Part 2 - AMORC

practicing their faith…, until in 1309, when PèireAutier was arrested and burned at the stake.Their last known Perfect, Guilhèm Belibaste, wasalso betrayed and burnt at the stake in 1321,after which the Believers fled, hiding in the wildregion of Sabarthez until they all seemed to havedisappeared, either because they had been killed,or because they had fled abroad to Spain andLombardy.As for the County of Toulouse, after CountRaimon VII died in 1250, his daughter was marriedto the brother of the king of France, and after theirdeaths in 1271, the county was absorbed into theFrench royal possessions and the entire Languedocfinally came under royal control.MartyrsWe can honestly say that the faith of the Cathars wasof such a high quality that it can only be comparedto that of the early martyrs of Christianity. Theirdoctrine was truly inspired by the pure spirit of thepristine Christian ideal, before misrepresentationand deformation through the sectarianism of theclergy of later times.Many suffered dreadful deaths through firewith the high courage of the early martyrs duringthe Roman persecutions. And yet, their doctrinewas so deformed by the Inquisitors that theywere accused of holding the belief that suicidewas a lawful act. In some cases, they submittedthemselves to what they called the Endura, eitherbefore the sacrament of Consolamentum or afterthey had been imprisoned. In the former case, theThe sincere efforts of Cathars strove forinner liberation and shone with the lightof pure spirituality.Endura was only a very severe fast, not practisedwith the idea of committing suicide, but as ameans of liberating themselves from the sway ofthe senses. In the latter case, when they wereimprisoned, it was undertaken to try to escape thetortures of the Inquisition or death by fire, andthey would therefore allow themselves to starveto death.All epochs have had their contrast of Lightand Darkness. In the darkness of the medieval ages,in a deeply humble manner, the sincere efforts ofCathars strove for inner liberation and shonewith the light of pure spirituality. This affirmedthat however insurmountable the obstacles mayappear, the process of evolution continues itsirrevocable motion throughout eternity. Evilmay triumph temporarily, but for goodness andsanctity, final victory is always assured, even ifthat takes centuries to come.Every action has its reaction, and the powerof the Popes was thereafter greatly weakened. Themassacres and acts of savagery that the pope hadunleashed greatly diminished the authority of thechurch. For a long time the “Vicars of Christ” (thepopes) had lost their spiritual authority over thecountries of Europe. Their violent and fanaticalsuppression of all forms of dissent and differenceof opinion through the actions of the Inquisitionleft a permanent scar from which the RomanCatholic Church has taken centuries to recover.In conclusion it may be said that althoughCatharism seems to have entirely disappeared,some traces of their descendants still remain, andtheir doctrine and teachings were preserved and infact may have been precursors of the teachings ofthe Rosicrucians of later centuries. If we comparetheir traditions and teachings with those of modernRosicrucians, one can’t help but see that they arebased upon the same ancient fundamental truthsderiving from the innate human sense of universaljustice and the ardent aspiration for spiritualenfoldment.EpilogueOne of the greatest achievements of mankindis religion; yet paradoxically, it is also one ofmankind’s greatest enemies. When organisedreligion becomes the bedfellow of secularpower, it is a recipe for disaster. Each religionthinks it is better than all others …, it is humannature!I often wonder if the great avatars andteachers of the past would be horrified to seewhat had become of their teachings. The CatholicChurch eventually reformed itself, so the Churchin this story no longer reflects the Church of today.At the end of the crusades, a whole way of lifehad been destroyed, along with the prosperityof one of the richest regions of France. But youcan’t entirely destroy an idea, and the story of theCathars has survived despite all attempts to eraseit from living memory. In the next article we shallsee what it meant to be a Cathar and how theirexample still influences us today.Al cap dels sèt cent ans, verdejara lo laurèl.The laurel will flourish again in 700 yearsThe Rosicrucian Beacon -- June 200819