Looking For Devils and Heretics (a true story)
Once upon a time ago (in the 16th C), there was a temple with many priests and soldiers working for it. The head guy was called a pope. They were getting along okay with the king of the country then. But it hadn’t always been so.
Some of the poorer people were getting upset with the pope and the king. It always seemed like they were picked on by the rich and those in power. But since it was all done “in the name of God”, it was pretty hard to refuse. And it’s not like the priests did things the way they said their people were supposed to. So the people were grumbling some. Saying things like power bred hypocrisy.
They thought they had it bad then, but…
One day, a young priest started studying and talking with friends and thought things should change, so he wrote up a statement and hung it on his church’s door. There were all kinds of ill feelings about it. All the way up to the king and the pope.
The people weren’t too sure that those in power had the right of it, but they didn’t want a war over it. And they sure didn’t want to be called witches or heretics in order to get some independence of thought and be able to read the book that ruled their lives for themselves. They didn’t want any more sin taxes or taxes that tolerated bad behaviour in those who could afford to pay for it. So they rose with some of the younger priests and fought to change the system.
And power came back at them. They were tortured for daring to change things. Some were martyred as well. Their religion was changed forever because of these days.
Those looking on shuddered. Those within grieved. From then on, the people were taught to read and the priests were made into monks.
The temple? It was forever fragmented.
What the light had called for in his name was forever changed. And time became the temple’s enemy. There would come a day when what was left would be the death of them all. Or so the prophets said. And now they wouldn’t be together to fight the devil’s son when he came to earth for his reign.
Families were broken apart, all thinking they were doing the right thing. Men and women looked at each other differently. And the priests became celibate… or did they? Well, on paper they were.
. . . .
## . . . . significant voices of the reformation & counter
[Charles V – holy roman emperor][https://www.britannica.com/biography/Charles-V-Holy-Roman-emperor]
[Pope Leo X][https://www.britannica.com/biography/Leo-X]
## . . . .
[Martin Luther][https://www.biography.com/people/martin-luther-9389283]
[Huldrych Zwingli][https://www.britannica.com/biography/Huldrych-Zwingli]
## . . . .
[John Calvin][https://www.biography.com/people/john-calvin-9235788]
[Felix Manz][http://gameo.org/index.php?title=Manz,_Felix_(ca._1498-1527)]
[Georg Blaurock][http://gameo.org/index.php?title=Blaurock,_Georg_(ca._1492-1529)]
[Munsterites][http://gameo.org/index.php?title=Münster_Anabaptists]
[Menno Simons][http://gameo.org/index.php?title=Menno_Simons_(1496-1561)]
## . . . .
[Henry VIII][https://www.biography.com/people/henry-viii-9335322]
[John Knox][http://biography.yourdictionary.com/john-knox]
## . . . .
[Jesuits][http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/jesuit-order-established]
[Teresa de Avila][https://www.biographyonline.net/spiritual/st_teresa_avila.html]
mspeachierocks 