[Buddha-l] NYTimes.com: Let Us Pray for Wealth

[Joy Vriens]

Dan,
>The response from the Japanese leaders to bar such dangerous 
>insurrectional elements was NOT a Buddhist (or Shingon or religious) act, 
>since the issue was what someone who identifies themselves as a Christian 
>does, not Christianity per se (hence the Dutch were allowed to continue 
>trading, despite themselves being Christian). 

Elsewhere:

"The Japanese devised a simple litmus test for whether 
one was Catholic or Protestant. One had to stomp on a picture of the Virgin 
Mary. Catholics wouldn't do it -- the Dutch did it with relish"

In his booklet Candide, Voltaire alludes to this anecdote, but has a Dutch sailor walk over a crucifix.

"Pangloss le tirait cependant par la manche : « 
Mon ami, lui disait-il, cela n'est pas bien, vous manquez à la raison 
universelle, vous prenez mal votre temps. - Tête et sang, répondit 
l'autre, je suis matelot et né à Batavia ; j'ai marché quatre fois sur le 
crucifix dans quatre voyages au Japon ; tu as bien trouvé ton homme 
avec ta raison universelle ! »

If that is the case, then this "rule" seems to want to filter out all Christians, Catholics and Protestants undistinguishedly.

Joy