Spanish Inquisition Quotes

“My dear young lady, when you are in love, and jealous, and have been flogged by the Inquisition, there's no knowing what you may do.”
― Voltaire, Candide

“Whatever sins Christians engaged in the past, and they were extensive, the fact is that the most humane and decent countries in the world nearly all have Christian origins. That is not true of states that grew out of Islam.”
― Dennis Prager, Still the Best Hope: Why the World Needs American Values to Triumph

“Both defenders and opponents of the Inquisition have often accepted without question the image of an omniscient, omnipotent tribunal whose fingers reached into every corner of the land. The extravagant rhetoric on both sides has been one of the major obstacles to understanding. For the Inquisition to have been as powerful as suggested, the fifty or so inquisitors in Spain would need to have had an extensive bureaucracy, a reliable system of informers, regular income and the cooperation of the secular and ecclesiastical authorities. Seldom if ever did they have any of these.”
― Henry Kamen, The Spanish Inquisition: A Historical Revision

“But, alas, nobody anticipated the United States Department of Homeland Security.”
― Richard Dawkins, An Appetite for Wonder: The Making of a Scientist

“That sort of thing doesn't happen any more," reiterated Wensley­dale, the rational thinking person. "'Cos we invented Science and all the vicars set fire to the witches for their own good. It was called the Spanish Inquisition.”
― Neil Gaiman, Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch

“Apparently, unlike Portnov, not all of the professors here had manners worthy of the Spanish Inquisition.”
― Marina Dyachenko, Vita Nostra

“Brother Ramiro carried the carefully wrapped Compendium between his chest and his folded arms as they crossed the town square. Adelard glanced at the trio of scorched stakes where heretics were unburdened of their sins by the cleansing flame. He had witnessed many an auto da fé here since his arrival from France.

"Note how passersby avert their eyes and give us a wide berth," Ramiro said.

Adelard had indeed noticed that. "I don't know why. They can't know that I am a member of the tribunal."

"They don't. They see the black robes and know us as Dominicans, members of the order that runs the Inquisition, and that is enough. This saddens me."

"Why?"

"You are an inquisitor, I am a simple mendicant. You would not know."

"I was not always an inquisitor, Ramiro."

"But you did not know Ávila before the Inquisition arrived. We were greeted with smiles and welcomed everywhere. Now no one looks me in the eye. What do you think their averted gazes mean? That they have heresies to hide?"

"Perhaps."

"Then you are wrong. It means that the robes of our order have become associated with the public burnings of heretics to the exclusion of all else.”
― F. Paul Wilson, The Compendium of Srem

“He reached through a slit in his robe into a pouch strapped to his ample abdomen. From it he withdrew a small wineskin.

"Here," he said, pushing it between the bars. "For strength. For courage."

Adelard pulled the stopper and drank greedily.

"They don't feed me and give me very little water."

How does it feel? Ramiro thought. How many have you treated the same to make them weak and more easily persuaded by your tortures?”
― F. Paul Wilson, The Compendium of Srem