Great Construction

Miracles


     Miracles are an indispensable part of religion. Religion is not religion without miracles. Followers continually experience that there are many miracles in the Japan Kannon Church. It is also clear that through miracles, the faith of followers deepens and enthusiasm increases. As there are few miracles in contemporary religions, it is regrettable that those religions in which many miracles occur tend to be derided as superstitious. Since those who believe so are materialists, such thinking is unavoidable. A miracle is something that happens which is not supposed to happen. As for example, when a patient with a serious condition who has been forsaken by the doctors recovers completely through faith. Or when an individual is saved from a dangerous traffic accident or who escapes from harm that should have caused serious injury. Such examples particularly occurred frequently among my followers overseas on the fighting fronts and here at home in dangerous periods of aerial bombing during the war.
     Troubling indeed it is that journalists as well are apt to see religious miracles as superstition, but there are aspects to this view which are not unreasonable. In society can be found considerable examples of lower-grade religions and dubious faiths that principally consist of spiritual possession, and the harm to society is not slight. We ourselves do not hold back our agreement with warnings about the superstitions that should be prevented from causing harm, but because wheat can be mixed with chaff, we cannot subscribe to the attitude that takes as superstition a faith simply because it is a new religion. The attitude that does not apply the scalpel of science to investigation, does not research the logical, theoretical aspects, and rather that denies unilaterally anything new indeed goes against civilization. I would urge journalists to reflect on this misguided thinking and realize that a true faith has as its purpose the tremendous role of promoting the welfare of society. If miracles are superstition, then Christianity should also be considered a superstition. Did not Christ have pots filled with water and turn them into wine to serve crowds of people, open the eyes of the blind, cause the lame to walk, and perform many other miraculous events?
     A worthy question: On this eternal, limitless planet of ours, who can say that a religion of miracles can not appear at some place at some time?


Essays on Faith, page 18, September 5, 1948
    translated by cynndd