Religion and Me

There was an eye-catching story that tells "Religion now getting an 'A' at U.S. universities" on the May 3rd issue of International Herald Tribune. According to the article, two-third of 112,000 freshmen surveyed said they prayed and almost 80 percent believed in God. The attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 by Islamic extremists and increasing number of international students seem to be some of the reasons.

When asked why I came to believe in the religion that I trust, though it is not easy to answer in a concise manner, I will reply that the religion has a dynamic power to change your life.

I was introduce to the religion, which is called Seicho-No-Ie(SNI) or home of infinite happiness and prosperity, by my parents, but it was when I was 18 years old that I started to learn the SNI teachings with passion. Before that I considered religion as something that helps people who are not confident or independent. When I attended a spiritual training seminar in Uji temple in Japan, however, I completely change my mind toward religion; A true religion has a power to change your life in the right direction and guide you forever.

That experience in Uji was a real eye-opener that I never, ever forgot through my life. Rev. Kamino Kusumoto, elderly SNI ordained minister, who does not speak fluently but speaks words by words in a heartfelt way, shared the attendee with how he devoted all his life into the way propagating the teachings. Listening to that, I realized that I had only understood the SNI teachings superficially but rather I should put it into practice to my everyday life.

Since then, my life, fate and environment have completely changed and began my new life as giving spiritual gift to others.

One year after I joined SNI International Headquarters in 1992, the International Peace by Faith movement was launched. After being involved in a youth movement for 5 years, I was transferred to Public Informaition Department where I was in charge of International affairs. Reading reports on events held in a global arena and writing articles, my enthusiasm to the movement was bubbling up and desired to share the spiritual joy with people of all over the world by attending those events. At last I attended an International Spiritual Training Seminar held in Hawaii in 2000, where I was deeply inspired and encouraged. Then I started to learn English so as to propagate the teachings in English and am now doing that.

Before participating the spiritual training seminar at Uji temple, I never dreamed of engaging in religion or working in English. Now I am going to Hawaii to make as many people as possible by conveying the teachings. Religious faith certainly changed my life brilliantly.

-TA