The Japanese are used to mixing religions. In fact, their native religion, Shinto, has no real theology, and therefore it requires other religions and beliefs to complete itself. Shintoism survives through other religions.
But Christianity has no room for such mixing and blending of faiths. Christ calls His followers to follow Him and Him alone, leaving no room for anyone else. How can He demand such a thing? Jesus Christ is God of the entire universe; all things are of Him. Buddha did not create the universe; Christ did. The various kami (Japanese gods) do not protect us; Christ is our only safe tower. Confucius did not invent the laws of the the world; Christ had already done so. What are all these religions then? Nothing. Christ may therefore claim all honor and glory, for He alone has done all things.
Unfortunately, this concept has been very hard for the Japanese to accept. Believing that there are many ways to heaven, they are not loyal to any one road. 'If all faiths lead to the same thing, why follow only one in exclusion of all the others?', they think. This is the reason why many strange cults are rising in Japan. They are twisting and combining many different religious beliefs, without caring for what they are doing. Truly, a very lost nation!
Absolutely fascinating.
ReplyDeleteIn that case we must be evangelizing from the bottom up!! We absolutely CANNOT afford the half-baked gospel message of the modern church, we have to start with REALITY.
(and creation is a good place to start. :D )