"his own received him not"

 Mt. Fuji and Shinaknsen Super-Express Trains of Japan

*** *** ***



Joh 1:9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
Joh 1:10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.
Joh 1:11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
Joh 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

"the Spirit like a dove descending upon him" - Homeless Persons

Mt. Fuji Observed from a Tokyo Area 100 Km Far

Homeless Persons

India looks like a very chaotic country.

It is in an economic boom but wealth is locally distributed.

And there are too many homeless people in northern India now suffering from cold climate.  Specifically, it is said that there are two million and more homeless people in India.

The worst thing for homeless people is that nobody seriously tries to check, find, and record a cause of death of a homeless person if he should die.

There was a case in Japan that a very sick homeless man living in a public park of Tokyo wanted to go to Osaka to see his friend.  But the old man was eventually brought to a hospital nearby to go through an operation.  After the desperate surgical operation an arrogant medical doctor performed, the lonely man died in the hospital.  And one of his homeless friends left alive in the park said, "It may be not so bad to die like him." (Incidentally, the doctor also got ill to have an operation later.)

There are less than 3,000 homeless persons in Tokyo while 100,000 homeless persons in New Delhi.

In addition, it is estimated that there are 100 million persons in China whose names are not registered in any official files and records.  They are not existent from the beginning to the Chinese Government.


*** *** *** ***




Mar 1:10 And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him:
Mar 1:11 And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

"into the temple of the Lord" - Contribution from Americans

The Evening Sun over Mt. Fuji

Contribution from Americans

If bad guys account for 1% of US citizens, while good guys account for 99%, the US is a good place to live.

However, when one decides to go, live, and work in the US, he surely wants to be rich.  Nobody wants to go to the US to suffer for any religious reasons.  They just want to be rich; so they want to go to the US.

If the US is such a country as that accepts only immigrants who are simply greedy or who just want to be rich.  The US will soon become a hell.

The more you are given, the more you are expected to contribute to goodness of the world.

Americans are given such advantageous conditions to be a kind of super-power: the vast land, rich natural resources, and a direct linkage to the European civilization.  So, Americans must contribute to peace and prosperity of the world more.

Put simply, those poor or non-rich Americans constituting the 99% Americans should think about their contribution to the world, forgetting about the 1% rich Americans destined to the hell after their death.      



*** *** *** ***



Luk 1:6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.
Luk 1:7 And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years.
Luk 1:8 And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest's office before God in the order of his course,
Luk 1:9 According to the custom of the priest's office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.
Luk 1:10 And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense.
Luk 1:11 And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.
Luk 1:12 And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.
Luk 1:13 But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.

"to bear witness of the Light" - Religion and Authority

New Year

Mt. Fuji

Of Japan

In 2013

Religion and Authority

If everybody thinks that his life is useless unless he can enjoy life as a rich man or he becomes super-rich, the world should be full of wars, armed conflicts, and clashes among nations, groups, and individuals.

If everybody is a blood-thirsty wolf, no one can even walk safely in his neighborhood.  Accordingly, no one will work for petty wages, but everyone will start to attack one another to rob him of any goods.  So, no production of agricultural products or industrial products would be possible.  No one would go to work or school, since fights are everywhere.  And thus, civilization will fall and disappear.

But, every human society has its own code of conduct and ethics.  Members of the society are forced to obey rules and the norms.  They are educated to respect law and order as well others.  So, people come to know that there are many social and traditional conditions and requirements to fulfill if they want to be rich.   Finally people will love to find and enjoy peace of mind in their humble and very humble life.  Besides, even their humble society and community needs cooperation of its constituents to maintain order, provide welfare services and security, and develop economy.  One example is a need to establish self-defense military to defend their territory from other tribes or nations, which requires extreme cooperation from members of the society.  

But without a religion, people cannot be fully convinced that their loyalty to the authority of their society or nation is ultimately paid off.  One lives and dies leaving his children and grandchildren.  Everybody wants to secure family love, at least, so that his soul can rest in peace after his death.  The authority of a tribe, a community, or a nation must bear responsibility in this spiritual field.  So, the authority needs a religion to support themselves standing before people who live and die humbly and very humbly in most cases.

Now, the US has a strong background of religions, mostly of Christianity origin.  Europe is losing the past glory of the Vatican.  The Islamic world and India are under strong influences of their religions, though they are anti-Christianity and sometimes anti-Westernization.  Chinese have almost no or little religion except love and respect for their ancestors.  Japanese are in a very unique spiritual environment which can be itself regraded as a religion of Buddhism and shintoism origins.

Nonetheless, it is Christianity that has succeeded most in these 2000 years in the world.  And as it was also 2000 years from Abraham to Christ Jesus, we may be allowed to expect something great in our era of the history.  


***　APPENDIX ***

The Prophecy of the Popes, attributed to Saint Malachy, is a list of 112 short phrases in Latin. They purport to describe each of the Roman Catholic popes (along with a few anti-popes), beginning with Pope Celestine II (elected in 1143) and concluding with the successor of current pope Benedict XVI, a pope described in the prophecy as "Peter the Roman", whose pontificate will end in the destruction of the city of Rome...

"In the extreme persecution of the Holy Roman Church, there will sit [i.e., as bishop].
Peter the Roman, who will pasture his sheep in many tribulations:
and when these things are finished, the city of seven hills will be destroyed,
and the terrible judge will judge his people.
The End." 

That last line of the prophecy of St. Malachy is usually interpreted as a reference to the last pope (Petrus Romanus, the last in the list), who will be very important for Catholics ("who will pasture his sheep in many tribulations"), and his pontificate will end with the destruction of Rome ("and when these things are finished, the city of seven hills will be destroyed"). However, many cities including Jerusalem and Lisbon are also known as "the city of the seven hills". And the "destruction" is not necessarily physical, it can be a economical crisis, a great decline of morality and many other things. "Petrus Romanus" doesn't necessarily refer to a pope, it can mean "St. Peter's throne in Rome", that will be empty in the end times.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prophecy_of_the_Popes#Petrus_Romanus



*** *** ***



Joh 1:7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.
Joh 1:8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.

"the light shineth in darkness"

 Mt. Fuji

Around Tokyo in 2013







*** *** ***



Joh 1:4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
Joh 1:5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
Joh 1:6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.

"And Aram begat Aminadab" - The Islamic World

 Mt. Fuji (snow covered though it doesn't look white due to the angle to the sun)

 100 Kilometers Far

 From Tokyo Area

On January 4

2013

The Islamic World

The most terrible incident now going on is of course the civil war in Syria.

Abraham traveled around Syria or specifically Damascus, according to an old record.  And human beings are still making terrible acts of strife among themselves without enough respect for and awe of God.

From North Africa to Palestine and Syria and further to Mesopotamia and the Iranian highlands toward Afghanistan and Pakistan, no great economies look like emerging.  It is as though the Allah or the God forbade Muslims living in the regions to adopt and develop modern science, technology, and business mostly devised in Europe and America, namely by Christians.

If Islam is the last region, which seems true to some degree, the state in the Islamic world must suggest the last and required state of human society in large.  There should not be prosperity backed by science, technology, and business mostly devised in Europe and America, namely by Christians.

Maybe, Muslims are right living in the society largely governed or strongly influenced by the religion Islam.  It is because we can interpret the situation of those Islamic regions as they have been protecting their spirits from violent invasion by the modern Western civilization rooted in traditions of Christianity.  Not to accept the modern material civilization means a kind of victory for Muslims against Christians and Judaists, though prosperity of Dubai can be regarded as betraying this great cause.    

Put simply, more people enter Heaven and are welcomed by holy spirits after death in the Islamic world than in Europe, Indian, China, Japan, and America, since Muslims are more faithful to their religion (the last religion for mankind) than other peoples with various religions in those areas and countries featuring great economy.

May the Allah or the God more bless Syrians and other Muslims in 2013!



*** *** *** ***



Mat 1:2 Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judas and his brethren;
Mat 1:3 And Judas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar; and Phares begat Esrom; and Esrom begat Aram;
Mat 1:4 And Aram begat Aminadab; and Aminadab begat Naasson; and Naasson begat Salmon;

"The voice of one crying in the wilderness" - New Revolution in China

New Year

High Holy Days'

Night Pilgrimage

In Shinto Shrine

Around Tokyo, Japan

New Revolution in China

An American professor said in an interview by a commentator of the Japanese NHK TV station that though he did not know a reason it was apparent that China changed its diplomatic stance two and half years before.

Around 2010, China suddenly came to intimidate Asian countries situated around the South China Sea.  China also took a very unfriendly attitude at the time to Japan in the wake of a maritime incident that a Chinese fishing boat rammed itself against a Japanese Coast Guard ship engaged in patrol around the Japanese Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea.  

From economic, diplomatic, national security, and other administrative and social points of view, it is difficult to understand why China suddenly did away with a low-key and cooperative policy toward neighboring countries in East Asia around 2010.

But the key words are a new revolution in China, the end of domination of the Chinese people by the Chinese Communist Party, and an idea to keep respect and fear of the Chinese Communist Parties and the People's Liberation Army among the Chinese public by demonstrating its military predominance over other countries.

In other word, the Chinese Communist Party started to feel that their political foundations came to shake due to a big change in domestic circumstances triggered by big economic growth around 2010.

It must be a sign of a future drastic change in the Chinese politics.


*** *** ***



Mar 1:1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God;
Mar 1:2 As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.
Mar 1:3 The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

Mt. Fuji

 100 km Far

From the Tokyo Area

On January 1, 2013

*** *** *** ***


Luk 1:1 Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us,
Luk 1:2 Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word;
Luk 1:3 It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus,
Luk 1:4 That thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed.　

"Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these."

 Meiji Shinto Shrine

 In Tokyo

Open for Everybody

On December 31, 2012

*** *** *** ***


Mar 12:31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.

"thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart"

A Japanese Shinto Shrine in Preparation for New Year Pilgrimage

The First Three Days of the Year are Very Holy in Japan

And a Big Chance for Some Business

*** *** *** ***



Mar 12:30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.

"the LORD smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt" - Indonesia and Japan

Tokyo in December, 2012

Indonesia and Japan

In December 2004, Indonesia suffered the Great Sumatra Tsunami which took on tens of thousands of human lives in Indonesia alone, but its GDP never ceased to grow.

Figure of GDP Growth in Indonesia (with a unit of one billion rupiah)

This strong trend of growth in Indonesian economy tells that there is a strong potential of material development in Indonesia which also seems to have pulled through the social and political crisis caused by Islamic terrorists in almost the same period of time as that of the natural tragedy.

Japan also experienced a great tsunami which took away about 20,000 lives in March 2011, resulting in a slight decline in GDP.

Year     GDP in 10 billion yen
2010     511,780
2011     507,916

It is not only a Magnitude 9.0 earthquake and more than 15-meter tsunamis that plagued Japan in 2011.  A nuclear accident which occurred following the big tsunami also damaged the Japanese industrial sector.  So, it can be understood that the real GDP of Japan decreased a little in 2011.

However, the real GDP of Japan in 2012 is expected to grow a little.  The Japanese economy looks like recovering from the state of shock and awe of the great natural and nuclear disasters.

The next year is the third year after the great disasters of 2011 for Japan.  It will be an important year for Japan.  A great warning the God gave to Japan in 2011 must be understood by the Japanese people.  Its success and prosperity after 2013 must be different from that before 2011.

One example is the nuclear power generation issue.  Before 2011, the Japanese people had enjoyed affluent material life without worrying a nuclear problem, energy problems, and electricity scarcity.  But, through the great predicament of 2011 which could be comparable to the devastating tragedy of WWII, the Japanese people seem to become more cautious in developing its industry and society based on high technology.  They may even become more humble before the nature and less arrogant in handling advanced science and technology.

The Indonesian people are progressing boldly over the 2004 tragedy.  Though Japan is a more matured country, it should also advance boldly but with a higher sense and more care for the nature and danger of human technology.

http://ecodb.net/exec/trans_image.php?type=WEO&d=NGDP_R&c1=JP

Figure of GDP Growth in Japan (with a unit of one billion yen)

In addition, though Japan has never become a target of the Islamic terror, the strongest nation in Asia has come to face a real challenge from China over the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea after 2011.

The Islands belong to Japan in an internationally recognized manner for centuries, but as there is a great amount of natural gas and crude oil in the sea area, China claims its sovereignty over Senkakus.  And, as the leftist and liberal party DPJ had been in power forming the Cabinet in Japan from September 2009 to December 2012, China took a very aggressive stance as if testing the will of those leftist Japanese politicians to make any concession to China over this conflict.  So, Japan has been in a difficult state in terms of diplomacy and national security not only with China but also South Korea and Russia both of which have also intensified a kind of territorial dispute with Japan in these years, especially after the 2011 Great Disasters.  

However, since the conservative party LDP won the general election in this month replacing the DPJ regime, the situation will be changed.  The LDP-centric government will take more effective measures to defend Japanese interest over its territories on the border to China, South Korea, and Russia.


*** *** ***



Exo 12:29 And it came to pass, that at midnight the LORD smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the firstborn of cattle.
Exo 12:30 And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he, and all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt; for there was not a house where there was not one dead.
Exo 12:31 And he called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said, Rise up, and get you forth from among my people, both ye and the children of Israel; and go, serve the LORD, as ye have said.
Exo 12:32 Also take your flocks and your herds, as ye have said, and be gone; and bless me also.

"In the way of righteousness is life"

Anti-Nuclear Energy Protesters before Industry Ministry Office, Tokyo

Anti-Nuclear Energy Protesters in Government Office District, Tokyo




*** *** *** ***



Pro 12:25 Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop: but a good word maketh it glad.
Pro 12:26 The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour: but the way of the wicked seduceth them.
Pro 12:27 The slothful man roasteth not that which he took in hunting: but the substance of a diligent man is precious.
Pro 12:28 In the way of righteousness is life: and in the pathway thereof there is no death.

"but the God of the living" - Around 2010 Rather

 Around the Imperial Palace, Tokyo

 Around the Imperial Palace and the Parliament, Tokyo

Around 2010 Rather

As I wrote before, the Second Advent of Christ Jesus has started around 2010.

Indeed, the world has greatly changed around 2010.  Nobody today believes that Europe can lead the world with its economy and culture, though the EU is still the richest region in the world even in terms of cultural and religious  heritage.  It is mainly due to the euro crisis, triggered by the Greece financial crisis.  The credibility and respect Europe can enjoy have greatly diminished.

 Indeed, the world has greatly changed around 2010.  Nobody today believes that the US is the sole super-power and the leading nation in the world.  It is still the richest and the most armed country in the world, but America indicates that it has nothing more inspiring than electing an African American as the second-term president.  The only expectation for the US seems to be that it can militarily check reckless behaviors of China.  Like the Space Shuttle program that ended in 2011, the US looks like having ended its mission to prevail freedom and democracy in the world while Muslims have been fighting in Libya, Egypt, and especially Syria.

No matter how G20 countries, except the EU, the US, and Japan but including China and India, are growing in the economic domain, they cannot lead the world.  It is mostly because the modern science, technologies, and social/international systems are based on traditions and legacies of Christianity.  And the centers of this religions are still Europe and America.  Some underlying influences and merits of the religious traditions on European-race-dominant nations are still strong, with driving power in the world.      

Put simply, these 2000 years is an era when the civilization fostered in the Christian world has prevailed in the world.  Today, for instance, everybody in Africa, the Islamic world, India, China, and other Asian countries is using a cellular phone, a product made possible by the Western-origin technology. 

But, now we cannot see spiritual merit and virtue, omnipresent like a cellular phone, in the world derived from the European/American Christianity that is so effective and powerful for improvement of human spiritual life and social life.  That is why the God should directly intervene with the human world again.  For this purpose, He would most likely send His son again to the earth: the Second Coming of Christ.

As I wrote before, the Second Advent of Christ Jesus has started around 2010.  Let's review how it was calculated so.

Newton focused on  the year 800 when he calculated the year of the Second Advent, finally obtaining 2060 (= 800 + 1260).

Yet, from a global point of view, it is not 800 but 750 that should be the starting year of Newton's calculation. So, the Second Advent of Christ Jesus already started around 2010 (= 1260 + 750). 

Under the Abbasids, Islamic civilization flourished in the "Islamic Golden Age" (c. 750 CE - c. 1258 CE), with its capital at the cosmopolitan city of Baghdad.  

Although the city (Pella in Palestine where early Christians fled) was still inhabited as late as the tenth Century CE, it was the deadly earthquake of CE 747 that ended its long history as a city of major influence in the region. 

http://eereporter.blogspot.com/2011/08/blog-post_21.html 

 720 - The second oldest exisiting imperial chronicle and myth of Japan called Nihon Shoki (Record of Japan) was compiled following an imperial order. This book has become one of major documentary resources for shintoism. 

752 - The world's largest bronze statue of the Buddha, called "Daibutsu" in Japanese, was built in Heijyo-kyo (Nara City), following an imperial order.  

http://eereporter.blogspot.com/2011/08/having-eyes-see-ye-not.html

"(Islamic) Golden Age" (750–1258)

http://eereporter.blogspot.com/2011/08/have-ye-your-heart-yet-hardened.html

The Battle of Talas (or Battle of Artlakh in 751 AD between the Arab Abbasid Caliphate and the Chinese Tang Dynasty, resulting in transfer of paper production technology from China to Europe.    

http://eereporter.blogspot.com/2011/10/greater-than-all.html

In a wider scope, a prologue really started in 2001 with the 9/11 Terror Attack.  It must have been the last chance for the US to take the initiative in peace of the world.  But, President Mr. W. Bush reluctantly pursued Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan and launched an unnecessary war in Iraq for the sake of Dubai, Saudi Arabia, and Israel. 

Another prologue was set off, on December 26, 2004, off Sumatra Island, Indonesia, with an M9.1 earthquake and big tsunamis that attacked the Indian Ocean coast lines taking 220,000 lives.  As Indonesia is the world largest Islamic nation, this could be regraded as a grave warning to Islamic nations and Muslims.

Then, in 2008, the US triggered the world financial crisis, which has become a major underlying factor of the 2011 Euro Crisis, from Wall Street.  The subprime loan crisis symbolized the general atmosphere in the American society so much contaminated by the false American Dream.  As the situation was so bad as even GM went bankrupt, the US voters, including swing ones among European Americans, opted for Mr. Barack Obama in the 2008 Presidential Election.

Finally, in 2010, Haiti, so close to New York and Washington DC in a global scope, suffered a great earthquake in its capital Port-au-Prince immediately taking on 50,000 lives and subsequently claiming 250,000 more lives.     

Accordingly, on March 11, 2011, an M9.0 earthquake occurred off the northeast part of Honsyu Island, Japan, or in the North Pacific Ocean 350km northeast of Tokyo.  It was accompanied by 15-meter high tsunamis one of which attacked the Fukushima Daichi nuclear generation plant where six nuclear reactor units were installed.  It resulted in major hydrogen explosions in three reactor units  and one minor explosion in one of other units.  The earthquake and the tsunamis killed about 20,000 residents but the nuclear accident forced 100,000 Fukushima citizens to evacuate their homes around Fukushima Daiichi. 

http://eereporter.blogspot.jp/2011/12/when-pharisees-heard-it.html

So, we might be seeing or hearing some signs of the holy incident now happening in the world.

For example, if you see one sinner repenting from the bottom of his/her heart in your neighborhood, it must be one of the signs.  Of course, the sinner can be you.



*** *** *** ***



Mar 12:26 And as touching the dead, that they rise: have ye not read in the book of Moses, how in the bush God spake unto him, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?
Mar 12:27 He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living: ye therefore do greatly err.

"not able to do that thing which is least" - Growth of Society

The Parliament Bldg. since 1936, Japan

National Assembly Bldg. (the Diet), Tokyo

Growth of Society

Without Christianity, Europe today must be still a wild and cruel world like in the era of the Roman Empire.

So, Christianity had to be introduced into Europe to make Europeans civilized and cultivated.  Consequently, they learnt that there was something  more important than bloody conflicts between parties with opposite interest.  They learnt power of love over hatred.

But, the rule of the Vatican went too far and too strictly while Christian priests and bishops got corrupted due to too much power and privileges.  Godless priests preached the word of the God to innocent Europeans and other races and consolidate their power base, while they did not believe or obey teaching of Christ Jesus.

So, the modern social movement started in Europe to release citizens from the heavy yoke of the largely biased and corrupt European Christianity.  The separation of the government and the religion became a symbolic feature of the modern society in Europe.

(In this context, the Islamic world looks like still being in the Middle Age.)

But, there appeared other quasi-religion, called the communism and the socialism as well as fascism and totalitarianism.   Through the Second World War and the Cold War, however, most of states influenced by this kind of ideologies fell and disappeared.  The ideal of the socialism is what complements Christianity in the industrialized society.  But, human desire and evil motivation to control others and enjoy dictatorial rule, backed by hatred rather than love, eventually harm and damage people and the society.  Leaders of the communist party turned to be a kind of gangsters eventually.  They needed more love than they thought they had to lead the human society; and thus they have failed.  

So, the democracy of the Anglo-Saxon type came to prevail.  One remarkable example of a nation that has made the best use of this political ideal is Japan.  Though even before WWII Japan was the most industrialized country in Asia, the unique nation became the second largest and powerful economy after WWII by thoroughly introducing the American style of democracy and market economy.  Other Asian countries are now following suit, though China still looks like needing the rule by the Communist Party while adopting capitalism in its economy.

So, the US is the best leading country in this context.  It has an underlying religious influence but it has also a modern social system that can suppress an undesirable influence of religion.  Americans act and behave according to conditions of democracy and market economy more than subject to religious requirements.  Especially Democrats behave like almost faithless citizens, trying to enjoy more freedom.   They want even freedom from conditions of Christianity.  So, the Devil has come to tempt Americans into the hell by use of enchantment of material success and unlimited wealth which are often called the American Dream.  With great success of democracy and economy, Americans are still vulnerable to temptation of the Devil who is trying to take innocent American souls away from the merciful spiritual domain of the God.

Put simply it is a matter of levels of society.  It must be elevated through a religious domain and a separation of the government and the religion to a free and rationale state featuring democracy and market economy.  But it must be also oriented to the right direction.  It must, put clearly, face the Kingdom of God.  Americans must show a good example of heading for the Kingdom of God.      




*** *** *** ***


Luk 12:25 And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit?
Luk 12:26 If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest?
Luk 12:27 Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

"He that loveth his life shall lose it" - Danka System

National Diet Bldg. (parliament), Tokyo

 Danka System

When the last samurai regime of Japan, led by the Tokugawa clan, started its administration all over Japan in the early 17th century, there was a big problem: Christianity.

The king of samurais, called the shogun, gradually started to feel a grave influence of Christianity in the Japanese society which might have led to denial of authority of the shogun.

Missionaries and priests sent by the Vatican or other Catholic organizations were then very successful in Japan as they had been engaged in propagation of the Christian faith in the Japanese society since the middle of 16th century.  They acquired many followers not only among ordinary citizens but also among high-ranking samurais and feudal lords who were expected to obey the Tokugawa shogun without reservation.  The shogun was afraid that his subjects and vassals would respect Christ or the Pope more than him.

Though trade with Spain and Portugal was very profitable for the samurai regime, they finally decided to ban Christianity, severing  connections with those Catholic countries (while keeping a trade relationship with the Netherlands, a protestant country).  So, Japan virtually closed the country from the early 17th century to the middle of the 19th century (except trade with Holland and China in a restricted port).

The Tokugawa shogun also stipulated a very stern law to forbid  people to believe and practice Christianity.   If a citizen had been found to be a Christian and would not abandon the religion, he was  surely to receive death sentence in a court ruled by samurai bureaucrats.

In order to reinforce these measures against  Christianity, the Tokugawa regime adopted a special system called the Danka system.  Every citizen in Japan was ordered to belong to a Buddhist temple.  Though there were many schools and factions of Buddhists in Japan, each family had in most cases a special connection with a certain school of Buddhism (there were a few temples in a standard village).  This connection was officially strengthened by the samurai regime.  Like a public office in a village or a town, a Buddhist temple recorded birth, marriage, death of each individual.   Actually official family registry was kept in Buddhist temples all over Japan.

In return to this official service by temples, the samurai government provided special rewards for monks, priests, and bishops in Buddhist temples.  They in fact came to possess fiefs.  Their living was protected and enhanced.  Rice and other agricultural products from these domains supported living of monks who could also exchange those products with money in the market.  They did not have to work hard and practice stern religious acts any more to acquire believers who would provide essential goods for temples.  Those Buddhist priests and bishops became members of the establishment in the samurai world.

But, this situation led to corruption and stagnancy of the Buddhist community in the Japanese society.

Though those Buddhist temples in villages and towns became a place for children to learn how to read and write as temples came to be deeply involved in daily lives of villagers and  townspeople, thus increasing a literacy rate in Japan, great academic development of the Japanese Buddhism was not observed, in general terms, during the Tokugawa samurai era from the early 17th century to the late 19th century.

So, churches and temples should not function as a public office in any country.

The danka system, also known as jidan system is a system of voluntary and long-term affiliation between Buddhist temples and households in use in Japan since the Heian period.[1] In it, households (the danka) financially support a Buddhist temple which, in exchange, provides for their spiritual needs.[1] Although its existence long predates the Edo period (1603–1868), the system is best known for its repressive use made at that time by the Tokugawa, who made the affiliation with a Buddhist temple compulsory to all citizens.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danka_system



*** *** *** ***



Joh 12:25 He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.
Joh 12:26 If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.

"but are as the angels" - On Christmas Eve

 Japan

 Before

Christmas Eve

On Christmas Eve

The more you are given, the more you are requested to give.

So, if you are lucky and talented to have great success in life, you are requested to give what you have earned to the poor till you become one of them.

If you are given good fortune by the God or the Devil, you are requested to distribute all the money you have obtained to your neighbors.

If everybody in this world follows this rule, there would be no wars, crimes, and the gap between the poor and the rich.

In other word, to the extent that people neglect this holy teaching, the society is contaminated by every kind of  evil.

But who would be the first man to start to obey this will of the God?  Who would make himself or herself poor by providing what he or she has for those who don't have, only because it is an act of  reverence for the God?

You may say that you are a believer and a Christian or a Muslim, but the God would say to you, "But you are rich, which tells you are not one of the faithful."  

So, actually, there are no such things as rich believers or rich Christians or Muslims.

It is a big tragedy and a painful situation that you are forced to be poor while you want to be rich desperately.  But, if you are poor because you obey the God, it is a blessed situation.

So, especially, if you are poor on Christmas Eve, you are blessed.

In contrast, if you are rich on Christmas Eve, you are an enemy of the God.



*** *** *** ***


Mar 12:25 For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven.

"when the Pharisees heard it"

A Street in a Central District of Tokyo




*** *** ***


Mat 12:23 And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David?
Mat 12:24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.
Mat 12:25 And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand:
Mat 12:26 And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand?

"immediately the angel of the Lord smote him" - The Nuclear Technology

Around the Imperial Palace, Tokyo

The Nuclear Technology

Of course, it is crazy to produce electricity using nuclear technology which was first invented for creating a nuclear bomb.

It is so dangerous because it releases energy by destroying some types of atoms which constitute human cells, organs, and body.

This mechanism of destruction of atoms cannot be easily controlled though mankind developed a technology to apply the energy released in this process to generation of electricity.

The radioactive atoms that are working to release energy while destroying themselves may continue the process for days, months, years, and hundreds of thousands of years.  As this radioactive decay process continues, there is always a chance that energy released can destroy the human body, organs, and cells, harming human life.      

So, nuclear power generation must be stopped while there are many safer ways of producing electricity.

However, this nuclear technology is linked to the nuclear weapon production technology.  And, any government wants such mighty weapons.  The US, Russia, the UK, France, China, and even North Korean want to keep nuclear weapons to protect their national interest against other countries.

Therefore, this domain of nuclear energy has become politically significant not only economically.  No to be intimidated by neighboring countries, governments want to have a potential to produce nuclear weapons, so that they want to build nuclear power generation stations to foster the nuclear industry.

In other word, till the world becomes totally peaceful, the nuclear energy development will not be stopped.  

In this context, it is a great matter of regret that there are a few Japanese businesses that are still actively engaged in development of nuclear technology.  They are tied up with the American nuclear industry while aggressively selling their technology and products to the world market.

It is true that the Fukuhsima Daiichi nuclear accident was set off by an M9.0 earthquake, subsequent 16-meter high tsunamis, and poor risk management of the then Kan Cabinet.  If you build a nuclear power plant in a location with a little possibility of a big earthquake, floods, or tsunamis and your government has an emergency system where experts take a main part in handling an emergency situation, you might get rid of a big nuclear accident.  But, the nuclear technology itself is not a safe one inherently.  You must at least know that you are producing electricity through a very dangerous technology which can be as dangerous as a nuclear bomb.        



*** *** *** ***



Act 12:19 And when Herod had sought for him, and found him not, he examined the keepers, and commanded that they should be put to death. And he went down from Judaea to Caesarea, and there abode.
Act 12:20 And Herod was highly displeased with them of Tyre and Sidon: but they came with one accord to him, and, having made Blastus the king's chamberlain their friend, desired peace; because their country was nourished by the king's country.
Act 12:21 And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them.
Act 12:22 And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man.
Act 12:23 And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.
Act 12:24 But the word of God grew and multiplied.