Me and another blogger have a kind of love-hate relation to this Adventist YouTube channel, called Scriptures Illustrator. Their anti-Jesuit conspiracist video is actually quite interesting (although I haven´t double-checked all its claims - at least not yet).
The Jesuit state in Paraguay seems to have been "progressive" since it protected the Natives from slave raiders, but according to the video, the Society of Jesus gladly participated in the slave trade elsewhere, including Japan.
Since the video was produced by an Adventist, the background theme is that the (Catholic) Jesuits were part of a kind of Anti-Christ system which works itself out, slowly but steadfastly, over the course of human history. Until Judgement Day, perhaps?
Make of this content whatever you wish.
We had a visiting priest in the parish for Palm Sunday. Newly ordained after an 11 year formation including living among the poor in Ecuador. Well spoken, relaxed and possessed a good sense of humor. Nice terse homily (no one caught sleeping!) and came down off the ambo into the congregation to speak. Yes, he was a Jesuit. I was rather impressed! My point being it's worthwhile to actually witness/engage with a person or ideology oneself rather than accept the fantabulous meanderings of a You Tube wannabee guru.
ReplyDeleteThat's what I make of the content ;-}
There could be an explanation: conservative Catholics claim that the Jesuits have been "taken over" by liberation theology. Still 100 years ago or so, the Jesuits had a much more conservative reputation. Not that this would change anything from the Adventist perspective, but it´s obviously an important point if true. That is, the modern Jesuits (at least in Latin America) would then be closer to the Jesuits who defended Natives from slave-traders, rather than the Jesuits who sold slaves themselves (assuming the allegation is correct) or meddled too much in dynastic conflicts in Europe...
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