On July 7, Happy Science CEO Master Ryuho Okawa gave a lecture entitled “Be independent and strong!” at Saitama Super Arena in Saitama prefecture. This lecture was held for the celebration of Master Okawa’s birth, one of the two biggest events in Happy Science. It was broadcast simultaneously to 3,500 locations worldwide over Happy Science’s transit network.

Prior to the lecture, singer Sae Shinohara performed a theme song for an upcoming movie called “The Divine Protector: Master Salt Begins” to be released on Oct. 7. The song was written and composed by Master Okawa.

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During the lecture, Master Okawa pointed out that Japan, along with the Western and Christian civilization to which Japan belongs, follows pre-established values and materialism has reached its limit in various fields. Master Okawa said that it is a great pity that academic people are heading more and more toward materialism.

In the United States, the Supreme Court ruled that laws regulating abortion are acceptable, dividing America over the issue of abortion. Master Okawa addressed President Biden’s statement that the Supreme Court ruling was “tragic,” saying that while some people might think “protecting human rights” means for women to do whatever they want with their bodies, there is “no consideration of the fact that unborn babies also have human rights.”

There’s no black-or-white Christian teaching on when exactly a soul enters the body of an unborn child. Based on his own spiritual investigation, however, Master Okawa said that a soul enters the fetus around the ninth week of pregnancy — when a woman realizes she is pregnant. Such a simple religious viewpoint, and almost like the starting point for Happy Science’s teachings, “will influence the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling,” Master Okawa said, and he continued that “Republicans and Democrats are different in this decision.”

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Master Okawa spoke on the battle in Ukraine. He mentioned that even though countries were initially siding with Ukraine, the situation is changing. According to Master Okawa, President Putin launched a military operation in the first place due to the expansion of NATO.

“Frankly speaking, I don’t think President Putin is senile. His thought process is very much rational and reasonable.”

On the contrary, Master Okawa mentioned that “Mr. Biden is the senile one. This one is clearly dangerous.” Regarding President Zelensky of Ukraine, he cautioned that there was too much responsibility for a comedic actor to play the president without a script. Master Okawa said, “[Zelensky] is not senile. But his head is a little… it’s a bit weak.”

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Japan’s Finance Ministry recently announced that Japan’s general account tax revenues for fiscal year 2021 totaled 67 trillion yen, marking a record high. On the other hand, expenditures surpassed 140 trillion yen, of which approximately 70 trillion yen will be covered by issuing Japanese government bonds. Master Okawa pointed out that there was considerable waste in government spending, including Japan’s responses to Covid-19. He warned of the danger of the government’s deficit management, citing as an example a company with sales of 6.7 billion yen and borrowings of 7.3 trillion yen, and said, “A company like that would 100% go under.”

Furthermore, Master Okawa noted a probable chance that more than a quarter of companies that received unsecured, interest-free loans from the Japanese government for being in financial trouble as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic wouldn’t be able to repay their loans. He expressed his concern that a number of companies may go bankrupt following Japan’s parliamentary election.

Finally, Master Okawa explained the meaning behind his lecture title, “Be Independent and Strong!”

“Do what you can do on your own. Strengthen your own foothold. Build the strength to live independently. Only then can you raise a family and express your opinions freely. You will be recognized as a full-fledged member of society and your words will be persuasive.”

The following topics were also covered in the lecture:

• The future outlook on the Covid-19 pandemic
• One country adopted Master Okawa’s kyoten as supplementary reading material in schools
• Basic sentiments of a nation are manifested in education
• Cutting-edge science as seen in recent novel, “The Unknown Stigma 3 <The Universe>”
• The problem with Japanese Shinto’s view of the spiritual world
• On the souls of pets and livestock
• Destination of human souls that are denied further reincarnation
• Spiritual judgment placed upon same-sex marriage and homosexuality
• The real reason why the Japanese government keeps interest rates at 0%