Mainly what I am discussing in this post concerning Reiyūkai Shakaden are the nuances of belief which I have not yet covered in the other two posts which I wrote regarding Nichiren Buddhism and Rissho Kosei Kai.
jesusandjews.com/wordpress/2012/06/15/nichiren-buddhism/
jesusandjews.com/wordpress/2012/06/28/rissho-kosei-kai/
To begin with some of the controversy that surrounds this sect centers upon its spiritual leader, Kimi Kotani, who is regarded by some as a living buddha but I believe she has failed to live up to her title of greatness due to financial corruption along with participating in the occultic ritual of quasi shamanistic faith healing. Moreover I question whether or not she fully lived up to her causes as bettering the habitability of others along with imparting self-esteem to her followers. Anyway it is customary for many religions and faiths to overextend the magnitude of their beloved leaders and I apologize if my opening statement seems disrespectful or offensive by taking a direct approach of confronting these issues but even if it seems sacrilegious for me to speak this way towards someone whom you highly honor and admire it is equally scandalous to overlook the evidence as defrauding others as an impostor.
To start with the Reiyukai sect combines both the teaching of the Lotus Sutra along with ancestor worship. Ironically the Lotus Sutra, which is the primary sacred text of this group, does not even recognize this practice and for something that is so pivotal towards spiritual acclamation to not even mention ancestor veneration should be cause enough among themselves to question this entire system of belief.
Also this groups reemphasis and reformation of ancestor worship was due to the negligent duties among the clergy resulting in this lay movement which took over the rites as a means of saving their society from what was perceived as an apocalyptical disaster as indicated by the social, political and natural realms of Japanese society. This same reactionary response was reminiscent of Nichiren’s time in the 1200’s as he interpreted his age as the degeneration of society in fulfillment to the concept of mappo or mafo . However I find both claims and positions to be questionable in having not proven their theories which seem to stem from more of an emotional appeal or response to their contemporaneous age of affairs.
As applying the prescriptive procedures of Nichiren Buddhism and Reiyukai through its significant group of followers there is still today a considerable threat to the breakdown of Japanese culture as they have endured major warfare and ongoing natural calamities thus the efficacy of these religious positions lacks conviction based upon their impotent outcome. Moreover perhaps Reiyukai has come to realize their shortcomings of restoring society through ancestor veneration and have more recently resorted to taking a proactive approach as being involved in the social, welfare and youth programs as a way of making a difference.
In response to the concept of ancestor worship as a spiritual discipline; I find it more akin to folklore and superstition in seeing ones relatives as a means to deal or cope with the tragedy of life. Furthermore ancestor worship is a syncretistic practice shared by various religions and in the same way it has failed to produce verifiable evidence of success among these various cultures it likewise is inconclusive on drawing any kind of relationship between the causal agent of ancestor distress as coinciding with any dysfunctional effects on Japanese society. Additionally this phenomena of deterioration goes beyond this island mentality as we live in a sick world that has gone viral in its pandemic contribution to the illness of mankind of which every aspect of society has been infected.
Accordingly the bible as a parental guide offers a more probable or consistent application or scope to what is happening globally in our world today as being indicative of God’s judgment upon the evil of mankind for rejecting the truth of God. This may not all together be a negative thing as these retributive signs could be considered a positive act of grace or a wake up call for what will catastrophically and irreversibly take place in the last days. Nevertheless the good news is that when we embrace and receive His righteousness then we can experience peace with God which first transforms individuals and then society.
In conclusion you may say that I am in the same dilemma of proving my point but what I am overwhelmed with is the trustworthiness of the overall evidence of at least the impact of this reality as regenerating millions of lives including my own. Thus I am leaving you with some testimonials and I would simply ask you to listen or read these stories with the same openness that a child might have towards new or fresh ideas. Finally I would encourage you to pray to God to open your heart and reveal Jesus to you in such as way so as to believe upon Him.
jesusandjews.com/wordpress/my-personal-testimony-with-jesus/
www.cbn.com/700club/features/Amazing/
Romans 1:18-23
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. 19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. 21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.
Romans 5:1-3;8-11
5 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.
How to know God
Reiyukai Resources
Encyclopedia of Religion Second Edition, copyright 2005 Thomson Gale a part of The Thomson Corporation, Lindsay Jones Editor in Chief, Vol.10, pg.6574, Robert S. Ellwood and Shimazono Susumu
Encyclopedia of Religion Second Edition, copyright 2005 Thomson Gale a part of The Thomson Corporation, Lindsay Jones Editor in Chief, Vol.8, pg.5622, Lewis R. Lancaster
Religions of the world: a comprehensive encyclopedia of beliefs and practices/ J. Gordon Melton, Martin Baumann, editors; Todd M. Johnson, World Religious Statistics; Donald Wiebe, Introduction-2nd ed., Copyright 2010 by ABC-CLIO, LLC. Reproduced with permission of ABC-CLIO, Santa Barbara, CA.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®)
Copyright © 2001 by Crossway,
a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
All rights reserved.
ESV Text Edition: 2007