Word: shimabara
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Dates: during 1950-1959
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...persecuters were well aware that entire districts would be depopulated if all Christians were killed," says Drummond, "and so from the beginning they aimed to make apostates rather than martyrs." Many Japanese preferred to give up their Christianity. But a surprising number held out to the death. In Shimabara 36,000 men, women and children, offered the way to freedom if they renounced their faith, chose to be killed instead. In one district, not a single Christian was spared. Says Drummond: "More than 13% of all Japanese Christians lost their lives for the sake of their faith, a proportion probably...
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