For the year 2023, I have been thinking about "Nihon-kyo日本教" as my theme.
Let me ask you again. Have you ever heard of this "Nihon-kyo(Japenese religion)"?
In his books, Shichihei Yamamoto, a.k.a. Isaiah Bendasan, was the first to put into words what we Christians have been struggling with for so long in our missionary work in japan. 日本教 - Wikipedia
Based on Mr. Yamamoto's research, I would like to share what the Holy Spirit has taught me about "Nihon-Kyo" and consider what we should do to take the missionary work in Japan one step further.
1. Introduction
First of all, the following four Q&As are rough conclusions. Please think about them first.
Q1. Why is it that Japan has less than 1% of the Christian population, even though there is no strong religion like Islam and no law prohibiting evangelism?
A1. Because "Nihon-kyo" is installed in the Japanese unconscious.
According to Shichihei Yamamoto, "Nihon-kyo" is a hidden national religion that hinders the mission of Japan. In other words, it is the enemy of the Japanese mission.
Q2: What is the purpose of learning about "Nihon-kyo"?
A2: To learn about the enemy in the battle for missionary work .
Therefore I run in such a way as not to run aimlessly; I box in such a way, as to avoid hitting air; (1 Corinthians 9:26)
Many Christians have been working hard for the Japan mission but are getting little results. Looking at this situation, it seems to me that they are "fighting a seviere fight that hits the air". Knowing your enemy well is the basis of battle.
Q3. Then, what is Identity of "Nihon-kyo" ?
A3. It is "air"! Shichihei Yamamoto says "air" is some kind of terrifying specter.
Air" is the air of "reading the air," the peer pressure, the atmosphere, the groove, etc., that binds and torments the Japanese people. And according to the Bible, "air "is an evil spirit. In other words, "air" is the enemy with whom we must fight! *1
And to read the air is "Nihon-kyo" worship, and is a sin!
in which you previously walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience.(Eph. 2:2).
Q4. So what do you call and describe "the evil spirit called ”air" biblically?
A4. "the prince of Japan" = the top of the evil spirits in Japan.
The world of evil spirits also has a pyramid structure, and the head of evil spirits in each country is called "the prince of~ " as in the following scripture.
Then he said, “Do you understand why I came to you? But I shall now return to fight against the prince of Persia; so I am leaving, and behold, the prince of Greece is about to come. Daniel 10:20
Shichihei Yamamoto even said,"The air has brought us Japanese into the Pacific War"
. Air has more power than expected.
＊＊＊Nihon-kyo ＊＊＊＊＊＊＊
A national religion installed unconsciously that prevents missionary work in Japan. Its true identity, "air," is the biblical term for evil spirits. It is "air" and "Japenese religion" that we have to fight as enemies.
＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊
2. Characteristics of "Nihon-kyo"
So, what kind of religion is "Nihon-kyo"?
It is a religion whose strategy is to hide everything and make it invisible! God? Doctrine? Believers? Persecution? etc. are not well understood and anacknowledged, but they are real! As follows
Invisible God: Air ( "the prince of Japan")
Invisible doctrine: Read the air(atmosphere)! (Obey) = Give priority to the atmosphere of the place and conform to it, rather than logic (the Word of God), and adapt yourself! The values are the exact opposite of the Bible, such as "be silent," "be flexible," "be hypocritical" "be moderate," "be irresponsible," and so on.
Invisible beliavers: Almost all Japanese! (by Yamamoto) What is scary is that they are all unaware of it.
Invisible church: All organizations, groups, the "Seken", and even the Christian church!
日本世間学会 THE JAPANESE SEKENGAKU SOCIETY |
Invisible aggression: They attack those who don't "read the air" and the "stakes" by bashing, villagizing, shunning, and going through the motions. The air use their fear as a weapon to control people.
Invisible persecution: ”Nihon-kyo” accept those from abroad with a smile, but rot their roots in the swamp of "air "and transform them into something completely different*2, so that substantial missionary progress fails and they become disappointed and give up*3.
Many Japanese Christians as well as missionaries have given up on missions because they feel some kind of invisible glass wall between them and unbelievers.
This is persecution from the "Nihon-kyo"!
Japanese Christians are unaware of it, but they are working under invisible persecution!
3. How to Fight "Nihon-kyo"
So, how should we fight against "Nihon-kyo"? Let us consider from the basics of the Bible.
1) Uninstall "Nihon-kyo" from within yourself. This is an important first step.
Think and ask yourself, "Could I have a "Nihon-kyo" value? If so repent it! Then you will be free from the fear of "Nihon-kyo"! Then you will be able to fight!
knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; (Romans 6:6)
I urge you to face the following questions.
@Have you ever read the air of the place? ⇒That is the "Nihon-kyo" worship.
@Have you ever kept silent without speaking the truth? ⇒That is following "Shut up" of "Nihon-kyo".
@Are you using the Honne and Tatemae? It is a strategy of "concealment" and hypocrisy of "Nihon-kyo".
@Do you think that evangelism is the pastor's job and it is OK if you attend the service? That is "Nihon-kyo"'s strategy, an air of justification for giving up.
@Are you concerned about what the "seken" thinks of you and what people think of you? That is the air. It is The prince of Japan.
@Are you more neutral in everything than black and white? That is the lukewarm faith of Laodicea.
@Do you want to avoid the topics of apocalypse and The book of Revelation? That is the air of "safety and security" in the church. 4
@Do you play the role of a nice person in the church and say only nice things? That is the air of a Pharisee in the church.
I am hoping that this uninstallation of JCI will be a countermeasure to the "five stupid virgins" theme of this blog. I think this is one of the reasons why people believe (think they are Christians) but the Holy Spirit does not live within them (actually non-Christians).
Have you taken measures for "five stupid virgins"? - 聖書の知恵 (hatenablog.com)
(2) Don't read the air, but read the Bible! Follow the truth!
When Japanese people join a group, they immediately put up their antennas and read the atmosphere. It is the same with churches. Protestants say "Bible only" but there are many denominations. Why is that? Isn't it because they have different interpretations of the Bible, or because tradition and false teachings have taken precedence and have moved away from the Bible? It is the "air" of the church.
We need to face the Bible by ourselves and follow the truth without being influenced by the pressure of church atmosphere.
You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." John 8:32
Therefore we must pay more attention to what we hear. Otherwise, we will be swept away." Heb. 2:10
(3) To break the "air", speak up and take action！
In Andersen's tale, the child said, "The king is naked! It means to be "the stake that sticks out" This is what many Japanese are afraid of, because they know that if they become the "out stake," they will be bashed, ostracized, and looked at in a strange way. They are afraid of that, and they keep 、、、、 quiet.
This is the battle of the spirit. It is the Lord's battle. Just as Joshua and the others took the first step into the Jordan River, let us take the first step of action!
The Lord has opened my mouth. My mouth was opened, and I was no longer silent."
Ezekiel 33:22
Our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of this world of darkness, and against all manner of demons that are in the heavens." (Ephesians 6:12)
Together, let us fight against the "air" of "Nihon-kyo"!
**Notes***.
*1The peer pressure of masks, meetings where one cannot speak out, bullying at work and school, the Johnny's Office incident, the relationship between the Unification Church and politics, etc. are all due to "air".
*2 It is well known that Buddhism has fundamentally changed before and after it entered Japan.
*3From the time of Christianity to the present, many foreign missionaries say that "only Japan is difficult" and "the graveyard of missionaries.
*4When people say, "It is peaceful and safe," a sudden doom strikes them like the agony of childbirth upon a pregnant woman. There is no escape from it. 1 Thessalonians 5:3.
*Youtube good for studying Japenese religion 【日本教１】なぜ日本でキリスト教が広まらないのか。たったひとつの理由。国家的カルト宗教「日本教」の正体【山本七平】#43 (youtube.com)
* Nihonkyo and Air 日本教 と 空気 - 聖書の知恵 (hatenablog.com)-
