so i did some digging online and found the Cathars where allegedly "anti marriage" is this actually true? if it was true is it true now? and do modern Cathars allow themselves to have relationships and get married? i asked because i have religious trauma and this doesn't sit well with me.

What countries do you come from? 😊

Is there any reason that made you choose decisively Catharism and not other sects like Lucianism, Bogomilism, Encratism, etc.? How would you respond to atheists who are metaphysical naturalists (who say the supernatural doesn't exist because there is no scientific evidence for it)?

Let's look back at some memorable moments and interesting insights from last year.

Your top 10 posts:

• "Book recommendation: Montaillou" by u/Reshutenit
• "Cathar Cross of Angelic Light, Pixel Art (inspired by a medieval Cathar coin)" by u/No_Comfortable6730
• "Catharism as a Counter Church and as the Original Primitive Church" by u/No_Comfortable6730
• "A question from a Christian (with Valentinian persuasion)"
• "Gnostic wisdom implies Jesus not crucified" by u/Gnosticguru
• "The Secret Gnostic Gospels" by u/HistoryBuffLakeland
• "Marcion the mariner (poem)" by u/No_Comfortable6730
• "Happy Cakeday, r/Cathar! Today you're 13" by u/AutoModerator
• "bogomilism documentary: Bogre - The Great European Heresy" by u/Denon_1
• "I’m I required to be vegan" by u/Katievapes1996

In winter’s cold grip

In the land of the Angles

The Good Christians came

Against their will to a trial

In a grand city

Called the Ford of the Oxen

Good will be slaughtered

By the hands of hot fire

The hands of the judge

The home’s ruler was their judge

His stare was piercing

That went with flaming outbursts

And with his red hair

And the king’s false overseers

Were the proud jury

Against the thirty Christians

Who came years before

Who came to spread medicine

To heal the ones sick

Cleanse all those with leprosy

To raise the ones dead

Cleanse all those with black demons

All without a fee

But to the judge and jury

This was dark poison

That spread about pestilence

And the Good Christians

Were flees spreading everywhere

Now in England’s robe

Eating away the fabric

In his scruffy clothes

The king asked them some questions

In their ornate robes

The overseers asked as well

In their simple clothes

The thirty Christians answered

“We believe in Christ

The glorious physician

Son of the Most High

Who dwelt with men in this world

To preach grace and truth

In this world of law and sin”

They took a brief pause

“Concerning the wooden cross

We do not bow down

The cross is not an idol

It was a device

Of torture and freezing death

That killed the healer

We worship the life, not death”

More words were ordered

“Concerning your baptism

Water is water

Christ came to baptise with flames

Not red flames, but white

With the eternal Spirit

To be true water

With the blazing flames as foam

Spirit gives us grace

This world’s water has no grace”

More words were ordered

“Concerning your common feast

That your priests give out

Your feast of bread and rich wine

Our sole bread is Christ

Who can never be consumed

For he is Spirit

And never becomes man’s food

Obeying his words

Are how we eat this sole bread

Our wine is Spirit

Who grows fruit within us all

To prosper and grow”

Last words were ordered

“The Church of Wolves reigns this world

Through its fangs and claws

None are permitted to flee

Or they will bleed red

With life gushing out of them”

The king spurted threats

Filled with coldness and hot flames

Threatening torment

And the void beyond this life

For their honesty

And the jury went along

In his sheer anger

As if they were some nobles

Shouting in a hunt

The thirty Christians spoke thus

“Blessed are those ones

Who suffer from sword or flame

From rope or prison

Or from winter’s sheer coldness

For the sake of light

For Christ and goodness itself

For they are Christ’s own

They are in heaven’s kingdom”

The jury looked on

In their long adorned white robes

Clenching their own fists

Feeling their ring in their palms

“Heretics!” They yelled

With that word, the trail ended

They were now guilty

Still they sang a song of life

“Blessed are those ones

Who are reviled and hated

Rejoice and be glad

For great is the light of Christ”

As red flames rose up

The king in his ruthlessness

Had all of them flogged

In the sight of the cattle

And had their brows burned

And drove them from oxen’s ford

And they stripped them all

To wail and die in frost’s grip

Or be still in pain

But they kept singing with joy

The king shut his mouth

For hot anger chained his lips

His freckled face scowled

All the cattle were ordered

To have no pity

And walk to the other side

If one is in sight

And not pour good oil and wine

On their bleeding wounds

And not let them find an inn

To find some shelter

They were in winter’s cold chains

For nature herself

To be executioner

Those few Good Christians

Still had the spirit in them

And looked to the stars

Just as Christ laughed on the tree

They joyfully laughed

They went to this world laughing

And left this cold world laughing

I found this fave, and I believe it’s closest to what I believe I have heard a lot of things about them being vegan and I do feel guilty at times about eating me, but I have sensory issues and I am an extremely picky eater. There’s times where my body will literally only let me eat one certain food for the last three weeks it’s been wings am I required to be a vegan or vegetarian? I’m just not sure if it’s something I can do with all of my issues is there any sort of medical exemption? Thanks

FYI in case any of you didn't know: there's a book called Montaillou written by Emmanuel Le Roy Ladurie in 1978 about the village of the same name during the early 14th century. The village was filled with Cathars, which unfortunately for them brought it to the attention of the Inquisition. Ladurie analyzed the records of the Church's investigation into heresy and wrote the greatest non-fiction book I've ever read.

I really can't recommend this book highly enough to anyone interested in Catharism, or history in general. It's filled with fascinating insights into the culture and psychology of the Medieval Pyrenees, as well as historical characters so vibrant and colorful they could have been crafted for fiction.

The original text is in French, but it's been translated into English and, I'm sure, other languages as well.

As someone who loved to learn about the history of the medieval era, I am especially fascinated with the heretics like the Paulicians, Bogomils, etc… The problem I’m having now is whether the Cathari accepted the trinity as a whole. One source say they’re modalist/adoptionist and others say they are trinitarian. So I would like to hear some variety of opinion here concerning the trinity Another question I have is that even if most don’t accept the trinity, is it possible to be a trinitarian Cathari? May peace be unto you and God bless.

Marcion built a ship for all men to enter

Across the never-ending time filled ocean

He divided the water filled with bitter salt

From the water of sweetness with his boat’s bow

Far greater than fiery Moses splitting the sea

​

The roman harbour rejected him and his ship

For it believed in the bitter water’s taste

Though it rotted their very bones in their red waves

They sold it as water made blessed and holy

Though flames burnt in their stomachs for ever unquenched

​

He made a map that showed the way to every pearl

The map showed the eleven islands of Christ

Let's look back at some memorable moments and interesting insights from last year.

Your top 10 posts:

• "I'm searching for a copy (ideally, digital) of The Cathars and Reincarnation, by Arthur Guirdham" by u/lamaisondieu
• "Traditional Cathar rituals translated from Occitan" by u/terrty77
• "Happy Cakeday, r/Cathar! Today you're 12" by u/AutoModerator
• "Cathars and Catharism: Historical Fact or a Delusion of the Inquisition?" by u/jamesjustinsledge
• "Progression westwards of Manicheaism and other dualistic faiths" by u/terrty77
• "Scriptures of the Cathars - Introduction, The Vision of Isaiah & Secret Supper of John" by u/jamesjustinsledge
• "Parallels between Cathar beliefs and the Bahir" by u/Orxy77
• "Interesting✝️" by u/ocdudebro
• "The inscription of an ancient Gnostic gravestone (called Flavia Sophe)" by u/No_Comfortable6730
• "Were the Cathars Vegans?" by u/The-Eternal-Inquirer

Do you know how I could get get a PDF or EPUB copy of The Cathars and Reincarnation, by Arthur Guirdham? I'm not from the US nor Europe, so I fear getting a physical copy would be much too expensive for me, I hope maybe a digital copy sold somewhere would be more acceptable. Even then, I would love to get a physical copy and pay for it, as long as the price isin't too steep, shipping included.

I understand it's not a very scientific book, as books about past reincarnation tend to be, but I heard about this in particular and found it an interesting story, and the type of books I like reading about.

So, any help would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance!

I read often that the Cathars had a Vegan/Vegetarian lifestyle. Is this true? If so, what about the accounts of Jesus' miracles involving fish?

You were filled with longing for the father’s light,
My sister, my spouse, my Sophe.
Now, anointed with holy immortal chrism in the baths of Christ,
Be quick to view the divine faces of the aeons,
The great angel of the great council, the true Son.
You made your way into the bridal chamber and made an undying ascent
Into the breast of the Father.

Hey guys I was reading about catharism and I'm curious if cathars would have had any views concerning the practice of magic (excluding witchcraft and explicit demon worshipping). Theoretically magic does not involve the physical realm, so it might be considered untainted by Satan?