Rev.Masanobu Taniguchi's Message at the Seicho-No-Ie Fall Festival
Stress the Importance of Correct Faith Based on Rationality
The 31st Ryugu Sumiyoshi Hongu Fall Festival and the 28th Ryugu Sumiyoshi Reigu Fall Festival were held on November 21 at the Seicho-No-Ie Main Temple in Nagasaki Prefecture. They were followed the next day by the ceremony to commemorate the birth of Rev. Masaharu Taniguchi and the succession to the Seicho-No-Ie Presidency. Rev. Masanobu Taniguchi, Acting President of Seicho-No-Ie, served as the Chief Priest at these ceremonies. Mrs. Junko Taniguchi, Vice President of the Seicho-No-Ie White Dove Association, was also present
At the November 22 ceremony, Rev. Taniguchi addressed about 1,900 people at the worship hall of the Main Temple in the capacity of the Superintendent. He spoke for 30 minutes. At the beginning of his address, Rev. Taniguchi spoke about Rev. Seicho Taniguchi, who passed away on October 28. He said that since he was seeing the President almost every day, he did not feel that he was gone and that during his address he would keep his thoughts with him, as if Rev. Seicho Taniguchi was in attendance at the ceremony.
Rev. Taniguchi next stated that the world is approaching a big turning point. He suggested that the fact Mr. Obama, who was elected as the first black President of the U.S.A., received strong support from a wide spectrum of Americans—not only the black but also the young—shows that the U.S.A. as a whole is changing. He also pointed out that with the current economic crisis the structure of the world is changing from unipolar world dominated by the United States’ to one that is mutually supported by powerful countries.
Stating that a big change can be anticipated in the religious world as well, Rev. Taniguchi introduced his recent book, Shogeki kara Rikai e—Islam tono Setten o Saguru (From Shock to Understanding—Search for a Meeting Point with Islam). He explained why Islam was the topic at recent Seicho-No-Ie Special Conferences for World Peace. Seicho-No-Ie, which is promoting the teaching for world peace that all religions emanate from one universal God, cannot be ignorant of Islam, which is expected to have the largest following in the world in the near future. Rev. Taniguchi encouraged the attendees to study Islam.
The Acting President next introduced his own episode from the Preface of the book: how he accidentally found the book in New York City by Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl, a distinguished Islamic thinker, and it led to the invitation of him to the Special Conference as a guest lecturer.
Rev. Taniguchi referred to similar episodes of Rev. Masaharu Taniguchi and Rev. Seicho Taniguchi: Rev. Masaharu Taniguchi’s encounter with Dr. Holmes’ book in a second-hand book store led to the founding of Seicho-No-Ie; and Rev. Seicho Taniguchi’s introduction to Seicho-No-Ie through the Seimei no Jisso (Truth of Life), which his roommate at a Japanese Army Hospital was reading. Based on these episodes, the Acting President stressed the importance of studying the power of “the law of affinity”—what strikes the responsive chord gathers and causes things to materialize—and of what kind of mental state one lives every day in.
The Acting President said that Shogeki kara Rikai e should not be taken as a book on only Islam but the book will be helpful if it is read in the context of our own propagation activities. As an example of it, the Acting President referred to the chapter in his book entitled “Authority and Authoritarianism.” Saying that authoritarianism forces the superior’s words upon the subordinate, he warned against falling into authoritarianism in the religious world: without making an effort that is worthy of authority—practicing the three important religious practices.
Rev. Taniguchi pointed out that in the case of Islam, the Qur’an and Hadith, on which the teaching is based, contain contradictory statements and therefore, one must make judgment through his own interpretation. In the same way, what is written is not consistent in different parts of Seicho-No-Ie Books, so that it is necessary for each individual to decide which is correct based on his rationality and emotion.
The Acting President stated that the Seicho-No-Ie teaching is characterized by rationality. He made clear that even though Secicho-No-Ie produces a miraculous happening, it is not because we seek it, but rather, it is important that we truly feel a miracle in our ordinary daily life. So saying, Rev. Taniguchi rejected blind faith.
In concluding his address, Rev. Taniguchi noted that in Islam rationalism has a longer tradition than radical fundamentalism and that the majority of Muslims follow rationalism. He encouraged the attendees to learn that fact from reading and called upon them to keep in mind that fundamentalism poses a problem even in the Seicho-No-Ie Movement and promote the correct Movement.
The ceremony started at 10:00 a.m. After the singing of the national anthem, there was a message by Rev. Kazuo Isoze, Chairman and CEO of Seicho-No-Ie. Then a moment of silence was observed for the late Rev. Seicho Taniguchi. On behalf of the followers, Mr. Ryotaro Nakai (Chief of Osaka Missionary Area, Youth and Young Adult Association) and Rev.Yoshio Mukai, Bishop of Seicho-No-Ie Latin America, gave messages.
After Rev. Masanobu Taniguchi’s message, there was a presentation of Headquarters awards. The ceremony ended at 0:10 p.m.