Did the inquisitors lose any sleep when they tortured a suspected witch to death without getting a confession?
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ETpro (
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December 20th, 2009
During the inquisition anyone suspected of heresy or witchcraft was rounded up and tortured until they confessed, at which point they were executed for their ‘crime’.
But every now and then someone of firm character simply would not crack and ended up being tortured to death, at which point the inquisitors concluded they must regrettably have been innocent, but it was now too late to tell them that. So did the obvious insanity of that ever sink in, or did the inquisitors simply rationalize, better them than me?
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13 Answers
I would have to say that, even if they thought some of them were innocent, they were probably so involved in the whole process that regret probably wasn’t a frequent word in their vocabulary. I’m guessing that most of them could sleep well. Purely a speculative answer, of course.
LOL… That’s like asking if Nazi SS agents lost sleep over their nefarious activities.
It think those willing to and capable of torturing people “professionally” are a special breed, then and now. If one is not capable of such things, I don’t think you or I can, or ever will, understand how their minds work.
Three great answers in a row. Thanks.
They were doing “God’s Work” so I am certain they didn’t have any regrets. They generally explained such things as being due to Satan’s influence anyway, so even if the person wasn’t actually a witch, they might have become one.
Bunch of sociopaths, those witch-hunters.
No more than local prosecutors today lose sleep over the innocent people they convict of crimes in order to further their own careers.
I know for a fact that the inquisitors therapy bills went through the roof! A lot of PTSD. Some even tried to sue the Church, but that was pretty dangerous, and almost all who did that ended up on the other end of the torturer’s devices,
These were god fearing people who, mostly, were products of their time, one which even without the Inquisition, was still extremely dark and violent.
I’m sure they managed, somehow, especially in a time where ignorance was easier justified through spirituality.
I seriously doubt it. Aside from being warped (yes, I meant warped…not wrapped) in religious righteousness, I suspect that some of them even enjoyed it on some level.
I agree that – then or now – if you are capable of torturing people for any reason, you are not a person who is conversant with the concept of regret.
@Darwin The had the Satan’s work part right. They were doing it.
@jade I bet you are absolutely right about that.
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