E26174

     There are various types and levels of superstition, but one superstition that people do not perceive as such is the act of lying. This is the superstition that people believe that things go well even when they tell lies. People tell so many lies that they become used to telling lies, and without realizing it, telling lies becomes second nature. In other words, the lies are taken to heart, and liars are probably not even aware of their condition. When my subordinates and others around me do so, I do warn them, but there are those who cannot grasp the situation, and many is the number of those who cannot even tell the difference between lies and truth. In the instances where I explain, offenders seem to understand and apologize. Thus, lies become the normal way of doing things as it becomes more difficult to distinguish the limits of the difference between lies and truth. Small lies do not merit discussion, and they are not the major problem. There are many who consciously and purposely tell lies that cannot be overlooked. I address that issue here.
     To speak in general terms, there are the lies of politicians. Even with absolutely no confidence, they grandly declare that they will conduct such-and-such policy and make so-and-so plans, but these pronouncements end as empty gestures for which they are often asked to take responsibility. Even so, representatives often do not keep their promises to voters, and such is taken to be a matter of course. Many educators as well say magnificent things while they actually do exactly the opposite. These days the many lies in newspaper articles seem to have become standard. Large, exaggerated advertisements are part of the lies. But the most irksome problem these days are taxes. Comparing the lies of those who pay taxes and those who collect taxes, the complicated unpleasantness is conspicuous. Another well known aspect of lies since ancient days, women in the red-light districts are taught to lie from infancy and when they have become convincing enough, they are said to have “graduated.” Another example are medical doctors who tell their patients they will get well when the doctor knows they will not, and this is because doctors will not make a living if they do not lie.
     Then again, there is the way of thinking that holds that circumstances may justify lies, that there are expedient lies for which Buddhist priests often tell lies, but I have my reservations about this way of thinking. Then again, since antiquity, calling them business transactions, merchants have told big lies, and such practice has become the established way of conducting commerce. I have given only a rough idea of the problem, but it would be fair to say that the world is formed by lies. In particular, that the Japanese often lie has become known globally, but this reputation should not be considered an honor.
     However, on the topic of lies, there are simple ones which do not cause that much damage, and then there are malignant, vicious lies. Even among vicious lies, however, there are those which are particularly troubling. These are the lies of government officials who judge court cases. Just as in the case involving the Mitaka Incident which has been splashed around in the newspapers recently, in too many cases those sentenced to death have been found without exception to be not guilty. Then there is the individual sentenced to life imprisonment for killing two people in a case where three years later another person has came forward to confess to being the true killer. In recent memory is the Daizo Incident of Osaka where two of the defendants who had been sentenced to five years imprisonment as demanded by the prosecutors were found to be not guilty. All these persons are victims of the lies of the prosecutors.
     When this subject becomes the topic of conversation, it would probably be thought that someone who is a prosecutor would have no reason to lie, but from experience, that is not the case. The enthusiasm to create a crime with the use of lies has been a tremendous force from the start of the raids on church facilities last year to the presently ongoing court sessions. All throughout, what I have keenly felt is doubt about why so much effort is exerted into putting blame on faultless citizens. Indeed, this phenomena is more than incomprehensible, and there is no way to explain it by logic or reason. Yes, those who carry the title of prosecutor should make criminals out of evildoers, and it is quite unbelievable that prosecutors would make criminals out of good people. But facts are facts, and there is nothing to be done for it. The situation is just that these goings-on are not well known by members of society. Of course, trying to determine guilt or lack thereof in the very beginning of a case is probably very difficult, but with a little investigation, the right or wrong of a matter should more or less become apparent, apart from atrocious and vicious crimes. What this means is that the very act of trying to create a crime itself is proof that there is no crime.
     I have become sidetracked, but the point is that the intentions, the sentiments of those who want to tell lies is the quite self-serving way of thinking that once told, those lies will not become known. If God did not exist in this world, lying and getting away with it would be natural, and those who could lie the most skillfully would be considered the most clever, but the reality is very different. God does indeed exist and is most strict, so no matter how skillfully others can be deceived, the deception will only be temporary and is certain to be exposed. Lies are exposed, and in the end, shame is suffered; trust, lost; judgment, pronounced, and the results are opposite than originally anticipated, so great loss is certainly the result. Thinking that because invisible, God does not exist is the same as barbaric peoples who do not believe that air exists because it is invisible, and on this point, lies are on the same level as the uncivilized. What deplorable cultured individuals these are.
     Therefore, to know that God exists and that deception is only temporary is to know that regardless of how magnificently lies are formed, obvious it is that they will be of no use. Particularly those who hold the sacred trust of judging right and wrong should give great heed. It is these very people who pronounce judgment on others who will be judged by God. Anyone who cannot believe such an obvious fact is one who has fallen for the superstition of the efficacy of telling lies. Therefore what we greatly desire is for all judicial authorities to become followers of true religion and to know the actuality of God. The results of such happening can be seen without one speck of doubt in the fact that judges in the United States are humane and that their judgments are comparatively fair is entirely due to the fact that many of them are Christians.

“Usohaki Meishin” originally appeared on the front page of Eikō, Issue 120, September 5, 1951, and later while Meishu-sama still alive, was reprinted in the essays anthology for ministers Goshinsho: Shūkyōhen (Divine Writings: Volume on Religion), page 28, March 25, 1954. The essays anthology for ministers which appeared slightly after Meishu-sama passed away, Sekai Meshiya Kyō Seiten: Shakaihen, Geijutsuhen (Sacred Texts of the Church of World Messianity: Volume on Society, Volume on Art), September 1, 1955, also carried a reprint of “Usohaki Meishin” on page 231. “Usohaki Meishin” has appeared previously in translation. Citation is given below for reference.