March 12, 2007

• I listened to a tape on I Corinthians 10, and Pastor Nishida had a very interesting point that is relevant to Christians in Japan.  Sometimes we are constrained to participate in certain cultural activities, such as visits to shrines and graves, funerals and Buddhist memorial services.  One bows in worship of the dead at family graves.  During funerals incense is burned in worship of the spirit of the departed and mantras are read.  In some homes it is also considered an act of courtesy to light incense at Buddhist family altars when visiting.  The word used in all of these activities is "ogamu" or "worship."  How are we to behave as Christians?

  Even as an American, non participation in family activities is not an option for me. Within the Japanese cultural context I would be considered a very rude, uncaring and self - centered individual, hardly a good witness for Christ.  So how does one maintain a balance between caring for the hearts of family members and the heart of God?  It is not a simple matter. 

  Shortly after I arrived in Japan I was required to attend a Buddhist memorial service.  I really didn't understand what it was all about except that it was heathen according to all I had been taught.  I felt that it would be wrong for me to go and prayed for a way of escape, but none was forthcoming and I went to the temple and sat miserably in the back.  I really did not understand enough language to know what was going on anyway.

  During a shrine visit, when asked why I did not greet the enshrined god properly, I wanted to say was no god there to greet, but I knew that might burn the foundations for any bridges that I wanted to build.  I tried explaining that my husband would not appreciate me fraternizing with another man and that my God felt the same way about shrines.  The asker of the question seemed satisfied with that answer.

  I also have gotten in trouble for refusing to bow and worship the spirits of the dead at our family grave.  These things cannot be ignored, and one must look to God for creative solutions that offend neither Him nor Buddhist family members.  Now when we visit the graves I have to help clean the grave (God never said we can't do cleaning) and put up the incense, which really means nothing to me.  I pray aloud and in Jesus' name,  and thank God for our ancestors and ask for His help in living lives that would make them proud, and for blessings and protection of the living.

  I have heard of Christians reading the Bible to those enshrined in the family altars rather than offering them incense  So what if the living get to listen in, too?

  At Buddhist funerals everyone attending goes forward and drops a worshipful pinch of incense into a small brazier on an altar and bows to the deceased.  What is a Christian to do?  Death is an occasion of sorrow and strain for any family, and certainly not the time to be introducing emotionally charged issues.  One cannot simply refuse to participate. 

  At a Christian funeral one places a flower on the altar in front of the deceased.  It is a token of respect and not worship.  In both styles something is placed somewhere with the intention of showing respect.  The matter of worship is in my own heart.  However, my intentions are not visible and if I go through the motions of giving incense my action might be misunderstood as evidence of belief.  It is a difficult problem.

  Jesus would certainly be present at a place of sorrow and would do all that he could to provide comfort.  He would work serving tables or doing necessary cleaning.  He be there to provide all the comfort that he could by saying that he cared about the sorrow.  He would hold a sleeping baby so that the mother could be free for a few minutes to mourn the grandfather.

  Pastor Nishida said that when he was working in an office, he faced a difficult situation when his boss ordered him to attend the funeral of a business associate (and give incense) in the boss's place as his representative.  It was an offer that was very difficult to refuse.  Some Christians may disagree with what he did and with what I do, but it an issue that must be decided privately in one's own heart before God.  Pastor Nishida offered the following portion of Scripture to consider.

  2 Kings 5:1-19

  Now Naaman was commander of the army of the king of Aram. He was a great man in the sight of his master and highly regarded, because through him the LORD had given victory to Aram. He was a valiant soldier, but he had leprosy.

  Now bands from Aram had gone out and had taken captive a young girl from Israel, and she served Naaman's wife.  She said to her mistress, "If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy."

  Naaman went to his master and told him what the girl from Israel had said.  "By all means, go," the king of Aram replied. "I will send a letter to the king of Israel." So Naaman left, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold and ten sets of clothing.  The letter that he took to the king of Israel read: "With this letter I am sending my servant Naaman to you so that you may cure him of his leprosy."

  As soon as the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his robes and said, "Am I God? Can I kill and bring back to life? Why does this fellow send someone to me to be cured of his leprosy? See how he is trying to pick a quarrel with me!"

  When Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his robes, he sent him this message: "Why have you torn your robes? Have the man come to me and he will know that there is a prophet in Israel."  So Naaman went with his horses and chariots and stopped at the door of Elisha's house.  Elisha sent a messenger to say to him, "Go, wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored and you will be cleansed."

  But Naaman went away angry and said, "I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, wave his hand over the spot and cure me of my leprosy.  Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than any of the waters of Israel? Couldn't I wash in them and be cleansed?" So he turned and went off in a rage.

  It is interesting that Naaman thought that he was in a position to determine the method by which his healing would take place.  He assumed that Elisha would come out, touch the diseased area and say a prayer over it.  But this was not the case.  It is God's place to determine how and when healing takes place.

  Naaman's servants went to him and said, "My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more, then, when he tells you, 'Wash and be cleansed'!"  So he went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times, as the man of God had told him, and his flesh was restored and became clean like that of a young boy.

  Then Naaman and all his attendants went back to the man of God. He stood before him and said, "Now I know that there is no God in all the world except in Israel. Please accept now a gift from your servant."

  The prophet answered, "As surely as the LORD lives, whom I serve, I will not accept a thing." And even though Naaman urged him, he refused.

  "If you will not," said Naaman, "please let me, your servant, be given as much earth as a pair of mules can carry, for your servant will never again make burnt offerings and sacrifices to any other god but the LORD.  But may the LORD forgive your servant for this one thing: When my master enters the temple of Rimmon to bow down and he is leaning on my arm and I bow there also - when I bow down in the temple of Rimmon, may the LORD forgive your servant for this."

  "Go in peace," Elisha said.
  

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