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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 18, 1963)
---4 12 A MONDAY, NOVKMBlill 18, 19KJ MbDKUtU) MAIL TKIHUNE. MGDKORD, OREGON Soka Gakkai Discussed by American Student in Japan (Editor s note: This u an other in series of articles from Fred Lorish, son of Dr. and Mrs. Fred C. Lorish, 830 Minnesota Ave., Medford, who , is studying at Kelo University in Japan.) By FRED LORISH Recently I came across a copy of the Sept 10 edition of "Look Magazine, in which the cover article dealt with Japan. The cover itself was quite enough to gam a few extra readers "JAPAN: Prosperity beauty ug liness and an alarming new re ligion which wants to conquer the world. I am sure the journalistic world has an appropriate word which is used to express the use of such a headline: perhaps "sensationalism is close. Nev ertheJess. "Look" has taken i number of rather innocent words and blown them up in such a way as to completely miscon strue the meanings. I will not go so far as to say that the "Soka Gakkai," the above mentioned religion, does not want to conquer the world. But then, what religion doesn't? Perhaps "conquer" is a little too strong, but there is not a major religion existent that doesn't desire to "extend its in fluence" to include the entire workl. This Is true of Christian ity as well as many other mod ern Japanese religions iwmcn are, in fact, equally as interest ed in world domination as the Soka Gakkai). Perhaps Chris tianity hasn't the prophetic zeal of this religion, but there was a time during which Christians utilized a great deal of "zeal" combined with the machinery of war to extend their influence (need I enumerate). The Soka Gakkai hasn't yet gone to this extreme, though it does use numerous strong-arm tactics. The article mentioned that the Soka Gakkai has attracted 10 million people. Considering that Japan has a population of 100 million, this is a sizable portion one-tenth. William P. Woodard, the di rector of the International Insti tute for the Study of Religions (and whose comments were part of the "Look" article) made a statistical study of the entire spectrum of modem Ja- pan s religions two years ago among his findings, after re- aucstine all the religions to in struct him as to the number of adherents, was the fact that there were, in total, 140 million adherents, but only 100 million people. Recently, a newspaper article quoted a member of the Soka Gakkai leadership as saying that the number of converts numbers about 3 million. I, in the course of my research, have found fig ures running from 1.5 million to Look s 10 million, lhe dis crepancy lies in the fact that the Soka Gakkai membership is in terms of families, so that if one member joins, the others are automatically counted whether they believe or not. Even those who upon becoming disillusioned leave the fold of Soka Gakkai are included. The number 3 mil lion is probably closest to fact. Drift of Article The general drift of the article semed to convey the feeling that Soka Gakkai is in fact a great problem in Japan, and that the Japanese people fear this mil itaristic, vociferous, intolerant religion: The air in Tokyo night or day rings with the cacophony of Soka Gakkai and shakubuku, the endless chanting and the self-as serting songfests reminiscent ot prewar imperialistic Japan." Awfully strong words, and meaningless. I have yet to see; hear, or even hear of a rally, and I know that I am not the only one. The truth is that this is not the first militaristic and intolerant religion Japan has produced. The prophetic zeal of the Budd hist saint, Nichiren, whose re ligion is the fore-runner of the modern Soka Gakkai, during the Thirteenth Century, was much the same. It prospered by sinis ter means, and finally lost its prestige. Run Same Pattern Countless other religions or religious sects have run the same pattern. I doubt that there are many Japanese who believe the religion of the Soka Gakkai will become the only religion of Japan, and least of all. the world. Though there is admit tedly a great deal of concern, and rightfully so, at present con cerning the group s policies, but it is gencrallv felt, I believe, that it has reached its peak and will soon be superseded by an other of Japan's numerous re ligions. The impression one might have gained from the "Look ar ticle would be that another im perialistic, militaristic influence is again coming to the forefront of Japanese political power. Look" has, I believe, succeed ed in presenting this picture without really admitting any thing. It is unfortunate that a good magazine should present an incorrect picture of a rather touchy subject. The Japanese have a remark able culture (much of which she has forgotten in favor of West ern oriented ideals), from which the West can learn a great deal. Such publicity as "Look" pre sented can only hinder the Inter change of cultural ideals so necessary for mutual understanding. Dennis the Menace , j.w . - : rrr : J? iws vi : si h DOH'TcAlfoW OUT an LIMB "When the bough breaks" and you are up to your neck in anow, you'll wish you hadn't waited to fix yourself, some low cost storm windows. Do it now! It's easy with Warp's EASY-OX Storm Window Kits. Contain everything needed for a com plete storm window. EASY.ON , . . America's most popular window kit . . , is only 39f at your local dealer. 'SEE, I OONT KNOW WHY JUSTyMf WXJL0 WE VA SO TiREP. rJwl .. IF 0WA6THE Ot'lAW WHO LIVEO IN A SHOE ' Small Town Life Not as Relaxing As Some May Think TECUMSEH, Mich. (UPI) Life in a small town may not be as relaxing as some people would have you believe. At least, that's what th' Uni versity of Michigan .jund during its long study oi this southeastern Michigan commun ity of about 10,000. More than one big city busi nessman, confronted with ulcers and jangling nerves, has had his physician tell him to re lax and take it easy, perhaps adding the suggestion that the quiet life in a smaller commun ity would prove the cure. But eight years of study by the U. of M. School of Public Health indicates that life in the small town may not be relaxing after all. Almost the entire pop ulation of Tecumsch took part in the experiment. The univers ity has now issued Its first re port and some of the informa tion is startling. Heart Disease Evident The report shows that "a re markably high" Incidence of heart disease in middlc-aeed people was evident in Tecum seh. The frequency of high blood pressure, high blood ser um cholesterol and high blood sugar was also astonishing in people over 50. Chronic diseases in adults generally was well above what the researchers had expected. The university set up the stu dy in 1956 with the aid of a grant from the American Heart Association and the U.S. Public Health Service. The first report on the results were made last week in Kansas City at a meet ing of the American Public Health Association. The report was made by Dr. Frederick H. WE HAVE the FLEX'U CRYSTAL CIEAK CUT.TACK, SEWorSEAL HUNDREDS OF USES INDOORS OUTDOORS Only 29j Epstein of the U. of M. Cardio vascular Research Center. ine report showed, among oincr mings: One-fifth of the population of Tccumseh above middle one had abnormally high blood pressure. A striking climb, relative to age, was found in the per centage of people over 50 who suuereo irom multiple disor ders. Six per cent of the women and 12 per cent of the men in their 50s had coronary artery disease. -One-fifth of lhe middle-aoerl people had high blood sugar I and high cholesterol. ! Diabetes was delected in 3 per cent of the women and 2 per cent of the men in their ; 50s. Chronic flionchltls 1 Eleven per cent of the men and 2 per cent of the women in their 50s have chronic bronchi tis and 5 per cent of the wom en and 1 per cent of the men In the same age group have rheumatoid arthritis. To gather all the data, a clin ic was set up in Tecumsch, a city located about 23 miles southwest of Ann Arbor. A com plete medical historv wac tnken of every resident taking part in the study and each person has an annual interview and medi cal checkup. The first program ot its kind In the nation, the study is far from finished. The university spenas snout 250,000 a year to pay tor the physicians, epidemi ologists, public health nurses, industrial hyoicnists. sanllarv engineers, blostatlsliclans, soci ologists and other specialists taking part in the study. 10th & Central 772-5201 We Have The Genuine il riex-v- t Gass Mm 29 Lin. Ft. J" 36" Wid HUBBARD BROS., Inc. 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