“You shall have no other gods before me.
“You shall not make for yourself an image
( Exodos 20:3,4 The ten commandment no.1no.2)
There are many customs derived from Buddhism or Shintoism in Japan.Usually Christians try to avoid them.But the Idol worships are so deep that they have become so natural,and they are too natural to recognize. So idol worships are hidden. As a result Japanese would be affected by the idol worships. I call it “Hidden idol worship.
”Then what is idol worship ?
To believe, love and obey something more than Jesus = not to believe Jesus as the Lord
Examples of hidden idols
Buddhist ,Shinto ,and “Self” are well known as idols.But followings are not taken as idols usually,but they work as hidden idols actually.
1.Institutions and leaders.
To serve their institutions or leaders without objection more than Jesus ...is idol worship
Exp)”Samurai” and their Lord, business companies and presidents, Animation idols,Cults groups,etc. If Christians are more obedient to the pastor than to Bible, it’s idol worship.
2.Money ,works etc.
To love , seek and give No.1 priority to some values more than Jesus.... is idol worship.
Exp) Money, Work, Beauty, knowledge,effort,etc. Family bounding is idol ,if you seek it more than Jesus.
(Luke 14:26I)---if any one doth come unto me, and doth not hate his own father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brothers, and sisters, and yet even his own life, he is not able to be my disciple---
3. Addictions
Addictions....are idol worship. Because people depend on them,seek them and forsake everything for them. Only one who should be depended on is Jesus.
Exp) Alcohol, gambling, game, smart-phone, shopping, love affair, co-dependency, etc.Especially co-dependency is very danger relationship that is taken as “Love”.
4.“The Air” (the atmosphere. The most powerful ?)
To read the Air ( assume the atmosphere and hidden rules) and obey it....is idol worship. Usually The Air is evil sprit,then it controls a group. Japanese belongs to many groups ,so a Japanese serves many idols.
Exp) “ I could not ask any questions,because of “The hard Air(atmosphere)”. In this case “the hard Air” is a idol.
The Air of workplace, friends, neighbors,bullying,War, etc. Sometimes churches have the Air which is not holy spirit.(Ephesians 6:12)---For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.----
Hidden rules of hidden idol worship in Japan
In this way there are many kinds of (8milion ? )hidden idol worships in Japan. That means there are many hidden rules which are sometimes changing. Then Japanese cannot have fixed rules or values. They avoid simple judge of good and evil ,or clear logics and make them very vague.But there are some common rules to maintain the system of 8 million of hidden idol worships as follows.
・ Read the Air―――Assume the hidden rules of the group and obey them.
・ Don't break the Air ―――Harmony is the most important .So don’t make any objection .
・ Don't put in water―――Shut up. Don't ask questions . Don't give objections. Don't be logical, Don’t talk about religion...etc.
・ Be like water――― Be flexible.Change your shape as the shape of the group .
・ Wash with water ―――Reset without taking responsibility. “If they reconsidered every time, they could not serve these many idols.”
・Don’t preach Gospel! ――― In Japan we should not talk about specific religion. If you want ,do it in Churches. When you break the rule ,you would be evaluated as a odd person. (it’s a big problem!)
Characteristic of hidden idol worship in Japan
・Japanese don't notice that they are worshiping it. Churches don’t teach it,either.
・ It is difficult to understand biblical repentance and Grace. Because they don't have to take responsibility because of water washing.
・Shichihei Yamamoto (Author of “Japanese and Jews”)says “There are no Christianity or no Buddist in Japan. There are only Nihonkyou Christian branch or Nihonkyou Buddist branch.”
・ Many Japanese are very very dependent, so it is easy for them to do idle worship.
・ Japan has historical conflictions with overseas(exp China or Koria) because of lack of repentance and taking responsibility.
Conclusion
So we Japanese Christians should understand what is hidden idol worship and examine ourselves and repent for it. As a result we can be free from it and obey Jesus more.
But I don’t think it is easy to repent it. For example many Christians obey special rule no.6 "Don't preach gospel". We might obey other hidden rules without notice ,too.
So we need to repent for hidden idol worship! and obey true God,Jesus!
We Japanese need deeper repentance for idol worships than westners.
Our way to the Lord is so meesy with idols.
「He(John the baptism) said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness,
Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.」john 1:23
