| James J. Gavan 2005-12-15, 3:55 am |
| Alistair wrote:
> James J. Gavan wrote:
>
>
>
> Try looking up 'Thomas a Beckett' for another martyr who got the chop.
> BTW, as a pot-stirrer, I prefer 'Papists' rather than Catholic.
>
Martyrdom usually implies 'dying for one's faith'. That's not the case
with Thomas.
He and Henry II were good boozing and whoring buddies. Henry wanted to
control the hierarchy, so with great reluctance Thomas was fast-tracked
to become the Archbishop of Canterbury. Once wearing the Canterbury
mitre he too 'got religion' and sided with the bishops particularly with
reference to Church Courts as opposed to Crown Courts. It all gets very
complicated - but Thomas was challenging Henry's authority as king.
In sheer exasperation it is claimed Henry uttered the words, "Who will
rid me of this troublesome priest ?". Thy wish is but my command - four
of his knights/barons took him up on his comment, went off to Canterbury
and murdered Thomas.
Hardly grounds for martyrdom - nevertheless he was eventually canonized.
Jimmy
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