Silence and knowing thyself

Any film director is characterized by his movies. Scorcese is not the exception. Some of his movies are violent, erotic, and filled with history. The movie Silence is a particular one, due that the lack of violence, erotism and the rapid movement of the camera shows us another version of this great director.  You may call it an apology of Christianity or a complaint against this religion. But the fact is that this movie shows us when 2 great religions find each other: Budhism and Christianism. Both religions teach peace, but their essence is completely different:

 

• Buda is a state where all men can become and then be happy and become one with God

• Salvation comes with the knowledge of true love to be happy  with God

 

There is a slight difference in those religions. The movie explains it so well, that it may help you (if you believe) to realize what your religion is about. If you aren’t religious then is a cultural knowledge to understand this religions. 

 

The movie is about jesuit “padres” that go to Japan to evangelize a new and unexplored civilization. After 20 years, the missionaries are being put to death in the most horrid ways ever, for altering the peace and destroying the cultural and religious identity of the country. Why make others think the way you think? Why not let people live and let live their lives? 

 

There’s a saying in here: “Mountains and rivers can be moved but men’s nature cannot be moved“.

 

The main claim from the Japanese Inquisitor Inue is to let Japan be Japan. In a way that may be right, but what would happen if you have the chance to make your life plenty by aknowledging other ways to achieve greatness? The idea of the jesuit priest is to show the people an unexplored path to have a better life. To expand their horizons as true human beings instead of being merely servants of the State or simple cattle that produces goods to a lord. 

 

We can appreciate in the movie the fight of this priests that want people to follow God, but their own ego gets in the way. As the Buddhist Inquisitor aknowledges. Ferreira, Rodriguez, and Garupe think of themselves the last survivors of the Christian faith. In fact they are one of the elements to succeed. People convert without their presence, because the main character that remains in silent is capable to change a man’s heart. Not them. They are instruments to the great mission. They aren’t the Church, but the messengers. At the end of the movie Kirishtan are still alive between the pesants. 

 

The amazing art and scenery makes the spectator realize that SILENCE is the main way to achieve peace. We live in a world full of ideas and circumstances that when we try to know what to do with our life, we can’t due to all the noise that fills our head and doesn’t let us think. We become a part of life instead of living our own life. What we can achieve is through the knowledge of us, as Socrates used to say: “know thyself” and the path to do it is to be silent and become mindful with our actions, everyday actions. 

Learn to be silent to find yourself. To be in touch with what you want in life, so you don’t end up being at high sea, but with a purpose.