Post by tickingmask on Jan 9, 2021 13:01:33 GMT
Yes, growing up in Scotland I am familiar with this story. It's to the kirk's eternal shame that they didn't intervene to prevent his execution. What a bunch of vindictive fuckers. I also hope his 'friend' who shopped him after he made those remarks (apparently in a state of drunken frivolity) felt deep shame and remorse for the rest of his life.
I am not trying to make excuses, but to put the whole thing in some kind of context: this wasn't long after the Glorious Revolution which saw the deposition of the Catholic James II and the Protestant/Presbyterian church enter into a advanced state of ultra authoritarianism, seeing their destiny tied in with the crown as they sought to suppress the Jacobite rebellions which cropped up every now and then and no doubt becoming a bit paranoid in the process. Strange times, indeed.
BTW did you know that Blasphemy laws dating from that time apparently still exist in Scotland?! Although I heard that the Scottish Parliament is thinking of getting rid of them. (England isn't much better, it only removed the last of them as recently as 2008).
I am not trying to make excuses, but to put the whole thing in some kind of context: this wasn't long after the Glorious Revolution which saw the deposition of the Catholic James II and the Protestant/Presbyterian church enter into a advanced state of ultra authoritarianism, seeing their destiny tied in with the crown as they sought to suppress the Jacobite rebellions which cropped up every now and then and no doubt becoming a bit paranoid in the process. Strange times, indeed.
BTW did you know that Blasphemy laws dating from that time apparently still exist in Scotland?! Although I heard that the Scottish Parliament is thinking of getting rid of them. (England isn't much better, it only removed the last of them as recently as 2008).