After reading Dr Klaus Vella Bardon’s letter entitled “Chesterton as a journalist − correcting a biased view” (TMIS, 17 June), I feel that a brief reply on the subject ‘bias’ is very much in order. First of all, does he not feel that he was being terribly biased himself by selectively citing, among others, as stalwarts of the Catholic Church, Francis of Assisi, Oscar Romero and Mother Theresa and not mentioning, for example, the long and bloody legacy of atrocities perpetrated by the same Roman Catholic Church in a period spanning more than 600 years during which millions were put to death?

Finding a parallel crime of this magnitude in history is not easy; in fact it has been inferred many times by historical observers that Hitler and Stalin, in order to stifle opposition, applied a system that had in the past and for literally hundreds of years worked wonders for the Holy Inquisition. So it is more than starkly evident today as to whom was imitating who in these twin barbarisms mentioned in his letter.

Incidentally, the good that emanated from Francis of Assisi and others of his ilk seems like a tiny drop in a vast ocean of cruelty and terrible human suffering that were undoubtedly perpetrated by the Holy Inquisition and their partners in crime, the Holy Crusaders, both institutions established and personally condoned and supported by a long line of Holy Popes. Drawing a list of this horrendous human tragedy is no easy task and the details are not for the faint hearted. From the annihilation of the Cathars in the south of France to the atrocities committed by the crusaders, in some cases even against other Christians like themselves, to the pogroms instituted over centuries against Jews in Europe, to the persecution of Jews and Muslims in Spain, who were initially forced to convert to the Christian faith or be exiled, and were later thrown into dungeons, tortured and many burnt at the stake. For this final ordeal, obviously not inspired by Christian love, special public shows called auto-da-fé were organised and attended with great pomp by the clergy and high Church officials.

From the foregoing one can rightly conclude that the number of humans who were victims of religious intolerance is endless. I have not even touched the subject of slavery, the source of so much suffering, injustice and inhumanity that was widely practised and condoned by all good Christians everywhere. It was only thanks to the coming of Napoleon that slavery was abolished in Malta in the late 18th century, when more than 600 Muslim slaves, mostly owned by the Catholic Knights of St John, were given their freedom. Personally, I do not doubt that bias induces intolerance and most intolerance is derived from fundamentalist religions without exception.

Vladimir Cini

MARSAXLOKK