The Gunpowder plot, Guy Fawkes the hero.
The gunpowder plot was an attempt to destroy an evil dictatorship, persecuting and murdering its citizen’s, and for what, their peaceful worship of their religion, the original religion of the country. Catholics were banned from worshiping their religion of choice. They were fined and worse, for not attending the state religion. After decades of persecution and failed attempts at reforms that would lessen or cease this persecution, Catholics were left with no choice, but to act to protect themselves. When you are caught praying or attending a mass that is not state sanctioned, that should not be a crime. Sadly, the brave heroes were caught tortured and murdered. Unfortunately, this desperate attempt to force change and bring tolerance did not work and the persecution has continued for centuries.
It is sad to say that still today, Catholics are looked down on and discriminated against. Catholics who show their faith in public, will lose their job as well as hurt their future career options, in some cases friends and family will end contact with them, they will lose their sense of safety for just being Catholic. They will be then be at the mercy of the same government that purposely put them there in the hope of forcing them to change. This is happening today to some Catholics, not all. However it shows no signs of slowing down or stopping, with the only foreseeable reason for it slowing in the future, being that Catholics will be so terrified that they will change their faith to make their life tolerable. Though not as bad as torture and execution it is still not right. Most of the time the Catholic in question has simply stated their Catholic opinion on the subject and not even tried to live by it. But even talking, writing, and thinking as a Catholic can be a dangerous act these days as the state and media, especially the police, courts and the education system are deeply uneducated and intolerant to Catholics. It is sad that the state and many people still persecute Catholics today, we have always been an easy target. Film and pop culture spurs fake myths about our history and about us and our faith, Robin Hood is a good example of pushing a fake narrative about the church (stealing grain from the poor because we and our church are greedy). But there are many more, some big, some small and some which hit you front on and others which are quiet and insidious, then there are cultural myths about our history, priests, beliefs and what we think and feel. That are just thrown about like unchallengeable facts that are just believed, without any evidence or research to support them, all of which puts us in a bad light and makes the abuse of us acceptable and just, in the eyes of the uninformed. And even though we are a tolerant, diverse, loving, inclusive and beneficial group to society we are attacked. The main reason for attacking us is to force us to turn away from our faith. As our faith is a reminder that the current lifestyles that many choose to lead, and the country’s culture is negative and is deeply unhealthy. That as a society we have moved far from natural law and that things are only getting worse. We are an unpleasant reminder of this, and people wish to continue their selfish and destructive lives, without having to listen to their souls’ guilt for their actions and attitudes. We also stand for democracy, free speech, responsibility, non-materialism, delayed gratification, faith, family, charity, non-judgmental, natural law and many other things. Which to many seem to be unreasonable ideas these days. I hope that we are not imprisoned and or killed for our faith again in this country, but I sadly believe that it may not be long before we are, placed at a crossroads once again. It will not be the same as in the past, less rack and more psychology but it could still be a new age of martyrs. I hope not, but all the signs are there.
To the credit of the gunpowder plotters they were trying to be merciful and this is what got them killed and so many more in the future. If only they had not warned so many of the plot. If only they had not trusted so many with the information. They could have sent men to stop by force their brothers from going to parliament if they wanted to save their lives. They could have let them die for their faith. Not an easy choice and not one without risk of one’s soul but to stop a country from losing its soul and from spreading the protestant cancer, it may have been a necessary price. God will in the end of course decide. But an important lesson can be learned from the gunpowder plot, mercy has a time and a place.
RC