Master Ryuho Okawa founder of Happy Science gave a lecture entitled “The Light that will Save the Earth” on the 6th to celebrate his birthday. The main venue was Saitama Super Arena and the lecture was broadcast live around the world. This lecture marked the 2500th lecture by Master Okawa.

Overcoming Differences in Race and Religion

Master Okawa opened the lecture expressing his grief for the rise in Islam-related terrorism around the world, including the recent Islamic State attack in Bangladesh. He conveyed his “strong sense of responsibility” in this matter, and his intension to resolve it.

While Master Okawa said that it is clearly evil for extremists to massacre people of other religions, he raised 2 other views on the matter: 1. to think about why Islamic State is doing these things; and 2. to think about what Allah himself is thinking regarding these actions undertaken in his name.

Master Okawa reminded that Allah is a God of mercy, and criticized extremist activities saying, “Allah doesn’t plan to cause pain and suffering to innocent people during the process of spreading the teachings.”

Christianity and Islam have a history of conflict due to lack of mutual understanding of each other’s differences, and in order to overcome these, he said, “I would like you to know what the Creator God is trying to teach and give to the people”.

Japan’s Path to Progress

Master Okawa also spoke on Japanese politics. The House of Counselors election if drawing near, but there is no debate going on regarding the things that the country depends on for survival, such as the U.S. military base transfer in Okinawa and an amendment of the Constitution. Master criticized the politicians who “are all just trying to get seats ignoring the truly important things, but then after they get their seat they try to legislate it as a bill. This style is irresponsible.”

He also pointed to Japan’s 25-year stagnant economy, and the bleak current prospective. He warned the dangers of the administration’s reliance on quantitative easing, saying “simply practicing an academic method of monetarism will not bring about economic prosperity.” He proposed a concrete economic policy that Japan ought to take.

Master Okawa closed the lecture with a powerful statement: “right religion establishes world justice and teaches people how to discern good from evil.” The audience responded with a standing ovation.

Master Okawa also spoke on the following points in the lecture:

• The difference between revolution and terrorism
• The aim behind Hong Kong’s “Umbrella Revolution”
• Constitution Amendment, which will become a major issue at the post-election parliament
• The root of the problem with Article 9 of the Constitution
• How the U.S. has been pondering about world justice
• Why so many businesses still refuse to loan money after quantitative easing
• What Abenomics should adopt as its next step
• Dangers that await Japan if the U.S. Army withdraws
• To continue nuclear energy if we want peace
• What the next U.S. President expects from Japan
• How the mass media has rights to violate citizen rights
• The holy mission that religions must fulfill