St. Francis Xavier (spoilers)

Discussion in 'Rurouni Kenshin' started by That guy!, Nov 18, 2001.

  1. That guy!

    That guy! Expecting Father

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    I'm currently on the first episode of the Shimabara arc and they talk about a Portugese Missionary from the 1500's. I'm wondering if this is St. Francis Xavier who they are talking about.

    St. Francis is probably one of my favourite Saints. Mostly for his missions in Japan... Although it rather angers me that they killed all of the Christians in Japan. Was there a reason for this? (errr, I should know it already...)


    This Arc is awesome, I've gotta go now to watch more and more of it [​IMG]!!

    [This message has been edited by That guy! (edited 11-18-2001).]
     
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  2. Ciel

    Ciel Unoa Freak
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    umm.... I'll look through my notes... It had to do with the Shogunate at the time that didnt like Christians. One main thing was how people's allegiance went to God instead of the government. Japan had been strictly Shinto and Buddhist, and the King wasn't Christian to have started a Divine Right of Kings that occured in Europe.
    So they booted or crucified the Christians, but the Dutch could stay on a little island because they got the Shogun to believe they were only there for the trade.

    Since Xavier came to Japan in the 1500s and stayed there for 2 years, I assume it is him, because I don't think anyone went further then him to bring Christianity there. It was very hard. (plus he had to go to the lords and ask permission to teach of course).

    I'll check my notes though and get back to you.
     
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  3. That guy!

    That guy! Expecting Father

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    Social Cleansing...?

    In the series they are also talking quite a bit about Amakusa Shiro. In Japanese history, Shiro was considered a prophet.He also led an uprising of peasants and Christians in the Shimabara Peninsula of Kyushu. They were rebelling against heavy taxes and the prohibition of Christianity.


    I'm really glad that in Rurouni Kenshin they protray Christians as good. It was kinda cool when two Christians were being attacked and Sano came and helped them by beating the attackers. But then the Christians got angry at him and helped the cops who were attacking them. Although I don't think that Shogou is making a really good impression by killing all of the leaders who decided on Prohibition of Christianity.
     
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  4. GentatsuNoZanshi cc61

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    If you like that sort of thing, I recommend Ninja Resurrection. The first part's entirely about the massacre of all of Japan's Christians, and it has a big character named Shiro, but I don't know if it's the same guy. I'll watch it again and get back to you. It's really cool, but overly bloody at times (Ninja Scroll comes to mind ...).

    ------------------
    KICKSTART MY HEART!
     
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  5. That guy!

    That guy! Expecting Father

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    Does it take place in 1673?, I believe that's when Amakusa Shiro lead the Christians of Japan in a rebellion.

    Here's some info I found...
    Daimyo, Matsukura Katsuie persecuted Christians while imposed a heavy tax. In December 1673, 37,000 peasants in Amakusa Shimabara region shut up themselves at Hara castle with Masuda Tokisada (Amakusa Shiro) as leader. Before a fierce resistance, leader of assailants, Itakura Shigemasa was killed. Edo shogunate then sent 120,000 men with Roju, Matsudaira Nobutsuna as leader. He used a starvation tactic and finally the castle fell April 1674, followed by a slaughter.
    Source: http://www.hikyaku.com/dico/histxtg35.html


    I really need to check out Ninja Ressurection!!
     
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  6. Hitokiri_Gensai

    Hitokiri_Gensai Gunslinger Girl

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    hrm... im not sure of who your talking about, and this is an ANCIENT post anyway, but i thought i might put some stuff in about the Kirishitan-gari.

    Tokugawa Iemitsu, grandson of Tokugawa Ieyasu, founder of the Tokugawa Shogunate, placed a ban on Christians within the Islands of Japan. This may have been something to do with Oda Nobunaga's embrace of the Western Culture, specifically Christianity. (Nobunaga was a Christian himself, Catholic, and was one of the first Japanese rulers to be featured in Western writings) After his assassination at Honnoji, Christianity began to thrive in the country. However, with the coming of the Tokugawa, Christians began to be forced underground. The ban on christianity at this time was fairly unregulated and Christianity still managed to thrive. However, in 1637 and 1638 a man named Amakusa Shiro also known as Jerome, led a huge rebellion against the Daimyo Matsukura Shigeharu. Christianity had thrived here in the Amakusa Islands under the Christian Daimyo, Konishi Yukinaga. The current Daimyo had cracked down on the Christian Community and had also placed a huge tax burden on the peasents. In all, 23,000 peasent and Ronin rose up and rebelled. They took Hara Castle in Shimabara and held out there until 200,000 Shogunate troops arrived. The rebels caused heavy casulties until they were destroyed. In all, after the battle, the Shogunate beheaded 37,000 people for the rebellion. Amakusa Shiro's head was taken to Nagasaki.

    The Shogunate believed that the Western Missionaries were to blame and they drove the dutch out of Japan. The Shogunal Inquisitions began shortly after that, doing Shumon Aratame and Ninbetsu Aratame, which were household searches on religious beliefs. It wouldnt be long before the Shogunal Inquisition Office would start offering money for bringing in believers, Bateren, foreign padre missionaries, Iruman, assistant missionaries, and Kirishitan believers. To hide their belief, Christians began to make a show of returning to Buddhism but kept their beliefs and would keep images of Yaso, Jesus, and Seibo, the Virgin Mary, disguising them as Buddhist Dieties.

    Christians were persecuted in many ways, like the Romans, burning at the stake, crucifixion, and beheading were common.
     
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