Horror Story: Return Of The Inquisition?

What is October without a horror story? As the month that the secular world celebrates Satan, the occult, and all things evil rolls on, I chose to follow suit and expose what is going on outside our fellowship. One tradition of the Halloween season is the good old fashioned horror story, and Texas has served one up for us. 

Our story really begins in the dark past in 385 when the Roman emperor Magnus Maximus ordered Bishop of Avilia, Pricillian, to be tried by a council of his peers for heresy. Pricillian was guilty of heresy, that's a fact, his teachings were unbiblical, heretical, and just plain weird. The council of bishops was right in finding him guilty however the council went a bit further than anyone expected and he was beheaded. Pricillian is considered the first christian to be executed for heresy.

Fast forward nearly 800 years to 1160, a fellow in southern France, Peter Waldo by name, began to read and live the Bible. He soon developed a following who like Peter lived a life of simplicity and poverty and began to reject Papal excesses and Catholic dogmas, including purgatory and transubstantiation. They believed that  temporal offices and dignities were not meant for preachers of the Gospel; that relics were simply rotten meaningless bones; that to go on pilgrimage served no end, save to empty one's purse; that flesh might be eaten any day if one's appetite served him; that holy water was the same as rain water; and that prayer in a barn was just as effectual as if offered in a church. 

The Roman Catholic Church was aghast (which is fancy for "They freaked") and the Waldensians were formally declared heretics by Pope Lucius III in 1184 at the Synod of Verona, and by Pope Innocent III during the Fourth Lateran Council in 1215. Thus started the persecution of bible believing Christians who refused to accept the dogma of the Catholic church. The Waldensians were hunted down like dogs by the Roman Catholic Church and their lackey's the French army for the next five centuries; murdered, tortured, burned, impaled, thrown into prison, allowed to starve to death or converted to Catholicism at gun point. 

The Waldensians weren't the only Christians persecuted by Catholic church, Cathars, Albigensians, Wyfliffites, Hussites and many other smaller Christian groups felt the wrath of the church led by the man who calls himself the "Vicar of Christ". These were crusades, and the vast majority of crusades never left Europe, and most crusaders were slaughtering their Christian neighbors not Islamic invaders of the Holy Land. 

When you think Inquisition, this slaughter of Christians is what the Inquisition is actually all about. It had nothing to do with pagans and Jews, it was all about perceived heretics and Christians. Yes, there were witch trials, but the crime wasn't witchcraft so much as heresy as all the victims were baptized into the Catholic church. Regardless, the true crime in the witch hunts was sexually deviant obsession on the part of the inquisitors. 

The Inquisition was purely and uniquely a Catholic institution; it was founded far the express purpose of exterminating every human being in Europe who differed from Roman Catholic beliefs and practices. It spread out from France, Milan, Geneva, Aragon, and Sardinia to Poland (14th century) and then to Bohemia and Rome (1543). It was not abolished in Spain until 1820 - Peter S. Ruckman, Ph.D.; The History of the New Testament Church (Bible Believers Bookstore; Pensacola, Florida; 1989)

Flash forward to 2014. In the 21st century tolerance is the rule of the land. Peace and tranquility and brotherhood abound. The Age of Aquarius brought forth a new generation of leaders who reach out with open hand to accept everyone with fellowship and brotherhood. 

Unless they disagree with you. 

The city of Houston has issued subpoenas demanding a group of pastors turn over any sermons dealing with homosexuality, gender identity or Annise Parker, the city’s first openly lesbian mayor. And those ministers who fail to comply could be held in contempt of court... The subpoenas are just the latest twist in an ongoing saga over the Houston’s new non-discrimination ordinance.

The law, among other things, would allow men to use the ladies room and vice versa. The city council approved the law in June. The Houston Chronicle reported opponents of the ordinance launched a petition drive that generated more than 50,000 signatures – far more than the 17,269 needed to put a referendum on the ballot. However, the city threw out the petition in August over alleged "irregularities".

After opponents of the bathroom bill filed a lawsuit the city’s attorneys responded by issuing the subpoenas against the pastors.

Among those slapped with a subpoena is Steve Riggle, the senior pastor of Grace Community Church. He was ordered to produce all speeches and sermons related to Mayor Annise Parker, homosexuality and gender identity.

The mega-church pastor was also ordered to hand over “all communications with members of your congregation” regarding the non-discrimination law. 

This strange behavior on the part of the Houston mayor and city council is the most terrifying news and the worst case of mayoral over-reach I've heard in a very very long time. The truly scary part is that this is just the first step (on US soil) in what may end up being a long horrific pogrom against Christians. My personal feeling is that the US is a country based on laws, business and work, and that is where they're hitting us and going to hit us. Will there be imprisonment, torture, and martyrdom? if you believe in the bible and the prophesies of Jesus Christ, the answer is yes.

Even if you believe in a pre-tribulation rapture the answer is yes, Jesus told us we're not getting off this rock unharmed

9 “Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name. 10 At that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another. 11 Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many.12 Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved. (Matthew 24:9-13)

So what do we do when they come for us, throw us in jail, take our homes, our possessions, our jobs, our savings, and tell us they're going to take even our lives all for the sin of loving Christ Jesus?

We rejoice and spread the Good News of Salvation through Jesus!!!

40 They took his advice; and after calling the apostles in, they flogged them and ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and then released them. 41 So they went on their way from the presence of the Council, rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for His name. 42 And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they kept right on teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ. (Acts 5:40-42)