The Cathars

The basic theme of this book is about a Christian group that didn't adhere to the strict ideology of the Church and so they were wiped out. Literally. Killed to the last person because their belief did not toe the 'official' line.

The book discusses the Holy Grail, Mary Magdalene and her journey to France and her eventual death there.

The Cathars believed that Mary and Jesus were married and had two sons and one daughter. After the supposed death of Jesus Mary and one of the sons went north, another son went with Joseph of Arimathea to England and Jesus and their daughter went to Rennes-la-Chateau. They believed that Jesus was a celestial being. There was no virgin birth, no Holy Trinity, no cross and no resurrection. They did believe in reincarnation. They were vegetarians. There was no actual priesthood.

One interesting point was that the Catholic Church demanded people pay 10% of their wages to them or be excommunicated.

The Cathars built hospitals, monasteries, schools and even helped worker guilds.

Their children taught the Essenes, the Knights Templar and the Cathars.

This was also tied in to the Arthurian kings and the Merovingean kings.

In one occasion 20,000 men, women and children who were Cathars or associated with them were trapped in a basilica which was then set on fire, killing every single one of them. Also at times Cathars were burned alive at the stake. The Church profited by taking Cathar assets.

Granted, the Cathar beliefs included some rather unusual things but was that justification for committing genocide on them? Of course, they weren't the only group wiped out by the Church for the Knights Templar, who fought bravely in the Crusades, were also murdered and their assets seized by the Church.

A very good but upsetting book.