Japan's Dark Night Of The Soul

[Mulboyne]

http://www.fuckedgaijin.com/forums/images/vbimghost/97945837357b5adc.jpgCBN: Japan: Filling the God Vacuum (http://www.cbn.com/CBNnews/73217.aspx)
Contrary to popular belief, Japan is far from being a "reached" country with a growing, vibrant church. In fact, Japan has fewer baptized believers in Jesus Christ than some Muslim countries. Christianity in Japan has faced an uphill battle for hundreds of years...As recent as World War II the emperor called himself god, demanding the worship of his country. After Hiroshima and surrender, the call went out for 1,000 missionaries. U.S. General Douglas MacArthur called Japan a spiritual vacuum. Sixty years later, it still remains leaving a state of confusion. Many have looked to the economy to fill their 'God vacuum.' But recently it's been faltering, and many jaded Japanese have lost hope. One Japanese, called Kiku, explained, "But now we have everything, but what is lacking is purpose. Why are we here? We can't answer the question 'who are you?' unless we know the Creator God -- then everything makes sense." "There is what you might call a 'dark night of the soul' to use that phrase to describe the Japanese right now," said renowned researcher George Gallup, Jr. In fact, Gallup found that 11 percent of the Japanese wish they had never even been born. That's reflected in the country's unusually high suicide rate. But a new survey by Gallup says that might be changing. When asked about their religion, four percent of adults and seven percent of teenagers checked "Christian," out of a list of many different religions...Pastor Hosoi Makoto leads a congregation in Tokyo. He said, "From our point of view, the sense we have that the percentage suddenly went from under one percent to maybe five times that is, uh, unimaginable -- and we don't get the feeling that that has actually happened"...One of the reasons why so many Japanese feel they can associate themselves with Christianity is the popularity of Western or Christian-style weddings. Gallup said, "It's the element of joy that comes through in the Christian weddings that appeals to the Japanese." Beyond that, the Japanese love affair with all things Western means a growing number of them are trading in the traditional kimono for the big white dress and tux. Another reason the Japanese are softening up to the message of the Bible is the incredible phenomenon of black Gospel music. Believe it or not, the reserved Japanese love the toe-tapping, finger-snapping, always swaying music...more... (http://www.cbn.com/CBNnews/73217.aspx)

[Taro Toporific]

http://www.fuckedgaijin.com/forum/album_mod/upload/1d6a61113882aa0bf60e3c825d94be6e.jpghttp://www.fuckedgaijin.com/forums/images/vbimghost/97945837357b5adc.jpgCBN: Japan: Filling the God Vacuum (http://www.cbn.com/CBNnews/73217.aspx)

As I have regaled to some of you FGs over beers, I used to be a close friend with a former chief statistician/actuary of the LDS church (aka Mormons). He described the business of sending Mormon missionaries to Japan as a huge drain in the effective use LDS resources. That is, the Mormon church has gained very few Japanese converts compared to HUGE losses of young missionaries to the "charms" of Japan. :love2: :beer: :coffee:

[james]

the last thing we need is more g-d damn christianity.

[Greji]

That is, the Mormon church has gained very few Japanese converts compared to HUGE losses of young missionaries to the "charms" of Japan. :love2: :beer: :coffee:

It's interesting to note that the young Mormon fellows are not vaccinated against YBF.
:cool:

[Mike Oxlong]

It's interesting to note that the young Mormon fellows are not vaccinated against YBF.
:cool:
It's my understanding there is no vaccine. A few unlucky souls are naturally resistant to the bug, but it is a sneaky thing this YBF:devil2:

[Samurai_Jerk]

Mormons aren't Christian.

[Taro Toporific]

Mormons aren't Christian.

Shhhhh, everybody in the know understands that Mormons are aliens.


Are Mormons Christian?
Yes (http://www.beliefnet.com/story/156/story_15656_1.html) vs No (http://www.beliefnet.com/story/156/story_15656_1.html)

Take the Belief-O-Matic(tm) (http://www.beliefnet.com/story/76/story_7665_1.html).

[Choeki]

I recall hearing somewhere that the last modern significant population of Japanese Christians was concentrated in the city of Nagasaki during the war years due to persecution by the state and was subsequently wiped out by the atomic bomb dropped there by the allies near the end of the war.

Anyone know if there is some truth to this?

[Fluwten McGunch]

The less religion the better. Period.

[Charles]

I recall hearing somewhere that the last modern significant population of Japanese Christians was concentrated in the city of Nagasaki during the war years due to persecution by the state and was subsequently wiped out by the atomic bomb dropped there by the allies near the end of the war.

Anyone know if there is some truth to this?
It's true. (http://www1.city.nagasaki.nagasaki.jp/na-bomb/museum/m2-1e.html)

[Socratesabroad]

the last thing we need is more g-d damn christianity.
The less religion the better. Period.

Ahhh, the peanut gallery has spoken. Sadly, they've managed to humiliate themselves rather than those they intend to denigrate.

I could understand being areligious, but being anti-religious is sheer hubris.

Religions like Christianity offer comfort and provide moral guidance to billions of people worldwide every day. And the two of you deign to mock and criticise such a venerable institution? Pathetic.

Ah, but then you might mention the fundamentalists and nuts. They do exist, but blaming religion for their existence is akin to blaming heavy metal music because warped fans commit suicide. (http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?sec=health&res=9C0CE0D71E30F934A25754C0A966958260)

Remaining ambivalent about religion is one thing, but actively attacking it, as if from some position of knowledge or authority, smacks of unabated arrogance.

[Samurai_Jerk]

It's true. (http://www1.city.nagasaki.nagasaki.jp/na-bomb/museum/m2-1e.html)

Catholics aren't Christian.

[jingai]

Catholics aren't Christian.

Isn't that what the KKK say?

[Mulboyne]

The reason I put this in the "newbie" reporter section is that I can't for the life of me understand who might think the "popular belief" is that Japan has "a growing, vibrant church" or who "the many" are who "have looked to the economy to fill their 'God vacuum'".

Taro already drew attention to the Gallup poll results in this thread (http://www.fuckedgaijin.com/forums/showthread.php?t=14514&page=3). Without seeing the methodology, it's not really possible to say anything about the results but you have to wonder about a claim like "It's the element of joy that comes through in the Christian weddings that appeals to the Japanese."

[Samurai_Jerk]

Isn't that what the KKK say?

Not anymore! (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Duke)

... for the first time in the Klan's history, women were accepted as equal members and Catholics were encouraged to apply for membership.

[6810]

Ahhh, the peanut gallery has spoken. Sadly, they've managed to humiliate themselves rather than those they intend to denigrate.

I could understand being areligious, but being anti-religious is sheer hubris.

Religions like Christianity offer comfort and provide moral guidance to billions of people worldwide every day. And the two of you deign to mock and criticise such a venerable institution? Pathetic.

Ah, but then you might mention the fundamentalists and nuts. They do exist, but blaming religion for their existence is akin to blaming heavy metal music because warped fans commit suicide. (http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?sec=health&res=9C0CE0D71E30F934A25754C0A966958260)

Remaining ambivalent about religion is one thing, but actively attacking it, as if from some position of knowledge or authority, smacks of unabated arrogance.

What's wrong with "attacking" or even outright rejecting religion.

For as many billions as you say it comforts, so to does religion oppress, devalue and dehumanise.

[Samurai_Jerk]

What's wrong with "attacking" or even outright rejecting religion.

For as many billions as you say it comforts, so to does religion oppress, devalue and dehumanise.

But is that unique to religion? It would seem that any system of philosophy, religious or secular, can be used to oppress and destroy people's lives. Stalin and Mao used communism as an excuse to kill more people than anyone else in history. The only defense I've heard against this from believers in communism is that they weren't really communists. That's exactly what Muslims say about al Qaeda.

[Hanakuso]

Remaining ambivalent about religion is one thing, but actively attacking it, as if from some position of knowledge or authority, smacks of unabated arrogance.

Being Christian is hardly remaining ambivalent about religion.

To criticise and slander those two and then praise your "venerable institution" you are doing exactly as they are.

[GuyJean]

..Ah, but then you might mention the fundamentalists and nuts..Those darned extremists always mess everything up..
..The Crusades were a series of military campaigns of a religious character waged by Christians from 1095-1291, usually sanctioned by the Pope[1] in the name of Christendom.. - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crusades ;)

GJ

[American Oyaji]

Some of those early popes lived lives of excess no different from some Roman emperors. Some of them were murderers, pimps and womanizers.

GJ. Please tell the WHOLE story.

"The Crusades were a series of military campaigns of a religious character waged by Christians from 1095-1291, usually sanctioned by the Pope in the name of Christendom, with the goal of recapturing Jerusalem and the sacred Holy Land from Muslim rule and originally launched in response to a call from the Eastern Orthodox Byzantine Empire for help against the expansion of the Muslim Seljuq dynasty into Anatolia."

It was basically no difference in nature than the U.S.'s push against the expansion of communism, but the philosophy and reasoning was different.

[Samurai_Jerk]

Some of those early popes lived lives of excess no different from some Roman emperors. Some of them were murderers, pimps and womanizers.

GJ. Please tell the WHOLE story.

"The Crusades were a series of military campaigns of a religious character waged by Christians from 1095-1291, usually sanctioned by the Pope in the name of Christendom, with the goal of recapturing Jerusalem and the sacred Holy Land from Muslim rule and originally launched in response to a call from the Eastern Orthodox Byzantine Empire for help against the expansion of the Muslim Seljuq dynasty into Anatolia."

It was basically no difference in nature than the U.S.'s push against the expansion of communism, but the philosophy and reasoning was different.

Thank you AO. It's funny how people act the crusaders just attacked the poor peaceful Muslims in the East who were just minding their own business. I'm not saying they were good guys, but their actions were pretty much par for the course in that day and age and they were fighting an empire every bit as brutal as theirs. I guess the Jews and Christian heresies did get screwed though, since they were much worse off under the rule of Rome than that of the Seljuks.

[GuyJean]

GJ. Please tell the WHOLE story.

"The Crusades were a series of military campaigns of a religious character waged by Christians from 1095-1291, usually sanctioned by the Pope in the name of Christendom, with the goal of recapturing Jerusalem and the sacred Holy Land from Muslim rule and originally launched in response to a call from the Eastern Orthodox Byzantine Empire for help against the expansion of the Muslim Seljuq dynasty into Anatolia."Yeah.. And?
Some of those early popes lived lives of excess no different from some Roman emperors. Some of them were murderers, pimps and womanizers.
So the popes were the extremists? My point was directed towards Socrates' comment about religion 'providing moral guidance to billions of people worldwide every day.'.. I don't dispute that. In fact, I was raised 'religious'.. I only wanted to point out a time when the 'moral guidance' seemed to be a bit skewed.. Of course, we had the Holy City first.. And they were Muslims.. I'm sure Jesus would've done the same.. ;)

GJ

[Greji]

Some of those early popes lived lives of excess no different from some Roman emperors. Some of them were murderers, pimps and womanizers.

Nice work, if you can get it!
:cool:

[Mike Oxlong]

With the Silk Road and all, I wonder if any popes were exposed to YBF...?

[Greji]

With the Silk Road and all, I wonder if any popes were exposed to YBF...?

No chance. If they were, the Vatican would be in Kobe!
:cool:

[Mike Oxlong]

No chance. If they were, the Vatican would be in Kobe!
:cool:
Maybe the popes pioneered 'delivery health' :) Zheng He coulda been running YB west, then bringing exotic animals of another sort back to the Emperor.

[Greji]

Maybe the popes pioneered 'delivery health' :) Zheng He coulda been running YB west, then bringing exotic animals of another sort back to the Emperor.

So that's where all those goats came from!
:cool:

[Charles]

Yeah.. And?

So the popes were the extremists? My point was directed towards Socrates' comment about religion 'providing moral guidance to billions of people worldwide every day.'.. I don't dispute that. In fact, I was raised 'religious'.. I only wanted to point out a time when the 'moral guidance' seemed to be a bit skewed.. Of course, we had the Holy City first.. And they were Muslims.. I'm sure Jesus would've done the same.. ;)

GJ
Speaking of the Holy City, here's an amusing video I ran across yesterday, a parable about the Children's Crusade (http://johnkstuff.blogspot.com/2006/12/ren-and-stimpy-in-life-sucks-animatic.html), appearing as a crude animatic for a censored episode of Ren & Stimpy. You can see why this episode was never produced.

[Taro Toporific]

Mormons aren't Christian.
Are Mormons Christian?
Yes (http://www.beliefnet.com/story/156/story_15656_1.html) vs No (http://www.beliefnet.com/story/156/story_15656_1.html)
Take the Belief-O-Matic(tm) (http://www.beliefnet.com/story/76/story_7665_1.html).
http://www.fuckedgaijin.com/forums/images/vbimghost/129479d91320ca23.jpg


President Gordon B. Hinckley dies at age 97 (http://deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,695247765,00.html)
Pres. Hinckley seen as 'father of LDS {Morman} Church in the Orient'
Deseret Morning News - Sunday, Jan. 27, 2008 11:21 p.m. MST (http://deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,695247930,00.html)
President Gordon B. Hinckley's ties to the LDS Church in Asia were so strong that one scholar has called him "the father of the church in the Orient"....
..."In 1960, the church was weak and small in Asia," President Hinckley said in the video. "The seed had been planted in Japan, Taiwan and Korea by faithful Latter-day Saints in military service..... (http://deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,695247930,00.html)

http://www.fuckedgaijin.com/forums/images/vbimghost/129479d90cba7d5e.jpg

[Catoneinutica]

http://www.fuckedgaijin.com/forums/images/vbimghost/129479d91320ca23.jpg


President Gordon B. Hinckley dies at age 97 (http://deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,695247765,00.html)
Pres. Hinckley seen as 'father of LDS {Morman} Church in the Orient'
Deseret Morning News - Sunday, Jan. 27, 2008 11:21 p.m. MST (http://deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,695247930,00.html)
President Gordon B. Hinckley's ties to the LDS Church in Asia were so strong that one scholar has called him "the father of the church in the Orient"....
..."In 1960, the church was weak and small in Asia," President Hinckley said in the video. "The seed had been planted in Japan, Taiwan and Korea by faithful Latter-day Saints in military service..... (http://deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,695247930,00.html)

http://www.fuckedgaijin.com/forums/images/vbimghost/129479d90cba7d5e.jpg

<Pours can of shitty happoshu on the ground> Here's to ya, Gord, ya old bastard!

-catone
-cum, cum ye Saints
-Taber Mormonacle

[Catoneinutica]

Okay, there's a Mormon ward house down the street from us. Fookers. Anyway, a couple of weeks ago some J-chick walked into our house at about 8 PM and stood expectantly in the genkan. Sitting at the dining room table, I turned around and looked at her, and, after a few seconds of WTF? befuddlement, said, "Uh...hai?" She handed me a little piece of paper offering "free" English lessons at the Mormon church. She had thought our house was the goddamn church! I ushered her out and pointed her down the street.

-catone
-she was kinda hot, in a heavily warpainted way. At first I thought she was a "delivery health" gal. I warned her that sometimes the Mormon missionaries can get a little pushy. Should've invited her to watch "Orgazmo" with me.

[Taro Toporific]

http://www.fuckedgaijin.com/forums/images/vbimghost/129479daaeeb30bb.jpg... some J-chick walked into our house at about 8 PM and stood expectantly in the genkan. Sitting at the dining room table, I turned around and looked at her, and, after a few seconds of WTF? befuddlement, said, "Uh...hai?" She handed me a little piece of paper offering "free" English lessons at the Mormon church. She had thought our house was the goddamn church!
http://www.fuckedgaijin.com/forums/images/vbimghost/thum_129479da1f821b73.jpg ('http://www.fuckedgaijin.com/forums/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=5677')
Dang, she ought to have known better---Normally shabby Japanese churches aren't as frenchy froufrou as your marble-encrusted genkan. :tounge:

[Catoneinutica]

http://www.fuckedgaijin.com/forums/images/vbimghost/129479daaeeb30bb.jpg
http://www.fuckedgaijin.com/forums/images/vbimghost/thum_129479da1f821b73.jpg ('http://www.fuckedgaijin.com/forums/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=5677')
Dang, she ought to have known better---Normally shabby Japanese churches aren't as frenchy froufrou as your marble-encrusted genkan. :tounge:

You'd think the statues of Dionysus would've hit her with the cluebat. But that Frenchified trash is just warpaint too. The heart and soul of this house is Taro-Certified (tm) 2 x 6 construction.

-catone
-heh. Moron-i is going to sic the Danites on yo' ass for 'shopping him.

[dimwit]

'English lessons' and 'free' are words that should never be used in the same sentence.

Shopping someone?:confused:

[ttjereth]

'English lessons' and 'free' are words that should never be used in the same sentence.

Shopping someone?:confused:

"photoshopping", I believe.