------------ Joao Barros-Pereira wrote: But living in Japan where Xavier spent more than two and a half years did bring his name to mind. He did live in Goa too, where according to some historians, he spent four or five months.
In Japan he was elated and depressed with the atheists . He said on one occasion, "This nation is a joy to my soul". He spoke highly of the cleanliness and the honesty of the people. He was not happy to encounter the Japanese language which he said was invented by the Devil as an obstacle against Christianity. Xavier had a great impression of the Japanese who didn't believe in God! What has Xavier to say about the Goans? Just curious! ------------ GL responds: I read this post with interest. Joao suggest that because he lived in Japan, he has special insights into SFX; who was there more than 450 years earlier. Joao does not allude to having read anything in the Japanese literature about SFX in Japan and his work there. (perspective from the other side of the ocean). I am not sure that Joao has read much in the Western literature about SFX. So is Joao, living abroad, giving supurlo Goenkars a load of garbage (Joao's term)? My reading of SFX's stay in Japan was about his time he spend in the Buddhist monasteries in exchange and dialog with the students and their teachers about his and their belief systems and religious philosophy. This was something he could not / did not have the opportunity to do in India. SFX enjoyed these exchanges. So to claim that SFX thought that the Japanese were atheists (in the 21st century context) is a display of ignorance on the part of Joao or his sources. (Save the references) My reading of SFX's lack of success in Japan was because the Japanese religion and hierarchy had a difficult time accepting / reconciling the God of SFX as being Just, Loving and Forgiving. Come to think of it, that can sound contradictory to deep-thinking non-Christians. The Japanese also had a difficult time in accepting the Christian belief of the fate of the soul immediately after death; and that each human was the child of an almighty God. Most Christians, specially those born into the religion, have no problem accepting these descriptions of their God, and feel very comfortable about their faith; without the feeling of being brain-washed. If Joan and others have a problem in accepting these concepts, that is Joao's problem. I hope he has the intellectual capability to deal with a confused state of mind regarding God, soul, life after death etc. If and when he has answers to these questions, I for one will be all ears; to some intellectual and logical presentation; especially if it is devoid of smearing others peoples religious thoughts (a common modus operandi of atheists). Have a good Sunday! Regards, GL
