That would probably be a lifelong project.At a provincial meeting there was an ovation when Stalin's name was mentioned, and no one dared to be
the first to sit down. When, finally, an old man who could stand no longer took his seat, his name was
noted and he was arrested the next day.
Robert Conquest, historian and political writer (1991)
By "charity" I meant putting aside conclusions (to the extent possible) until the study has been
completed. I mean giving the people being studied a chance to try and explain themselves from within the
context of their own time and worldview. Obviously one wouldn't want to construe the Inquisition as an
act of charity-though I imagine that many sixteenth century people would do that. I'm all for making
judgments about things that have happened in history, but I think it's also important to remember that, if I
had been there, I might have done the same thing I'm criticizing or denouncing.
Sorry to be presumptuous about Hitchens. Until a while ago, he wrote a column for The Nation. He did
that for over 20 years. His columns and your lyrics have some things in common.
Hope the gig in San Francisco went well.All the best,
Preston
I saw that I should keep ever before me the truth that all have sinned, and that because I am a part of
the human community of sinners I can't presume myself to be superior to others-either those now
living or those who have gone before. I also saw that, my own combative temperament
notwithstanding, I am obliged to practice charity toward all men and women, the living and the dead.Preston Jones, "History, Discernment and the Christian Life" (2001)I was sitting in a bible-study class at the age of about ten ... when the teacher began to hymn the work
of God in Nature. How wonderful it was, she said, that trees and vegetation were green; the most
restful color to our eyes. Imagine if instead the woods and grasses were purple, or orange. I knew
nothing about chlorophyll and phototropism at that age, still less about the Argument from Design or
the debate on Creationism versus Evolution. I merely remember thinking, with my childish and
unformed cortex: Oh, don't be silly.Christopher Hitchens, journalist and writer (2001)Dear Preston,
Thank you for those references and for pointing me toward Christopher Hitchens. You have touched on
something I have noticed in the literature. The Spanish Inquisition seems to have much more coverage than
the papal inquisition into heresy that predates the Spanish Inquisition. I think this is a case of the
Spaniards' getting s*** on by scholars and receiving blame for something started by the papacy. As you
probably know, there was torment throughout Europe before the Spaniards decided to bring on the
Inquisition. During the early-modern witch-hunts 60,000 people were executed! I think it is high time that
figures like these came to light.