Date: 21 Oct 2002 22:50:00 +0200
From: ASWAD-AT-anarch.free.de (catkawin)
Subject: Re: moorish temple



Dave wrote:

> I remember reading in some book, many many years
> ago, that at one time al-Andalus was so far in advance
> of the rest of Europe that the population of al-Andalus
> was greater than all of the rest of Europe combined;
> and that the cities of Moorish Spain were many times
> bigger than Rome, London, or Paris at that time.
Not only that, they were also far more civilized than Rome, London, or  
Paris, with public sewage system, water toilets in the houses, public and  
free hospitals and schools, and so on.

> al-Andalus was Muslim but had freedom of religion
> for both Jews and Christians. All that changed
> when, after many centuries, al-Andalus was defeated.
> The victorious Christians invented the Spanish
> Inquisition to deal with Muslims, Jews, and, of
> course, fellow-Christians who weren't following
> the "correct" line.
The 'correct' religion was no prerequisite for any position; the tax to be  
paid by non-Muslims was lowered to a few pennies so that no person would  
convert to Islam for financial reasons; converts were expected to be  
convinced, not forced in any way. Reconquista and inquisition ruined the  
Spanish economy so thoroughly that even the South American riches were not  
able to make up for the losses. They turned Spain into the most backward  
country in Europe for centuries to come.

catkawin
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