"into the wilderness, and prayed" - Gaza and Holy Books

Tokyo

Gaza and Holy Books

Gaza is a place where Alexander the Great marched to Egypt, Cleopatra traveled from Egypt, and Caesar also passed with his troops went up from Egypt to Syria after conquest of Egypt, and probably Abraham and Christ Jesus walked.  Gaza is older than Rome, Paris. London, and New York.

So, it is deplorable that Gaza is still in a state of severe conflict involving Jewish people.  It looks as if human beings have not made any progress in humanity in these 4000 or 2000 years.

Human civilization has developed and global economic status has been upgraded, but fundamental conditions look unchanged.  Indeed, the Old and New Testaments could present meaningful stories and dramas to us even today.  None thinks that the Old and New Testaments are so old and obsolete and their contents loos significance to modern people.  There are millions and more people who daily refer to these holy books in their spiritual quests and study.

Even Muslims refer to the Koran written more than 1000 years ago.  No Muslims think that contents of their holy book are now outdated.  Voices are still vividly spoken to them from the Koran.  Teachings of the Koran are regarded as effective even today.

However, in this era of modern commercialism, people look to New York, London, Paris, and Rome for their money-making activities.  But not many people look to Gaza for any concern.

In other words, development of the human civilization in these 2000 years might be nothing when compared with significance of effectiveness of those old holy books found today.  It might mean that most parts of today's material civilization has been developed with help from Satan rather than from God.

So, in the extreme case, God might request people to give up the civilization of today and go back to the human status of 2000 years ago when Satan did not yet succeed in capturing so many people using temptation for money and wealth.


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Luk 5:16 And he withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed.
Luk 5:17 And it came to pass on a certain day, as he was teaching, that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, which were come out of every town of Galilee, and Judaea, and Jerusalem: and the power of the Lord was present to heal them.

"the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine" - Purpose of God's Creating this Universe

Around Nagoya, Japan

Purpose of God's Creating this Universe

The life duration of the sun is said to be about 10 billion years, although it has existed for about 4.5 billion years so far.　

But it does not mean that the earth can exist with living things for 5.5 billion years more, because the sun will become inflated as time goes by.  The sun will get larger so as for its surface to reach the earth's orbit around the sun.  It is expected that 1.75 billion years later the earth will be scorched due to the heat of the sun.  As the sun increases its volume, the heat from the sun growing larger will heat the earth so that all the living things on the earth will die down.

However, men might exit the earth to find another solar system and another sun suitable to live in, since there is the time of 1.75 billion years to prepare the exit from the earth and this solar system.

Today science tells that the earth has existed for about 4.5 billion years, although it has been only 1.8 million years since the species where human beings belong Homo sapiens was established.  And it has been only 250,000 years since human beings started to speak.  So, we had better worry about the future of the mankind in, say, 10,000 years or so.   But who can imagine the status of the mankind 10,000 years later or even 2,000 years later?

In this context, the belief that God appeared to Abraham 4,000 years ago and Moses 3,500 years ago, that the Son of God appeared to Jewish people 2,000 years ago, and even that an Angel gave words of God to Mohammed 1,300 years ago is important, since it is God who created this universe.  If the purpose of God's creating this universe is to create human beings who worship God, this purpose might be said to have been almost satisfied.  But why does God intend to create such human beings as worship Him, even if it has taken billions of years?  (For example, the age of the whole universe is 13.8 billion years.)

Is this is the most significant question for any intellectual species in this universe?  It is so since we cannot find any other reasons for God's creation of this universe.  It is also unthinkable that the human beings without faith in God, the Creator of this universe, can survive in the next 2,000 years, 10,000 years, or 1.75 billion years.

Anyway, no matter what the mankind will be, the earth will be scorched by the inflating sun in 1.75 billion years.  And, 5.5 billion years later, there will be no sun and no earth.  But God exists forever with or without the surviving mankind.  This is the root of the feeling of impermanence in human lives and thoughts.  Without faith in God, we cannot even sustain a sane state of our minds. 


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Mar 5:13 And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea, (they were about two thousand;) and were choked in the sea.

"the draught of the fishes" - Ravens and Lilies

Tokyo

Ravens and Lilies

Christ Jesus never worked to earn money while He was preaching.

He was outside the worldly worry and fear that one might lose a job and ultimately became homeless if he failed in competition.  But He knew well this kind of worry people had.  This kind of worry and fear is also modern.  So, the following teaching of Christ Jesus is effective even today.

Luke 12
24 Look at the ravens. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for God feeds them. And you are far more valuable to him than any birds!  

27 “Look at the lilies and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. 28 And if God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?

Christ Jesus rather recommend always think about the Kingdom of God instead of living in this world.  If we do have faith and consider the Kingdom of God, God will surely feed us, according to the words of Christ Jesus.

People mostly think about how to earn more money and how to behave to get any promotion and social merit.  They don't think about how to contribute to coming of the Kingdom of God.  People worry that if they are absorbed in thinking of God, they will lose a chance to be rich.  To get rid of poverty or avoid fall in status in the society, they think that they have no time to think about God.

Christ Jesus put higher priority on faith in God.  And God will take care of those believers, according to Christ Jesus.  This is against human wisdom.  The human world has not been built so as to promote faith in God.  But it has been built so that winners will survive and succeed while losers will become poor and suffer.  Yet, God has power to supersede such worldly rule.  The faith in God means to believe such super power of God.

To become rich and successful in the society, one is often tempted in committing a crime or neglecting justice, or otherwise he will lose compassion to losers and love to neighbors.  And people will try to be smarter than others in purchase of wealth and profits or in exercise of evil tricks.  The total aggregation of these behaviors and thoughts will surely make this world a kind of the hell.  It will make this world a place not worth living. 

In this context, money is an enemy of God.  People should think about God but not money.

However, living of successful priests, including the Pope, is based on big money, which cannot be accepted by God.


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Luk 5:9 For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken:
Luk 5:10 And so was also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men.

"Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit" - Existence of God, Angels, Satan and Devils

Government Office District, Tokyo 

Existence of God, Angels, Satan and Devils

Billions people believe in God, the sole God in and outside the universe, at least superficially.

For examples, the Christian Bible depicts God and angels as well as Satan and devils.  So, Christians believe existence of God and angels as well as Satan and devils.  However, no schools, colleges, and universities directly handle these entities.

And, there are almost no news or reports on God and angels as well as Satan and devils.  For example, there must be a news report that God appeared to somebody in a certain town of a certain nation.  However, it is very rare that news Medias report that a miracle happened to somebody in a certain town of a certain nation, for example, the day before.  Moreover, it is very rate that people talk about their experiences to see God and angels as well as Satan and devils.  Even in churches, it is very rare that priests or reverend fathers talk about their experiences of encountering God and angels as well as Satan and devils, although one of main theme of the Bible is the relationship between men and God and angels as well as Satan and devils.

People might talk about weather as a kind of greeting.  But they don't say, for example, "God seems to be pleased today" or "Satan is trying his bad trick on us."

Probably, on the contrary, in the Kingdom of God, people must say, for example, "God seems to be pleased today" or "Satan is trying his bad trick on us" as a kind of expression for greeting.

We must start to talk about God and angels as well as Satan and devils on a routine base everyday. 

Conversely, if people don't believe existence of God and angels as well as Satan and devils, the Bible and other holy books must be a kind of nothing to them.  Conversely, if people behave as if the Bible and other holy books were a kind of nothing to them, they don't believe existence of God and angels as well as Satan and devils in the bottom of their minds, even if they call themselves Christians, Judaists, or Muslims.


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Mar 5:6 But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him,
Mar 5:7 And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not.
Mar 5:8 For he said unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit.

"Blessed are the merciful" - Religion and Capitalism

Tokyo

Religion and Capitalism

According to Max Weber, Capitalism was realized based on Protestant Christianity:

Although not a detailed study of Protestantism but rather an introduction to Weber's later studies of interaction between various religious ideas and economics (The Religion of China: Confucianism and Taoism, The Religion of India: The Sociology of Hinduism and Buddhism, and Ancient Judaism), The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism argues that Puritan ethics and ideas influenced the development of capitalism. The 'spirit of capitalism' does not refer to the spirit in the metaphysical sense but rather a set of values, the spirit of hard work and progress.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Protestant_Ethic_and_the_Spirit_of_Capitalism#Basic_concepts 

The Vatican teaches that men's work to be accepted by God must be based on faith.  If work or labor is based on faith, there is nothing to discuss any more.  Because God loves those who live based on faith, so that such men will be surely accepted in Heaven.  Only you have to do is to have strong faith and work based on the faith.  But hard work itself does not promise anything. 

However, Protestantism taught no matter what faith a man had, it is unknown whether God accepts him into Heaven.  Men are put in a state of uncertainty and doubt.  But, men who are destined to Heaven by God must behave different than others who are not.  And such a difference should appear in their living.  They must have stronger faith in God than others.  Accordingly, their behavior must be stronger than others'.  Believing that a man will be accepted by God into Heaven, the man should show his status in strong behavior.

In Protestantism, it is not their faith or Vatican's judgement but God's discretion that decides a man will be accepted in Heaven.  And, if a man believes that he is accepted, he should live strongly and work harder as can be seen clearly, since there are no other ways to make distinction between those who can believe that they are accepted by God and those who cannot, since faith cannot be seen clearly from the outside as with men's insides.  Hard work may not be accepted by God as a reason for Him to accept men into Heaven, but hard work by those already accepted by God will surely rejoice God.

Therefore, men in a state of uncertainty in terms of their salvation by God have to work hard to conquer the fear of not being accepted by God as if they believe that they would be surely saved.

However, this hard work is not for material wealth or profit.  It is a kind of desperate work without material aims.  It is because a man thinks that if he knew that he was chosen and accepted by God, he should show his thanks to God through strong behaviors or hard work based on strong faith.  And, if a man cannot think that he is not accepted by God and he will fall into the hell, he will not live with strength based on faith.  Because whatever he makes, it will be useless.  Being lazy means being not accepted by God.

If you are chosen by God, you have to show the joy though hard work based on strong faith.  This is the start of accumulation of capital that is not directly linked to any desire.  Uncertainty about salvation can be only conquered by believing that he is chosen by God and showing the confidence through strong behavior such as hard work.

Muslims have no such traditions.  Accordingly, they did not accumulate capital.  They cannot start capitalism.  Judaists can accept faith and hard work, since hard work can be a way to stick to their belief that God chose them, although God sometimes puts them in difficult situations, since living is working.   They can understand that they may as well think they have to show more gratitude to God, which might lead to hard work and accumulation of capital.


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Mat 5:7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
Mat 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

"Blessed are the poor" - Japanese Pacifist Constitution

Tokyo

Japanese Pacifist Constitution

It was since around 1500 that the European civilization and Europeans gained lead against the Islamic world, India, and China in terms of economy, science, engineering, and other social systems.

Europeans had been stopped in their efforts to reach Asia to acquire wealth by Islamic nations in the west of the Mediterranean Sea.  So, Columbus and other bold sailors went out for the Atlantic Ocean.  They could reach America by sailing over the Ocean or India, South East Asia, or China by sailing around Africa.  However, along with the start of the Age of Discovery, Christianity in Europe was facing a drastic and revolutionary movement triggered by Martin Luther of Germany.  And also the printing revolution was triggered by Gutenberg of Germany.  And then, the literary revolution was launched by Shakespeare in England.  And, scientific revolution represented by Newton occurred, followed by the Industrial Revolution.  Consequently, dominance by the European civilization was fixed.

However, the biggest factor for the European civilization dominance in the world looked like the discovery of America.

As proved by the Japanese success since the middle of the 19th century, predominance of the European civilization could be stopped by a non-white, non-Christian, non-European or Asian country from buying European technologies, applying them, and developing them to its own environment to catch up Europeans, if the Asian country had deep and wide cultural tradition equivalent to Europeans.     

So, the war between the Empire of Japan and the U.S. was so critical although it was fought between 1941 to 1945 as part of WWII where the Empire defeated U.K. troops and fleets around Singapore.  The Empire of Japan stood as the representing nation in Asia while China, India, and other Asian nations had been fully or partially colonized by European nations.

Japanese had cultural backgrounds with Confucianism created in China and Buddhism created in India.  They had also their own unique literature system.  The depth and broadness of the Japanese culture and spiritualism could compete with Europeans.  Japan was not simply unique culture but the eighth civilization in the world as with civilizations of China, India, Muslims, the Eastern Orthodox, the Western Europe, Latin America, and Africa.

The fact that China, Taiwan, and Korea have succeeded in their economic, business, and engineering development can be understood as examples following Japan's success.

So, the defeat of Japan by the U.S. 70 years ago was so symbolic in terms of key to understanding nature of predominance of the Western Europe Civilization.

The Pacific War between the Empire of Japan  and the U.S. was virtually ended with atomic (nuclear) bomb attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.  But, what was left after this war in Japan was the new pacifist Constitution drafted by General MacArthur who led US and allied troops that occupied Japan for several years after the surrender of Japan.

(It was in 1952 that Japan regained its independence after 1945, while the Korean War erupted in 1950.)

That is why Japanese still keep this Constitution in the original form even today.  Yet, how to revise the Constitution has been a big political issue in Japan.   But, the underlying philosophy of this Constitution is, so to speak, American Christianity.   And, it looks like the Japanese Constitution is the true legacy of the era and the true memory of American Christianity in 1940's.

It should be also noted that African Americans came to gradually obtain full civil rights after WWII. 

     
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Mat 5:3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Mat 5:4 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
Mat 5:5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

"For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself" - God is above Mathematics

Tokyo

God is above Mathematics

If everything in this world began with the Big Bang, every mathematical laws were generated at the time.

And people have been trying to discover these laws, including the Pythagorean theorem.  But how could these laws be generated in the explosion of energy that generated time and space in this world?  Could many complicated and well organized mathematical laws be generated in the explosion of energy leading to generation of material, while these laws are not material.

It meant that mathematical laws had already existed when the Big Bang occurred.  Even physical laws are thought to have been existent prior to the Big Bang.  Without guidance of the physical laws, energy could not have moved anywhere in the Big Bang.  And the physical laws needed mathematics.

So, it is naturally considered that there was somebody who had created these laws before this universe was generated.  And, it is natural to call this somebody God.  It also means that God must have continued to exist if the Big Bang had not occurred.  Therefore, God is not subject to these laws.  Accordingly, it is not right to try to grasp the true status of God through mathematics.  As the theory of sets is a part of mathematical laws, it is not appropriate to apply this theory to God.

For example, we may try to create a set that includes all the aspects of God, but it does not show the real status of God.  Or we may try to create a perfect set that includes God.  However, the set must show discrepancy like the divine trinity theory, since we are trying to put God under the concept of sets while God is above any sets.

The concept of God is above mathematics.  Therefore, it is absurd to uphold the divine trinity theory, since the theory tries to define God using a kind of mathematical concept.     

If we do not know mathematics, we should not violate God's dignity.



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Mar 4:28 For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear.
Mar 4:29 But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come.

"great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis" - God is More than the Holy Trinity

Tokyo

God is More than the Holy Trinity

It is not appropriate to deal with God in the theory of sets.

Set theory is a branch of mathematical logic that studies sets, which informally are collections of objects. Although any type of object can be collected into a set, set theory is applied most often to objects that are relevant to mathematics. The language of set theory can be used in the definitions of nearly all mathematical objects.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Set_theory

It is because God is perfect and complete.  A set is defined with its elements.  But God does not need any elements to be defined or God does not depend on its elements.

If we handle God as a set, it must have all the elements in this world, but God is more than any element or any set of such elements.

We may assume that the set of God consists of the elements, God Itself, Spirit and Christ Jesus, but this set cannot define God, since God is almighty, so that God cannot be put a restriction on.  By allocating any elements to the set God, we are putting a restriction on God, which cannot be accepted due to God's essence.

If we define God as the set consisting of all the sets in this universe, this definition is still too insufficient to characterize God, since God is more than any set thinkable and imaginable in this universe.

For example, God may include the set consisting of all the thinkable sets in this universe but God may also include everything that is not included in any sets.  Especially, God can be simultaneously a set A and other set denying the set A.  God is above the set theory.  If God is a set, it must have an element A and another element non-A at the same time.  And the set must satisfy all mathematically incompatible features.  For example, if God is a set A, God must be also a set non-A.   

God is more than mathematics; accordingly, God is more than the Holy Trinity.


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Mat 4:25 And there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judaea, and from beyond Jordan.

"sown on stony ground" - Religious Trend Expected in the 21st Century

Tokyo

Religious Trend Expected in the 21st Century

Many scholars and experts agree that the God in the Old Testament is different from the God in the New Testament Christians believe to be Christ Jesus.

The God of the Old Testament or the old Judaism (before the Jewish Roman War in the first century) chose Hebrews and helped them destroy and kill other tribes.  Even the God became an enemy of Egyptians to save Moses and his followers.  But, the God of the New Testament (who is Christ Jesus according to the creed of Christianity) told not to kill but love one's enemies.

Although Christ Jesus appeared as one member of Jewish people who belonged to the old Judaism and revered the God of the old Judaism, He preached His teachings, presenting a new image of God, which led to establishment of Christianity.

And more interestingly, Jewish people came to change features of their God.  After the Jewish Roman War in the first century to date, they came to think that their God was closer to the God of Christianity.  The new God of Judaism did not encourage Jewish people to attack and destroy their enemies like the God of the old Judaism.  In this context, after the Jewish Roman War, Judaism changed as with the establishment of Christianity.

Put extremely, the only difference between Christianity and modern Judaism is as to whether the creed that Christ Jesus is God should be adopted.

All the good elements of Christianity are accepted by the modern Judaism.  But, as long as Christianity sticks to the creed that Christ Jesus is God, the two religions cannot be emerged.

However, this condition is dangerous, since it might cause a tragedy such as the Holocaust.  And, Satan loves the Holocaust.  Or, Satan encouraged early Christian leaders to adopt the creed that Christ Jesus is God so that Christians would be forever separated from Jewish people.  This is not the situation expected by Christ Jesus.  Satan entered Christianity when early Christian leaders adopted the creed that Christ Jesus is God.

So, the best way for Christians to get rid of this trap set by Satan is to forgive the creed that Christ Jesus is God.  Then, Christians would come to even accept Islam.  This must be the religious trend in the 21st century.



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Mar 4:16 And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness;
Mar 4:17 And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake, immediately they are offended.

"Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee" - Judaism and Christianity Belong to One System

Tokyo

Judaism and Christianity Belong to One System

Christ Jesus used various teachings of Judaism in His preaching to Jewish people.  He quoted many words from the Old Testament.

But it did not mean that Christ Jesus was just one of Jewish priests.  Or Jewish people knew there were many teachings in Judaism.  But, it was Christ Jesus that showed what teachings among many in Judaism had important meanings not only for Jewish people but also for all the people in this world.

It was just like everybody knew that there are many works of literature in this world.  But, those who could identify Shakespeare as the most important writer can discuss literature most effectively.

Jewish priests might know all the teachings of Judaism, but they could not see what teachings among them were important and had special meaning.

In this context, Christ Jesus found importance in some specific teachings of Judaism, which Jewish priests missed.  If Jewish priest thought that most of the teachings by Christ Jesus could be found in the Jewish Bible or the Old Testament, it doesn't mean Christ Jesus was just one of Jewish Priests, since He found new important meaning in them.  In other words, Christ Jesus shed new light on the Jewish Bible.  Although other Jewish priests could not find true meaning in some teachings of the Jewish Bible or the Old Testament, Christ Jesus could find true meaning and importance in those teachings.

So, if Jewish people could fined true meaning and significance of those teachings of Judaism, they could reach the level of Christ Jesus.  But Christians or followers of Christ Jesus could easily find important teachings in the Old Testament and understand true meaning of them.  It could be said that by emphasizing specific teachings of Judaism, Christ Jesus launched Christianity.

From the beginning, teachings in Judaism were not worked out by Jewish people.  They were give by God.  If Jewish people did not satisfy God in their interpreting the words of God written in the Old Testament, it is natural that God would send a new teacher to Jewish people.

In this context, Judaism and Christianity belong to one system of teaching of God.  Looking back from the goal of correctly understanding the teachings of God, Judaism and Christianity are the same as the path to Heaven.  Judaism can be defined as a religious way to reach Heaven without guidance of Christ Jesus, but Christianity can be defined a more effective way for reaching Heaven through guidance of Christ Jesus.




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Luk 4:14 And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about.
Luk 4:15 And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all.

"Whosoever drinketh of this water" - Revolutionary Christianity for Roman Citizens

Mt. Fuji and Cherry Blossoms, the Two Major Japan's Symbols

Revolutionary Christianity for Roman Citizens

When Christianity was preached among Roman citizens between the first century and the fourth century, the creed that Christ Jesus was God was not established and fixed.

But the major trend of diffusion of Christianity in the Roman Empire and further in future Europe was decided in this period.  If Roman citizens had not accepted and believed this religion, Christianity would not have prevailed in the world in the following 2000 years.  So, it is very important to understand why and how Roman citizens accepted and believed Christianity.

One notable fact is that the Gospels were written in Greek and then in Latin, so that most of Roman citizens with literacy could read the Gospels unlike Europeans living in the Middle Ages or till the 16th century.  Another notable fact is that Jewish people accounted for 10% of all the population in the Empire and there were many Jewish people in every major city in the Empire, so that Judaism was not new and strange to Roman citizens.

So, Roman citizens must have been interested in the report of early Christians that a messiah or the Son of God appeared in Palestine.  And, they must have respected the words of Christ Jesus.  Further, they respected early Christian preachers, since they were honest and kind, behaving  in a moral way.  And, they must have been enchanted by Christians' prediction that the end of the world was near.

But, most importantly, Roman citizens must have learnt the true relationship between God and human beings.  The idea that God is the father of human beings must have been new to Romans.  And, the creed that God loved human beings must have been also new.  But they thought these new concepts were wonderful, since Romans had been always engaged in war and conflicts.  The value of the human life was so little in the Empire.  Especially, slaves and lower-class people without hope in life must have been enlightened by these Christian concepts.  That must be why Christianity was accepted by Roman citizens.

It must be as if poor Romans had found bright light in the darkness of their lives.  There is Heaven, and God in Heaven loves poor people, they must have realized.  Before Christianity, there were no such teachings in the Empire.  It was revolutionary and groundbreaking.  Roman citizens must have first realized existence of God through early Christianity and words of Christ Jesus.

It is hard for us now to see how revolutionary the early Christianity was to Roman citizens in early centuries.  But it must tell the essence of this religion.



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Joh 4:13 Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again:
Joh 4:14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

"she committeth adultery" - 500 Years, 1000 Years, 500 Years, and Now

Tokyo

500 Years, 1000 Years, 500 Years, and Now

It was in 476 that the Western Roman Empire went to ruin.  And, it was in 1492 that Columbus reached America.

Roughly speaking in the early 500 years since the emergence of Christ Jesus, Christianity spread in the Roman Empire till the the Western Roman Empire vanished.   And it has been these 500 years that Christianity prevailed in America to date.  And for 1000 years roughly between 500 and 1500, Christianity got a foothold in Europe around the Vatican, which is also called the Middle Ages.

Today, the nation where Christian activities are most  prominent is the US.  And, sometimes the US is compared to the Roman Empire for its super-power in military, economy, technology, etc.  So, in terms of Christianity history, the Roman Empire and the United States are the key players.

However, there was no outwardly outstanding change in the Roman Empire before and after it adopted Christianity as its state religion in 392 or it officially endorsed Christianity in 313.  Lives of Romans did not look changed much after Christianity was widely accepted in the Roman society.  However, 100 year after the Empire adopted Christianity as its state religion, it went to ruin, although other European tribes who came to occupy the old Roman territories also adopted Christianity.

It is apparent that some components of Christianity contributed to the fall of the Empire.

On the other hand, the US has been mostly developed and cultivated by Christian Europeans who fled Europe under the strong influence of the Vatican.  Europe has the Vatican, but the US has also freedom of Christianity.  This must be a design by God in the human history.  By viewing these 2000 years in this way, we might be able to understood meaning of the history in these 2000 years. 

Before the start of the Christian Era, Judaism had been the only player in terms of religion given by true God.  And, Christ Jesus, the Son of God, appeared among Jewish people.  But, now 2000 years after the Christian Era, Islam has come to appear as another important factor.  It is unlikely that Islam will supersede the Vatican or American Christianity.  But Islam must influence the future of the Vatican and the Christian US.

We are now at the changing moment of the history or on the cusp of the religious trend.





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Mar 10:12 And if a woman shall put away her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery.

"Whosoever shall put away his wife" - Laughable Failure of Satan

Tokyo

Laughable Failure of Satan

Without Judas Iscariot, Christ Jesus must have been killed by wrong priests of the Jerusalem Temple or the Roman authority.  In that case, the Gospels or the story of Christ Jesus must have been a little different.

The true leading players of the Gospels were God and Satan.  God sent his Son to the tribe of Jewish people He most loved to have the kingdom of God come into the human world.  But, Satan who hated God tried to prevent it, so that Satan tried to kill Christ Jesus.

Sooner or later, or in whatever way, Christ Jesus was destined to be killed by those controlled by Satan, since God did not prevent Satan from causing Christ Jesus harm.  Or, God must have thought that whatever harmful acts Satan committed on Christ Jesus, Christ Jesus would accomplish His mission.  So, God let Satan act as it wished.  And, Satan thought using Judas Iscariot would give the gravest damage on Christ Jesus and God.  Satan must have thought that Christ Jesus should made a fool on Himself if He was betrayed by one of His disciples.  What a fool Christ Jesus was to be betrayed by one of his close followers, Satan must have thought that everybody would think.  Satan tried to make Christ Jesus look stupid.

And, as the Gospels depicted, Christ Jesus was betrayed by Judas Iscariot to be crucified.  But, despite this tragic incident, Christianity prevailed eventually.  None today thinks that Satan won by crucifying Christ Jesus through the betrayal by Judas Iscariot.  Rather, people would laugh at Satan because Christ Jesus has been all the more glorified due to His mercy on Judas Iscariot.    

Matthew 24
23 Jesus replied, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. 24 The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him.But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.”
25 Then Judas, the one who would betray him, said, “Surely you don’t mean me, Rabbi?”

However, Christ Jesus meant that it is better for anyone not to have been born if he is to be used by Satan.  This must be the expression of contempt for Satan and those used by Satan.

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Mar 10:11 And he saith unto them, Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her.

"his angels charge over thee" - Truth Revealed to Poor People

Tokyo

Truth Revealed to Poor People

Poor men can see the world from a very different angle from rich men.

Sometimes a very rich scholar is surprised to find that a poor man  without academic background realizes the essence of a very profound logic or ideology regarding humanity or society.  But, it is the other way about.  There is truth only poor men can see.  Or poor men can see or feel truth of what scholars could only understand through hard study and great efforts.  Even Christ Jesus said the God revealed truth to children.

Luk 10:21 In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight.

Very rich and successful people could only see the world through a thick haze wealth and material produce.  They could see how others are making efforts to get money and wealth.  But they could not see the value of humanity and the effects of spiritual virtue.  There is truth of this society and world only the poorest man in the world could realize and understand.  And, children are a kind of materially poor people.  They could also feel such truth.

Accordingly, for a man to understand the world and to be enlightened, he has to be poor, at least materially.  That is why the Buddha was poor and his followers had to be poor to understand truth of this world and the universe.  Moses and other saints were also poor to hear words of God.  Christ Jesus was so poor without money while engaging in His holy mission.  Even Mohammad was poor in a cave to hear words of God and His angels.

Rich scholars and professors living and studying in enriched environment could learn many things, facts, and theories.  They could even make up complicated theories and concepts.  But what they could attain was, generally speaking, poor in truth and effect.

So, words of poor Christ Jesus are still so deep and high in terms of the degree of truth that many scholars and professors of today are studying and analyzing them.  However, the essence of Christ Jesus' words could be only realized by poor people without academic backgrounds.


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Luk 4:10 For it is written, He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee:

"the devil, taking him up into an high mountain" - Underlying Fight between God and Satan

Tokyo

Underlying Fight between God and Satan

The story of Christ Jesus, as depicted in the Gospels, must be viewed from a different angle than  a conventional one, in order to understand the true meaning of the appearance of Christ Jesus, the so called Son of God, in the human world.

The most important issue is the conflict between God and Satan.  God wanted human beings to be good and righteous, but Satan hated God and wanted to destroy the human world.  As God saw the human world being corrupted by influence of Satan, He sent Christ Jesus to save people from the dark plot of Satan.  So, the Gospels tell how the Son of God fought against Satan.

Christ Jesus preached among Jewish people God had chosen to prevail His teaching through the tribe.  God had expected that Jewish people chosen, taught, and loved by God would show a good example of righteousness to other tribes.  However, when the Roman Empire started direct governance of Palestine, most of Jewish people forgot the teaching of God.  Those people came under influence of Satan.  So, God sent His Son to correct attitudes and thoughts of the Jewish people.

However, Satan occupied the minds of priests of the Jerusalem Temple and the Roman rulers.  Eventually, they killed Christ Jesus.  Followers of Christ Jesus must have felt the dark power of Satan.  They must have thought that God would surely send angels and other helpers to rescue Christ Jesus.  God must have well protected Christ Jesus, they thought.  But, Christ Jesus was arrested, judged, and sentenced to death.  So, those followers ran away, thinking that Satan defeated God.

However, Christ Jesus was resurrected three days after the burial.  Then, suddenly, those followers realized that death could not defeat Christ Jesus and God.  They must have thought that as God was really behind Christ Jesus, He could be resurrected.  And, Satan could not defeat God and Christ Jesus.  The resurrection of Christ Jesus had this significance to His followers.

On this extension, Paul, Peter, and other Apostles started their missions.

Nonetheless, Satan did not give up.  It tried to spoil the teaching of Christ Jesus.  Satan tried to put wrong ideology and creeds into Christianity.  This Satan's evil work on Christianity has continued to date.  And Christianity of today is under some influence of Satan.

So, it is important to review the history and detailed status of Christianity.  We should not regard the Vatican and other churches as being free from Satan's influence.  But, Christian leaders are behaving as if they were error-free.   It is true that the Vatican and other churches are better than secular societies.  However, Satan is smart and  wickedly clever, without missing any chances to lead people, Christians, and even Christian leaders to betrayal of Christ Jesus and God.  In this context, Christianity of today is still incomplete.

That is also why God allowed prevalence of Islam. 



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Luk 4:5 And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.
Luk 4:6 And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it.
Luk 4:7 If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine.

"it had no depth of earth" - Swedenborg's Case

Tokyo

Swedenborg's Case

How does a man meet Christ Jesus?  There is one example, however, in the 18th century.

In 1743, Swedenborg was dining in a private room at a tavern in London. By the end of the meal, a darkness fell upon his eyes, and the room shifted character. Suddenly, he saw a person sitting at a corner of the room, telling him: "Do not eat too much!". Swedenborg, scared, hurried home. Later that night, the same man appeared in his dreams. The man told Swedenborg that he was the Lord, that he had appointed Swedenborg to reveal the spiritual meaning of the Bible and that he would guide Swedenborg in what to write. The same night, the spiritual world was opened to Swedenborg.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emanuel_Swedenborg#Visions_and_spiritual_insights

Then afterwords, it is said that Swedenborg (1688-1772) saw the spiritual world as well as Heaven and the hell.  He wrote and published his spiritual experiences to be noted by many prominent Europeans.

Some people think that Swedenborg got mad.  Indeed, he wrote that he met spirits of men living in the moon, Mars, Jupiter, etc.  He also stated that St Paul was in hell.  In addition, Swedenborg wrote that "Islam arose due to Divine Providence as a means to wipe out idolatry, and returning people to a monotheistic concept of God." (http://dream-prophecy.blogspot.jp/2014/04/the-hidden-christian-truth-of-islam-and.html)  But, his books showed integrity of Swedenborg's intelligence and idea.  He also lived as a respectable member of elite citizens of Swedenborg. 

Swedenborg was born about 40 years after the birth of Newton (1642-1727).  Newton is also famous in his study of the Bible and Christianity.  Modern science began with Newton.  But Swedenborg's works did not launch a new religion or a new trend of belief and practice in Christianity.  However, there have been many people who came to believe the existence of the spiritual world, Heaven, and the hell. 

Anyway, it is a serious matter that anyone thinks that he has met Christ Jesus, and something strange, great or holy must accompany the meeting.   In this context, we have to carefully study the contents of such meeting with Christ Jesus and events accompanying the meeting.



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Mar 4:3 Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow:
Mar 4:4 And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up.
Mar 4:5 And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth:

"in danger of eternal damnation" - Heaven Promised by Christ Jesus

Cherry-Blossom Viewing around Tokyo

Heaven Promised by Christ Jesus

One of the most important things Christ Jesus assured is that there is Heaven.

From the beginning, it is a basic presumption or truth that God exists in the teaching of Christ Jesus, since He declared that He was sent by God to this human world.  And, after death of people, they may be allowed to enter Heaven directly governed by God.

Some people think that if they die, there is nothing.  No souls exist.  There must be no Heaven and the hell.  Good and evil are just relative matters.  If a man lives a righteous life, there is nothing after his death.  If a man lives an evil life, there is also nothing after his death. They may argue in this way.  But, a majority of the mankind think that there may be Heaven, and righteous people can enter it to get eternal life.  Therefore, a majority of the mankind are afraid of acting in a malicious way.  And, a majority of people suspect that God really exists as with Heaven and the hell.

Christ Jesus teaches based on the belief that God exists and Heaven and the hell exist.  So, those who believe in Christ Jesus must not be afraid of their death.  Even Muslims believe the existence of God.  And they believe that they can enter Heaven if they do not betray God and Islam. 

Christ Jesus made clear part of the relationship between this world and Heaven or the hell.  If a man is poor in this world, he will be rich in Heaven.  If a man is rich in this world, he will be cast into the hell.

In this context, the following teaching of Christ Jesus is important:

Mat 6:19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
Mat 6:20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
Mat 6:21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

If you lay your treasure in Heave, you will be naturally poor in this world.  Accordingly, there is a great possibility that a man who is poor in this world will be rich in Heaven.  So, Christ Jesus even said that a man could store his treasure in Heaven while he is living in this world. 

Of course, ordinary people cannot see Heaven while they are alive in this world.  But, Christ Jesus said that they could surely store their wealth in Heaven.  It means that when a man is following the teaching of Christ Jesus, he can accumulate wealth in Heaven.  And, he may eventually see Heaven.



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Mar 3:29 But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation.
Mar 3:30 Because they said, He hath an unclean spirit.

"All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men" - How to Define God

Tokyo

How to Define God

What is God?  How do you or people define God?

Definition of God in English by Oxford Dictionaries 

God
NOUN
1 (in Christianity and other monotheistic religions) the creator and ruler of the universe and source of all moral authority; the supreme being.
2 (in certain other religions) a superhuman being or spirit worshipped as having power over nature or human fortunes; a deity.
2.1 An image, animal, or other object worshipped as divine or symbolizing a god.
‘wooden gods from the Congo’
2.2 Used as a conventional personification of fate.
‘he dialled the number and, the gods relenting, got through at once’
More example sentences
3 A greatly admired or influential person.
‘he has little time for the fashion victims for whom he is a god’
More example sentences
3.1 A thing accorded the supreme importance appropriate to a god.
‘don't make money your god’
https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/god

Definition of God by Merriam-Webster 

Definition of god
1 capitalized : the supreme or ultimate reality: such as
a : the Being perfect in power, wisdom, and goodness who is worshipped as creator and ruler of the universe
b Christian Science : the incorporeal divine Principle ruling over all as eternal Spirit : infinite Mind
2 : a being or object believed to have more than natural attributes and powers and to require human worship; specifically : one controlling a particular aspect or part of reality
Greek gods of love and war
3 : a person or thing of supreme value had photos of baseball's gods pinned to his bedroom wall
4 : a powerful ruler
Hollywood gods that control our movies' fates
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/god

Explanation of God in Wikipedia 

In monotheistic thought, God is conceived of as the Supreme Being and the principal object of faith.[3] The concept of God, as described by theologians, commonly includes the attributes of omniscience (all-knowing), omnipotence (unlimited power), omnipresence (present everywhere), and as having an eternal and necessary existence. Depending on one’s kind of theism, these attributes are used either in way of analogy, or in a literal sense as distinct properties of the God. 

God is most often held to be incorporeal (immaterial),[3] and to be without gender,[4][5] although many religions describe God using masculine terminology, using such terms as "Him" or "Father" and some religions (such as Judaism) attribute only a purely grammatical "gender" to God.[6] Incorporeity and corporeity of God are related to conceptions of transcendence (being outside nature) and immanence (being in nature, in the world) of God, with positions of synthesis such as the "immanent transcendence". 

God has been conceived as either personal or impersonal. In theism, God is the creator and sustainer of the universe, while in deism, God is the creator, but not the sustainer, of the universe. In pantheism, God is the universe itself. In atheism, God is not believed to exist, while God is deemed unknown or unknowable within the context of agnosticism. God has also been conceived as the source of all moral obligation, and the "greatest conceivable existent".[3] Many notable philosophers have developed arguments for and against the existence of God.[7]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/God

But the definition of God by Christ Jesus is the Father in Heaven.

Matthew 21:31 Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you. 

John 8:42 Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. 

John 8:54 Jesus answered, If I honour myself, my honour is nothing: it is my Father that honoureth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God: 

John 13:3 Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God; 

John 20:17 Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.

God is the father of Christ Jesus and the mankind.  God is not only the master or the ruler of the mankind, but also He is also the guardian and the protector.  God exercise His authority over the mankind, however, with love.  The relationship between God and any individual is defined as that between the father and His child.

However, this teaching must be heard with the assumption that God is truly great existence beyond men's imagination with with frightening strength.   

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Mar 3:28 Verily I say unto you, All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme:
Mar 3:29 But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation.

"He is beside himself" - Love to Judaism and Jewish People

Tokyo

Love to Judaism and Jewish People

Today, it is commonsense that Christ Jesus was a faithful observer of Judaism practiced 2000 years ago.  And, Christ Jesus had no intention to establish a new religion separated from Judaism.  But Christianity was split from Judaism after the Jewish-Roman war, which both Christian leasers and Jewish leaders did not regret.

So, Christians have been doing something against the mind of Christ Jesus for these 2000 years.  At least, Christianity in these 2000 years have not fully satisfied Christ Jesus.  The Bible of Christianity includes the Old Testament.  But, it must not be sufficient. 

For Christianity to be truly a religion following the mind of Christ Jesus, Christians, the Pope, etc. must show their love to Judaism and Jewish people as much as possible like Christ Jesus.  No matter how much Judaists claim that Christianity is wrong because it forces followers to believe that Christ Jesus was God, Christians, the Pope, etc. must love Jewish people.

If they had changed their minds and started to love Judaism and Jewish people at least 1500 years ago, God would not have given Islam to Arabs.


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Mar 3:21 And when his friends heard of it, they went out to lay hold on him: for they said, He is beside himself.
Mar 3:22 And the scribes which came down from Jerusalem said, He hath Beelzebub, and by the prince of the devils casteth he out devils.
Mar 3:23 And he called them unto him, and said unto them in parables, How can Satan cast out Satan?

"Master, what shall we do?" - Christian Insane Idea

Shibuya, Tokyo

Christian Insane Idea

If Christ Jesus had been God, none could have killed Him on the cross.  So, essentially, the creed that Christ Jesus was God is wrong.

The ideology that sinless Christ Jesus died to carry sins of people for them to be forgiven by God is absurd.

Satan killed Christ Jesus but made people take the responsibility for the death of Christ Jesus, by launching a false idea that sinless Christ Jesus died for sinful people to be forgiven by God.  Christ Jesus was killed by Satan and the Jewish authority and the Roman authority who were influenced by Satan.  God did not interfere with this plot to show how bad, evil, sinful, and dangerous Satan and those who were brainwashed by Satan were. 

Satan was so smart that he put a wrong creed into Christianity that Christ Jesus had to die to save sinful people, thus making stupidly complicated the Christian mythology.

Satan's aim is to make diminished people's respect for God, since people who believe that Christ Jesus was God would think that God could be killed on the Cross, which meant that God was weak. 

Accordingly, Paul's teaching was wrong in that he emphasized that Christ Jesus who was God died for sinful people to have their sins forgiven by God.  Indeed, it is an insane idea that God was killed by Himself for God to forgive sinful people.


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Luk 3:12 Then came also publicans to be baptized, and said unto him, Master, what shall we do?
Luk 3:13 And he said unto them, Exact no more than that which is appointed you.