I ' ve told you . This country of Japan is not suited to the teaching of Christianity . Christianity simply cannot put down roots here . ' The priest remembered how Ferreira had said exactly the same thing at Saishoji . ' Father , you were not defeated by me . ' The Lord of Chikugo looked straight into the ashes of the brazier as he spoke . ' you were defeated by this swamp of Japan . ' No , no . ' Unconsciously the priest raised his voice as he spoke . ' My struggle was with Christianity in my own heart '' I wonder ! ' A cynical smile passed over Inoues face . ' I have been told you said to Ferreira that the Christ of the fumie told you to trampleand that was why you did so . But isn ' t this just your selfdeception ? just a cloak of your weakness ? I , Inoue , cannot believe that these are truly Christian words . '' It doesn ' t matter what you think , said the priest , lowering his eyes and putting both hands on his knees . ' You may deceive other people , but not me , ' answered Inoue in a cold voice . ' Previously I have asked the question to other fathers What is the difference between the mercy of the Christian God and that of the Buddha ? For in Japan salvation is from the mercy of the Buddha upon whom people depend out of their hopeless weakness . And one father gave clear answer the salvation that Christianity speaks of is different for Christian salvation is not just a question of relying on Godin addition the believer must retain with all his ight a strength of heart . But it is precisely in this point that the teaching has slowly been twisted and changed ? in this swamp called Japan . ' No , it ' s a book by one of the few Japanese Christians precisely because of the success of the KaikinSakoku policies of the period the novel is set in who has a ton of conflicted feelings about the compatibility of his faith and his homeland which justly and successfully suppressed the Christians . Nor is the main character much of a savior his mission is pretty much a disaster . By the end , he claims to have found a new faith in God , but to the outside world and to the Church , he is a fallen priest who is likely to be shunned by his own religion . If Christians go to this expecting something like The Passion which glorifies martyrdom and seeks to reinforce their faith , they are going to be sorely disappointed . That is , if the movie adapts the main themes of the book into the movie .