DPJ's Ozawa calls Christianity 'self-righteous'

Wednesday 11th November, 06:17 AM JST

TOKYO —

Democratic Party of Japan Secretary General Ichiro Ozawa said Tuesday that Christianity is an ‘‘exclusive and self-righteous religion’’ after meeting with a Buddhist group leader. ‘‘European and U.S. societies with a historical background of Christianity are bogged down,’’ the ruling party’s No. 2 leader told reporters after meeting Yukei Matsunaga, president of the Japan Buddhist Federation, in Wakayama Prefecture.

On Islam, Ozawa said, ‘‘It is better than Christianity but it is also exclusive.’’ But Ozawa praised Buddhism, saying, ‘‘It teaches us a state of mind and way of life from the start about how human beings should be.’’ He added that the cause of the current social turmoil in Japan is that Japanese people are losing their original spiritual values.

‘‘Politicians cannot conduct politics if they are not prepared to work as both a human being and Japanese,’’ Ozawa said.

On the Liberal Democratic Party which became an opposition party following a general election in August, Ozawa said, ‘‘It is originally a typically Japanese party, but it lost that virtue. That is the biggest reason why it lost people’s support.’’

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Latest 15 of 252 Total Comments Show All

Azrael at 05:07 PM JST - 16th November

MagnusGarstin: How many other books on the subject have you read apart of Mrs. Ellerbe's?
Stoker at 07:23 PM JST - 16th November

He is wrong to say that Islam is better than Christianity, but right to criticize the latter. However clearly his statements are about Japanese nationalism, not religion itself. Distinguishing 'we' nice Buddhist Japanese against 'them' bad Christian West.
MagnusGarstin at 12:08 AM JST - 17th November

Have you really read the Bible? Somehow I don't think that's true.

Why? - because I said I think it's ludicrous?

I assure you, I've read a great many books, several of them standard religious texts, that I think are completely absurd.
Junnama at 12:14 AM JST - 17th November

No, because even if you don't believe it's true (a parable) it's quite thorough in wisdom on the human condition. I don't believe anyone who actually has read it would discard its content as "ludicrous". Well unless they were an enemy of acquiring knowledge....
MagnusGarstin at 12:25 AM JST - 17th November

Maybe I'm commenting with a slight sense of bravado because I know that I can question such a text without having my nails torn from my fingers or the marrow crushed from my thigh bones - not something I would have cared to wager on three or four hundred years ago.

As to acquiring knowledge, how often has your church (I presume it's your church) promoted knowledge over ignorance? If he were still alive, I'd suggest that you had a good long chat with Galileo - he might have something to say on the subject.
Junnama at 12:30 AM JST - 17th November

You wouldn't have been able to do a lot of things without being tortured five hundred years ago. That's the human condition.
Junnama at 12:33 AM JST - 17th November

The failings of churches past and present are all well documented. What does thathave to do with the Bible? You see I am more convinced you have never read it.
MagnusGarstin at 12:34 AM JST - 17th November

You wouldn't have been able to do a lot of things without being tortured five hundred years ago

Certainly - if I'd lived in a "god-fearing" (the lower-case "g" is deliberate) Christian country! I'd have been terrified of enjoying even the most simple human pleasures in life for fear of being denounced as a heretic or witch.

That's the CHRISTIAN human condition.
Junnama at 12:42 AM JST - 17th November

It was the human condition long before Christianity and has by and large been the human condition in godless countries - USSR, PRC, Cambodia come to mind. There is no one neck to choke - this is just how people are.
WilliB at 09:53 AM JST - 17th November

I am not religious myself, but I am sure any Christian would be happy to answer the question "what good and new has Christianity brought us".

I can think of a couple of concepts that are worth respect -- the sanctity of life, love of your neighbour, etc.

When the pope asked (or rather quoted) that question, the islamic world erupted in a orgy of rioting, violence, and death threats.

Speaks for itself, doesn´t it.
Makkun70 at 11:48 AM JST - 17th November

Not reall Willi as it's just something you've written. Religion is the opiate of the masses and it's been shoveled into our opium pipes by the ruling elites for years. And let's not mix up being religious with spirituality and humanity. I'm not religious, but then again I don't need a manual to tell me you have a better life if you're just generally nice to people. Religion has become obsolete in a modern free thinking society..
MagnusGarstin at 01:07 PM JST - 17th November

Well said Makkun70 - you put it far better than I ever could.

I am far too sarcastic when making a point about religion (or, in fact, any topic) - which is why, I guess, I have so many comments removed by our astute moderators (emphasis being on the first syllable of "astute")
noirgaijin at 03:29 PM JST - 17th November

Ichiro Ozawa has solidified my belief that he is a certified idiot! My religion teaches to respect others faith as well as those who choose not to have any. I can't even see how this even came up as a topic of discussion for a person in his position to comment on.
sfjp330 at 03:59 AM JST - 18th November

A self-righteous religious person is self-justified. Their salvation is really dependent upon "their" works. They may mouth "saved by grace through faith," but they are empty words. A self-righteous person will always have people they can look down upon. After all, some people work harder for the Lord than others. While they may not voice it openly, those deemed to be outside the "saved" camp become secretly despised. Since God is going to deal with them in very cruel ways, the self-righteous person feels justified in copying their God of wrath. This self-righteousness then becomes a mountain of people under their feet, so to speak, a mass of people to look down upon as despised, forsaken, despicable. This mass of people can be compose of other denominations, people with other doctrinesand creeds, entire nations, various personal preferences, or a host of other reasons to place these people in the "not saved" or "unjustified" camp.
mmatheist at 08:40 AM JST - 21st November

Quite simply, religion and state MUST be kept separate. Especially the 3 Abrahamic religions have no place in our schools or government. Governments West and East who've allowed this to happen have vast, deep-rooted problems BECAUSE of it.