Poverty. Injunctions about poverty were ignored by the Roman Church in the Middle Ages, in strong contrast to the Cathars. While the clergy lived in great luxury on extorted taxes, Cathar Parfaits led ascetic lives and worked for their living. The contrast was so marked, and the scandal so great, that various Catholic organisations were created at this time consciously to emulate the lifestyle of the Parfaits (notably Dominic Guzmán's Dominicans and the Third Order of the Catholic Paupers).
Killing. The Commandment "Thou shalt not kill" was interpreted by Cathars as applying to all living creatures. The only exceptions seem to have been suicide (by starving to death) and presumably the killing of fish (not proper animals). For Roman Catholics there were sufficient exceptions to render the Commandment meaningless. The Church for example permitted the killing of foetuses less that 40 days old if male, 80 day if female, and positively encouraged the killing of infidels, pagans, heretics, blasphemers, atheists, criminals, deformed children, apostates, enemy soldiers, vandals who damaged Church property, and animals. Catholic commentators seem unaware of the irony of Christian Churchmen condemning to death a poor country girl when she refused to kill a chicken, her sole crime being to obey the commandment "Thou shalt not kill".
Swearing Oaths The New Testament is clear about prohibitting the swearing of all oaths. But I say unto you, Swear not at all; ... But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Ney, ney; for whatever is more than these cometh of evil. (Matthew 5:34-37) This was adhered to strictly by the Cathars and ignored by the Roman Catholic Church. Pope Innocent III confirmed that those who took Jesus' teaching on this matter literally were heretics, and that they deserved to die. (Much later the Quakers would adopt the same position as the Cathars, and would also be burned alive for it).
Giving Judgement. Jesus is reported to have taught that we should not judge others: "Judge not, that ye be not judged" (Matthew 7:1 c/f Luke 6:37). Cathars therefore refused to sit in judgement. Other Christian judges have had no qualms about judging others. Mainstream Churches even have their own ecclesiastical courts - in which, in the past, they have prosecuted and condemned Cathars, Quakers and others for following New Testament injunctions.
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