Response from Gilbert: To the extent that I do not like the response to every line (often used on the net, as it reflects a tit for tat answer), I will use it to high light many of the valid points made by Teotonio R. De Souza to my post.
From: "Teotonio R. de Souza" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Goa Research Net" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [Goanet]Re: Inquisition and SFX Teotonio: From what I have seen over time, GoaNet cannot replace class room, neither long years of research and study. It can serve to call attention to some issues and little more. Response: No body suggests that GoaNet should replace the class room or years of research. However the net does provide an opportunity to the teachers and researchers to test their interpretations with others who perhaps may not be so 'like-minded' and to inform those who may have misconceptions of history. This is an open dialogue for others to learn the two perspectives. Teotonio: The themes of Inquisition and SFX require vast reading and thorough familiarity with a vast bibliography and documentation. Those who think that placing documents on-line (how many?) would solve the controversies are wrong. Historians know better that documents do not speak for themselves. They need to be interpreted in the context in which they were produced, and that requires lots of more knowledge than what few documents may provide. Response: Fully agree! Hence a lot of 'history' depends of the bias and prejudice of the interpreter/historian/narrator/translator. Teotonio: It is also important that those who want to discuss seriously a theme, keep abreast of new research findings and publications. How many of those talking on the Goanet have read the recent publications, say for instance, of Ines Zupanev or Ana Cannas da Cunha? This last named author has recently published new documentation to prove that Inquisition was already at work in Portuguese India much before 1560. Hence, it did not wait for the *official* establishment of it to start its work. There were already cases running against the cripto-Jews who had been running away from Portuguese Inquisition in Portugal and seeking refuge in *distant* India from 1536 onwards on a big scale. Hence, the concern of SFX and several other important Jesuits of the time, such as Gaspar Barzeo, Baltazar Dias, Antonio Quadrso, Belchior Nunes Barreto, Gon�alo Silveira, etc. Response: The above point you make is the most telling. You merge individual /private behavior with official policy. You talk of "cases against the cripto-Jews.. and seeking refuge in India." There are cases of Portuguese abuse of native Goan catholics which I pointed out and this was of great concern of SFX and others. So how could "SFX and several other important Jesuits of the time" be the instigators to introduce the Inquisition? Teotonio: As to the point made below that SFX was busy moving about and that after the first three years was at places far away from India, we should not forget that he remained Jesuit superior responsible for everything in the East. Even just before he left on his last voyage to China he left detailed instructions to Fr. Gaspar Barzeo on how he should run the show during his absence from India. Response: The above paragraph from one considered today's expert on Portuguese history in Goa is most telling of what is wrong. SFX "remained Jesuit superior responsible for everything in the East". So the guy was in 1545 in Japan and was RESPONSIBLE FOR EVERYTHING going on in GOA AND IN THE WHOLE OF THE EAST. And all of this with communications by hand-written letters carried by a sail boat. DO YOU REALLY BELIEVE THAT IS POSSIBLE? From my limited reading of SFX and the local Jesuit superior there may have even been a fall-out between the two. Teotonio: These instructions make a very interesting reading, including what SFX thought of women. Response: Was this any different from what was the attitude of the time? When you and I grew up, corporal punishment was considered routine in home and school. Now it can lead to criminal charges. You are interpreting thoughts and actions of one epoch with another. In the course of that analysis we consider that version detestable and ours as "progressive" concepts. Only an analysis of society of 1545 and 2004 about a hundred years from now will provide the answer. Final Thoughts: If SFX was so in love with Goa and with 'the Inquisition' and so power-hungry, why would he leave Goa and go to places where there were no creature-comforts and where the Portuguese were not in power? If SFX thought that the inquisition (which you claim existed at the time) and Portuguese power would solve his problems of evangelization, why did he leave the Portuguese territories? Regards, GL ########################################################################## # Send submissions for Goanet to [EMAIL PROTECTED] # # PLEASE remember to stay on-topic (related to Goa), and avoid top-posts # # More details on Goanet at http://joingoanet.shorturl.com/ # # Please keep your discussion/tone polite, to reflect respect to others # ##########################################################################
