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PATROLOGOS edutainment

Many, countless, are the things been written about papism, but they are few like those written about this enigmatic system by the most profound and apocalyptical Russian writer Fyodor Dostoevsky. 

This remarkable text is a chapter from within his book «The Brothers Karamazov», and this chapter has the heading of «The Great Inquisitor». 

Dostoevsky, despite him being a philosophical spirit, nevertheless in the «Great Inquisitor» he feels and he writes like an Orthodox Christian, who knows well who the real Christ is and His teaching. 

In the «Great Inquisitor» he places Christ to be facing His fake representative on earth, the Jesuit Inquisitor, the dreadful monster that burned the «heretics» in the name of Christ, an incredible thing and incomprehensible. 

It is terrible if someone considers what the devil can come to do in order to slander Christ, since he even reaches to the point for satan to appear that he is Christ himself! 

In this paradoxical text by Dostoevsky, the Inquisitor is making a long confession to Christ, who does not utter not even a word from his mouth in order to give an answer to the questions of the Inquisitor, and for this reason he responds on his own to all that he asks. 

In other words, all that he says is a depressing monologue that comes out of the mouth of some creature that you think it climbed from hell. 

The Inquisitor condemned some «heretics» to death by fire, and after the execution took place at the great square of a spanish city, he turned back to his cell, that was located at the building of the «Ecclesiastical Court», feeling satisfied that he had done his duty, according to the system he was serving with a horrible fanaticism. 

His system was a kind of Christianity not as Christ taught it, but distorted and completely unrecognizable, till the point that it resembled to the religion of the antichrist, and this happened for the people to be able to accept it, because the things that Christ orders and the things that He asks from His faithful ones they are, according to the opinion of the inquisitor and his similars, absolutes and inapplicables, superhumans and inhumans. 

That is, Christianism became a system like all the other human systems, a mundane power that keeps under its authority its faithful members, and administers them, judges them and condemns them just like the political power does. 

From Christ he only kept the face mask, and whatever he does, he says that he is doing it in the name of Christ, while he is doing it in the name of satan. 

For this reason the Inquisitor always refers to devil in a respectful way, and he calls him «Him», the «Great and Wise Spirit», «the Wise and powerful Spirit». 

But unexpectedly, while the Inquisitor was satisfied for having burned the heretics, while he was serving the system of the Papist «Church», Christ unexpectedly appears down the street, and the crowd runs behind Him, crying out of emotion. 

Although He doesn't say who He is, and He neither utters a word from His mouth, nevertheless they all understood that He was the Christ. 

They hastened therefore and they brought their sicks to Him, and He was curing them, actually He resuscitated a dead kid as well, in front of the Cathedral church of Sevilla, right were they used to burn the «heretics» in His name. 

At that moment the Inquisitor passed from there, tall, skinny, sullen and frowning, just like a scarecrow, with sunken eyes that flashed sparks, an old man of ninety years. As soon as he saw Christ and the miracle that he performed, he gave an order to the «holy garrison» that guarded him, to arrest Him. 

Therefore, they arrested Christ, and the crowd, that a while ago acted like crazy out of their joy for Christ, they cleared the way, humbly and obediently, for the soldiers to pass with Christ the convict, and everyone bent to the ground in front of the Inquisitor. And him silently blessed the people, and returned to his apartment, as we mentioned in the beginning. 

This narration, Dostoyevsky presents it to us as the literary work of Ivan Karamazov, who was one of the sons of the elder Karamazov, having studied in european philosophy. 

And he narrates it to his younger brother, named Aliosa, who had become a monk, subordinate to an elder saint confessor, a «starets», as they are called in the russian language. 

Aliosa, every now and then interrupts Ivan who is reading, and he is making some remarks. These remarks I do not include in the text by Dostoevsky that I cite underneath, in order to not be interrupted the monologue of the Inquisitor. 

I must note that this text I do not merely cite it as it has been written originally by the author, but I have changed it quite a bit, and in some parts I have changed it a lot, in other parts I have cut it short and in other parts I have tried to make it more simplified, in order to be understood better by the reader. 

Dostoevsky's writing style, because it is a nervous one, messy, and often has some northern ambiguity, I have changed it, rendering it calmer, cleaner and simpler, in order for the reader to feel the difficult and deep meanings more easily. 

Here and there I put also some words by Christ from the Gospel, words that the russian writer do not include, in order for his ideas to become more handy, and I also put some explanatory words and footnotes. 

The basis, that above which it is written «The Great Inquisitor», is, in simple words, this: 

That the papism is a dreadful system, produced by the sinful and cunning intelligence of man, that wants to dominate over human beings and make them become its subordinates, without love, without faith, without anything christian on them, but full of the spirit of the devil, which cunningly claims however that its authority comes from Christ Himself, and that whatever it does it is doing it in His name. 

This satanic hypocrisy is the secret of this system, a secret that they hide well its priests. 

But one of them, the Great Inquisitor, because of the rage he felt when he saw Christ coming again in this world in order to ruin the «great» deed that indeed took place in His name, but without having anything to do with this deed the Christ himself, because of his furor therefore he reveals it, by shouting towards Christ: 

«We have accepted the sword of Caesar, that You didn't want to receive, and thus we have discarded You and we followed him», that is the devil. 

Today that so many conversations take place because of the movement that all of a sudden arose for the unification of the Vatican with the Ecumenical Patriarchate, a movement that comes from the spirit of this world, a spirit that Papism incarnates, and because the many, almost everyone, are uninformed in the matters of the religion, and they do not know what the Papism represents and what the Orthodoxy represents, I considered it a good thing to write a few articles related with these issues, and among these articles there is also this one that I am writing because of the «Great Inquisitor», by Dostoevsky. 

During the monologue that the Great Inquisitor utters in front of Christ Who stands there mute, many references are made about the three temptations of Christ. 

For this reason, it would be good to look into what the Gospel says regarding these temptations. Let us take the Gospel according to Matthew: 

«Then Jesus was led up into the wilderness by the Spirit, to be tempted by the devil, and after he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 

And coming to Him the tempter said: «Si eres Hijo de Dios, command that these stones become bread». But He answered and said: «It is written, Not by bread alone the man shall live, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God». 

Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, and he set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him: «If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written that His angels He shall give charge over you, and in their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash against a stone your foot». Jesus said to him: «Again it is written, you shall not tempt the Lord your God». 

Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory, and he said to Him: «All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me». Then Jesus said to him: «Away with you, Satan. For it is written, you shall worship the Lord your God and Him only you shall serve.» Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him». 

Thus, the Inquisitor says to Christ: «The terrible and cunning Spirit, the spirit of non-existence and of the self-destruction, talked with You in the desert and it was written in the Gospel that it put You to a trial. Isn't that so? 

Is it ever possible to be uttered something more veritable compared to the meaning they have these three questions that the spirit put to You and that You threw them away, and that within the Gospels they are called temptations? 

If it ever happened on earth a true miracle, emphatic like a thunder, it was only that one that took place on that day, the day of the three temptations. 

If they would summon all the wise men in the world, the governors, the archbishops, the thinkers, the philosophers, the poets, and they would tell them: 

«Discover and compose three questions, that would invite for a response, not so much through the inaccessible height of that very moment, but within three phrases, within three words of human language to be included the entire future history of the humanity, do You believe, that all the wisdom of the world together could have ever conceived of something that in power and profundity would be equivalent to the three questions that back then he offered to You the powerful and cunning Spirit of the desert? 

Within these three questions lies the whole future and the history of humanity like a prophecy, and in these three images are coming together all the unresolved contradictions that exist in the world. 

At that time this was not so obvious, because the future of the humanity was unknown. Today however, after fifteen centuries, we can see that with these three questions everything got prophesied, and to what extent it all came true, so that we are not able neither add, nor deduct anything. 

Now you can judge for Yourself who had right back then? You, or him who was asking You? Remember of the first question. Its meaning was this: You want to go to the world with empty hands, and only with a vague promise about liberty, that the narrow minded people cannot understand it at all, and in reality they are afraid of it, because for them there is nothing that is more unbearable than freedom. 

But can you see the stones in this bare and heated desert? Convert them to breads, and the humanity will follow you like a flock, full of gratitude. 

But You didn't want to take away from the people the freedom, and you didn't admit what he proposed to You the powerful Spirit, because you thought what kind of freedom would that be that can be bought with breads, and you responded to him: «Not by bread alone the man shall live». 

But you know that in the name of this earthly bread, the spirit of the earth will raise against You and will fight against You and will defeat You?». 

Note by the author: This uprising of the spirit of the earth, that is of the carnal pleasure lifestyle, against Christ, we observe it today more than any other epoch. From this spirit also descends the movement that takes place for the unification of the so called Christians, since indeed they proclaim that the reason it is happening is for the blessedness on earth of all mankind, and they applaud it all the carnal people. 

For the two other temptations, that the devil proposed to Christ, that is to fall from the roof of the temple for the angels to catch Him on the air, as well as for the other: to worship satan and to receive in His power all the kingdoms of the earth, the Inquisitor talks within the text by Dostoevsky that we present underneath. 

We mentioned therefore that the «holy garrison» arrested Christ after the command of the Inquisitor. They took Him and locked Him up in a narrow, dome like and dark prison at the «Holy Court». 

When the night came, the Great Inquisitor, with a lantern in hand, unlocks the iron door and enters inside. He pauses in looks straight in the eyes at the prisoner, as if in order to drill Him with his prickly eye. 

Then he places the lantern on top of the table, he approaches Christ, and says to Him: «Is that You in person?». He doesn't receive any response. But he realized that He is Christ indeed, and for this he asks Him: «Why did You come to disturb us?». 

Christ remains silent. For this reason, the Inquisitor replies by himself to his own questions. 

He therefore says to Christ: «One thousand five hundred years ago you came to teach to the human beings the freedom. Ourselves however, after we enslaved them, we made them believe that they are free, although they themselves brought their freedom and they threw it before our feet. 

This road is the only one that makes the people happy. But You didn't want to follow this road. Fortunately however You gave us the authority «of binding and of loosing» on earth, and we are doing exactly that which You did not do. Now You cannot be thinking that You can take back from us this authority. Why then did You come in order to disturb us? 

The Great Spirit has put three questions to You, when it tempted You in the desert. Within these questions exist the whole future history of the whole world and of the mankind. While the powerful Spirit ask You to worship it in order for the stones to turn to breads, You replied to it: «Tha man shall not live with bread alone», that is, only with the material pleasures. 

That is, You, instead of this tangible material success, You were giving them a freedom that they are not able to understand it the human beings, because both their mind and their heart are limited. 

The freedom You gave them, is to them the most unbearable thing. Whereas if You had turned the stones to bread, the entire mankind would have followed You with gratitude. But You said: «He shall not live with bread alone the man». 

You know therefore that in the name of this earthly bread it shall rise against You the spirit of the Earth, the spirit of the world? Do you also know that the mankind by the mouth of its wise men and its intellectuals will proclaim, after centuries, that there have never existed neither sins, nor crimes, but only hungry people? 

You know these things. The flag that will be raised against You will write on top: «First feed us, and then ask from us to implement Your word!». With this flag they will demolish Your temple, and in its place they will build a terrible tower of Babel. 

Us however we will feed them, and we will terminate this tower of Babel. And we shall lie to them that what we do we do it in Your name. 

You promised them «the heavenly bread». Can this bread be compared with the real and palpable bread, with the earthly bread? 

Well, anyway, for «the heavenly bread» thousands will follow You, ten thousands, hundred thousands. But what will happen with the millions and the billion creatures that will not have the strength to despise the earthly bread, in order to receive Your «heavenly bread»? 

We shall become saviors for these millions of people, and they will godify us, because we took upon us their freedom. Nevertheless we will say that as our leader we have You, and that we have received the authority from You. We shall lie, but this will be our duty. 

Well, these I had to say regarding the first question of the Temptation, that the spirit offered to You in the desert. You despised the only means by which you could have achieved that they worship You all the people, and not only these few (Author's note: that is, those who keep the true word of Christ). 

The people want to surrender their freedom to someone. And You, instead of receiving their freedom and become their ruler, You donated them even more freedom. 

This overcomes their strength, and for this You have been tough for them, and You haven't really loved them by means of giving them the freedom. For this reason, You Yourself have collaborated to the demolition of Your kingdom, and You must not accuse anyone for this catastrophe». 

The Inquisitor continued talking without receiving any answer from Christ who was standing before him. 

He talks to Him about the second temptation: «The cunning and powerful Spirit also told You to fall from the roof of the temple, for the angels to lift You up and no harm occurs to you. But You even this You did not accept it, and You responded to it: «You shall not tempt the Lord your God». 

And when they crucified You and they were ironically yelling at You «Come down, if you can, from the Cross», You didn't come down to make them crawl in front of you, because you didn't want to abolish their freedom. 

For this reason, the prophet and disciple of Yours wrote that he saw during the first resurrection only twelve thousand saved from every tribe of Israel. 

Therefore, only these few were those who sustained Your Cross and became children of Your freedom, that is, the strong ones? And the others? What will happen to the others? So, You came to the world only for the select few? But this is a mystery that we cannot understand. 

Thus, we have perfected Your work, and we have created a system where they won't get lost the weak either. Didn't we have right then to do as we did? Have we not loved the mankind in the way we have behaved? Why did You come then to ruin it for us? 

All these things that I am telling You I know that You know them. Therefore, why should I hide from You our secret? But let me tell it to You, so that You hear it through my mouth: «Well, we are not with You, but with Him, the devil. For eight hundred years now we have gone with Him». 

For eight hundred years now we have accepted from Him the third gift that he offered to You, by showing You the kingdoms of the earth, but You did not accept them, You threw them away. Authority is a terrible power, and the wise Spirit offered it to You, but You didn't receive it. But we received it. 

Yes. We received Rome from Him and the sword of Caesar, and we proclaimed ourselves emperors on earth, cosmocrats indeed, although this work is's not over yet. 

And who is to blame for this? Our work is still in the beginning, but it will last forever, until the death of the earth. In any case, we shall finish it, we shall be Caesars. 

You however You could have seized the sword of Caesar since when it offered it to You the terrible and wise Spirit, one thousand five hundred years ago. 

If You had listened to its advice, you would have accomplished everything that the people desire. They would have become a flock that would cover the earth, and would worship You. 

Because the humanity has within itself the desire to become a global organization. The great conquerors, like Tamerlane and Genghis Khan, they wished to subjugate the whole world, revealing thus themselves as well, without even knowing it, that the desire of the mankind is to make a global union. 

If You had accepted back then the dominion of this world here and the chlamydia of Caesar, You would have now established a global government and You would have granted the peace to the whole world. 

Because, who else can dominate over the people, other than the one who controls their bread, their «daily food»? But you were saying: «The kingdom of mine is not from this world». But we have accepted the sword of Caesar, and thus we have rejected You, and we have followed Him, the great and powerful Spirit. 

The humans will not be able to terminate the tower of Babel that they started to build, unless we take over, otherwise they will just fight with each other. And as soon as we take over, then it shall rise for the humanity the state of peace and of the bliss. 

You are just proud for the few that You shall have, «the small flock», (as Christ said: author's note), while we shall grant the peace and the happiness to the whole mankind. 

Who knows if even those select few of Yours won't get bored to wait for You, and if at the end they won't rise themselves as well against You! 

Don't You worry. We will persuade them that they will be free and happy, if they surrender to us. They shall crawl themselves in front of us and they will cry out: «You were right; only you know the secret of the Great Spirit!». 

They will see that ourselves, we may not be able to turn the stones to bread, but they will receive it from our hands, and they will remember that previously even the bread in their hands it was turning into stone. 

You impeded the people from coming to us. You have fragmented the flock and You have made it scatter to unknown roads. But it shall gather together again, and it will become obedient to us. And this time it will last until the end of times. 

We shall grant them a humble and quiet happiness, which is suitable for weak creatures, as these people are. We shall teach them la humildad, because You have raised them very high, and they have become proud. We shall give them to understand that they are weak and scared little men. 

They will admire us and they will be proud for us, as we are so powerful and shrewd, and because we managed to discipline a flock so big with millions of heads that will bow in front of us. 

They will tremble with our wrath. But they shall also love us, because we will be granting them forgiveness for their sins, since we shall tell them that we have the power to erase their sins, and that they can practice the sins, and that we forgive them out of love. 

Everything I say will happen, and our kingdom will be established on strong foundations. Tomorrow You shall see this flock that is obedient in every gesture of mine, that will flood the place where I will command to burn You alive, and to feed the fire. Because, if there is anyone who deserves to be burned, that one is You! Tomorrow I will burn You». 

Here it ends this torturous monologue and this sinister story. A symbolic history, which, as we said, it was written by Ivan Karamazov and he was narrating it to his brother Aliosa, the monk, the fanatic Orthodox. Aliosa, every now and then was interrupting Ivan, in order to make him some remark. Among other things, he also said the following: 

«The Jesuits is the roman army for the future earthly state, with one dominating Caesar on its head, the Pope, the emperor. Their purpose is to aquire power and vulgar earthly wealth. This is all their purpose. In God it seems that they do not believe. Their biggest secret, which they hide very well, is their atheism. Your Inquisitor, Ivan, does not believe in God. That is all his secret». 

The Great Inquisitor and the three temptations