finance his wars of aggression and his alliance with Hitler. They argue that there was nothing any priests could say that would break the iron hold Mussolini had on Italy and at least, the priests could perform their pastoral functions so long as they supported the Fascists. The debate continues to this day. However, after WWII Italians left the Catholic Church in droves and it is one of the least religious states in Europe.
Ingersoll was considered to be the greatest orator and political thinker of his day, but his overt atheistic views curtailed his elected political career.
The city was besieged by the Ottoman Turks. The Emperor stayed and died in the siege. Ironically, if he had escaped earlier and allowed the city to surrender to the Sultan and his troops, very few of the city residents would have died, and the rapine and pillaging never would have occurred. The negative result is that the Muslims would have controlled what was regarded by many Christians as a holy Christian city. But that is exactly what occurred.
