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  Inquisition The: A Captivating...

  Captivating History

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  The paranoia and recriminations that have been unleashed by religious inquisitions are quite extraordinary.  
  This audiobook explores the Inquisition in depth, leaving no stone unturned to find the root of what drove these religious persecutions.  
  Most people know about the Spanish Inquisition, but there were other inquisitions, such as those carried out by the Romans and the Portuguese. What was it that motivated these diehard religious zealots to squash all contrary views from their midst?  
  It is rather easy to paint one side as the “good guys” and the other as the “bad guys.” But unless we are a bunch of kids playing cops and robbers, this is an overly simplistic, narrow-minded, and lazy interpretation of what is a very complex history. In this audiobook, we explore all the dark nooks and crannies of what sparked massive inquiries into the faith of others and rampant persecution of religious beliefs. 
  In this captivating audiobook, you will discover the following:The root causes of the Inquisition;The real motivations behind the persecution;The harsh torture methods used to extract confessions;The estimated toll the Inquisition took on people’s lives;How the Inquisition ended;Its impact and legacy;And much more! 
  Scroll up and click the “add to cart” button to begin learning about the Inquisition! 

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  From Ritual to Romance

  Jessie Weston

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  In the introductory Chapter the reader will find the aim and object of these studies set forth at length. In view of the importance and complexity of the problems involved it seemed better to incorporate such a statement in the book itself, rather than relegate it to a Preface which all might not trouble to read. Yet I feel that such a general statement does not adequately express my full debt of obligation. Among the many whose labour has been laid under contribution in the following pages there are certain scholars whose published work, or personal advice, has been specially illuminating, and to whom specific acknowledgment is therefore due. Like many others I owe to Sir J. G. Frazer the initial inspiration which set me, as I may truly say, on the road to the Grail Castle. Without the guidance of The Golden Bough I should probably, as the late M. Gaston Paris happily expressed it, still be wandering in the forest of Broceliande!

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  Hunting the Seven - How the...

  Beverley Roos-Muller

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  In 1986, seven young men were shot and killed by police in Gugulethu in Cape Town. The nation was told they were part of a 'terrorist' MK cell plotting an attack on a police unit. An inquest followed, then a dramatic trial in 1987 and a second inquest in 1989 that again exonerated the police. Finally, ten years later, Eugene de Kock's Vlakplaas unit was exposed at the Truth and Reconciliation Commission for having planned and executed the cold-blooded killings. Yet their real agenda remained a mystery.
  In Hunting the Seven, Beverley Roos-Muller reveals her own decades-long connection to the case and her search for the truth of their deaths that has been shrouded in lies and mystery. Sifting through the evidence, and interviewing many of those involved, Roos-Muller reveals that it was Vlakplaas's only operation in the Western Cape and behind it lay a shocking secret.

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  Subtle Abuse - Indirect Forms of...

  Cito Harder

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  Subtle abuse is a form of psychological harm that often goes unnoticed, yet its effects can be just as damaging as more overt forms of mistreatment. Unlike physical abuse, which leaves visible marks, or direct verbal abuse, which is easier to identify, subtle abuse operates in the shadows, disguised as normal behavior, misunderstandings, or even acts of care. This makes it particularly dangerous because victims may not recognize it until significant emotional and psychological damage has already occurred. 
  At its core, subtle abuse is about control, manipulation, and emotional harm inflicted in ways that are difficult to detect. It can take many forms, including gaslighting, passive-aggressive behavior, emotional withholding, and undermining someone’s confidence in indirect ways. A common characteristic of subtle abuse is its plausibility—it often leaves victims doubting their own experiences and questioning whether they are simply overreacting. Because the harm is delivered in small, often deniable doses, victims may struggle to explain their distress to others, further isolating them in their experience. 
  One of the most insidious aspects of subtle abuse is its ability to erode a person’s sense of self over time. The victim may start to feel insecure, anxious, or even incapable, not realizing that their mental state has been shaped by constant, indirect put-downs or the gradual withholding of emotional support. For example, a partner who consistently dismisses concerns with phrases like “You’re too sensitive” or “I was just joking” may be engaging in subtle emotional abuse by invalidating the other person’s feelings. Similarly, a boss who subtly undermines an employee’s work without overt criticism may be manipulating them into self-doubt and compliance.

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  Crusades in Europe The: The...

  Editors Charles River

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  Christianity was not a state religion for its first three centuries, and it was only when Emperor Constantine the Great declared it so in the early 4th century that the Church was faced with the thorny problem of state-sanctioned violence. The first major Christian authority to justify the use of arms in defense of Church and State was Augustine, Bishop of Hippo, who wrote in the 5th century, “They who have waged war in obedience to the divine command or in conformity with His laws, have represented in their persons the public justice or the wisdom of government, and in this capacity have put to death wicked men; such persons have by no means violated the commandment, ‘Thou shalt not kill.’”  
  	This opinion gained increasing influence in Western Christianity, though in the East, the attitude was (and continues to be) more nuanced. War was tolerated as a regrettable necessity in a world wounded by sin but never blessed. Canon law enacted in the Byzantine (Eastern Roman) Empire tended to treat soldiers who had killed as sinners needing to repent, and Bishop Basil of Caesarea (d. c. 330) believed that they needed to abstain from receiving communion for three years after battle. It was not that that the Eastern Roman Empire was a particularly peaceable state–far from it, in fact: it was engaged in almost continuous warfare for its entire existence. However, its conflicts were mostly defensive in character, fighting barbarians, Persians, or Muslims, and the idea of consecrating arms for the cause of Christianity was considered alien to its spirit.  
  At the Council of Clermont in July 1095, Pope Urban II canonized religious war by urging Western Europe's nobility to take up arms in defense of the Byzantine Empire against the Muslims, thus launching the Crusades, and religious military orders such as the Knights of Saint John, the Templars, and the Hospitallers arose.

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  QAnon and On - A Short and...

  Van Badham

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  In QAnon and On, Guardian columnist Van Badham delves headfirst into the QAnon conspiracy theory, unpicking the why, how and who behind this century’s most dangerous and far-fetched internet cult. 
  From Gamergate to Pizzagate and beyond to QAnon, internet manipulation and disinformation campaigns have grown to a geopolitical scale and spilled into real life with devastating consequences, entangling everyone from politicians to Hollywood celebrities. 
  But what would motivate followers to so forcefully avoid the facts and surrender instead to made-up stories designed to influence and control? It’s a question that has haunted Van, herself a veteran of social media’s relentless trolling wars. In this daring investigation, Van exposes some of the internet’s most extreme communities to understand conspiracy cults from the inside. 
  QAnon and On is the story of the modern internet, the farscape of political belief and a disinformation pipeline built between the two that poses an ongoing threat to democracy itself. Shocking and mesmerising in equal measure, this book will open our eyes to the dangers of partisan belief. 
  'Van Badham is one of the most lucid, insightful and witty journalists in Australia, and seeing her expose the dark rising madness of conspiracy theories is both a joy and a panic attack all at once.'  Johann Hari, New York Times best-selling author 
  ‘Van Badham’s research is rigorous, her argument revealing and her writing absolutely impeccable. A chilling reveal on the world’s newest cult.’ Jamila Rizvi, best-selling author and presenter 
  'This book will compel you – and indeed all of us – to act to reclaim the internet for the good of humanity.'  Ginger Gorman, multi-award winning journalist and author 
  'As gripping and terrifying as a thriller, but the really chilling twist in the tale is that none of it is fiction.'  Jane Caro, Walkley-award winning author  
  'From Cosplay to QAnon, a terrifying, fascinating look at how an unregulated space of geeks and gamers became fertile ground for deliberate misinformation and political manipulation.' – Dee Madigan, campaigner, author and speaker  
  'A moving cry for reason in the chaos of a twilight world… a book that deserves - or perhaps, more pointedly, demands - to be widely read.' Ian McFarlane, The Canberra Times

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