“Comparing the Inquisition (by itself) to Nazism and Communism is ridiculous on its face.”
Only to a collectivist point of view that sees masses. If the power that be, calls in an individual, examines his theological views, and tortures or executes, yes, they are as bad as Nazis or communists.
If it was your wife, father, son or daughter that got called in and tortured or murdered, yes, it is not ridiculous. A person caught in the inquisition would find much in common to discuss with a Jew in Poland, or a Kulak in Ukraine.
And an inquisition trial had very much in common with soviet justice circa 1933. They were both solely for show, with rigged rules and insane evidence.
Its insane to resent the RCC of today because of the inquisition. Its just as evil to defend and minimize it by saying it was only 8,000 to 12,000.
I notice no Pope today would dare say something that nutty, “hey, it was only 12,000 or so. And Nazis were even worse”.
John Paul II would have never said that.
This is what happens when Christians took on themselves what they were never commanded to do. To become a part of Caesar. Now they had to keep Caesar’s premises pure, or what they thought was pure.
Look at the ridiculous attempts to defend it, right here, and there had to be at least one such rabid attempt.