I enjoy movies which prompt meaningful thought. I found "Silence" directed by Marin Scorsese to be such a film, a story of young Jesuit priests seeking their mentor and the persecution of Christians in Japan in the 17th century (spoilers follow). The slow pace of the film allows time for contemplation as the events of the film unfold. Although the Jesuit faith has major doctrinal beliefs which differ from my own, I was impressed by the conviction and commitments made by the Portuguese missionaries as they ventured into a land largely hostile to foreign religion. The Japanese Inquisitor compared Christianity to "the persistent love of an ugly and barren woman." Christianity could not flourish in the swamp of Japan, it was said.
In the film, a Japanese Inquisitor tortured Jesuit padres and found it only emboldened their followers. It was discovered the way to influence padres to cease their proselytising was to make them watch the suffering of the people they taught and loved. Villagers were made to "trample" on an icon or spit on a crucifix, and if they refused they were made a public example of. People were hung on crosses to be drowned at high tide, arrested, bound and thrown into the sea, decapitated, or even hung to slowly bleed over a pit. The main character and priest in the film demanded a challenge of his faith of his captors, yet watching others suffer proved the hardest challenge of all. Many times his tormentors said of trampling an icon, "It's only a formality." They promised if he trampled it meant nothing except they would allow fellow adherents (albeit tramplers) to go free.
That line stuck with me long after the Blu-ray was replaced in its case: "It's only a formality." Much of the Jesuit practices displayed in the film were strictly that: formality. The people secreted and venerated objects as well as priests to perform rituals. The people fed off the priests, gathering for mass, holy communion, baptism, absolution, and confession. One thing which was noticeably absent in the movie was the Bible. Not once do I recall any of the priests or people opening the scriptures and reading from them. The priests were honoured by the people as God, but the priests proved powerless to deliver the people from their pains and were impotent to overcome their captors. Giving in to the demands of their captors seemed the only way of salvation, but it proved to be bondage. I wonder if the torment of openly denying the faith was worse than seeing people suffer for their faith.
What the movie asserts is true, that only God knows the heart. A denial of a "religion" is not a denial of Christ Himself. To tread on a religious icon to denounce a sect is not blasphemy, but to deny Christ is. Jesus said those who seek to save their lives will lose them (Luke 17:33), and those who deny Jesus before men He will deny before the Father (Matthew 10:33). We also remember Peter on one occasion denied Jesus three times, but was later restored by Jesus. Peter clearly was repentant for his error, and the rest of his life was marked as a faithful witness and disciple of Jesus Christ. Relics and icons are nothing in themselves, and God is not disgraced if we trample. At the same time if we deny Christ to save ourselves or others present pain, we do God no service. Wasn't Jesus permitted to suffer according to the will of the Father? Because the servant is not above the master, Peter wrote to followers of Jesus in 1 Peter 4:19, "Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator."
I am blessed to say history is not on the side of the cruel Inquisitor who claimed Christianity could not grow in Japan. I received an email from a young man a couple years ago who was once an exchange student hosted by our family when we lived in the States who told us he had become a Christian - in Japan! It seems the efforts of those daring Portuguese padres that seemed useless have been fruitful as they spread the seed of the Gospel. Even in a land opposed to Christ, the Light of the World has continued to shine. God has spoken and continues to speak in His still, small voice. Praise the LORD for His faithfulness and love, and He will justly trample down His enemies.
In the film, a Japanese Inquisitor tortured Jesuit padres and found it only emboldened their followers. It was discovered the way to influence padres to cease their proselytising was to make them watch the suffering of the people they taught and loved. Villagers were made to "trample" on an icon or spit on a crucifix, and if they refused they were made a public example of. People were hung on crosses to be drowned at high tide, arrested, bound and thrown into the sea, decapitated, or even hung to slowly bleed over a pit. The main character and priest in the film demanded a challenge of his faith of his captors, yet watching others suffer proved the hardest challenge of all. Many times his tormentors said of trampling an icon, "It's only a formality." They promised if he trampled it meant nothing except they would allow fellow adherents (albeit tramplers) to go free.
That line stuck with me long after the Blu-ray was replaced in its case: "It's only a formality." Much of the Jesuit practices displayed in the film were strictly that: formality. The people secreted and venerated objects as well as priests to perform rituals. The people fed off the priests, gathering for mass, holy communion, baptism, absolution, and confession. One thing which was noticeably absent in the movie was the Bible. Not once do I recall any of the priests or people opening the scriptures and reading from them. The priests were honoured by the people as God, but the priests proved powerless to deliver the people from their pains and were impotent to overcome their captors. Giving in to the demands of their captors seemed the only way of salvation, but it proved to be bondage. I wonder if the torment of openly denying the faith was worse than seeing people suffer for their faith.
What the movie asserts is true, that only God knows the heart. A denial of a "religion" is not a denial of Christ Himself. To tread on a religious icon to denounce a sect is not blasphemy, but to deny Christ is. Jesus said those who seek to save their lives will lose them (Luke 17:33), and those who deny Jesus before men He will deny before the Father (Matthew 10:33). We also remember Peter on one occasion denied Jesus three times, but was later restored by Jesus. Peter clearly was repentant for his error, and the rest of his life was marked as a faithful witness and disciple of Jesus Christ. Relics and icons are nothing in themselves, and God is not disgraced if we trample. At the same time if we deny Christ to save ourselves or others present pain, we do God no service. Wasn't Jesus permitted to suffer according to the will of the Father? Because the servant is not above the master, Peter wrote to followers of Jesus in 1 Peter 4:19, "Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator."
I am blessed to say history is not on the side of the cruel Inquisitor who claimed Christianity could not grow in Japan. I received an email from a young man a couple years ago who was once an exchange student hosted by our family when we lived in the States who told us he had become a Christian - in Japan! It seems the efforts of those daring Portuguese padres that seemed useless have been fruitful as they spread the seed of the Gospel. Even in a land opposed to Christ, the Light of the World has continued to shine. God has spoken and continues to speak in His still, small voice. Praise the LORD for His faithfulness and love, and He will justly trample down His enemies.
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