Teachngs of Nichidatsu Fujii.
The present civilization, being ruled by money, is a civilization that kills people. The modern civilization
invented nuclear machines and collects money instead of producing wealth for all. All energy is devoted to this. But murderous weapons are not necessary for humanity to survive and for nations to exist. As long as these weapons exist, humanity will be oppressed and must be prepared for crisis.How can humankind live peacefully without weapons or arms? Here civilization is at the crossroads. The scientific civilization invented various' machines and finally produced machines of mass murder. Meanwhile, collecting money became the greatest objective for individuals and nations through economic issues. Such modes of thought are developments of the modern civilization. But we have now come to an age when humanity must have mutual trust to survive.
Since China suspects, the Soviet Union suspects, England suspects, France suspects, Japan suspects, Korea suspects, and they all doubt; weapons become necessary. To trust - this is a religious civilization. To trust heaven, to trust the earth, to trust God.... these things will not reply but we trust without doubting. To save others and to save the world - to kill your flesh, to abandon life - these are the tasks of the spiritual civilization< P> The native peoples of the United States did not even think that the immigrants from Europe would push them to extermination. They felt sorry for them; they considered the immigrants their guests, and the indigenous peoples accepted the castaways. This caused their ruin, and today their life is threatened. The Indian people who did not doubt made a sacrifice in order to continue their spiritual way of life.
In order to prevent humankind from being exterminated by the atomic bomb, someone had to be compelled to be a sacrifice. The tragedy must be shown. This is the reason why Japan suffered the A-bombing.
In the end, Jesus Christ had the disgraceful punishment of crucifixion inflicted upon him by the political power of Rome and by the testimonies of foolish people. Power and violence seem to gain victory temporarily, but there is no one now who praises the government of Rome which crucified Christ. The spiritual civilization may be sacrificed temporarily and show misfortune; but in order to save humanity, the sacrifice will eternally be esteemed and live.
People will not scorn or laugh at the sacrifice of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. They are starting to feel sympathy. Through this, humankind will eventually be saved. There will be no one in the future who will rejoice at the victory of the people who dropped the atomic bombs. This is the power of the spiritual civilization. The spiritual civilization will eternally shed a light that will never terminate.
Photo from the address at the Riverside Church, New York. From the Commemoration of Nichidatsu Fujii's 100th Birthday Anniversary.