Is this really a religious movie?

Yes, cdleorivera...I agree!

I don't have a belief system

This is the way the world begins. Not with a bang but a cry.

I idolize the Japanese and their culture which is why I don't think I can watch this movie. I do not believe in missionaries and what they do, who has the right to tell anyone what they should believe? And this movie seems to glorify the missionaries when to me they were in the wrong.

I have a great deal of respect for the genuinely faithful, as long as they do not seek to relentlessly impose their ideas on others"

why?

do you apply that logic to people who believe the earth is flat or that pigs fly when you arent watching? maybe you wouldnt publicly chastise them, but respect them? That seems foolish, its like the modern movement to ignore experts by the less educated masses

Well put.

Spiritascent...exactly!

It's an interesting debate question. FORCING people of another culture to convert to yours is one thing, but these Japanese WANTED to be Catholics once they were told about Jesus. What's wrong with that? I think its just as evil to think that a culture should just keep to their own. That's a little too similar to segregation. Although, who the hell wants globalization? Who wants every country to look the same? Who wants McDonalds to be the international cuisine? Uniqueness in culture is essential to intelligence, I think.... It's a tough call.

I don't think you understood the film.

The priests genuinely believed they were doing good by spreading what they perceived to be the truth. One can argue about the wisdom or misguidedness of such a pursuit, but I don't see how anyone can describe it as 'evil' or simply part of a consciously imperialist desire to make Japan exactly like Europe.

I suppose by your rationale, no one should be allowed to bring their own cultures to other countries and discuss them with the indigenous population.

I for instance have had Muslim friends who've peacefully attempted to convert me do you speak by spreading their own reasons for being part of the religion. Of course, I respectfully declined to convert, but I don't resent them for attempting to pass on to others a belief system they consider to have had a beneficial impact on their lives. Now, if they tried to force their beliefs on me, that would be a whole different discussion, but they didn't. The simply tried to spread what they believe to be the truth, and I don't begrudge them for that. Do you?

When the movie began, it looked as if Spiderman and Kylo Ren were going to try to save the world. They were Jesuits missionaries going to Japan to find their compatriot and check out the apparent campaign against foreigners going on in feudal Japan. There was a great deal of commercial interest at work as well, as the Dutch traders were there, looking to establish trade, and also, there was a lot of pending trouble with Protestant missionaries on the horizon. Having foreigners show up, and try to establish business interests is one thing, but trying to supplant the home-grown religion is something the ruling class really didn't like. They didn't necessarily mind the trade attempts, but messing with their religion was a different matter. It's similar to things going on today; but at the time of the movie, Christianity meant Roman Catholicism. The Jesuits also weren't completely accepted by the Catholics, either. (Rome - v- Paris, etc.) Similar to having Muslims floating around in the West, but having no real central authority as Catholics do, there are many flavors of Islam flying around. Not all of them are palatable to elements of the West. To be honest, I saw the Jesuits as the "bad guys" in this case, causing more problems than they had to. The mainline Buddhists at the time didn't want people living/dying for Jesus. They wanted people living/dying for the ruling class.

smipypr