神様
- カテゴリ：日記
- 2014/02/23 23:35:50
私の父は数年前までフィリピンのイフガオ州で植林のプロジェクトをしていました。
イフガオは美しい棚田がある地域で、そこの棚田はフィリピンの数少ない世界遺産です。
父は２０数年前に初めてイフガオを見たとき、昔の日本のようだと感じたそうです。
その時まるで日本のような風景に感動したと同時に急激に減っている森林を見て‘このままではここの棚田は二十年のうちに壊れてしまう’と感じたそうでそれを理由にそこで植林を始めました。
＊母のクリニックも父の仕事がフィリピンにあるからとついて行ってフィリピンの医療の現実にショックを受け始めたものです。
イフガオの人たちはほかのフィリピン人と大きく違うものがあります。
そこの人たちはキリスト教ではなく、日本と同じように八百万の神様を信じています。
と言っても神道ではなく、その地域独特の宗教でものにも植物にも皆神様がいるという考えです。
昨日父と‘神様’について話していて、父がイフガオの神父に昔聞いた話を私にしてくれました。
その神父さんはイフガオでも一番偉い神様がいると言ったそうです。
それはきっとどの宗教でもたいがい同じだろう。
神様を物でたとえるなら山だ。
左から見たらキリストに見えるかもしれないし、右から見ればアラーに見えるかもしれない。
また反対から見ればブッダに見えるのだろう。
イフガオでも一番上の神様がいて、その下に精霊たちがいる。
そう考えると神様という立場にいる者は一人なのかもしれない。
ただ、見る角度がちがえば全く違う者に見えるだけだ。
話にとても納得して、そう考えればそうなのかもしれないと思いました。
私と父は一定の宗教を信じているわけではありません。
私はどの宗教の神様も信じるタイプです。
父のほうはどの宗教も信じないタイプですが、神様はいると信じています。＾＾
I agree that conflicts between religions makes people unable to talk about religion that easily without proper knowledge or faith especially in a global scale. I believe that there is Christ because I have seen many people in Philippines being saved by him. (At least the people say that it was Christ who saved them when miracles happen and I agree with their opinions)
I believe in the Shinto gods because I saw the obviously different atmosphere in their shrines and I have attended some of their religious ceremonies.
I believe in Buddah and Allah as well.
Perhaps my way of thinking will not be taken kindly in a global scale, so I don't intend to mention it to people much. I don't particularly follow their religious rules as well. I am well aware of the fact that it may cause me trouble if I want to talk to people globally.
Thank you for your reply on my message. I'm so impressed by your opinion on religion for Japanese people.
I agree with you. We used to be religious people and still have got much influenced when it comes to holding ceremony. However, there's tendency or preference to withhold commenting on religion in the postwar period maybe because some people link it to the tragic matters during war. So we've been kept the distance from it. On the other hand, there are many people who are very religious in the world. Some say it helps them be more confident because they have a strong base they can believe in. I think it's all good, but at the same time, I'm sorry that it sometimes becomes a cause of serious conflict between different religious groups. I haven't found how we Japanese should view religion and should take it into our daily life yet, however even it seems hard, I think we shouldn't keep being lukewarm to this topic as we have more chance to communicate with people globally.
I don`t actually think that Japan is a country that doesn`t have a primary religion. In fact, I believe it`s a country that is rich with religion and gods. I think that the strong sense of religion that Japanese had was one important factor that made Japan so strong in the world war as well.
My mother`s work often connect to spiritual people in Japan that is famous for their accomplishments. I often hear their story and all of them said the same thing: after the World War II, many Japanese had lost their knowledge about gods. We have come to have less faith in them. Japan is said to be the first land that the gods stepped on, and I want to believe it is so. There were many experts who said that Japan had become weak and I think that is very true. However, I don`t think Japan is a country that has no religion. I believe that it`s a country that has a powerful religion and that is why the religion is still respected and unchanged from thousands of years ago. :D
Thank you for posting your thoughts concerning religion. It’s one of the difficult topics to talk to the people around the world, and they say the Japanese have generally no religion. However, I have an idea which is very close to yours and I think that idea has been incorporated to our lives deeply. We may be not too strict to follow every religious ceremony, however we have feelings that we naturally show our respect for great nature because we’ve realized in it the awe inspiring power which is unknowable existing.
Take care.
I really look up to my father`s leadership and knowledge! Though he has a violent side, I`m glad he`s my father and I`m sure I`ll feel that way for years to come. :D
はなさん＞
お久しぶりです。ここ数週間あまりインできていなくてすみません(__)
私も普段あまり神様に感謝をしていないのに、自分の都合が悪時だけ神頼みをしてしまいます。（笑）
でも、私もはなさんが思うように神様や精霊などの存在を信じているほうが毎日が楽しいと思います。＾＾
またタウンであった時はよろしくお願いします！
Ｅｒｉ>
I`m glad there`s somebody that shares the same idea as me! Only, for me, I believe in most religions though I mainly focus on Shinto. :)
Carrie>
I really am lucky to have my parents. I`ve seen alot of children that weren`t as lucky as I am. I guess it`s also the environment I live in that makes me respect my parents. To speak truthfully, I think I would have gone pessimistic if I was raised in Japan. I know that I`m far more lucky than so many people and not thanking what I have would be rude to those who doesn`t have it.
You are really lucky to have such respectable parents.
I was kind of agnostic before, but I believe now that gods are everywhere even inside of us. :D
I respect any religion but I never belong to any religion groups.
I think there is something great in this world, some calles him Christ, others call him Budda.
Thanks much for the great job you've done this evening.
I was deeply moved by reading your blog.
You're lucky to be blessed with your nice and respectable father and mother.
Your blog article reminds me of the present topic 'What are friends for?' we've been discussing for a couple of weeks in the SESS session.
You've established a really good relationship with your parents in which you can talk frankly and casually about different topics at home.
I hope you'll treasure the relationship with your parents forever.
See you next Sunday.