Great Construction
What Is This World Messianity?
Recently has come to the much public attention the Church of World Messianity and at many places and occasions is often heard that growing greatly is the number of persons who want to know about the religion. Is World Messianity indeed something good, or, is it bad? No doubt all have these concerns, which would arise from seeing the references that appear in newspapers and magazines and from hearing the rumors that float around the general public making World Messianity out to be a deceitful and heretical religion. If these allegations were true, World Messianity should be in decline. Moreover, among the other signs of failure, it could be predicted that the authorities would be exerting showy if not vigorous pressure to oppose it. But in truth, there are no hints of official persecution or decline, so what is the reason for the vigorous growth of World Messianity? Not one person is there who probably cannot help feeling that somehow World Messianity has some kind of mysterious strength.
Since ancient times, whenever a new religion appears, it is almost always labeled superstitious and heretical, attacked, censured, and subjected to persecution. Considered the most superstitious and heretical to have been sacrificed was Jesus Christ, who in the end was executed on a cross, the ultimate form of persecution. In Japan as well, the examples of holy men such as Honen, Shinran, and Nichiren, who were oppressed and ultimately sent into exile, are familiar to all. In more recent times, well known is the imprisonment over ten times of the foundress of the Tenrikyo Church. Compared to these tribulations, the trials of our church are quite light, which could be attributed to the start of democratic government in Japan.
When we consider the incidents referred to above, we could say that if a religion did not have meaningful content and was of no value, it would be unable to stand up under oppression and attack, and its fate would be decline. If a religion has value, if it is truly outstanding, it would probably gradually gain recognition throughout the world in spite of many occasions of persecution and naturally come to occupy a firm position. That being the case, the question of whether World Messianity is good or bad should carefully be looked into and deeply investigated, which we greatly welcome.
Among the new religions, no one has probably not heard of the particular notice World Messianity has gained. Attention has been attracted by the unparalleled rapid growth World Messianity has shown. This growth has come about because those who become members are blessed with wonderful material benefits. There are those persons in the general public who say that religions which promote material benefits are of a low level and that the essence of faith should be in spiritual salvation. This way of thinking, however, is a great error. True salvation should provide for both the spiritual and the physical. To be satisfied in the mind even though still suffering physically from disease is not true salvation. When one is healed of physical illness, becomes healthy, and is able to work, one is truly saved. From the viewpoint of the government, such an individual should be an asset to society, but existing religions are merely teachings, meant only to save the spiritual, and some not only make the material secondary, they go so far as to deny the material.
The spiritual side of culture has so far sought to fulfill its aims through means invisible to the eye, in such fields as religion, morals, and education. At the other extreme, materialism, has given birth to an abundance of the material, substance visible to the eye, in its aim to achieve happiness for humanity. Thus spiritual civilization and material civilization have heretofore been kept separate. One sign of this separateness is that those involved with religion criticize science and scientists criticize religion.
World Messianity, however, is set to unite the spiritual and the physical and upon that foundation to create a new, epoch-making civilization. In World Messianity, therefore, the spiritual predominates, and on the basis of spirit, conducts itself as a religion that has the goal to secure material benefits. Whether on the theoretical or practical levels, our work will be recognized by all as defining salvation to be total and encompassing.
It is now that has come the time for the birth of an unparalleled religion that transcends all faiths, a civilization that transcends all previous civilizations, the time for a new X. These are good tidings of complete salvation for the entire human race. For our name, we have added the word, kyô (“church”), to the word Meshiya (“Messiah”), because it is necessary to act in the religious field for legal reasons. Most important, however, is that through the faith of World Messianity will be decreased the number of people who are sick, increased the number of healthy individuals, and eliminated poverty and conflict, which is the meaning of the motto of World Messianity: the embodiment of a world without disease, poverty, conflict and the construction of paradise on earth.
Finally, I would like to state that the grand project outlined above is not something that human beings can accomplish. If there appeared human beings who said they could accomplish this goal, these persons would be considered nothing but adventurers or megalomaniacs. Such being the case, that who is planning this great project is a great divine spirit that has begun to wield diamond power for the salvation of the world. More than a few people will nod in acknowledgement when they witness how our church is able to manifest so many miracles. Miracles are not empty theories or ideas. Miracles are a reality that appear vividly to the eyes and can be touched with the hand, so even the most stubborn atheists can not help but bow their heads. There may be members of the general public who merely read criticism of our church in the newspapers and magazines or only hear others spreading rumors about World Messianity and might form their opinions without actually coming into contact with us, and there might even be those who refuse to have anything to do with us, but such individuals are only pitiful lambs who deny their own happiness.
To be held at: __________,
On the _________th of the month of _________, 195__
We earnestly hope that readers of this leaflet will take the time to attend either a discussion group or a lecture meeting.The Organizer
Current Status of World Messianity (October 1950)
1. Church of World Messianity Temporary Headquarters, Sakimi-cho, Atami, Shizuoka
2. Branch Headquarters
Hakone Branch Headquarters, Miyagino, Ashigarashimo County, Kanagawa
Odawara Branch Headquarters, Midori, Odawara, Kanagawa
Atami Branch Headquarters, Izusan, Atami, Shizuoka
Tokyo Branch Headquarters, Tamagawa Kaminoge, Setagaya Ward, Tokyo
Kyoto Branch Headquarters, Yoshida Kaguraoka, Sakyo Ward, Kyoto
Osaka Branch Headquarters, Takaishi-cho, Senboku County, Osaka
3. Sub-branch Headquarters
Sapporo Sub-branch Headquarters, Sapporo, Hokkaido
Iwate Sub-branch Headquarters, Ichinoseki, Iwate
Toyama Sub-branch Headquarters, Toyama, Toyama
Nagoya Sub-branch Headquarters, Higashi Ward, Nagoya, Aichi
Kagawa Sub-branch Headquarters, Sakaide, Kagawa
Beppu Sub-branch Headquarters, Beppu, Oita
Saga Sub-branch Headquarters, Tosu-cho, Miyaki County, Saga
4. Offices
a. Teachings, 50, Momoyama, Atami, Shizuoka
b. Health, 50, Momoyama, Atami, Shizuoka
c. Publications, 4-589 Midori, Odawara, Kanagawa
d. Propagation, 50, Momoyama, Atami, Shizuoka
e. Construction, 33, Momoyama, Atami, Shizuoka
f. Public Relations, 50, Momoyama, Atami, Shizuoka
5. Churches and Personnel
Churches, 4; branch churches, 78; Sub-branch churches 710,
Senior ministers, 56; deputy ministers, 430; assistant ministers, 2,244
Promotional leaflet, October 1950
translated by cynndd