I stumbled across this article in the Wall Street Journal. I was intrigued because it brought religion in on this terrible tragedy that has happened there. The author describes that Japense as fatalists. One aspect of fatalism is their ability to bounce back from tragedies like the atomic bomb or the recent earth quake. He explains their religon, “The country's earliest native religion, Shinto, literally Way of the Gods, is composed of rituals to appease the forces of nature, which are held to be divine. Since nature can be angry as well as benevolent, these gods must be kept happy with offerings, ceremonies and sacrifices. Unlike the Christian or Jewish God, Shinto gods do not impose laws, moral standards or a dogma. All they want is respect.” There is a debate as to whether the gods are angry or if this just life. Either way, the Japense are known for a saying, “pouring out with the water,” which means they will move on from the past and keep going. My hope is that this tragedy causes everyone to come out stronger; that it will cause reconciliation and resilience. James 1 explains that it is through times of trial that our faith is tested and if we persevere then we become mature and complete.
Check out the article:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703818204576206550636826640.html?KEYWORDS=religion+and+movie
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