Free Catholic History Course

https://www.getprinciples.com/classes/christ-the-center-of-history/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=ad&utm_campaign=MW_CEC_118-44241_principles-promotions-fy22_20220131_DSOC22&utm_content=education_membership_nil_nil&sc=DSOC22&mwm_id=23850298993830077&mwsc=CEC-118-DSOC22&fbclid=IwAR0FU-XzybcJ33S7_dxtSVYXQEyw-NYac7RgxVYRnqoc_zWD4pHHZOilUII

This one just came across my Facebook feed. Looks interesting. I may enroll.

 

You can cut off most of that URL and it still works: https://www.getprinciples.com/classes/christ-the-center-of-history/

 

I ran into a bit of a situation with Catholic History, some years back.

About 15 years ago, as my family was 100% Catholic by that time (except me) I decided to take a series of Catholicism lessons from an instruction website led by a priest, in Western Canada. The lessons were inexpensive -something like $7-10 apiece and for every one completed you got a nice printed diploma in the mail. I had, I think, seven or eight of them.

Everything was fine for quite a while. I got high marks, up there with students with names like "Eduardo Rodriguez" and even "Sister Maria so-and so" (These are similar- not exact). Then it happened. The priest wrote a little note, congratulating me on my marks, adding: "As was said at the victory over the Albigensian heresy, 'God will Know His own.' "

The priest said that to the wrong guy. Me. I knew the "victory over the Albigensian heresy" meant the massacre at Béziers in 1209, where somewhere between 10,000 and 20,000 people - Catholics and "heretic" Cathars alike, were killed, on a Papal-sanctioned "Crusade." The Abbot, Arnaud Amalric, was asked by soldiers what they should do, as some of the citizens of Béziers were Catholics and some were the "heretic" Cathars and nobody could tell them apart, with any certainty.

His answer: "Kill them all. God will know his own." So, I knew where I stood. I ripped up all the diplomas and never contacted the school again. End of story, for me and Catholicism. Christianity and all other religions. I'm fine with the believers - and even some of the clerics - all faiths. But the faiths themselves I want nothing more to do with. Thanks to this ONE priest. Good job, Father!

A guy who can celebrate that - and they make him a priest? Wow!

I kept the frames. My College and Uni papers were already taken care of. My cert. in Islamic Banking and Finance is in one frame I kept. (I took it for non-religious reasons.) My Psych. of Human Sexuality cert. is in another. A couple hold Computer Programming thingies - and there's one each for Gardening and Photography. I need to get a nice new one for my Fashion design diploma...

 

Postscript:

I always thought priests celebrated Mass - not Massacres.

You can read about the tragedies of Béziers and Carcassonne here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massacre_at_Béziers

There is a board game called Carcassonne. I'm not one for games but I'm informed it's not about the siege during the Albigensian Crusade. It's quite artistic - and about building something good - and shaping a fine French landscape to suit what you build. You don't get to kill ANYONE. Something FAR more constructive than the soldiers of the Medieval Church did there.

Some game details here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carcassonne_(board_game)

 

I enrolled. I will specifically look for any mention of the Albigensian heresy,

NB. This course (and others,) does require one to join 'Principles.'

"Principles offers free articles with thoughtful, yet accessible commentary animated by the joyful, lived experience of the Catholic faith. Principles draws on the fruits of the authentically Catholic liberal arts"

Though FREE ,- Have no doubt, they will be asking for donations. Makes me think of the publication put out by Hillsdale College, ImPrimus. Also free, but they do ask for donations.

 

The course consists of five lectures presented by Christendom College's President. I viewed the first lecture. Course content includes Hebrew, Greek, and Roman Civilizations. Course content is very similar to my University of South Africa BA program - Language and Litritury - Early World Civilizations. The message of this Christendom College course is the Incarnation of Christ is the most significant event ever Everything that occurred before was preparation for Christ.'s Incarnation. Anything after harkens back. Jesus Christ is at the center of time.

 

I'm sure you won't find it, Charles. Or the Inquisition either. Or the Borgia Popes. or pedophile priests, or...
Albigensian Heresy = the Cathars. Look them up. Modern estimates are that up to 1 million were killed by forces acting for the Catholic Church.

"Between 1022 and 1163, the Cathars were condemned by eight local church councils, the last of which, held at Tours, declared that all Albigenses should be put into prison and have their property confiscated."

1209 - 1229 Albigensian Crusade
Casualties and losses
At least 200,000 to at most 1,000,000 Cathars killed

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albigensian_Crusade

 

One word: Genocide.

 

People are awful.

 

Perhaps Ronald Knox has something to say about all this? Check out his book Enthusiasm.

 

I'm no Romanist; I am about as Protestant as one can be (e.g., Reformed, Calvinistic, and I've likely read more Luther than Luther himself). However, I'd caution you regarding thinking about a theologically and socially diverse world religion like Roman Catholicism through the lens of an admittedly horrendous interaction. Indeed, many of those magisterial reformers that I identify with were murdered by the Church. The RCC is broad, very theologically diverse, and among those myriad expressions of the RCC, there are certainly some worthwhile considerations. For example, I find Peter D. Williams (i.e., a noted RC voice) to be evenhanded, reflective, honest, and worthwhile.

 

And nowadays, I am about as Atheist as one can be ... or "Godless Heathen," if you prefer...

Then I assume you're familiar with his "On the Jews and Their Lies" - a most hateful work: "We are at fault if not slaying them (Jews)."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Jews_and_Their_Lies

You guys carry on, if you want to. I'm outa this thread. Too much stinky wicked stuff associated with the topic. I'm sure your Jesus never intended all these things to happen --- but they DID.

 

People have done things in the names of pretty much every religion, including atheism. It's not religion that sucks, it's people and people using it (or their lack thereof) as an excuse.

 

All done by wicked, wicked men. In His name!

 

Ironically enough, its precisely because of human inconsistency, change, and personal reformation that I can appreciate true statements no matter who makes them. Such is life under common grace. Btw, ever heard of the genetic fallacy? And yes, I've read it. Luther, like most brilliant men, was a complex individual who's views were transient, context bound, and complicated. But then again, if the bar for acceptability is a moral one, I suppose I'd need to disregard everything you write Johann. Moreover, had you familiarized yourself w/ the NT, you might have observed the similarities between your comment and a few well-known Pauline statements. Maybe that was intended on your part.

 

And I've read Mein Kampf. Was the author, "like most brilliant men, a complex individual whose views were transient, context bound, and complicated?" If so, THAT would handily explain everything away, I suppose. (Newsflash. It doesn't, in either case.)

And no - I wasn't consciously making Pauline statements. The preacher-formerly-known-as-Saul broke Christ's admonition to keep His teachings within the Jewish community - not for Gentiles, He specifically said so, per the Bible. Breaking that wish of Christ's and making a separate religion were the start of the trouble. I don't believe in His Divinity - far too many reputed "sons of God" in His time - but I DO admire the historical Jesus. A Man of love and conviction

People should have obeyed His wishes regarding His teachings.

 

And, if memory serves, according to writings of the period, there were a surprising number of Virgin Birth claims for other individuals in those years as well. Not that it matters - or should, as I see it. People lied about all sorts of things then - and they do today. Some even come here to DI to do it. Human nature.

 

Category error. Moreover, if you'd read the relevant work by Luther and understood the historical and social context in which it was written, you'd know better than to make such a comparison.

See above.

I'd like to know where you received this bit of erroneous information since you certainly didn't get it from the NT (cf. Acts 9:15). Perhaps before making such grandiose statements you should familiarize yourself with the basic facts. As far as your love for the "historical Jesus," am I correct in assuming by "historical Jesus" you don't mean the Jesus of the canon? If that is the case, I'd said your "historical Jesus" has more to do with the acids of modernity than actual history.

 

You're welcome to your opinion.

Yes.

I did - as much as I could stomach. It was really awful. And there is no room for excuse or mitigation. Luther was pi... er, miffed, because he had failed, in an earlier attempt to convert Jews. So, persecution, harm and even killing them presented itself (to him) as a viable alternative. Times and circumstances not important to me. That crap (Antisemitism of all varieties) just plain don't fly in the universe I inhabit. YMMV of course.

Yes, I did. It's here:
“Do not go in the way of the Gentiles,” He said, “and do not enter any city of the Samaritans; but rather go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matthew 10:5-6)

Again, you're entitled to your opinion.

Then, Please! By all means, do so.

My son wrote something in his teens that stuck with me:
"Don't take yourself too seriously - you'll soon be gone." Applies to both of us I think.

Toodles. -J.