Were the Templars Heretics? Sir Richard Arcos

Now, after my last post I thought I ought to say something about the Knights Templar as 'heretics'. The Knights Templars were accused of the following errors of belief:

1. New members of the order were required to deny Christ as their reception into the order, spit on the cross and 'defile' it (urinate on it, etc. Obviously in anticipation of some modern 'art'). Evidence? Who needs it! The King of France just tortured some Templars until they confessed. Torture can be a very useful way of getting a confession. To anything. I bet I could get Dr. Langdon to confess to being a concealed Jesuit if I just applied the thumbscrews with enough vim.

2. The Templars exchanged obscene kisses when they were recieved into the Order.
Evidence? See above. Reception ceremonies of all oders, monastic or military, were held in private, so people could make any old wild accusation.

3. They worshipped a cat.
Evidence? None. But the French seem to have had a thing about heretics worshipping cats. They seem, in fact, to have believed that all heretics worshipped cats. What would they make of Dr. Barton's four cats, I wonder?

That is not fair. I don't worship them. I just like them a lot.