REVELATION 17 - CLUE (6)
CLUE (6) - The “great whore” has persecuted and killed saints of God living on the earth. (Revelation 17:6 -Douay-Rheims Catholic Bible).
MARTYRDOM OF RIDLEY AND LATIMER
BURNED AT STAKE
WILLIAM TYNDALE BURNED ALIVE
BY CATHOLIC CHURCH ON OCTOBER 6, 1536
FOR TRANSLATING BIBLE INTO ENLISH
The following quotes exemplify the “Great Whore’s” murderous nature…
[Begin Quote] - Alexander Campbell, well known religions leader of the nineteenth century, stated in debate with John B. Purcell, Bishop of Cincinnati, in 1837 that the records of historians and martyrologists show that it may be reasonable to estimate that from fifty to sixty-eight millions of human beings died, suffered torture, lost their possessions, or were otherwise devoured by the Roman Catholic Church during the awful years of the Inquisition. Bishop Purcell made little effort to refute these figures. -- (Citing A Debate on the Roman Catholic Religion, Christian Publishing Co., 1837, p. 327.) – [END QUOTE] [1]
[BEGIN QUOTE] - Let us keep a sense of proportion. The record of Christianity from the days when it first obtained the power to persecute is one of the most ghastly in history. The total number of Manichaeans, Arians, Priscillianists, Paulicians, Bogomils, Cathari, Waldensians, Albigensians, witches, Lollards, Hussites, Jews and Protestants killed because of their rebellion against Rome clearly runs to many millions; and beyond these actual executions or massacres is the enormously larger number of those who were tortured, imprisoned, or beggared. I am concerned rather with the positive historical aspect of this. In almost every century a large part of the race has endeavored to reject the Christian religion, and, if in those centuries there had been the same freedom as we enjoy, Roman Catholicism would, in spite of the universal ignorance, have shrunk long ago into a sect. The religious history of Europe has never yet been written. --The Story of Religious Controversy Chapter XXIII by Joseph McCabe (an atheist) who lived from 1867 to 1955. – [END QUOTE] [2]
[BEGIN QUOTE] - Some have computed, that, from the year 1518 to 1548, fifteen million Protestants have perished by the Inquisition. This may be overcharged, but certainly the number of them in these years, as well as since is almost incredible. To these we may add innumerable martyrs, in ancient, middle, and late ages, in Bohemia, Germany, Holland, France, England, Ireland, and many other parts of Europe, Africa, and Asia. (From the commentary on the book of Revelation in Wesley’s Explanatory Notes on the New Testament, 1755) - [END QUOTE] [3]
Inquisition, a judicial procedure and later an institution that was established by the papacy . . . . to combat heresy.
(https://www.britannica.com/search?query=inquisiton)
Heresy, any belief or theory that is strongly at variance with established beliefs or customs, particularly the accepted beliefs or religious law of a religious organization. A heretic is a proponent of heresy. Heresy in [“professed”] Christianity has at times been met with censure ranging from excommunication to the death penalty.
(https://www.britannica.com/topic/heresy)
[BEGIN QUOTE] - The Roman Catholic Church, satisfied that it is the true church armed with an infallible authority . . . . denounces doctrines or opinions that it considers heretical [to its beliefs]. People were often tortured to force religious conversions to Roman Catholicism. They also faced torture because they may have committed heresy against the Roman Catholic Church. Thousands sere tortured during the Spanish Inquisition on the pretext of religious heresy, although Inquisitors were often motivated by more earthly concerns—they took over the estates and wealth of their victims. [END QUOTE] [4]
Although heresy was a capital offense in virtually all the states of western Europe, some rulers—for example, the kings of Castile and England—refused to license the inquisition. Even where it did operate—in much of Italy and in kingdoms such as France and Aragon—the inquisition relied entirely on the secular authorities to arrest and execute those whom it named and to defray all its expenses. The money came partly from the sale of the confiscated property of convicted heretics.
https://www.britannica.com/topic/inquisition/Early-modern-Europe)
Ferdinand and Isabella, the Spanish Catholic monarchs, established the Tribunal of the Holy Office of the Inquisition in 1478. Commonly referred to as the Spanish Inquisition, all of Spain and its colonies in Europe and the Americas fell under its authority. Initially, it was created to ensure orthodoxy from those Christians that had converted from Judaism and Islam. Royal decrees issued in 1492 and 1502 demanded that all Jews and Muslims convert to [‘professed’] Christianity [Roman Catholicism] or leave Spain. At the same time of these decrees, Spain had claimed much of the New World for itself and began a process of spreading Christianity [Roman Catholicism] over thousands of miles.
Charges of heresy were serious offenses. When a person violated the important teachings of Christianity, the Inquisition Tribunal would charge them as a heretic. If they confessed, their punishment was not too harsh. If they refused to confess, they were tortured until officials heard a confession. The Inquisition in Spain looked different from the Inquisition in New Spain, Peru, New Granada, or Rio de la Plata. The Inquisition began in the fifteenth century and was brutally harsh. When it finally ended in the nineteenth century, its authoritative power had greatly subsided.
(https://www.britannica.com/topic/inquisition/Early-modern-Europe) --
Below is a photo of an Inquisition torture chamber and photos of several torture methods used by Roman Catholic officials during the Spanish Inquisition in the New World . . .
ROMAN CATHOLIC TORTURE CHAMBER
SPANISH INQUISITION
THE STRAPPADO
USEAGE OF STRAPPADO . . . The use of the strappado or Corda had three variations. The accused would have their hands tied behind their back, similar in nature to modern-day handcuffing. A rope would be tied to the wrists and passed over a pulley, beam, or hook, depending upon the place where the torture took place. As the accused was pulled off of the ground, they were hanging from their arms. Variations on the strappado included using weights to cause more resistance and pain. The inverted and extended shoulders would separate from their sockets. At times, jerking the hanging victim would cause the shoulders to break. An especially torturous variation on the strappado was tying the wrists of the accused in front along with the ankles, then adding weights before pulling the victim off of the ground to hang.
Even in its less-invasive state, the strappado would separate the shoulders and cause agonizing pain to the accused. Physical damage to the accused would be obvious to any onlookers as shoulders separated from their sockets. If the ankles were also tied, hips and legs would also suffer damage. – Of course, a person’s individual threshold for pain would have ultimately determined the strappado’s success of eliciting a confession or information sought by the tribunal.[5]
WATER-BOARDING
USEAGE OF WATER-BOARDING . . . During the Spanish Inquisition it was also called interrogatorio mejorado del agua. In modern times, this would be referred to as waterboarding. The idea behind it was to make the accused feel as if they were drowning.
The accused would lay on his or her back and be strapped to a board. Securing the ankles, wrists, arms, and legs was essential to prevent the accused from thrashing around. Once secured, a rag or some type of cloth would be inserted into the mouth. Officials of the tribunal would then pour water over the rag, mimicking the sensation of drowning.
This technique would be repeated, sometimes for days, until confessions came forth. Breathing would become increasingly difficult as the torture increased in frequency. At first, the accused would be given enough time to catch their breath . . . If no confession came, the length of water pouring would increase while the breaks for breath would decrease. Death was a distinct possibility. [6]
THE TORTURE RACK
USEAGE OF THE TORTURE RACK . . . The sounds of someone cracking their knuckles in a quiet space can be very annoying. The popping and cracking sounds can send shivers up someone’s spine. This simple act of self-soothing comfort in the modern world used to be an essential component to the most famous of Inquisition torture methods: the Rack.
The use of the rack dated back to ancient times and its purpose was to stretch out a human being. A person would be secured to a board at the wrists and the ankles with some type of cuff, then chains would be attached to the cuffs. The chains would be attached to a wheel and a crank would turn the wheel. As the chains were tightened, the body would stretch and joints, ligaments, and tendons would snap, crack, and pop.
Sounds produced by a body stretching may be one reason why this torture method had such a long life in human history. During the Inquisition, those accused of heresy were often required to witness torture. When the tendons and ligaments of a person on the rack began making noise, bystanders routinely offered up confessions. For the accused stretched out too much, their muscles would lose the ability to contract. Without elasticity of muscles, a person could no longer move on their own. For a person that survived long sessions of forced stretching, they could lose control of their bowels and other bodily functions and be permanently unable to move on their own.
Sometimes included with the rack were ancillary torture methods. For example, part of a person may be on a bed of nails or some other sharp objects. When the rack began to stretch them, the nails would slowly pierce the skin. The accused would feel the pain of being stretched as well as objects scraping against their skin. [7]
THE TORTURE CHAIR
USEAGE OF THE TORTURE CHAIR. . . To avoid movement, the victim's wrists were tied to the chair or, in one version, two bars pushed the arms against arm-rests for the spikes to penetrate the flesh even further. In some versions, there were holes under the chair's bottom where the torturer placed coal to cause severe burns while the victim still remained conscious.
This instrument's strength lies primarily in the psychological fear caused on the victims. It was a common practice to extract a confession by forcing the victim to watch someone else be tortured with this instrument.
The time of death greatly varied ranging from a few hours to a day or more. No spike penetrated any vital organ and the wound was closed by the spike itself which delayed blood loss greatly. [8]
THE BREAKING WHEEL (Version 1)
THE BREAKING WHEEL (Version 2)
USEAGE OF THE BREAKING WHEEL . . . Also known as the Catherine wheel, or simply the wheel, the breaking wheel crushed the limbs and bones of the condemned, sometimes over the course of several days.
To this day, the breaking wheel stands as one of history’s most gruesome methods of execution. Largely reserved for the worst criminals, its purpose was to inflict maximum pain and suffering, often before a large crowd.
In France, executioners often rotated the wheel while the prisoners were affixed to the outer perimeter and struck them with a cudgel as they went around. The number of blows they received was to be determined by the court on a case-by-case basis, with minor offenses resulting in one or two blows before being killed. The final, fatal blow to the neck or chest came to be known as the coups de grâce, the blow of mercy. [9]
THE JUDAS CRADLE TORTURE DEVICE
USEAGE OF THE JUDUS CRADLE . . . The Judas Cradle was a heavy, pyramid-shaped device made of wood. The main part consisted of a wooden stake that pointed upward, capped with a sharp pointed tip. This was supported, typically on four sides, by wooden beams to help keep the main stake in its upright position even with the added weight of the victim when the device was in use.
Before being tortured, the victim would have their hands and feet tied together so that they were unable to shift their weight easily. Then, using a series of ropes and pulleys, the torturers would lower the victim down onto the Judas Cradle. The victim was strategically placed over the device so that when they were lowered, their most delicate parts would be in direct contact with the pointed tip of the stake. [10]
IMPALEMENT STICKS
USEAGE OF IMPALEMENT STICKS . . . They usually reserved this punishment for ‘crimes against the state’ and it was considered one of the worst ways to go out. You might think it would be a quick death, but nothing is further from the truth. If it’s done properly, the victim could actually survive for several days. The trick was to avoid all the vital organs when shoving the pole through the victim. [11]
[BEGIN QUOTE] - The length of time which one managed to survive upon the stake is reported as quite varied, from a few seconds or minutes to a few hours or even a few days. The Dutch overlords at Batavia seem to have been particularly proficient in prolonging the lifetime of the impaled, one witnessing a man surviving six days on the stake, another hearing from local surgeons that some could survive eight days or more. A critical determinant for survival length seems to be precisely how the stake was inserted: If it went into the "interior" parts, vital organs could easily be damaged, leading to a swift death. However, by letting the stake follow the spine, the impalement procedure would not damage the vital organs, and the person could survive for several days. [END QUOTE] [12]
DUNKING STOOL
USEAGE OF DUNKING STOOL . . . The practice of ‘dunking’ involved the use of a chair or a stool attached to a long pole or beam that could be swung horizontally or vertically. The accused witch would be strapped or tied to the chair and then submerged or partially submerged in water, often a pond or a river. - - - On the one hand, if they didn’t confess, they’d be downed into the water until the victim lost consciousness and potentially died. On the other hand, if the victim confessed . . . ., they were thrown into the river anyway with stones tied around their body. So death was the most probable outcome, and only a few would survive this form of medieval torture.[13]
THE BRAZEN BULL
USEAGE OF BRAZEN BULL . . . The Brazen Bull, also known as the Sicilian Bull, is a gruesome torture device that originated in ancient Greece. It was basically a hollow brass statue that resembled a bull, designed for burning people.
The condemned person would be placed inside the bull, and a fire would be set underneath it, slowly heating the metal. As the temperature rose, the metal became scorching hot, causing the person inside to endure intense heat and pain whilst being slowly burned.
The bull’s construction was ingenious and amplified the cries and screams of the victim; the metal walls of the bull acted as a resonating chamber, converting the desperate pleas for mercy into haunting, bull-like sounds.
The intention behind the Brazen Bull was both physical and psychological. The victim would witness their impending doom as they were slowly roasted alive, while the agonizing screams would be transformed into haunting vibrations.
The psychological impact on both the victim and witnesses was immense, even instilling fear in the ones that were just watching the spectacle. In practice, this also led to a higher degree of obedience in the onlookers. For if you failed to obey, there was a potential that you’d end up inside the fiery bull. The use of the Brazen Bull was not limited to a particular group or time period. It found its way into various civilizations and historical periods, serving as a symbol of cruelty and inhumanity. [14]
SPANISH DONKEY
USEAGE OF SPANISH DONKEY . . . This device consisted of a triangular-shaped wooden plank or ‘saddle’. The wood was often adorned with spikes or sharp edges.
The victim – who was often stripped naked – had to sit on the exact edge of the device. In that sense, it sort of resembled the Judas Cradle. However, there was a definite difference. With the Spanish Donkey, the torturer would apply additional weights to the victim’s feet or tie them to the device, increasing the pressure and causing excruciating pain. This sadistic method aimed to inflict intense suffering, often resulting in severe injuries or death. [15]
SCAVENGER’S DAUGHTER TORTURE DEVICE (Version 1)
USEAGE OF THE SCAVENGER’S DAUGHTER TORTURE DEVICE (VERSION 1) … A scavenger’s daughter [Version 1] by definition was a kind of torture device that compressed the body of the victim in painful proportions.
This was the opposite of torture compared to the famous Rack where the victim’s body was stretched and limbs torn apart. The torture of compressing the body of the victim was used to obtain confessions of the crimes and this was considered a completely legitimate way of getting confessions.[16]
SCAVENGER’S DAUGHTER TORTURE DEVICE (Version 2)
USEAGE OF THE SCAVENGER’S DAUGHTER TORTURE DEVICE (VERSION 2) … The device consisted of a metal rack shaped into an A-frame; the victim's head was strapped to the top point of the A, the hands at the midpoint, and the legs at the lower spread ends. The frame could fold, swinging the head down and forcing the knees up into a sitting position, compressing the body so as to force blood from the nose and ears. [17]
FEMALE BREAST RIPPER
USEAGE OF BREAST RIPPER . . . Used as a way to punish women, the breast ripper was a painful and cruel way to mutilate a woman's breasts.-- The claws were used either hot or cold on the victim's exposed breasts. If the victim wasn't killed she would be scarred for life as her breasts were literally torn apart.
THE SPIDER BREAST RIPPER
A common variant of the breast ripper is often referred to as "The Spider" which is a similar instrument attached to a wall. The victim's breasts were fixed to the claws and the woman was pulled by the torturer away from the wall; successfully removing them. [18]
THE PEAR OF ANGUISH
USEAGE OF PEAR OF ANGUISH . . . The Pear of Anguish, also known as the choke pear or mouth pear, is a pear-shaped device that emerged at the end of the middle ages and early modern period.
This choke pear basically had a metal body that was divided into spoon-like segments. These segments could be expanded by using a spring mechanism or a key.
The use of the Pear of Anguish focused on inflicting pain, gagging, or simply mutilating the victim in any way possible. The usage of the pear depended on the specific crime that was committed by the offender. You had either a choke pear, which was an oral device inserted into the victim’s mouth, or anal and vaginal pears – which need no further explanation. Once inserted, the pear gradually expanded. [19]
SUMMARY COMMENT
All of the devices shown above were used by Roman Catholic Officials [Inquisitors] for punishment, or execution of those persons that were deemed to be heretics by the Roman Catholic Church. Heretics [non-believers in Roman Catholicism] were given the opportunity to recant [make a formal retraction and disavowal of their religious belief that opposed Roman Catholicism] and to convert to Roman Catholicism. If they did not recant, and were found guilty as a heretic, they were tortured until they confessed their religious belief that opposed Roman Catholicism. If the victim did not then recant of their religious belief during the torture process and convert to Roman Catholicism, most were executed.” The following is a quote about what was done by Roman Catholic Inquisitors during the Spanish Inquisition…
[BEGIN QUOTE] - By the 13th century, everybody expected the Spanish Inquisition. The church formed inquisitions in every country in Western Europe,but the Spanish [Country of Spain] was the most brutal and feared. Anyone found guilty even of reading the Bible in his or her own language was tried, usually convicted, and often executed. The ceremony of execution and torture was called an “Auto da Fe,” or “Act of Faith.” The Inquisition was required not to spill any blood in performing tortures, but this requirement was usually ignored.
The most common method called for the victim to be stripped to his underwear and laid face-up on an elevated platform. Thin cords were passed through holes and wrapped around the limbs, then drawn so tightly that they cut through the victim’s flesh to the bones. If no confession was made, the process was repeated up to four times. If this elicited no confession, the next stage involved folding the arms backward behind the victim with the palms outward, then both arms were tied to a winch that ratcheted them closer and closer until the backs of the hands touched [the Rack]. This ripped both shoulders out of the sockets with such pressure that blood spewed from the mouth. A surgeon would then set the joints and the victim was given two months in prison to recover.
Two months later, the last torture involved a heavy chain lashed around the body with both ends attached to a winch. The arms were pinned straight at the sides and the chain was passed around the wrists. Then it was tightened like a tourniquet until the shoulders and wrists dislocated. The joints were then reset, and the torture immediately inflicted a second time. If the victim still did not confess, he was sent to be burned at the stake. If he did, he was placed in prison for another month or two, then released a cripple. [END QUOTE] [20]
The Inquisitions were just a PREVEIW of what is going to happen during the Great Tribulation Period [the last 3-1/2 years of the Seven Year Period] when Antichrist institutes a “do or die” world-wide worship of the ‘Beast Image’ (Image of himself) and his world-wide 666 Economic System. The people will either get the “mark of the beast” (666) in order to buy and sell, and worship Antichrist as ‘god”, or they will be executed as heretics of his ‘human religion’.
END NOTES
[1] WORLD WIDE WEB WITNESS, INC., “Numbers and Necessities”, Accessed August 20, 2024, Web: https://www.webwitness.org.au/estimates.html
[2] WORLD WIDE WEB WITNESS, INC., “Numbers and Necessities”, Accessed August 20, 2024, Web: https://www.webwitness.org.au/estimates.html
[4] HOW STUFF WORKS, “10 Medieval Torture Devices”, Accessed September 27, 2024, Web: https://history.howstuffworks.com/10-medieval-torture-devices.htm#pt8
[5] HISTORY COLLECTION, “Punish the Non-Believers: 6 Cruel Torture Methods of the Spanish Inquisition”, Accessed September 30, 2024, Web: https://historycollection.com/snap-crackle-pop-torture-methods-of-the-spanish-inquisition/
[8] MEDIEVALITY, ”The Torture Chair”, Accessed September 27, 2024, Web: http://www.medievality.com/chair.html
[9] ALL THAT IS INTERESTING, “The Agonizing History of the Breaking Wheel, One of History’s Cruelest Execution Methods”, Accessed September 30, 2024, Web: https://allthatsinteresting.com/breaking-wheel
[10] THE VINTAGE NEWS, “The Judas radle Torture Device: How the ‘Judas Chair’ Used a Pyramid to Torture and Kill Its Victims”, Accessed September 27, 2024, Web: https://www.thevintagenews.com/2023/01/05/judas-cradle-one-of-the-most-painful-torture-devices-in-history/
[11] HISTORY COOPERATIVE, “Medieval Torture Devices: The Rack, Impalement Sticks, and More!”, Accessed September 27, 2024, Web: https://historycooperative.org/medieval-torture-devices/
[12] WIKIPEDIA, “Impalement”, Accessed September 27, 2024, Web: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impalement
[15] HISTORY COOPERATIVE, “Medieval Torture Devices: The Rack, Impalement Sticks, and More!”, Accessed September 27, 2024, Web: https://historycooperative.org/medieval-torture-devices/
[16] HOW STUFF WORKS, “10 Medieval Torture Devices”, Accessed September 27, 2024, Web: https://history.howstuffworks.com/10-medieval-torture-devices.htm#pt8
[17] WIKIPEDIA, “Skevington's gyves”, Accessed September 27, 2024, Web: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skevington%27s_gyves
[18] MEDIEVALITY, ”The Breast Ripper”, Accessed September 27, 2024, Web: http://www.medievality.com/breast-ripper.html
[20] LIST VERSE, “10 Horrifying Tortures of Early Christians”, Accessed October 1, 2024, Web: https://listverse.com/2013/09/24/10-horrifying-tortures-of-early-christians/