Great Construction
Religion That Shows God (Eikō 138)
It often happens that when introducing faith to those without one, the reaction of most people is probably to say how can there be any gods or buddhas in this world. If they really exist, show me! They consider themselves civilized, wash their hands of superstition, and will have absolutely nothing to do with faith. This attitude is most conspicuous among members of the so-called intellectual classes. Still we cannot censure these people for their attitudes, because they are absolutely right. They are right because the situation is that when you look at many faiths, they are rather unscientific, and faiths that do not smack of superstition are rather rare. Most faiths cannot show the reality of gods and buddhas, and are quite unreliable, making it hard to know whether or not if gods and buddhas actually do exist.
In World Messianity, however, the reality of God can be seen by all. People are surprised when they come into contact with World Messianity and learn of the existence of God. The greatest proof of this are World Messianity’s countless testimonials. Regretful it is, however, that very few is the number of those who can understand the reality of God even after reading the testimonials and hearing directly from my followers. And such occurs because, they filter what they perceive through glasses tainted by the faiths of low level that I described above. For faiths such as World Messianity, it is exceedingly regretful. In regard to these situations, I always say World Messianity is not a religion, it is a super religion, a faith that transcends religion; it is the task of great salvation.
Directly after taking the introductory course some of the comments my followers often make is that when they looked at World Messianity’s periodicals for the first time, their only impression was that the materials were so far removed from the teachings of any religion or from any scientific theories they had ever known, they could just not bring themselves to believe, but thinking they should try before dismissing it completely and doubting completely they receive Johrei. They are amazed to discover that Johrei is only the waving of the hand over the body. Believing that there is no way their malady will be cured by such a silly technique, they decide to quit having anything to do with World Messianity, but the day after receiving Johrei, they cannot contain their wonder to find they feel better, lighter than before. Well, they think, even though I may be deceived, let me try it for a while. They find that they greatly improve and discover that even though they do not understand, they are nevertheless very happy.
As depicted above, so unparalleled is the noteworthiness of material benefits in World Messianity that members of the intellectual classes who hear about the benefits consider World Messianity to be a superstition, unbelievable, and purport World Messianity to be the opposite of what it really is. This reaction is a big obstacle to our work, but there are those whose heads still work, and not a few who say that facts have to be recognized as facts, join right away, and become happy, fortunate individuals. World Messianity manifests unmatched miracles, and as it shows the reality of God in most physical and visible ways, even the most obstinate, stubborn individual, even the most fanatical fan of materialistic scientific culture will acknowledge our work.
Eikō, Issue 138, January 9, 1952
translated by cynndd
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“Kami o Miseru Shūkyō,” which originally was published in Eikō, Issue 138, January 9, 1952, and later, while Meishu-sama still alive, reprinted in the essays anthology for ministers, Goshinsho: Shūkyō-hen (Divine Writings: Volume on Religion), March 35, 1954, page 239, and afterward in the only essays anthology for the general public, Tengoku no Fukuinsho (Gospels of Heaven), August 25, 1954, page 34, has appeared in translation. Citation is given below for reference.
“A Religion Which Manifests the Reality of God,” Foundation of Paradise, 1984, page 9.