Rev. and Mrs. Masanobu Taniguchi’s Public Lecture Held in London
Rev. Masanobu Taniguchi Stresses the Need to Discontinue the Use of Nuclear Energy
On August 7 a Public Lecture was held at the Copthorne Tara Hotel in London under the theme, “Praying for Grand Harmony Between God, Nature and Man.” Rev. Masanobu Taniguchi, President of Seicho-No-Ie; and Mrs. Junko Taniguchi, President of Seicho-No-Ie White Dove Association, gave lectures to about 150 attendees.
At the Public Lecture Rev. Taniguchi explained in detail the damage of the Great East Japan Earthquake and its cause. He also touched upon the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant and appealed for the complete discontinuance of nuclear energy use.
In England an industrial revolution began in the 18th century ahead of other countries, which opened way to modern civilization that depends on the large consumption of underground resources, such as coal and oil. It is quite significant that in that country the President appealed for a change in energy usage at this Public Lecture.
At the Public Lecture Rev. Taniguchi lectured in English for 45 minutes from 4:10 p.m.
The President began his lecture by stressing the fundamental oneness between God, nature and man. He said that we need to deepen our consciousness that we are a part of nature and that nature dwells within us. Rev. Taniguchi cited as a reason for it the fact that our consciousness is the basis upon which we think, talk and act and that we create the environment as its reflection.
The President introduced the Seicho-No-Ie teachings in three pillars, which constitute the prerequisites for his suggestion: (1) The world which God created is perfect and harmonious, (2) This world is a reflection of our mind, and (3) All religions emanate from one universal God. He then explained the difference between the True Image and phenomena as well as the mechanism of the human mind that consists of the consciousness and subconsciousness.
The President next pointed out the fact that modern science and technology aim at objectivity, which has hence led to many scientific discoveries and technological innovations on one hand, while causing separation of man from nature and giving way to the creation of nuclear technology and bio-technology. Rev. Taniguchi spoke about his experience of visiting the Tohoku Region in April after the massive earthquake/tsunami.
Rev. Taniguchi criticized the events that led to the disaster, saying that because of our excessive pursuit of economic gains, we ignored the warnings from the past and older generations about the respect for the power of nature, which aggravated the damage from the tsunami. On the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, the President pointed out that the precautionary measures were inadequate, as shown by the construction of the plant in the coastal area where earthquakes occur often.
The President stressed that the use of nuclear energy must be gradually decreased and then discontinued completely as soon as possible. As a reason for it, he explained that nuclear energy is at the opposite end of the fundamental oneness of man and nature. He said that to use radioactive materials by putting them in a tightly-sealed thick metal container and constantly cooling it with water is like depriving nature’s mechanism to protect life and stressed that we still do not have any means to make nuclear wastes harmless.
The President also emphasized that the environment is a reflection of our mind. He pointed out that the idea, “the economically stronger, the better” has penetrated the mind of society as a whole and manifested itself in the form of nuclear weapons and nuclear energy, which are incompatible with living beings. He made a point that such disharmony between man and nature must be corrected in order to reflect the True Image of the world which God created.
The President introduced a section of the “Prayer to Visualize Grand Harmony Between Nature and Human Beings,” which he announced after the earthquake/tsunami. Regarding the reason why Seicho-No-Ie has great interest in the conviction of the oneness between God, nature and man, he said that what can be touched with a hand does not move of itself, but is moved by what is invisible, such as desire, hope and conviction.
Rev. Taniguchi stressed that it is important that conviction be put into action. He said that in order to reduce green house gases and change our lifestyle to a nature-friendly one, a project is underway to move the Seicho-No-Ie International Headquarters to the “Office in the Forest” at Hokuto City, Yamanashi Prefecture.
Rev. Taniguchi also made a point that one of the wonderful things that Seicho-No-Ie can offer is the message that hope and true dreams arising from the bottom of our mind have already been realized in the True Image world which God created. He said that our job and mission is to manifest a copy of that image in this world and enjoy its process in the same way artists and architects do.
The President concluded his lecture by encouraging the attendees to attend Readers’ Meetings held in England and other places in Europe to study the Truth more deeply.
Mrs. Junko Taniguchi lectured in English for 25 minutes from 3:25 p.m. prior to the President’s lecture.
Mrs. Taniguchi taught that this world was created by the sole God of absolute goodness, that man is God’s supreme self-realization and that God’s goodness resides in the human life. She explained that the reality that presents agony and suffering is a temporary creation of the human mind.
Mrs. Taniguchi stated that with the “power of words” using the body, mouth and thoughts in a bright way, we can thrust our fate in the direction that we desire.
In order to change the mind’s propensity Mrs. Taniguchi encouraged the attendees to use the Sundial Diary, where one enters only good happenings in his daily life. In changing one’s fate and environment it is more effective to give the right habit to one’s mind and actions rather than moving around to do many things superficially.
As a tip to continue making entries in the Sundial Diary, Mrs. Taniguchi advised that it is well to enter small ordinary things that happen each day, which we normally take for granted. She prayed that the attendees live a happy life.
Rev. and Mrs. Masanobu Taniguchi guided the 2011 Seicho-No-Ie Special Conference for World Peace held in Frankfurt, Germany from July 30 to 31. From August 1 to 2 they visited Freiburg, an environmentally advanced city in southwestern Germany. They concluded the Lecture Tour to Europe with the Public Lecture in London on August 7 and returned to Japan on August 11.
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An Autograph Session With the President and Mrs. Taniguchi
On August 7 at the London hotel, following the Seicho-No-Ie Public Lecture that was guided by the President and Mrs. Taniguchi, a commemorative photograph was taken and an autograph session was held.
A participant remarked: “I have seen them on their blog and facebook, but I was happy to meet them in person.” A circle was formed around Rev. and Mrs. Taniguchi by participants who sought photographs, autographs and handshakes. They happily attended to the many requests. A couple with a young child expressed their deep emotion about the handshake that their child received from Rev. and Mrs. Taniguchi.
At the book counter in the Public Lecture site there were autographed copies of the Portuguese edition of the President’s books Ashimoto kara Heiwa o (From Here to Peace) and Hidokeshugi to wa Nanika? (What Is the Sundial Way of Life?) These were sold with great popularity.