Wednesday, February 14, 2007

Light Bearer

I was recently confronted with a question from a member of Sukyo Mahikari. It was an excellent question, but not one I was able to answer without consulting my Bible. I told her I would get back with her after I had consulted the scriptures, but after I finished researching I thought; Wow! This would be a great topic for a blog!

She asked me: If Sukyo Mahikari is incorrect and is in fact a false religion; how could I explain the miracles and healing that took place? Something that was not of God surely could not produce the positive results experienced by so many members. Had I not experienced something positive and mysterious as well while receiving true light?

It was a wonderful question and one I was willing to answer after a little prayer and Biblical research. In order to answer this question I had to do a little research on Lucifer; the fallen angel, more widely know as Satan or the Devil. Lucifer was an archangel, created before mankind. He lived in the Garden of Eden but later fell due to his own pride and foolish desire to replace God and “sit on His throne”.

The Bible talks extensively about him in Ezekiel and he is mentioned throughout the Bible multiple times. Seven books in the Old Testament and every writer in the New Testament refer to Satan. Of the 29 references in the New Testament, Jesus is speaking in 25 of them.....his schemes are exposed, and we can begin to understand them. Paul wrote that we should not let Satan take advantage of us by being ignorant of his devices. (II Corinthians 2:11)

The question was formed: Could Satan, Lord of Darkness, be a healer? Examination of this question would prove that the answer is ‘YES’. Here is why…

God created nothing evil; a perfect being could never create something that wasn’t basically good. However, He gave us free will; the option to choose whether we are going to glorify Him with our actions or glory in the sin the world has to offer. Why did He give us free will? Because He wanted us to love Him of our own accord; He didn’t want a planet full of mindless robots who parade around in worship because they have to, because they know nothing else. He wanted us to TRULY love him; with our whole hearts. He wanted us to come to Him. The world fell into sin when Adam and Eve ate from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil; after the fall a wedge was formed between man and God and the only way we could get to God was by following the sacrificial law set forth in Leviticus.

Jesus was the last and final blood sacrifice; because He sacrificed Himself we can now get to God simply by accepting the free gift He gave us on the cross. If we accept His gift of salvation we go to Heaven. We are not saved by our works; not by sitting on our knees and offering okiyome, but by grace alone.

When man fell it was like a domino effect was triggered. Satan was now in his own version of paradise. He was free to tempt us and do everything in his power to obstruct us from going down the right path towards God. Satan caused illness; not God. Satan is the one who tries to injure us; not God. That’s not to say that God cannot use these negative experiences in our lives for good; He is always merciful to those who cry out to Him.

Generally, people travel to dojos to receive okiyome so that their toxins, injuries, and illnesses might be cured. Kumite exalt Okada; claiming that he has given them the secret to life. Okada however, was working hand and hand with Satan; whether he realized it or not. He violated the commandments and led hundreds of people away from God to suit his own greed and presented himself as the messiah. Satan is the source of disease; the sin he stirs brings about illness. Isn’t it reasonable to assume that the cause of the ailment can provide the cure to those who are following him, even if unknowingly? He wants you to believe that you have been cured; if he convinces you of that and you are out in the world preaching a false doctrine, leading multiple people away from Christ why wouldn’t he spare you your agony in order to reach a means?

Something I did notice while I was receiving okiyome was that I felt fine before I started receiving it, but once I had started, it was as though a feeling of lethargy came over me whenever I stopped receiving. It was almost as though I was addicted to the okiyome. Whenever I went long periods without receiving divine light I found that I would become more angry and more irritable; feeding the lie that I needed it to function and further proving in my mind that Okada’s teachings might be correct on some levels. The problems was I would feel relief for a while after I had received, but within a few days if I had not received I was like a raging bull or completely depressed. Of course, Kanbu attributed it all to attaching spirits who didn’t like the divine light and encouraged me to receive more. See how cleverly Satan’s plot is weaved? The more time spent at dojo, the more false doctrine shoved down my throat, the deeper my depression and indoctrination and the more encouragement that I needed even more okiyome from Kanbu.

The name Satan was given when he was an angel; Lucifer, means light bearer. One who bears light. Okiyome is also called divine light. You do the math.