Great Construction

Religion That Shows God (Eikō 176)

     What I have to discuss is nothing new. When a person who believes in God tries to convince someone else who does not that God actually exists, even though many examples are given and explanations made, that those means are not easily accepted has probably been experienced by all. This applies not only to us, there should be no exceptions in the experiences of any other religion. Not meant to be self praise, however, as far as World Messianity is concerned, it probably has no precedent in the world since it is able to show God. Reading World Messianity’s testimonials makes God quite understandable, and hearing the accounts of the experiences of my followers, quite clear.
     What happens is that the first time afflicted individuals come to receive Johrei, it would be fair to say that ten individuals in ten have doubts. And rightly so. These people have received every medical treatment available and have tried all sorts of therapies but have not been helped. At the end of their ropes, they have come to believe there is nothing that will cure them. They have fallen to the depths of despair but cannot bear their suffering and seek something to depend on. They only have the conviction that they do not want to die. This is when they are earnestly recommended to World Messianity, and although they are prepared to be deceived again, as if grasping at straws, they come to receive Johrei.
     And when they actually do receive Johrei, they find that it is merely the waving of a hand over the body. With nothing special, there is no way that a serious illness could be healed. Not a few people regret having come and think to themselves, “How stupid. I shouldn’t have come.” After being healed, these people often come to apologize and say “I am truly ashamed and sorry for what I thought at that time.” In any case, Johrei is a way of healing to date neither experienced or known, but because marvelous results are obtained, recipients are simply dumbfounded. In most cases when religions are involved in healing, it is normal practice, can almost be said to be axiomatic, that the ailing are told from the beginning they cannot have doubts, that in order to receive material benefit, they must believe. Since this is the generally received wisdom, when people hear about World Messianity, they are rather confused when we say to doubt as much as possible and do not believe until they experience miracles for themselves. Then, there are those who trust us and say, “This is interesting! This is the real religion. They would not make such a bold assertion unless they really had confidence in themselves.”
     A second surprise awaits them upon receiving Johrei. Even though recipients had not experienced results as good with whatever treatment they had received before, after Johrei they are better, they feel they have been helped. There IS a God in this world. Until now it was an absurd mistake to think there was no God. These individuals are deeply thankful. They say they have truly been saved and are in a state where they are so happy they do not know what to do, totally immersed in joy. So, from these results it should be understood that to say you have to believe before experiencing any benefit is the same as deceiving yourself and is a big mistake.
     Believing before receiving benefit is a form of depending on one’s own power, but to rely on God is to depend on another, outside power, so one can effortlessly receive benefit. But what needs to be kept in mind here is that even when speaking of receiving benefit, it is essential to distinguish between benefits that are large and those that are small. In society at large, however, there are those who go into rapture  even at small benefit. This does deserve great caution. That is because it is very clear that when individuals recover from a serious condition on which doctors had abandoned hope, they have received life from God. To totally devote body and soul to such a faith is no mistake. In addition to large and small benefits, there are also levels of benefit, low, intermediate, and high. A minor divinity will bestow small benefit and a major divinity, great benefit. Such occurs in accordance with the law of spiritual affinity, so this point is to be kept in mind as well.
     From the above, understanding that World Messianity is a religion that shows God is quite possible.

Eikō, Issue 176, October 2, 1952
translated by cynndd