I know that this post is likely to annoy some people but I think it is important from, at least, a historical point of view.
We cannot win all the battles of Life. Life (however defined) will always win in the end. But it helps to remember that we are each an individual and not required or obliged to be totally “conformist”. Certainly one should always help one’s fellow being and do the “right” thing for the greater good and just be kind but this must be an individual determination.
As described in a book by Dan Jones, “The Templars”, about the 12th century (and very mercenary) religious army, conformism may lead to unintended consequences. The “chivalry” later associated with Knights was not yet apparent, in fact these early Knights were often considered no better that hired thugs.
The “dangers” of extreme conformism, however, may lead to the following:-
One of the Templar “rules” banned the company of women. They were scorned as, “A dangerous thing, for by it the old devil has led a man from the straight path to paradise…. the flower of chastity is always (to be) maintained among you… For this reason none of you may presume to kiss a woman, be it widow, young girl, mother, sister, aunt or any other… The Knighthood of Christ should avoid at all costs the embraces of woman, by which men have perished many times.”
One assumes that each of the Templar’s must have had a mother and a father?
The hypocrisy is extraordinary. Blaming, scapegoating, women is easy - “It’s not my fault - see what she made me do!” It’s their fault you see. Leading us pure men astray!
The Catholic and other religious clergy today still (try) to believe this. I wonder if anything has really changed in over 1000 years?
And the Templars, followers of the Prince of Peace, fought, pillaged, killed and (sometimes) raped their way across Europe and the Middle East.
Believe it or not the Templars managed to distinguish between “homicide”, the sin of killing a man and “malicide” - the act of killing “evil” itself, which God, apparently, would consider a “noble” deed!
Evil, in their view, resided in Jews (they killed Jesus, you understand) and Muslims, because they weren’t Christian.
An “ingenious” theological distinction!!
I know that the Templars were a very disciplined force and were influential in ridding the Iberian Peninsular of the Moors in what is known as the “Reconquista”, the Christian re-conquest of Portugal and Spain – which, of course, for the local inhabitants was an admirable outcome. But then they, the Templars, were told, by the Pope, that fighting the “unbelievers” would remove the need for any penance for sins committed.
Surely an open invitation for the Templars to do whatever they wanted.
More hypocrisy!
So is anything new?
