SO would Torquemada qualify for paladin?

[mmadsen]

If we imagine that puppet-master aliens are taking over a portion of the country, and that their dominance will spread if their human hosts aren't killed and burned, I think we have a situation analogous to what Torquemada thought he was dealing with.

So, while I'd consider the real Torquemada extremely evil -- specifically, Lawful Evil, in D&D terms -- I could easily consider his demon-hunting fantasy analog as Lawful Good. He's exterminating evil cultists, evil cultists who have swayed the king (and other nobles) to their side, tempting them with gold -- all as a first step toward toppling a righteous kingdom of His followers.

 

[herald]

So, while I'd consider the real Torquemada extremely evil -- specifically, Lawful Evil, in D&D terms -- I could easily consider his demon-hunting fantasy analog as Lawful Good. He's exterminating evil cultists, evil cultists who have swayed the king (and other nobles) to their side, tempting them with gold -- all as a first step toward toppling a righteous kingdom of His followers.

Torquemada was anti-semite, he had no belief that he was ferreting out evil cultists. All of the witchcraft charges were simply drummed up propaganda to frighten the general public and justify his use of torcher.

 

[mmadsen]

Torquemada was anti-semite, he had no belief that he was ferreting out evil cultists.

You seem to be missing something. To a Christian of the time, a Jew was an evil cultist. That's exactly what Torquemada thought of Jews; they denied the one true faith and manipulated people with money toward their own selfish ends. Similarly, all the Protestants fighting Catholics, and vice versa, were trying to eliminate an evil cult, and they thought they were rescuing people from eternal damnation. (That's not to say that they weren't also looting, pillaging, gaining fame, etc.)

There's no point in debating what we should think of Torquemada by modern moral standards; he's pure evil.

 

[herald]

ou seem to be missing something. To a Christian of the time, a Jew was an evil cultist.

Absolutly not. The Jews are the chosen people. It states that in the Bible.

Jews had been co-existing with Christians and others in the Iberia for centuries.

All of the claims of "evil cults" and the like was stricktly propaganda. It's not like the Jews snuck in overnight.

 

[Piratecat]

Ooh, hey, look at the time! When a thread turns towards non-D&D religion, closed it goes.

Clunk.