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Dear close Christian friends in RPC,
One of a brother in Mid-west area asked me that whether it was true
about President Bush's worshipping idol in Kyoto
recently. I answered as follows:
On the way to APEC in Busan, Korea,
President Bush visited Japan.
His Air Force One landed in Osaka-Itami
Airport
and he was flying into the Former
Imperial Palace
in Kyoto
using his own helicopter. In the National Kyoto Guest House there, he
met Prime Minister Koizumi. They talked about Okinawa Marine base,
shift of US military power in Japan,
BSE
problem, and Japanese SDF in Iraq.
All news media reported President Bush's visit to the Golden
Temple, a famous
sightseeing spot in North West Kyoto city, with Prime Minister Koizumi
on Nov.17.
Yomiuri News says he took off his shoes and went into the main hall of
the main idol of the temple, where ordinarily no visitor may be able to
step in. He was joking when he was entering there with our prime
minister.
Mr. Koizumi took the posture of worshipping in front of the main idol.
Mr. Bush seemed to try to imitate and took the same posture, according
to Sankei News.
Only Sankei reported about his worshipping the idol with Koizumi. I
could not see the second witness among Japanese news media by now. So I
am not sure about this 100% and I am not ready to publicize in the
Covienet as our prayer request from Japan.
So I just send this prayer request to my close friends only.
But if it is true as Sankei reported, I strongly wish to voice the
protest against Mr. Bush for his repeated failure of keeping the first
and second commandment of the Bible in front of the Japanese public.
Japanese serious Christians have been sacrificing many things for the
refusal of worshipping idols. His indifference to such serious
Christian conscientious matter is incredible. The president did worship
at Meiji shrine when he visited Japan
before. I personally told to Senator Santrum about this problem. So I
also want to voice strongly against the serious ignorance of the
advisory stuff around him about such religious concern in Japan.
We are fighting against the reviving national Shintoism, as you know,
and Mr. Koizumi is the most stubborn person to keep worshipping there,
even though China
and Korea
are
furious against his action. Mr. Koizumi may be a really convenient
person for Mr. Bush politically, but as a Christian he must know the
danger of national Shintoism of Japan and must voice against the danger
of such revival. I am afraid that Mr. Bush might worship at Yasukuni
Shrine someday, since at least the facts tell that he does not have
conscientious problem of worshipping the idols. Or the people around
him had enough persuaded him wrongly to worship idols in Japan
repeatedly for US's political interest.
We need to pray for his repentance as a Christian about this, for the
welfare
of the kingdom of Christ
all over the world, for his Christian conscience is important as the
one of the
most important leader of the world.
Sincerely in His service,
Shigeru Takiura
Okamoto Keiyaku RPC, Kobe
Japan
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