Persecution Invisible for Christians in Japan; Feng Shui Magical Belief and Christians

Hi! It's Shellile Linn.(^O^)

Maybe some of you already had heard about the earthquake in Kumamoto since 14th April 2016 till now.

Kumamoto is the Southern Tip of the Median Tectonic Line of japan. And the Soutern tip of Grand Shinto Shrine  also.

I've found the geographic relationship evidence between the Grand Shinto Shrines & Temples location and the Tectonic Lines.

Picture above shows the relationship between ancient Feng shui(風水） Magical belief structured as Shinto religion in about 5th-11th century.

You can see the Grand Shinto Shrines and mystical Buddhism Temples in Mt. Koya are all located along with the Tectonic Lines which ancient Japanese people never knew what it really is as we know in scientifical knowledge.

It seemed as the ancient Japanese kingdom had tried to stop disasters and earthquakes by their shamanistic magical rituals and worships.

Feng shui is a sect of Yin-Yang philosophy in East Asian area.

In ancient Chinese religio-political unified kingdom establishment theory, Feng shui was the popular philosophy to know how to dominate the spiritual power of the geographic nature by some magical method  especially in placing  and construction of the capital.

The ancient Feng shui philosophy related with ancestor burial custom and city  & land planning. The location, direction of town, placing  the rituals and the shrines had been a prior political policy since 5th century in Japan.

By Feng shui belief, ancient Japanese kingdom replaced capital from Nara(means country in Korean language) to Kyoto.

Somehow, Feng shui have had connected with the Tectonic Lines and the location of the Grand Shrines. The early rulers had seriously believed that Shrine building, magical ritual inheritance have some kind of power to eliminate the disasters such as earthquakes, Tsunami and the political chaos.

To make their Shinto power keep powerful enough, building the new Grand Shrine in every several decades is the basis of Shitoist' faith. But this custom have been the heavy financial burden over the Japanese economy from the ancient period until now.

During Heian period(5th-11th century), the basic theory of Feng shui had faded away by isolation from East Asian continental culture.

Feng Shui had become easy-going "good luck-bad luck" religious custom mainly enjoyed by noble community by the mid of Heian period.

In "Genji Monogatari" story, the prince Genji, a famous playboy hero visited a land owner's house had an affair with his wife.

According to the common senses of Heian period, Genji's grand resident concerned as temporary bad luck direction which might hurt Genji's fortune. So, he had visited the house located in the "good luck place" for Genji to wipe off his bad luck.
 
Genji is the typical example how the Feng shui philosophy had gradually changed into "good luck-bad luck" religious custom.

Around middle age as it was in Europe, religious authorities in Japan also  had too much wealth,land and the political influence. Therefore ordinally and concerned people had their intention to stand for the  need of religious reformation.

As St. Francisco Xaviar came to Japan on 1549, some local land lords and Buddhist monks had welcomed Christianity. They thought that the Christianity could become a break through for the the ancien regime and seemed as the possible trigger to the religious reformation in Japan.

According to the "History of Japan" written by Fr. Luis Frois of Jesuit on late 16th century, the land lord Don Francisco Ohtomo was devoted to spread the Christianity to his Samurai, men and women under his influence by his own logics.

Don Francisco Ohtomo thought it is very foolish that his wife's families were crazy to dump in bunch of money to Shrine and gods statue construction and donation for magical reason while she had begged Don Francisco to be scrooge on giving the enough reward to sincere Samurai under them.

But, the Tokugawa Tyrant, the final winner of the War Era in 16th century, prefered to control over the religious authorities with their  strong political power by  the carrot and stick policy.

Tokugawa Tyrant had decided to make Christians and some other minority religious authority as the scape goat to establish the Shogunate power the strongest in the diplomatically closed nation.

During 270 years of persecution and martydom done by the Tokugawa Tyrant over hidden Catholic community became the reasons to discriminate Christians until 21st century.
 
Majority of Japanese people still feel something out-of-place toward Christianity for they concern the Christianity is something offensive. But almost all Japanese can never explain why they feel so, what they can really believe in.

It seems like the financial reason is the basis on Anti-Christians for the Shinto Shrine construction requires huge donation from all the enterprises and people.

For example, the Ise Grand Shrine's recent reconstruction costed about 350,000,000.00USD. And the next reconstruction budget is estimated as 500,000,000.00USD, which is almost close to the national budget of Australia in 2015!

Japanese Shintoist have been spending huge cost just to reconstruct the well-maintenanced Grand Shrine building without such damage! Above reconstruction cost don't include the maintenance fee and possibility of disaster.

And there are many other Grand Shinto Shrines all over in South & East Japan.

It is their freedom to believe in the magical power works to control the Tectonic Lines avoiding the big earthquakes and other disasters if they don't do  abuses visible or invisible to pagans who refuse the Shinto worship & donation campaign!

Catholics and Christians have been on the middle of this invisible abuses in day to day living in Japan.

I've personally have had suffered from the brutal chequred experience of abuses from non-Christians and anti-Christian in this nation.

Christians(Catholic) are concerned as Anti-Japanese, who are critical or offensive to the present dominate no matter who's on the chair to dominate.

The rightest wing Abe cabinet and the Japan Conference have started to acuse all the Christians and Catholics are "Sayoku(leftist) and anti-government movers over internet, blog, and twitter in public recently.

We Catholics in Japan, only 0.2% of entire population are actually very powerless under this tough situation.

I know they are just venting their anger and anxiety over Catholics and Christians in the present situation beyond the control of anyone.

Such themes like operation of nuclear power plants, diplomatic difficulties and huge disasters are scientifically natural or man-made disasters.Many Japanese are well-educated  enough to understand that huge financial waste on Shrine construction won't bring them any magical solution.

Those sitting on the dominate chairs and people just hadn't face the realm.

Faith and truth might bring some goodness even in the magical belief.

But the messed up magics, politics and faked science will only bring more coffusion to our society and bring the crisis to the minorities.

Catholics and Christians in Japan might exposed to abuse from them anytime anywhere.

Please pray for us.

Have you heard the "International Mass"?

Hi! It's Shelille Linn. (^O^)

In my last blog, I've said Catholics and Christians here in Japan are familiar to the  mystical belief than "day to day custom" due to the invisible oppression in the Japanese society.

I've been in Yokohama Dioceses where so many US Forces bases are here and there as well as the first port to open the country since the mid 19th century.

In my little parish church, there are more than half community members are whether foreigner living in Japan, children of non-Japanese parent, or returned descendents of Japanese immigrants whose parents or grand-parents immigrated in Latin American nations such as
Brazil, Peru, Argentine and Mexico since 1910-1970.

The majority of foreign community members are the Philipina mothers married to Japanese man and  "lost and found" Japanese soldiers descendents during WWII. The second largest group is the vietnamese community who once became refugee in 1970th by Vietnam war. Vietnamese community is the largest group which send novices to various convents.

Very special community is the Sri-Lankan community. Sri-Lankan community contains not only Catholic but also some buddhists by the request from the buddhist authority in Sri-Lanka. Buddhists join our Holy Mass on St, Anthony's feast, for St. Anthony is the guardian Saint of Sri-Lanka.

Therefore our biggest feast is Pentecoste. We enjoy various international food market and the flee market.

Our Mass is also very special. We hold "International Mass" with all or several communities.

Since our parish is in Japan, the order of Mass is basically done by Japanese language. But, first and second reading might be read by English, Spanish, or Vietnamese.

Opening, and closing song are often English songs are sang by Philipine community along with the Japanese choir, their children and those who understand English.

Kyrie and Gloria are usually  sing in Japanese language.

Responsorial Psalm and Allelujah are usually in Japanese language too, for the Japanese Catholic hymnal is basically in Gregorian chant style, and many first generation settlers out of Japan also like to hear the Gregorian chant.

The gospel is usually read in Japanese language, but it all depends on the priest. If there's a priest who's fluent in another language, Gospel might be read by English or in other languages.

A homily is basically Japanese, but it also depends on the language ability of the priest. The maximum language used in the homily I've heard is four...Japanese, English, Spanish and Portuguese spoken by an Italian priest from Milano Mission!

Offertory songs are usually sung by Vietnamese or Sri-Lankan community for their language pronunciation is so difficult that most of other nationals cannot imitate and join their songs.

Sanctus(Holy Holy) and Agnus Dei(Lamb of God) is sung in our parish way. We enjoy Sanctus in the Portuguese to show our respect to Brazilian community, and Agnus Dei in Tagalog language which is the national language in Philipine to show our respect to the Phillipine community.

Lords prayer is said all in Japanese language regardless of the origin. There is  a Romaji view beside an altar, so everybody can join even you are a temporary visitor.

Communion songs are usually mixed two language group choirs, so no choir member miss the communion.

Since English became a broad language that "everybody learn and speak", you can never imagine to have foreign languages to your local English Mass even you have some foreigner member in your community.

Actually, we do the International Mass for "Communio Communion"(Communication through the holy communion) which is our Dioceses' policy shown by our Bishop Raphael Umemura.

We enjoy the International Mass,  not because the Japanese language is not a "broad language".

To open our heart to foreigners, settled aliens, those who believe in other religion or belong to other culture,we first need to have an experience to share something substantial but not devoted too much with politics, monetary trouble nor too close to ordinary living at the beginning.

It is very natural to feel something's strange to sit next to a stranger. So, we celebrate our Holy Mass together to knock down the wall in our common senses' feeling.

It is our true blessing and grace of our Lord to have a special chance like this. Since we Catholics are less than 0.2% of the whole nation in Japan.
I really believe that our Lord Christ have granted us the special gift like this.

May your days be happy in this Easter season, Amen.

Being A Catholic and Minority

Hi! It's Shelille Linnn.(^O^)

I'm a lay Catholc woman writing a blog about Catechism, thought for Bible verses , news and topics on famous Saints. I also write about Rule of Benedict for I'm still an oblate of Fujimi Trinity Monastery which will be closed this summer 2016.

I think many of you are now living in the nation, area or a small community where there are majority of Catholic community almost equals the majority of local community socially and politically.

Japanese Catholics and Christians have beenin very strange situation since Tokugawa Tyrany was over on 1868 and found the limited freedom of religion on 1873.

St. Francisco Xaviar, a mission dream seeker had visited Japan on 1549, when
European were struggling over the religious reformation and the Council of Trident had been held.

Japanese people had a good impression on Christianity basically while St. Xaviar had spoken very little Japanese of the time.

One of his earliest follower who had baptism and became Jesuit brother was a blind Biwa(an instrument look like a guiter) performer-priest of budhism.

This man, Brother Lorenzo began to sing Catechism in Japanese, and spreaded Christianity thereby.

After 270 years of grotesque oppression" and many known and unknown martyles, we Japanese Christian really know the true meaning of "oppression".

Now on 21st centuty, there is only 0.2% of the nation are Catholic.

That means we have almost no one to share the joy to celebrate Easter and Christmas. Off course, there's no Christmas nor Easter vacation, too.

Many Catholic church members are widowed or sick women, having husband or child with disability, handicapped or treated "heretic" "out of common senses" in out of the parlish.

Some are afraid to be "out casted" from local community, apartment union, office or classroom.

Hence the situation is so hard to every Catholics and Chrsitians here, many indivisual Chrsitian try to seek how to have our way of Catholic culture even the Christian culture is denied by Japanese society.

Therefore the Catholic church in Japan itself is settled over very mystical belief.

Also, there are so many mystery of our faith happen through just ordinaly sacrament such as adults' baptism, anointing sacrament or by just a coffesion.

We can never imagine to experience "Japanese originated Catholic culture" suported by majority of society for generations, sharing joy without having deep devotion for the Christian faith.


I sometime think if those of you in Catholic or Christian culture are really feeling joy to walk with Christ through having baptised and have a communion at the Mass.

It is your true treasure to have your local Christian based culture by the corner stone of St. Paul the apostle and the First Pop.

Having a big feast on your gardian Saint of nation, job area, and labor union is something really special.

Just think if you really have try to inherit your treasure of Christianity to younger generation, have you?

←Our parish in spring