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August 18, 2006
Destroying Society with Words
Recently, I received the following e-mail message. I was deeply impressed by it and thought I'd share it with you. It's from a non-Christian young woman living in Chiba Prefecture.
How are you? While I was still in school, I used to watch Harvest Time now and then on Chiba TV and now I've been receiving your e-mail magazine for about the last two years. Living in a world where everything changes so quickly, I've found myself longing for something that doesn't. I'm not a Christian, but I'm a fan of Harvest Time.
There's something I want to ask you about. Recently, I've been hearing the word "Trinity," which is a religious term, used to describe financial affairs. Since there's a close connection between religion and things like politics or life in general, it seems natural that words like that might be used as figures of speech. However, I've heard Diet members, in truly convoluted fashion, use this concept in their statements. For example, a member of an opposition party was recently criticizing a legislative proposal. Rather carelessly and in somewhat vulgar fashion, he spit out something like this: "Far from being a three-in-one Trinity, these are three completely different things!" I can no longer stand watching the important words we use to talk about our lives be distorted for the vulgar purpose of giving others the impression that one's assertions are correct or for merely trying to become the focus of attention. I heard this statement on the radio quite by chance and I have no idea what the Diet member's name was. I don't say this because I have any special feelings for or against him. There's freedom of speech, of course, but can it possibly be right for someone to use words with such indiscretion and disrespect in public discourse? We have collections of poetry from long ago that show how both the nobility and the peasantry of Japan were people who cherished the importance of words. It's a shame we've lost that.
I apologize for dropping this on you out of the blue, but I'd really like to hear your opinion about this. Please take care of yourself. I hope you'll keep instructing us with words that are filled with wisdom.
This lady isn't a Christian, yet she was fully aware that there was something wrong with a careless use of the Christian technical term "Trinity." She also expressed her apprehensions about how the language of the Japanese people is being degraded. I think it's wonderful that she's aware of a problem that even Christians are often unconcerned about.
The term "Trinity" itself does not appear in the Bible. However, that doesn't mean that the concept is not a biblical one. The truth is, it's just the opposite. In order to express the nature of God as it's revealed in the Bible, the term Trinity is utilized. A good definition of Trinity might be something like this: "God in His essential being is one. Yet within that oneness exist the three distinct personalities of Father, Son and Holy Spirit." The doctrine of the Trinity forms the core of the Christian faith. It is so important that Christianity stands or falls by it.
Politicians here often use this expression, referring to some combination of elements as a "Trinity." Coming from them, it sounds so silly, evoking the image of a grouping of three fruits or vegetables for sale in a market (or perhaps three rice dumplings on a stick!). The fatal flaw to this wording, however, is a lack of understanding about the meaning of the second character in this four-character term. "Trinity," in Japanese, is sanmi-ittai and the second character, mi (also pronounced kurai), has to do with rank or position. In this case, it's a reference to the character of God, who exists from eternity past to eternity future and is at work as complete master of all spheres of life. With this in mind, the term is hardly suitable as a slogan for the latest version of structural reform policy that politicians can use as they please.
It goes without saying that politicians who let this phrase slip so glibly from their lips bear responsibility for the degrading of our language. Yet, the mass media, as well, who so uncritically mimic politicians' use of the term, also deserve some of the blame. In other words, both these parties seem to lack the slightest interest in examining the definitions of the words they use. If you put forth an argument without defining your terms, what do you think will happen? Both parties will be using the same words, but will be talking about completely different things. For example, people who teach heretical ideas will use the words of Jesus Christ to support their positions. However, when you examine what they mean by the words they use, you discover a Jesus that's very different from the one in the Bible. Just because they use the name of Jesus is no reason at all to trust them.
An argument advanced with undefined terms (or with little thought given to the meaning of the words used) will not produce logical thinking. And, of course, there's no future for logical thinking in a culture that has collapsed. There are many opinions regarding the merits or demerits of the Koizumi government. However, I think I can reliably say that the "one-phrase response" that's so characteristic of this administration has really wrecked the Japanese people's political senses. For a politician, words are life itself. A government weakened by the words it uses, however, can do little more than march along in a toy-soldier-like manner. Just thinking about this scares me.
We're starting to see indications that Japan is becoming a society where logical thinking has collapsed. I remember the shock I got when I read the best-selling book, The Fool's Wall, awhile back. Among other things, the author went about disparaging the whole idea of holding to a "one true faith," seemingly unaware that his unbelief constituted a "fool's wall" of his own. Indeed, the more I read, his argument seemed more akin to the story of The Emperor's New Clothes than anything else. HIs main insistence was that there's no such thing as absolute Truth. Of course, he contradicted himself royally by insisting upon the absolute correctness of his premise. This is like spitting into the wind. That a book like that could become a best-seller gives a hint of what a strange society Japan has become. Could it be that an author with acknowleged self-contradictions is testing the discerning powers of his readership? If that's the case, the popularity of this book is clearly a first-class illusion -- and that's all it is.
I'm thankful for the valuable comment from this lady in Chiba. It caused me to think again about the importance of words. You strike me, madam, as being someone who's not far at all from finding God. I pray that through the Bible, you might truly find that which is eternally unchanging. Rich blessings upon all of you readers, as well, in Y'shua's precious name. Shalom!
Kenichi Nakagawa
Posted by HarvestTV at 04:22 PM | Comments (0)