The Inquisition
Objection: “Ninety-five million people were killed by the Catholic
Church through inquisitions because they believed in Jesus and the
Bible. Therefore, it is anti-Christ! ”
When most people today hear the word “Inquisition” images of unjust
trials, torture, persecution and burnings at the stake are automatically
conjured up. Not only is the Inquisition attacked for its various abuses, but
also the very concept of inquisition itself is lampooned as contrary to the
modern, democratic and indifferent attitude towards religion that
characterizes our era.
It can be said that the first religious inquisition was conducted by Moses
after he descended from Mount Sinai and found that the Hebrews had made
to themselves a golden calf to which they sacrificed and bowed in
adoration. Moses, illuminated by God, shattered the tablets on which were
written the Ten Commandments, destroyed the calf and beat it to powder,
and then made the Hebrews drink water containing the dust of it.
Afterwards, he assembled the sons of Levi and said to them, “Thus says the
Lord God of Israel, Put every man his sword on his side, and go to and fro
from gate to gate throughout the camp, and slay every man his brother, and
every man his companion, and every man his neighbor” (Exod. 32:27-28).
In his zeal to preserve the true religion of God and prevent all the Hebrews
falling into the degradation of idolatry, Moses had 23,000 of his own race
killed that day.
Furthermore, God specifically authorized Moses to act as an inquisitor
continually among the Jewish people and punish severely offenses against
the law of God:
“If there is found among you, within any of your towns which the Lord your
God gives you, a man or woman who does what is evil in the sight of the
Lord your God, in transgressing his covenant, and has gone and served
other gods and worshipped them, or the sun or the moon or any of the host
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