Religious Power Quotes
The Christian world was in a great struggle with Islam. The Sultans were trying to take over Constantinople—the seat of the Eastern Orthodox Church. The Western Catholic Church in Rome also yearned for unification but under the Pope and his Cardinals. Notaraus feared them more than the Ottomans. Howeer, it was the latter who conquered Constantinople (Byzantium) in 1453 and executed the “first family” when Notaras would not deliver his children to Sultan Mehmet as hostages for assuring “good behavior” by the Greek community.
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.
This vision, known as "The Third Rome" saw not only Moscow as the seat of Christianity for the world, but saw the Czar as the Head of the Christian unified Church. Constantinople had fallen to the Muslims and Rome to the Barbarians and the Pope had virtually no power at the time. Particularly interesting is his vision of transforming a civil Emperor to the head of the Church—one who was strong and wealthy enough to end the schism of the Eastern and Western Churches and command all. In this sense, he was following the Muslim concept of a single secular and religious, all powerful, leader—like the Caliph.
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.
Some people read this part of the declaration as saying that if Muslims are in the majority and control the nation, there is no problem with violence. But if the Muslims are in the minority, they will likely be violent. Needless to say, this alarms most Western nations.
Sometimes referred to as Gaspar de Toledo. This quotation Illustrates one of the ways that Churches maintained power over the secular government even though they were supposedly separate. By maintaining control over the secular leaders consciences and sense of morality, the Church could control the secular government. In this particular historical case, there was not even a supposed separation. The Confessor had an ex officio role in the high council. See {629457}.
