I have a strong feeling that we have come to
a time where the tide of history has begun to change.
Facing uncertainty ahead, people's fear tend
to accumulate. Many choose to pray to their God, hoping to protect
things that are dear to them. The things may be their lives, or their
families, or maybe their nation. Even the thing may be their "vanity."
Back in 1911, a Japanese socialist, Shusui
Kotoku, who had received capital punishment on charges that he had
participated in conspiracy to assasinate then Crown Prince Hirohito,
read a Chinese style poem two days after receiving his verdict. A
part of his verse goes like follows:
"There seems to be no path ahead of me,
but I still choose against praying to God."
His sentence was administered four days later.
The poem shows Kotoku's noble spirit, turning down the notion to pray
to God for help, even under most desperate circumstances.
We have experienced two World Wars in our modern
history. Amazingly, the United States have fought more than 200 wars
in her history. Whenever a war breaks out, people on either side,
whether they are on the agressive side or on the invaded side, prayed
to God and had God as their last resort for their hopes.
This means that war breaks out when people
cease to think rationally and decide to rely their destinity to God.
People pray to God for peace, and consequently
brings forth turmoil and destruction. How ironic. Now, we are at the
time of changing of the tide, and it seems that great many people
seem to be relying heavily on praying to their Gods. However, there
should be ways to confront the reality full of tragedy and bitterness,
using act of intelect rather than relying on Gods' hands.
I believe now is the time when the spirit of
Kotoku's poem shines brighter than ever before.
Translated by Team Vixsen Manabu
Miyazaki ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
