James and I conquered more of Japan today.
We first went to a famous Buddhist temple, just to check out its architecture, one of the oldest in Japan and built by the famous Prince Shitoku. Well, since I do not know who Prince Shitoku, so he is not famous.
Unfortunately, some of the sights we tried to visit were closed today, but the weather was really good to us, so walking was not as a major pain, which was great.
James made an excellent choice for a tourist site today: the Nagai Botanical Gardens. Located in southern Osaka, it was the most beautiful day to go. Hardly anyone was there. Located right behind a major sports complex, the walk to the Gardens was very scenic and the summer breeze felt great.
The flowers and the water lilies were a joy to see. The Rose Garden, with no one there, was tranquil, and I really felt God in that moment. There is nothing more evident of God`s existence than His creation. See, I have not seen a garden/forest in months, because I live in a city where vegetation is hard to find. The people who were there were Japanese who seemed very active and enjoyed the outdoors. There old women taking strolls with one another, mothers and children walking side by side, old Japanese ajoshi having chats on park benches, and a couple of artists painting the beautiful scenery. It was a moment, well I am not going to say bliss because its sort of associated with Buddhism, but it was a moment of peace.
Tonight, James and I went to dinner, and we went to the World Trade Center in southwest Osaka. We went all the way to the top floor and surveyed the entire city. It was amazing. Man`s accomplishment, well, I give him credit for building such a city, but the ability to build and build more is only given by God.
However tonight, as I walking in the streets of this city before heading home, I noticed something wrong. Even though I admire the country for many aspects of it, there is something that bothers me nonetheless. I see lostness in the face of the youth.
Many of the young people dress up in ways that are straight up outrageous. Many young women cake make up to the extreme, and the young men dress in goofy ways.
In this society, Japan is a whopping 1% Christian statistic. With hardly a backdrop of strong morals and family life anymore, and no God to give a purpose to these young peoples lives, you can easily tell that many of these people are losing direction.
At least in South Korea, many people are religious, and even though not all faith is genuine in all people, the given moral backdrop does help the society function on a more even keel.
One grave example of the lost youth of Japan are the rising amount of juvenile crime. Today, one 22-year old confessed in a trial in Tokyo that he drowned his sister, and dismembered her body. Its her sister! These subtle acts of sin cause a pain inside me, but people today do not admit that it is a problem of the heart, but just a mental issue. With Japan a rich nation and big in status, the biggest issue is that many a child will forget morals and values and go for their own pleasure, which produces pride.
A lost society produces lost children...and lost lives. The real casualty is not only those who commit the crime and the victim, but that they did not have the chance to know the true God who can give them life.
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