John Kitsco

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As Japan began to shape itself into the modern world, with more industry
(and not unlike North America) this change of pace often created hardship
for the poor. We often see this happening in areas today where industry
moves in.

In the case of Japan, there occurred with the industry, new religions,
some based on advice of psychics or the prophecy of mediums. The Oomoto
religion started this way. At the time, young Hidemaru apparently suffered
from spirit possession and from age 22 (with the guidance of Onisaburu
- a gifted medium - Hidemaru wrote in his diary for some 20 years.  But in
1935 Japan denounced the Oomoto religion, pretty much due to the religions
base of pacifist and anti-imperial ideology.  Young Hidemaru was arrested,
suffered torture for weeks on end and eventually had a breakdown.  He never
wrote again.  But his brilliant ideas of life can still be found in various books,
one of my favorite being IN SEARCH OF MEANING.  Here is the poetic
postscript from that book by Hidemaru Deguchi.

POSTSCRIPT

I know you're lonely, and its tough
But be patient
For just a little longer.
Dawn comes to the darkest night,
There is no winter without an end.
Even when gritting your teeth
And clinging to the ground for dear life
One way or another you must surmount the crisis.
You must never cry out, "Its hopeless!"
If the east is impassable, the turn to the west;
If the way to the south is blocked, escape to the north;
If north, south, east and west are all shut off,
Rest where you are for awhile.
Heaven and earth change daily;
Clear and cloudy, cold and warm,
Sunrise and moonrise,
Nightfall and daybreak,
Don't imagine that your state of impasse
Will continue on forever.
When your lonely, pray;
When times are hard, pray;
There is no true staff and pillar other than God.
I will pray for you
And you must pray for yourself as well.
God, please let me clear the darkness of my heart
and let me absolve the burden of my sins.
Our bodies and souls are yours,
Please shed light and strength
Upon our shallow understanding and weak spirits.