India has had a strong colonial hangover. Even today, we use relics of colonial and pre-colonial history without understanding the true meaning behind them. Take St. Francis Xavier for instance. You will find a number of St. Xavier schools and colleges across India. Some of them count among elite educational institutions. Yet, not many know St. Francis Xavier really well. All they know and understand is that he was a ‘Saint’. But there is much more that you need to know.
St. Francis Xavier’s India Inquisition
Christianity arose in India in the sixteenth century, and the process got accelerated with the Portuguese conquest of Goa in the early sixteenth century. But it was St. Francis Xavier who first suggested the creation of an Inquisition in Goa to King John III of Portugal in the year 1545.
In 1560, the Goa Inquisition was set up in a massive palace, originally occupied by Goa’s Sultan — and then the horror began. St. Francis Xavier died in the year 1552, eight years before the invasion but the Inquisitors committed some atrocities, the mere description of which is heart-wrenching.
Read more: Hinduism is being reclaimed in Goa
The Inquisition led to the deaths of tens of thousands, who were either murdered or worked to death in mines, ships, and factories.
St. Xavier’s statements reek of zealousness
St. Xavier’s statements actually leave one in a state of shock, for religious zealousness is quite apparent with them.
About the Brahmins, St. Francis Xavier wrote, ‘I want to free the poor Hindus from the stranglehold of the Brahmins and destroy the places where evil spirits (HINDU GODS) are worshipped… The poor people do exactly what the Brahmins tell them…. If there were no Brahmins in the area, all Hindus would accept conversion to our faith.’
And when it came to idol worshiping, he stated, ‘Order that everywhere the temples of the false gods be pulled down and the idols broken. I know not how to describe in words the joy that I feel before the spectacle of pulling down and destroying the idols…’
In fact, in an interview to Deccan Herald in 2010, Head of the department of history, Universidade Lusofona de Humanidades e Tecnologias, the Lisbon-based De Souza said, “Francis Xavier and Simão Rodrigues, two founder-members of the Society of Jesus were together in Lisbon before Francis Xavier left for India. Both were asked to assist spiritually the prisoners of the Inquisition and were present at the very first auto-da-fé celebrated in Portugal in September 1540, at which 23 were absolved and two were condemned to be burnt, including a French cleric. Hence, Francis Xavier could not have been unaware of the brutality of the Inquisition.”
Need to rekindle debate
During the Black Livers Matter (BLM) protests last year, the statues of several celebrated political leaders like former British PM Winston Churchill, and former US Presidents Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt were defaced or toppled. It was being said that they were being denounced and cancelled for being racist or pro-slavery in their lives.
So, why can’t India dive into the past and reassess whether someone like St. Francis Xavier should be venerated today? The past actions and misdeeds of St. Francis Xavier must be judged by the values and standards of today.
Read more: A new religion called “Abrahamism” is coming, and it will encompass Islam, Christianity and Judaism
Thank You
Peaceful is a satire used on Islamists. It also applies on the Christians. In Hinduism, the only so called fault found was caste, that too it’s not what it’s made out to be. Man for man, debate for debate, both Islam and Christianity don’t stand even worth weight of a hair when compared with Hindu philosophy. Momin believer, Kafir non believer is how Islam sees everyone. Believer and non believer is how Christianity sees everyone. Isn’t this a joke when they say we don’t have any differences between people? Why can’t non believers go to heaven if there is any? Why do you need an Abraham passport, prophet, book or religion to reach there? When the Arabs, West was still wearing animal skins, leaves, in India already Ram, Krishna, Mahavir, Buddha had come, preached, and went away leaving behind rich teachings for the world to live contentfully. Why then Christians and Islamists don’t see this? It’s ignorance and continuous brainwashing. The strangleholds of Maulana, Masjids, Quran itself with apostasy verses and the fear of being ostracised from community makes Muslims not seek refuge anywhere else inspire of knowing how much damage this religion has done to India. Christians on the other end pretend to be civilised but obviously are not. They are under the dominance of their local church who compete for numbers within churches, Bible’s stupid argument of everyone is a sinner and Jesus died for your sins, church priest who knows their secrets, confessions and keeps blackmailing them for life along with entire family to continue with Christianity, free education, bribing, illness etc are misused for conversion. But in reality, what kind of mental development do Islam and Christianity bring about to its followers. Both are responsible for ending civilisations, culture, traditions, languages, looting wealth, destroying locals, killings, rapes of women, slavery whenever they have a footprint. Even in modern day, these two are responsible for all issues world wide. Christians and Muslims of India need to get their heads out of Quran and Bible. Please open your eyes and take the first steps by checking the brutal history and past of these violent one sided, competitive religions.