Posted on 04/15/2006 10:32:54 PM PDT by LibWhacker
The original:
"Caedite eos. Novit enim Dominus qui sunt eius."
or
"Slay them all. God will know his own"
was used in the crusades.
I like "Peace through superior firepower".
My understanding is that a French General, when asked by his lieutenants how to separate the Muslims from the Christians during the conquest of a city, were told , kill them all for God will know his own.
I believe it was Abbot Arnaud-Amaury...
Not a good slogan. It may be popular and humorous but that is not what the United States Armed Forces are about. We do not kill indiscriminately; we use skill, compassion, intelligence, and maturity to wage war in a manner far more humane than anyone else in history (contrary to what the modern media tries to present). And I do speak from experience being a Vietnam veteran and currently serving with the Special Forces in Afghanistan.
Of course the paradox here is that the origins of the slogan have to do with killing Christians along with Muslims.
"I believe it was Abbot Arnaud-Amaury"
Back when the ( Airborne) shirt was popular I used the description I posted, is that accurate?
You are correct. It was a churchman (Amaury) referring to Albigensian heretics during a siege in the Langedoc region of France. When asked how the soldiers were to know the difference between the heretics and the regular citizens of the town, he responded as you quoted ("Kill them all; God will know his own.")...
Bingo.
Charles H. better at history than I am...however, according to legend it was Barry "Ballad of the Green Berets" Sadler who made the t-shirt popular during Vietnam.
"Not a good slogan. It may be popular and humorous but that is not what the United States Armed Forces are about."
It's funny , things that are funny during a stressful peace, are not funny during a period of actual combat.
what is a french general?
Papal emissary.
"what is a french general?"
I like the French military,
but I cracked up when I saw that.
Amaury was a clergyman, not a general (though, because he was the church's representative on the crusade, he was nominally in charge of the army). The Albigensians were not Muslim; they were sort-of "Christians" (though only by their heritage... their religion actually resembled a more dualistic Manichaean sort of religion with a little Donatism thrown in).
their religion actually resembled a more dualistic Manichaean sort of religion with a little Donatism thrown in).
Damned hippies!
An extinct species that once was quite formidable. Think Napoleon, or even Lafayette for that matter.
Although technically Lafayette was not a General, at least in the French Army.
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