Coffee Ｂｒｅａｋ
Japan is said to be a Buddhist country or Shinto in general. Frankly speaking, I am not a Buddhist. I am a polytheist. Japanese have got ' 800 million gods'. We call it 'Yao yorozu no kami' in Japanese. This thought is incredible for Christian or Muslim people. They have believed a sole God, Jesus Christ or Allah.
A friend of mine, Pastor Mr. David Rupp who had lived in Japan for more than 30 years kindly gave me a preaching as follows:
"I was sorry, though, to read that you do not believe in Jesus and
the truths of the Bible as the one true God. If Christianity is true, as
I believe, then your future judgment and existence after death will be
very severe."
According to Bible teaching God will determine if you believe in Jesus,
and believe that Jesus died in order to pay the penalty for your sins (especially
the sin of unbelief - see John 3:18). No agnostic, atheist, or polytheist
will ever enter heaven. Rather the Bible says they will receive everlasting
punishment. Revelation 20:11-15
Only if a person believes in Jesus will he go to heaven, and I desire all
people to go to heaven. God also wants that, but each person has to make
that choice personally. I pray that you, too, will believe in Jesus so
that you can escape the eternal punishment of God.
This is very frank talk. But it is most important. If Jesus really is God,
and the Bible is truth, then the unbeliever has a very terrible future
life after death.
I think his judgement is very severe. Actually, I am agnostic and not a church goer.
Anyway, Japanese believe that there are gods in nature, for example, in the sky, on the tree,in the sea, etc.etc. They used to go to hear the tolling of the temples bell on New Year Eve and pray for a god at a shrine on New Year's day.
According to a history book 'Japan' written by J.W.Hall, Buddhism did not disestablish Shinto when it was imported. Buddhism came into Japanese life at a different level from that served by Shinto, meeting different spiritual needs without subtracting from the validity of the older tradition.
Talking of the religion, there are many religious conflicts in the world, Christian vs Muslim. Japanese can not understand this kind of war.
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