In the XVII century church officially classified beaver as fish, based on the Thomas Aquinas classification of living beings based on their habitats. Though the precedents were older, some decisions at local level were reaching at least XV century. The reason was of course that monks (especially Cistercians) tried to circumvent the friday fasts by the explanation that beaver tail is covered with scales therefore specifically the tail is a fish and can be eaten in friday.
Theres some chronicles of Spanish Catholic missionaries debating Aztec priests in an honest attempt to convert them. Whenever it the debate turned to predicting the natural world, (the only shared reality) the Aztecs would consistently be more accurate. This flustered the catholics who’s only recourse was “well if your gods are real how did we conquer you”.
In the XVII century church officially classified beaver as fish, based on the Thomas Aquinas classification of living beings based on their habitats. Though the precedents were older, some decisions at local level were reaching at least XV century. The reason was of course that monks (especially Cistercians) tried to circumvent the friday fasts by the explanation that beaver tail is covered with scales therefore specifically the tail is a fish and can be eaten in friday.
I love church history, such great argumentations.
Theres some chronicles of Spanish Catholic missionaries debating Aztec priests in an honest attempt to convert them. Whenever it the debate turned to predicting the natural world, (the only shared reality) the Aztecs would consistently be more accurate. This flustered the catholics who’s only recourse was “well if your gods are real how did we conquer you”.
Catholics being salty losers never gets old.