Rev. Masanobu Taniguchi’s Message at Japan’s Three National Events: White Dove Association National Leaders’ Seminar, Brotherhood Association and Prosperity Society Joint National Leaders’ Seminar, and Youth and Young Adult Association National Convention
Urges Attendees to Bring about World Peace by Using Symmetry Theory
Under the same theme, “Building a New Civilization Through Grand Harmony Between God, Nature and Human Beings,” Japan’s three national events were held in April: the Fifth Seicho-No-Ie White Dove Association National Leaders’ Seminar on April 27, the Fifth Seicho-No-Ie Brotherhood Association and Prosperity Society Joint National Leaders’ Seminar on April 28, and the 65th Seicho-No-Ie Youth and Young Adult Association National Convention on April 29. The main site of these Seminars was the Tobitakyu Spiritual Training Center.
Rev. Masanobu Taniguchi lectured for one hour each at these events.
At the White Dove Association National Leaders’ Seminar, Rev. Taniguchi first said that his lecture would proceed in three steps: (1) review of the past Seminars until last year’s, (2) gaining understanding of the theory of symmetry, and (3) which of them holds the religious Truth? He stressed that it is important to grasp the Movement from a wide perspective and also know its relationship with academic fields such as psychology and anthropology.
The President next showed a chart comparing the characteristics of nature and the city and explained that nature is related to the right brain, or symmetry (seeing similarities) and the subconsciuosness; while the city is related to the left brain, or asymmetry (seeing differences) and consciousness. He introduced the theory of Matte Brancho, a psychoanalyst: the human subconsciousness grasps asymmetrical relationship as symmetrical relationship.
As examples of treating things which are logically different (asymmetrical) as the same (symmetrical), Rev. Taniguchi cited the carp streamer, which reflects the hope for the child; when talking to a friend’s mother, the subconsiousness includes other children’s mothers and even universal motherhood; and animation characters having no barrier between human beings and animals. The President stated that in the human mind there is a mechanism to view everything as one.
Based on the above, the President explained that in the natural world the symmetry logic is dominant, but as urbanization progresses, the asymmetry logic becomes stronger. He stated that the world view that separates what is originally one into parts and believes the parts to be in conflict with one another is the cause of war. Rev. Taniguchi stressed that there is an important meaning in our return to the natural world, which is to correct the city viewpoint that sees things in conflict with one another.
The President next touched upon the argument between the Ten no Tsukai (Angel) and Tendoji (Cherub) that appear in the Song in Praise of Nature and said that the Angel bases his logic on symmetry and the cherub on asymmetry. Human beings need both logics but today’s urbanization has made the logic of asymmetry excessively strong. The President made a point that in order to balance it off, we need to disseminate the symmetry logic.
In concluding his lecture, Rev. Taniguchi stressed that since our existence is innately rooted in the natural world, the way of life that focuses on the sameness is correct from the perspective of both psychology and religion. He urged the attendees to promote the Movement by avoiding conflict and trying to find similarities with others.
At the Brotherhood Association and Prosperity Society Joint National Leaders’ Seminar, the President introduced the terrorist bombing at the Boston Marathon and the U.S.A.’s anti-terrorist campaign. He pointed out that at the bottom there is the asymmetry logic that causes conflict with one another and stressed the importance of applying the symmetry logic in society and our daily life.
At the Youth and Young Adult Association National Convention, Rev. Taniguchi made a point that the construction of a new civilization is not about building a completely different way of life from the past one. He asked the attendees to apply the predecessors’ legacy to the modern environment with the view of the whole based on the symmetry logic.
Mrs. Junko Taniguchi lectured for 40 minutes at the White Dove Association National Leaders’ Seminar, and 30 minutes each at the Brotherhood Association and Prosperity Society Joint National Leaders’ Seminar and the Youth and Young Adult National Convention.
At the White Dove Association National Leaders’ Seminar, Mrs. Taniguchi pointed out that the economic progress after the Industrial Revolution resulted in the depletion of natural resources and global warming. She said that what is needed to change this world trend is to learn to consume locally produced products and be content with what we have. She asked the attendees to live a life of harmony between God, nature and human beings based on the faith in the God of only goodness.
At the Brotherhood Association and Prosperity Society Joint National Leaders’ Seminar, Mrs. Taniguchi introduced the “Transition Town Movement” aimed at creating a sustainable community as well as the thoroughly eco-friendly lifestyle of the Edo Period. She emphasized the importance of a life in which one expresses God’s goodness as a religious believer.
At the Youth and Young Adult Association National Convention, Mrs. Taniguchi stressed that in the True Image world, nature and human beings are one and urged the attendees to carry out actions to solve the environmental problem, such as reducing meat eating and CO2 emissions.
The White Dove Association National Leaders’ Seminar was held at eleven sites, including the Tobitakyu Spiritual Training Center; the Brotherhood Association and Prosperity Society Joint National Leaders’ Seminar at four sites; and the Youth and Young Adult Association National Prosperity at three sites. The number of attendees totaled 10,147: 7,610 for the White Dove Association National Leaders’ Seminar, 1,669 for the Brotherhood Association and Prosperity Society Joint National Leaders’ Seminar (1,363 for the Brotherhood Association, 306 for the Prosperity Society), and 868 for the Youth and Young Adult Association National Convention.