Great Construction

A Word to the Intellectuals of the World

     There is probably no one in the world who does not cherish life, apart from the suicide. If the precious lives of people are saved and they are healed of sickness, the cause of their anguish, the whole issue of life and disease should be considered resolved with nothing further to do. Some might say it is silly to talk in this manner since such a great healing method could not and does not exist in this world. Of course, the efforts of material science are extolled as if there were nothing else, but until today, solving the riddle of disease has not been possible. The way to settle this great issue, however, has been discovered, a great occasion for the twentieth century. When it is learned that the discoverer is World Messianity, there will be many who are amazed and some people will not believe it, but the proof of this discovery has been demonstrated. The marvelous efficacy of this method on patients with serious diseases and conditions, abandoned by doctors, who although to the very end did not believe and doubted the possibility of a cure, were completely healed, has never before been seen in history. A dream has indeed come true. The results are so amazing that some people do doubt, and this is understandable because since childhood, members of the public have been educated to believe that diseases are healed by doctors with medicine, and this perspective has prevailed. As atomic energy was not understood until the explosion of the atomic bomb, no matter how much it is explained, people are not able to understand the Johrei healing method.
     Even so, I still do not understand the obstinacy of those backward intellectuals who cannot believe no matter how much it is explained what is put right in front of their faces. Indeed, even the doctors who gave up on their patients only shake their heads in bafflement and sigh when shown the actual miracles of their patients who were saved by Johrei. Acting like robots, they demonstrate no curiosity to investigate further. There is probably no greater example of such a pervasive superstition in all of human history. And, there exists still another strange state of affairs of the same variety. I am referring to that group among intellectuals known as scholars of religion and religious studies. They say that is wrong for religion to heal disease, that religion should be spiritual salvation, and that physical salvation belongs to the province of medical doctors. Such a statement may appear reasonable, but step back and think about it. There would be no objection to such an assertion if disease could truly be healed with medical science. But the reality is that even though people believe in medical science, and are examined by the most reputable doctors, go to the most up-to-date hospitals, and follow instructions to receive the most advanced treatments, disease is not healed, but rather gradually worsens until the patient’s very life is threatened. Such are the desperate people who come to us for help. They are quite astonished to find themselves miraculously healed, and so they join our church. News of recovery spreads by word of mouth and new people continue to visit us. This phenomenon is only natural and not at all strange. The extraordinary growth of our church speaks to this.
     Inductively it can be said that the rise of new religions, or at least the growth of our church, is due to the complete impotence of medical science. As seen from our performance, medical science has advanced the growth of new religions. If we can heal diseases that medical science cannot heal, patients willingly come to us, even though society in general holds us in suspicion. The purpose of medical science and religion should be the same, to eliminate unhappiness from human beings and provide for peace of mind. The basis for happiness and peace of mind is a healthy physical body, and even if all other conditions are met, they mean nothing without health. In this sense, the most inspiring sutras and sermons or the most beautifully formed academic theories cannot provide happiness. Such are only spiritual comforts, as can be seen by looking at the existing religions today. Most are atrophying, and if they do not awaken to the problem, extinction is their fate.
     Religious scholars, sensible to the decline or not, criticize an emphasis on material blessings as low level, and with wrinkled brow in words incomprehensible to the common person talk about what constitutes a high level religion. But this kind of argument is nothing more than entertainment divorced from reality, a mantra designed for self-preservation. If anyone is to be saved by spiritual measures alone, it would not be the general public, but only members of the leisured class and prosperous urbanites. While intellectuals continue to produce useless expositions, the multitudes suffer from disease, endure poverty, and are overwhelmed by waves of social unrest. Sermons and sacred writings from thousands of years ago are brought out to help the people, but such discourse is of no benefit.
     The foregoing expresses my honest opinion and I hope that people understand that I write so only from my concern for society. To repeat, whether the answer lies in medical science, in religion, or perhaps in something else, is beside the point. The most important issue, and the only issue, is to cure and heal disease, humanity’s greatest torment. I recall that last year, the winning slogan chosen by the Mainichi Newspapers was “Let’s Take Care of Health First.” It should not be necessary to say more.

Eikô, Issue 220, August 5, 1953
 translation by cynndd