Tag Archives: rome

Who Were the Cathars?

Leave a reply

The Cathars did not see themselves as revolutionaries. They saw themselves as restorers of truth — a people who remembered that this world was not holy but counterfeit, ruled by Rex Mundi, the “king of this world.” Their name, drawn from the Greek katharos (“the pure ones”), reflected their pursuit of purity of spirit, not through rituals of stone cathedrals but through simplicity, compassion, and awakening.

Rome, however, saw them as heretics of the most dangerous kind. Not because they worshipped pagan gods or practiced sorcery, but because they lived a form of Christianity so radically different that it exposed the corruption of the institutional church.

Origins: From Bogomils to Languedoc

The Cathars emerged in the 11th and 12th centuries in the region of Languedoc (southern France), a land of troubadours, merchants, and relative openness compared to northern Europe. Their roots trace to the Bogomils of the Balkans — a dualist Christian movement from Bulgaria that taught the world was created not by God, but by an evil power. These teachings spread westward along trade routes, finding fertile ground in Occitania.

By the time they took hold in Languedoc, Cathar communities had become vibrant, drawing followers across social classes — from peasants to nobles. Why here? Because Languedoc’s culture already valued tolerance, literacy, and independence from northern French control. It was a land where an alternative Christianity could thrive — at least for a time.

Perfecti vs. Credentes

The Cathar community was structured in two groups:

  • Perfecti (the Perfects): Spiritual leaders who lived in radical purity. They renounced meat, wealth, war, and sex, devoting themselves fully to the God of Light. They were seen as living examples of the awakened life.
  • Credentes (the Believers): Ordinary followers who respected the Perfecti, sought their guidance, and prepared — often at the end of life — to receive the consolamentum (a laying-on of hands seen as the true baptism of spirit).

This division wasn’t about hierarchy or domination; it was about responsibility. The Perfecti modeled the awakened life, while the Credentes lived in the world but carried the spark within them.

Ethics: Living Against the World

If the material world was a prison, then the way to resist Rex Mundi was to live as if you were no longer his subject. Cathar ethics were strikingly different from those of their Catholic neighbors:

  • Simplicity and Poverty: They rejected wealth and opulence. Unlike Rome’s bishops clothed in silk, Cathar Perfecti wore plain black robes and lived with little.
  • Vegetarianism: They abstained from meat (except fish), believing it tied them too closely to the cycle of material corruption.
  • Refusal of Oaths: They would not swear oaths, even in court, because to bind oneself to earthly rulers was to submit to the god of this world.
  • Rejection of War and Violence: They would not kill, even in self-defense, embodying a radical form of nonviolence.
  • Equality of the Sexes: Women could serve as Perfectae, and their voices carried weight equal to men — a shocking contrast to the Catholic Church’s patriarchy.

To the Catholic hierarchy, these practices were not simply “different.” They were a rebuke. Each Cathar choice highlighted the hypocrisy of a church that amassed wealth, swore oaths for political gain, blessed wars, and oppressed women.

Rex Mundi: The “God of This World”

At the center of Cathar theology was Rex Mundi — the ruler of this world. To the Cathars, he was Satan himself, the same Adversary who offered Jesus all the kingdoms of the earth in Matthew 4:8–9.

  • The Catholic Church worshipped Rex Mundi without realizing it.
  • The sacraments of Rome were traps, binding souls more tightly to the flesh.
  • True salvation lay not in building cathedrals or obeying priests, but in awakening — remembering the divine spark within and rejecting the counterfeit world.

This belief was not just theological speculation. It was a direct accusation: the church itself, with its wealth and power, was the empire of the Adversary.

Why They Thrived — and Why They Terrified Rome

The Cathars thrived in Languedoc for a simple reason: they offered an alternative Christianity that made sense to people. Ordinary believers looked at Rome’s wealth and corruption — indulgences sold, priests living in excess — and then looked at the Cathars, who lived humbly, healed the sick, and refused to kill. The choice was obvious.

  • For the people: Cathar faith gave hope and dignity. It told them they did not need middlemen to find God.
  • For local nobles: Tolerating Cathars gave them leverage against Rome. By supporting an alternative religion, they weakened papal influence in their territories.

But this success is exactly why they terrified Rome. If Cathar Christianity spread, the church stood to lose:

  • Wealth: No more tithes, indulgences, or taxes flowing to Rome.
  • Power: No more oaths binding people to papal authority.
  • Control: No more fear-driven obedience to sacraments.

Rome gained everything by destroying the Cathars — land, loyalty, and the reaffirmation of its monopoly on salvation. The Cathars lost everything — homes, lives, entire communities.

The Claim in Context

Seen from the outside, the Cathars were heretics. Seen from within, they were defenders of a Jesus who came to awaken, not to enthrone empires.

This chapter is not about romanticizing them. It is about seeing why their voice was silenced. They did not threaten God. They threatened power. And in the Middle Ages, that was enough to mark them for extermination.

Resources & References

  • Barber, Malcolm. The Cathars: Dualist Heretics in Languedoc in the High Middle Ages. Longman, 2000.
  • O’Shea, Stephen. The Perfect Heresy: The Life and Death of the Cathars. Walker & Co., 2000.
  • Wakefield, Walter L., and Austin P. Evans. Heresies of the High Middle Ages. Columbia University Press, 1991.
  • Peters, Edward. Inquisition. University of California Press, 1988.
  • Brenon, Anne. The Forgotten Cathars. Oxford, 1991.
  • Gnostic Society Library: Interrogatio Johannis (Secret Supper), translations and background.

The Forbidden Gospel of John: From Sinai to Nicaea and the Prison of Flesh

About the Author

A.L. Childers is a writer and researcher who refuses to stop at the surface of things. Her work digs into history, symbols, and the hidden stories that shape culture and politics today. By blending truth, curiosity, and raw honesty, she writes for the people who are tired of being told half-truths.

Disclaimer

This blog is for educational and historical purposes only. It does not endorse or condemn any religion, culture, or nation. Its purpose is to examine the historical and symbolic use of the hexagram and to explore how symbols move between occult traditions and cultic institutions.

From Rome to the IRS: The Ancient Roots of Taxes We Still Pay Today

Leave a reply

When Benjamin Franklin quipped that nothing in this world is certain except death and taxes, he echoed a truth that stretches back thousands of years. From the fields of ancient Rome to today’s tax season headaches, humanity has always wrestled with the cost of keeping governments running.

But here’s the twist: while modern Americans complain about the IRS, income taxes, and endless forms, Roman citizens had to endure something even stranger—tax collectors counting their slaves, farm animals, and furniture to figure out what they owed.

In this blog, we’ll uncover how Romans handled taxation, how their system evolved into a massive engine of empire, and why corruption and exploitation became as inevitable as the taxes themselves.

Taxation in the Roman Republic: Counting Every Cow and Coin

In the early Republic, taxes weren’t based on income like today. Instead, they were levied as a percentage of wealth. Roman officials literally sent people into the fields to measure land, assess livestock, and tally personal possessions. Every five years, this data was recorded in a census that not only determined taxes but also military obligations.

  • The Wealthy: Expected to pay more and equip themselves with expensive armor.
  • The Poor: Contributed less but were still classified according to property and age.

In normal times, tax rates hovered around 1%. But in wartime, they spiked to around 3%.

Conquest as Revenue: When War Paid the Bills

Rome’s rapid expansion meant conquests soon replaced taxes as the empire’s primary source of revenue. By 167 BCE, Italian citizens no longer had to pay wealth taxes at all. Instead, conquered provinces bore the brunt of taxation, often through harsh levies on trade, land, and goods.

Tax Farming: Privatizing the Pain

As Rome’s empire grew, direct tax collection became impossible. Enter tax farming, where the government auctioned off the right to collect taxes to private contractors (publicani).

  • The government secured guaranteed revenue.
  • The publicani used soldiers, bribes, and even hired thugs to squeeze provinces dry.
  • Corruption skyrocketed as wealthy Romans turned tax farming into a path to obscene fortunes.

Famous figures like Crassus and Pompey grew astronomically rich through these schemes, fueling both envy and unrest.

Imperial Reforms: From Augustus to Diocletian

When Augustus became emperor, he reformed taxation, introducing a wealth tax (around 1%) and a flat poll tax. Later emperors like Diocletian expanded bureaucracy, centralizing taxation further. Yet even then, Rome relied heavily on local elites and intermediaries—an echo of modern outsourcing and privatized tax systems.

Lessons for Today

Rome’s taxation story feels surprisingly familiar:

  • Bureaucracy vs. Outsourcing: Rome used publicani; we debate private contractors and the IRS.
  • Wealth Inequality: Then and now, the rich found ways to profit, while the poor bore heavy burdens.
  • Unrest and Revolt: Excessive taxation has always pushed people to their limits.

The message? While the forms and systems change, the struggle over who pays—and who profits—remains timeless.

References & Resources

  • Beard, Mary. SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome.
  • Hopkins, Keith. Conquerors and Slaves.
  • Goldsworthy, Adrian. The Roman Empire: A Very Short Introduction.
  • Scheidel, Walter. Fiscal Regimes and the Political Economy of Premodern States.

SEO Keywords

Ancient Roman taxation, history of taxes, Roman Republic wealth tax, tax farming, publicani, Roman Empire economy, IRS vs. Rome, Augustus tax reforms, Diocletian bureaucracy, history of money and power.

Disclaimer

This blog is for educational and historical purposes only. It does not provide financial or legal advice. For information on modern tax obligations, consult a certified accountant or legal advisor.

About the Author

A.L. Childers is a writer, researcher, and author of multiple works exploring history, politics, and culture. With a passion for connecting the past to the present, Childers brings ancient lessons into today’s conversations—reminding us that the struggles of yesterday often echo in the challenges of today.

Rome Never Fell: How Corporations and Spiritual Forces Shape Our Reality

Leave a reply

The narrative that the Roman Empire fell in 476 AD is widely accepted. But what if Rome never truly fell? What if its ideologies, structures of power, and methods of control simply evolved into the institutions that govern us today? From the corridors of the Vatican to the boardrooms of global corporations, the remnants of Rome can be seen influencing the modern world. This blog explores how ancient Rome’s legacy persists, shaping our reality through political control, corporate power, and even spiritual warfare.

1. Rome’s Legacy: A Blueprint for Control

Rome’s influence did not end with its political decline; its systems of governance and control simply transformed.

  • The Vatican as the Roman Successor:
    • The Catholic Church inherited Rome’s wealth, power structures, and global influence. The Vatican, headquartered in Rome, continues to wield immense authority, both spiritually and politically (Elaine Pagels, Historical Analysis of Early Christianity).
    • The adoption of Roman rituals and holidays into Christianity ensured continuity, creating a seamless transition from the Roman Empire to the Holy Roman Empire.
  • Modern Political Structures:
    • Rome’s model of governance—centralized power with regional representatives—mirrors today’s global political systems.
    • The U.S. Senate, for example, takes its name and structure from the Roman Senate (SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome by Mary Beard).

2. Corporate Power: The New Empire

Corporations have become the modern emperors, controlling resources, governments, and people.

  • The Corporate Oligarchy:
    • In 2022, just 100 corporations were responsible for over 70% of global industrial emissions, highlighting their unchecked influence (Carbon Disclosure Project Report, 2023).
    • Lobbying in the United States surpassed $3.5 billion, with corporations dictating policies that benefit the elite at the expense of the average citizen (OpenSecrets.org).
  • Exploitation of Resources:
    • Global corporations mimic Rome’s conquests, extracting resources from developing nations while leaving devastation in their wake (Confessions of an Economic Hitman by John Perkins).

3. Spiritual Warfare: Humanity as the Battlefield

Beyond the physical and political, Rome’s legacy extends into the metaphysical realm.

  • Control Through Spiritual Narratives:
    • Ancient Rome maintained control through state-sponsored religion. Today, spiritual manipulation occurs through institutions like the Vatican, media, and new-age consumerism (The Vatican Files by Giovanni Minnucci).
  • The Role of Archonic Influence:
    • Gnostic texts describe Archons as parasitic entities feeding off humanity’s fear and despair. This idea parallels modern spiritual warfare theories, where negative forces manipulate human behavior (The Nag Hammadi Library).
  • Humanity’s Role in the Cosmic Struggle:
    • According to ancient texts like the Bhagavad Gita, humanity is not just a passive observer but an active participant in a cosmic battle between light and darkness.

4. The Economic Slavery of the Modern Empire

Rome’s taxation system was a tool of control, and today’s tax policies serve a similar purpose.

  • The Modern Tax System:
    • The Federal Reserve’s creation in 1913 centralized economic control, echoing Rome’s use of currency to dominate territories (The Creature from Jekyll Island by G. Edward Griffin).
    • Income inequality has skyrocketed, with the top 1% controlling more wealth than the bottom 50%, perpetuating a cycle of economic servitude (Federal Reserve, 2023).

5. The Path Forward: Reclaiming Autonomy

Awareness is the first step in breaking free from Rome’s modern grip.

  • Rejecting Corporate Influence:
    • Support local businesses, sustainable practices, and grassroots movements to weaken corporate monopolies.
  • Spiritual Awakening:
    • Engage in practices that promote love, compassion, and awareness to combat the negative forces influencing humanity.
  • Political Reform:
    • Advocate for transparency, accountability, and policies that prioritize people over profits.

Conclusion: Rome’s Eternal Shadow

Rome’s influence is far from over; it has simply evolved. From corporations to spiritual narratives, its methods of control persist in shaping our reality. By recognizing these patterns, we can begin to reclaim our autonomy, resist manipulation, and create a more equitable world.

Disclaimer

This blog combines historical analysis, spiritual exploration, and creative interpretation. While every effort has been made to provide accurate references and insights, readers are encouraged to explore these topics further and draw their own conclusions.

About the Author

Audrey Childers, writing as A.L. Childers, is an acclaimed author and researcher with a passion for uncovering hidden truths and connecting history to modern realities. With over 200 books to her name, her works delve into topics like spirituality, societal inequality, and historical analysis, challenging readers to think critically about the world around them.

Notable works include:

  • The Hidden Empire: A Journey Through Millennia of Oligarchic Rule
  • Archons: Unveiling the Parasitic Entities Shaping Human Thoughts
  • The Anunnaki Prophecy: Humanity’s Forgotten Story

Audrey’s books are available on Amazon and other major platforms. Visit her blog, TheHypothyroidismChick.com, to explore more of her thought-provoking content.

References

  1. Pagels, Elaine. The Gnostic Gospels.
  2. Beard, Mary. SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome.
  3. Perkins, John. Confessions of an Economic Hitman.
  4. Griffin, G. Edward. The Creature from Jekyll Island: A Second Look at the Federal Reserve.
  5. The Nag Hammadi Library.
  6. Carbon Disclosure Project Report, 2023.
  7. Federal Reserve Report, 2023.
  8. OpenSecrets.org, Lobbying Expenditures, 2022.

Let me know if you’d like further refinements or additional details!

Are We the New Gladiators in the Modern Arena?

Leave a reply

History has a way of echoing itself, repeating patterns in ways that often go unnoticed. One of the most compelling examples is the Roman Empire’s strategy of panem et circenses—“bread and circuses.” It was a formula so simple yet so effective: provide the masses with free grain and grand spectacles, and they will remain docile, distracted, and disinterested in questioning the powers that be.

Sound familiar?

Today, we may not gather in the Coliseum to watch gladiators battle for their lives, but we do gather in front of screens—big and small—to consume endless entertainment, sports, and social media. We don’t receive free grain, but we are seduced by fast food, dollar menus, and convenience. The formula has been updated, but the intent remains the same: keep the masses distracted while the empire thrives.

The Modern Circus

In ancient Rome, gladiatorial games were more than entertainment; they were a political tool. By hosting massive spectacles, emperors reinforced their power, maintained public loyalty, and deflected attention from political corruption and economic decay.

Today, these spectacles take new forms:

  • The Super Bowl, where billions of dollars are spent to captivate our attention for one day.
  • Reality TV shows that glorify drama while we ignore real societal issues.
  • Social media algorithms that keep us scrolling instead of seeking solutions.

Meanwhile, policies are quietly passed, wealth gaps widen, and systemic injustices persist.

Bread for the Masses

Rome’s emperors handed out free grain to keep citizens fed and, more importantly, dependent. A full belly meant fewer uprisings. Today’s bread comes in the form of fast food and processed snacks. These convenient, cheap options keep us satisfied but unhealthy, ensuring our reliance on the very systems that exploit us.

But the bread is more than physical. It’s also metaphorical—stimuli designed to keep us from asking uncomfortable questions. Discounts, sales, and endless consumer options keep us engaged in consumption instead of contemplation.

The Cost of Distraction

While we’re entertained, the world changes around us in ways we often fail to notice. Environmental degradation, unchecked corporate greed, and political corruption flourish while our attention is directed elsewhere. We’re no longer gladiators fighting for survival in an arena; instead, we’re participants in an endless cycle of distraction and consumption.

What’s the cost? Critical thinking is eroded. Social engagement diminishes. And our collective power to demand accountability weakens.

Breaking Free from the Cycle

Rome’s reliance on bread and circuses couldn’t prevent its eventual decline. The distractions were temporary fixes, masking deeper problems that ultimately led to the empire’s collapse. The question we must ask ourselves is: Are we heading down the same path?

The first step is awareness. Recognize the distractions for what they are—a means to control and pacify. Start questioning the systems that surround you. Who benefits from our obsession with entertainment and convenience? What would happen if we redirected our focus from distractions to action?

A Subtle Suggestion

If these questions resonate with you, there’s a growing body of work that dives deeper into the connections between Rome and today, exploring how ancient strategies of control have evolved into modern systems. These perspectives provide insight into how we can break free, reclaim our agency, and build a society that values truth and engagement over distraction and dependence.

The next time you find yourself in the middle of a modern circus—whether it’s scrolling on social media, cheering at a game, or grabbing a quick meal—pause for a moment. Think about the choices you’re making and the systems they support. Because while history may echo, it doesn’t have to repeat.

With strength and awareness,
A.L. Childers