A Conversation for Manicheism, Catharism and the Heresy of the Free Spirit

Cathars

Post 1

HappyDude

I found the information given here on Cathars to be wholly unreliable & inaccurate, in other words a load of codswallop smiley - sadface


Cathars

Post 2

HappyDude

“Catharism led to a society where eating meat or eggs was considered a mortal sin”

The eating of meat & eggs was permitted for 'credentes' (ordinary believer) but was forbidden for 'heresiarchs' (the 'Perfect' the holy men of the Cathar religion). If a 'heresiarch' did eat meat of eggs (or milk, butter, cheese or any other animal product) it was not a mortal sin it just meant that they lost there status as a 'heresiarch' and once again became a member of the 'credente'.

-----

“but where sexual promiscuity was encouraged. The Cathars believed only the heart and mind contributed to one's soul (the only bit of Good in a person) and thus it was impossible to sin below the waist”

Not true, if a 'heresiarch' failed to abstain from sexual intimacy they
Would lose the status of 'heresiarch', for the ordinary 'credente' sexual relations were a thing of personal choice, niether encouraged or discouraged.

-----

“The enemies of the Cathars in northern France termed them the Bulgars or Buggers, (The word coming from the Old French meaning 'heretic' which itself derives from the Latin for Bulgarians who were members of the Orthodox Church and, therefore, deemed heretics.)”

Bugger comes from 'Bougre' a corruption of Bulger, a faith similar to the Cathers based in Eastern Europe.

-----

“the French Roman Catholic Church felt they had little option but to send in armies on a crusade”

This was a crusade given full authority by the Pope in Rome.

-----

“Abbot Arnold Aimery”

I think you find his name was 'Arnold Amaury'.

-----

Question: how can anybody write about Catharism without covering the foundation of there beliefs 'spiritual dualism' (which is significantly different from the “Heresy of the Free Spirit”).


Key: Complain about this post

Write an Entry

"The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is a wholly remarkable book. It has been compiled and recompiled many times and under many different editorships. It contains contributions from countless numbers of travellers and researchers."

Write an entry
Read more