Recently, we, along with a friend, visited Mount Shosha, an entire complex of Buddhist temples with over a thousand years’ history on top of the mountain. Although it is a local tourist attraction in its own right, it has of late become more famous as the site of the filming of The Last Samurai. After taking a cable car up to the top, we climbed the rest of the way up. We were blessed with another beautiful fall day: the trees on the surrounding mountains were changing colour, the air was crisp, the sun was shining, and the trees on Shosha were some of the most brilliant I have seen in Japan.
Despite the day we were both left wondering at what we, as Christians, are to do in a place such as this. It is an entire mountain dedicated to that which we do not believe in. Are we somehow immune from the spirituality that exists in such places? Are the temples only fascinating architecture and historical buildings? Or are we to be aware of what they truly represent? And yet, through Christ’s death, He “disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it” (Col 2:15). Having said that, it does not deny their existence: are we still to be conscious of these powers? Are we to show our respect in such places (such as take off our shoes)? Or is this an act of reverence that should be reserved only for the True God? Or, is it a sign not of respect for the religion, but for the people who follow it?
How then, shall we live?
2 comments:
An interesting point. How do we demonstrate Christ to those around us? No easy answers for that question. But, experiencing a new and foreign culture forces you to come to some sort of answer. Your point also raises the issue with us here in Canada: how do we represent Christ to this society, without judging it and while respecting the people in it?
Yeah, that is true, it isn't just in the far off countries that we struggle with these things. As with most things there are no easy answers... but life is in the struggle. -Rod
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