The Bible, The Old Testament, or The Koran for Swearing-In
Now, business seems to get started in Japan after happy new-year holidays.
Prime Minister of Japan began his duty by going and praying in the Ise Shrine, one of the most highly regarded shrines in Japan due to its direct connection with the Imperial Family. A prime minister usually gets on the Shinknasen super-express train from Tokyo for a few hours ride for this holy mission.
+ + +
In January, 1991, the war and battles started in the Persian Gulf. Then Iraqi President Saddam Hussein rejected to withdraw his troops from Kuwait. Then U.S. President George H. W. Bush ordered attacks on the Iraqi military.
In March, 2003, then Iraqi President Saddam Hussein rejected to surrender to UN and US demands and accept full and complete inspection on weapons of mass-destruction in Iraq. U.S. President George W. Bush ordered attacks on the Iraqi military.
If a future historian, say in the 22nd century, studies these events, they might call it the "War between Saddam Hussein and the Bushes."
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This year the focus should be on Iran and North Korea.
As the year 2008 is for the Beijin (Peking) Olympic Games and China is desperately seeking for crude oil suppliers, no wars will be likely happening next year in oil-rich countries comparatively near China and strategically important countries for China.
Rich Americans, other people in the world as well as poor Americans should contribute to stopping any serious advancement toward a war in such regions.
Otherwise, when a future historian, say in the 22nd century, studies the advancement of events, might call it the "Wars between Saddam Hussein's Apparition and the Bushes."
+ + +
In the U.S., newly elected congressmen and congresswomen have joined a swearing-in ceremony.
I wonder, if an American Indian, who happens to be a serious worshipper of their tradition, is elected as a congressman, what holy book he would rather use for his swearing-in.
I would rather use a stone slab, a kind that Moses was given on Mt. Sinai.
"THEN THEY WILL FAST"
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Friday, January 05, 2007
Monday, January 01, 2007
The First Day of the World Celebrated through Shinto in Japan
The First Day of the World Celebrated through Shinto in Japan
January 1st should be celebrated, because we have to commemorate the first day of the world; and January 1st is the first day of the year.
By celebrating January 1st, we praise the great feat of God, the creation of the world and the universe, which has eventually generated, so to say, you and your ancestors.
The first day is not linked with any saints, who are human beings, but absolutely linked with the creation of the world, God's great feat.
Or you may think that as we cannot go back to the first day of the world to celebrate God, we celebrate Him on the first day of the year.
You do not need any human saints or legends to celebrate January 1st.
As it is January 1st, we celebrate it for no other worldly reasons. And, it happens to be today.
+ + +
Japanese are the people who most sincerely celebrate January 1st.
Or there are tow types of God's people in this world: Japanese and others including Israelites, Christians, Muslims, and other believers.
You cannot judge faithfulness of Japanese by applying the same standards you may be allowed to apply to Israelites, Christians, Muslims, and other believers.
If you do, I suppose, Angels surely will be displeased, and they might report it to God.
+ + +
Today, January 1st, even at 5:30 p.m., the city sky was dark and cold, shops were closed, neon signs and electric billboards were humble, only few cars were entering a rotary, and almost no commuters were spotted. No businesses could appeal to consumers if they hustle on January 1st in Japan.
However, there was an endless flow of people apparently from one direction to the station. Yes, they were on their way back home from a shrine; I mean that almost everyone putting on a winter coat, a muffler, and a long boots (for most of young ladies) had just made a pilgrimage probably as a yearly ceremony.
Indeed, most of Japanese go and pray in a shrine nearby or notable on January 1st, 2nd, or 3rd. Shinto is this way practiced all over Japan.
Japanese, as a whole, are celebrating the great creation of the God through Shinto.
(If you do not celebrate the first day of the year, no matter if you celebrate every Friday, Saturday, or Sunday thereafter, I wonder if God is pleased with you more than He is on January 1st with pious Japanese. In this sense, today, something decisive is to be completed. It might be useless for you to wait for, for example, Christmas coming on December 25 this year.)
+ + +
All I want you to do is not to ask Japanese whether he or she believes in God in a sense of Israelites, Christians, or Muslims.
You should not ask what religion he or she believes, neither.
If somebody is Japanese, it means he or she belongs to the unique religion, which no foreigners can comprehend, that alone praises God on January 1st.
You should not insult January 1st by asking those questions to Japanese.
+ + +
Some people, on their way home from a shrine, were holding an arrow with white wings.
The holy arrow is called "Hama-Ya," literally meaning an arrow breaking an evil spirit.
You can purchase it at a shop inside a shrine; as a matter of course, it has no metal arrowhead.
+ + +
Now, January 1st will be closed in five hours or so here. And while we are sleeping, pagans might attempt something dangerous against Japan on their January 1st; but as we have already praised God today, we can sleep in peace.
"UNTIL THE END OF THE WORLD"
January 1st should be celebrated, because we have to commemorate the first day of the world; and January 1st is the first day of the year.
By celebrating January 1st, we praise the great feat of God, the creation of the world and the universe, which has eventually generated, so to say, you and your ancestors.
The first day is not linked with any saints, who are human beings, but absolutely linked with the creation of the world, God's great feat.
Or you may think that as we cannot go back to the first day of the world to celebrate God, we celebrate Him on the first day of the year.
You do not need any human saints or legends to celebrate January 1st.
As it is January 1st, we celebrate it for no other worldly reasons. And, it happens to be today.
+ + +
Japanese are the people who most sincerely celebrate January 1st.
Or there are tow types of God's people in this world: Japanese and others including Israelites, Christians, Muslims, and other believers.
You cannot judge faithfulness of Japanese by applying the same standards you may be allowed to apply to Israelites, Christians, Muslims, and other believers.
If you do, I suppose, Angels surely will be displeased, and they might report it to God.
+ + +
Today, January 1st, even at 5:30 p.m., the city sky was dark and cold, shops were closed, neon signs and electric billboards were humble, only few cars were entering a rotary, and almost no commuters were spotted. No businesses could appeal to consumers if they hustle on January 1st in Japan.
However, there was an endless flow of people apparently from one direction to the station. Yes, they were on their way back home from a shrine; I mean that almost everyone putting on a winter coat, a muffler, and a long boots (for most of young ladies) had just made a pilgrimage probably as a yearly ceremony.
Indeed, most of Japanese go and pray in a shrine nearby or notable on January 1st, 2nd, or 3rd. Shinto is this way practiced all over Japan.
Japanese, as a whole, are celebrating the great creation of the God through Shinto.
(If you do not celebrate the first day of the year, no matter if you celebrate every Friday, Saturday, or Sunday thereafter, I wonder if God is pleased with you more than He is on January 1st with pious Japanese. In this sense, today, something decisive is to be completed. It might be useless for you to wait for, for example, Christmas coming on December 25 this year.)
+ + +
All I want you to do is not to ask Japanese whether he or she believes in God in a sense of Israelites, Christians, or Muslims.
You should not ask what religion he or she believes, neither.
If somebody is Japanese, it means he or she belongs to the unique religion, which no foreigners can comprehend, that alone praises God on January 1st.
You should not insult January 1st by asking those questions to Japanese.
+ + +
Some people, on their way home from a shrine, were holding an arrow with white wings.
The holy arrow is called "Hama-Ya," literally meaning an arrow breaking an evil spirit.
You can purchase it at a shop inside a shrine; as a matter of course, it has no metal arrowhead.
+ + +
Now, January 1st will be closed in five hours or so here. And while we are sleeping, pagans might attempt something dangerous against Japan on their January 1st; but as we have already praised God today, we can sleep in peace.
"UNTIL THE END OF THE WORLD"
Sunday, December 31, 2006
Nothing Uncomfortable in Tokyo Station on December 31, 2006
Nothing Uncomfortable in Tokyo Station on December 31, 2006
Now the year 2006 is going to be left behind forever, maybe, like the fist day God created this world or the universe.
(Jesus Christ said not to keep looking back, though.)
The center of Japan is, for ordinary Japanese in their general point of view, the Tokyo Station.
The area around the station is the most secured business center as it is adjacent to the Imperial Palace, though some people might feel the streets there are a kind of high-blown.
Now a few tall buildings are under construction in front of the Tokyo Station.
When people saw such development of streets around any mega-stations in Japan, they used to look like feeling something specifically inspiring.
Now people may come to understand that glory does not lie in tall towers or huge buildings but in intangible assets.
Otherwise, people have become indifferent with whatever development going on in prime locations, since they are too much involved in or too much neglected by urban development schemes carried on an extraordinarily high-priced land.
+ + +
It might not be bad to feel heavy by seeing the late Mr. Saddam Hussein in a picture of a newspaper issued today in Japan.
We should not get used to such a kind of news; however, the newspaper also reported that 61 Iraqis were killed on the day of their former president's execution.
+ + +
Nonetheless I felt almost nothing uncomfortable in the Tokyo Station today while thousands or more people were walking fast or slowly with baggage or children around me, or otherwise waiting for or getting on trains during my short stay there.
If you never feel uncomfortable during whatever short stay in the center of your capital city, then it must be at least as hopeful as Tokyo is on Dec. 31, 2006.
(And, usually we wish "A Happy New Year" in writing a new year card which is a symbol of Japanese tradition still alive and practiced here and there.)
"BRINGING GOOD NEWS"
Now the year 2006 is going to be left behind forever, maybe, like the fist day God created this world or the universe.
(Jesus Christ said not to keep looking back, though.)
The center of Japan is, for ordinary Japanese in their general point of view, the Tokyo Station.
The area around the station is the most secured business center as it is adjacent to the Imperial Palace, though some people might feel the streets there are a kind of high-blown.
Now a few tall buildings are under construction in front of the Tokyo Station.
When people saw such development of streets around any mega-stations in Japan, they used to look like feeling something specifically inspiring.
Now people may come to understand that glory does not lie in tall towers or huge buildings but in intangible assets.
Otherwise, people have become indifferent with whatever development going on in prime locations, since they are too much involved in or too much neglected by urban development schemes carried on an extraordinarily high-priced land.
+ + +
It might not be bad to feel heavy by seeing the late Mr. Saddam Hussein in a picture of a newspaper issued today in Japan.
We should not get used to such a kind of news; however, the newspaper also reported that 61 Iraqis were killed on the day of their former president's execution.
+ + +
Nonetheless I felt almost nothing uncomfortable in the Tokyo Station today while thousands or more people were walking fast or slowly with baggage or children around me, or otherwise waiting for or getting on trains during my short stay there.
If you never feel uncomfortable during whatever short stay in the center of your capital city, then it must be at least as hopeful as Tokyo is on Dec. 31, 2006.
(And, usually we wish "A Happy New Year" in writing a new year card which is a symbol of Japanese tradition still alive and practiced here and there.)
"BRINGING GOOD NEWS"