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From: amigo2@ihuxq.UUCP (John Hobson)
Newsgroups: net.flame
Subject: Re: anti-religious flame
Message-ID: <791@ihuxq.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 20-Mar-84 09:20:54 EST
Article-I.D.: ihuxq.791
Posted: Tue Mar 20 09:20:54 1984
Date-Received: Wed, 21-Mar-84 01:59:17 EST
References: <1549@stolaf.UUCP>, <1432@mit-eddie.UUCP>, <691@seismo.UUCP> <293@pyuxss.UUCP> <508@pyuxn.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Naperville, IL
Lines: 26


>> 	I think the clearest example of Christians (and everyone
>> else for that matter) being persecuted is when the Muslims
>> invaded Europe. They did a good job of taking over Spain and I
>> rather doubt that they tolerated a lot religious diversity. But
>> of course, they had their good points too. They brought civilization
>> to an area that was pretty backward.
>>					Sharon Badian

> Sorry to disagree, Sharon.  The Muslims indeed brought a good deal of
> civilization to Spain, and they also brought a good deal of tolerance.
> The Muslim controlled Iberian peninsula was the only place in all of
> Europe where Jews were given religious and intellectual freedom.  Many
> great Jewish thinkers came out of this era.  Of course, when the
> re-organized Christians returned to power, we all remember what
> they brought with them? 
> ("I wasn't expecting a kind of Spanish Inquisition...")

Indeed, the Spanish Catholic monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella where
so anxious to expel the Jews that after the last of the Muslim
strongholds (Grenada) was taken in July of 1492, the order to expel
the Jews took effect on October 12th (the same date Columbus
landed).
				John Hobson
				AT&T Bell Labs--Naperville, IL
				ihnp4!ihuxq!amigo2