Japanese Minister thinks the tsunami was "Divine Punishment"

[VanQ]

So I just jumped onto ANN to check my usual reviews and columns when I saw an article titled "Tokyo Head: Tsunami is 'Divine Punishment". I can understand that idiots around the world are venting their hate and using God as a scapegoat for a natural disaster, but when a high ranking government official, who was born and raised in Japan makes a PUBLIC announcement of this sort, I just can't help but feel... i don't even know how to feel about this. Enraged? Sad? I know that Ishihara has a long history of saying stupid stuff, but this really takes the cake.
Here's exactly what was said: "The identity of the Japanese people is selfishness. The Japanese people must take advantage of this tsunami as means of washing away their selfish greed. I really do think this is divine punishment."
Link to the article: http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/int...-is-divine-punishment-haruhi-yamakan-responds
There is a video of the statement being made there, so I won't post it here.
Let me make it clear that I think this is a major disaster and that my thoughts go out to the Japanese in this time of crisis.
So what do my fellow escapists think of this?

 

[theComposer]

I find this hard to believe. How can this guy say such a thing when his countrymen are suffering through a horrible disaster and still call himself Japanese? It's bad enough hearing people saying the tsunami was retribution for Pearl Harbor, but this is ridiculous.

 

[masher]

Ishihara Ishihara Ishihara-- -that- is Ishihara, and, quite frankly, he is a bastard. In all due respect, feel free to disregard all he spouts and says.

 

[Veloxe]

Crazy/stupid people are universal, they know no nationality or race. Not that surprising that some are living in Japan as well. Although in terms of "divine punishment" stories I've read surrounding the disaster, this has been the tamest yet.

 

[LittleJP]

You've forgotten Europe during the Black Plague. This isn't the first time this has happened, to say nothing of the bible and the story of Noah.

 

[Eldarion]

The amount of bile my species is spewing lately in regards to human suffering is appalling.

This is a tragedy. People can't be like this.

 

[Iron Lightning]

Wow.. now that's just... sad. 'nuff said

 

[Lilani]

I hate threads like this, because at first glance it implies that the whole of Japan feels that way. Absolutes like that just lead to pointless arguments fueled by misnomers.

Just as with any other opinion and belief, only a certain percentage of the people feel that way. Misrepresenting the information one way or the other, whether intentionally or not, just invalidates the OP and the topic as a whole.

 

[beniki]

Yeah, some nutbar trying to appeal to other nutbars to increase his political standing, with the eventual goal of turning the entire country into nutbars so he doesn't feel like such a lonely nutbar.

He's just a... what's the word? Oh, yeah. Idiot.

 

[Feralcentaur]

You've forgotten Europe during the Black Plague. This isn't the first time this has happened, to say nothing of the bible and the story of Noah.

The difference between the Great flood and the Black plague and the recent disaster in Japan is that while the Black Plague certainly exists/existed as well as the recent Japan Tsunami/Earthquake the Great Flood is from old religious text that hasn't been effectively proven and most likely didn't happen that most Athiests or Agnostics would tell you certainly never happened, but if the OP is Christian than you have to consider that many Christians don't believe in every rule or story in The Bible like the story of the Great Flood. Also OP: One Japanese man does not represent the entire country, just like those Westburrow Baptist Churchians didn't represent The U.S.A. when they said 9/11 was punishment from god.

 

[Cheery Lunatic]

Not "THE" Japanese, but a fuckskull who HAPPENS to be Japanese.

I know what you meant in your title, and I don't mean to be anal about it, but that still bothers me.
It's like taking that other video of that retarded chick and titling "Christians think tsunami is God's punishment".

 

[LittleJP]

You've forgotten Europe during the Black Plague. This isn't the first time this has happened, to say nothing of the bible and the story of Noah.

The difference between the Great flood and the Black plague and the recent disaster in Japan is that while the Black Plague certainly exists/existed as well as the recent Japan Tsunami/Earthquake the Great Flood is from old religious text that hasn't been effectively proven and most likely didn't happen that most Athiests or Agnostics would tell you certainly never happened, but if the OP is Christian than you have to consider that many Christians don't believe in every rule or story in The Bible like the story of the Great Flood.

I scouring for examples off the top of my head that may or may not have basis in fact that had similar basis in the whole "divine punishment" thing.

Point is, this does happen a lot in history.

 

[VanQ]

I hate threads like this, because at first glance it implies that the whole of Japan feels that way. Absolutes like that just lead to pointless arguments fueled by misnomers.

Just as with any other opinion and belief, only a certain percentage of the people feel that way. Misrepresenting the information one way or the other, whether intentionally or not, just invalidates the OP and the topic as a whole.

Well, thank you for "invalidating" me.

Snip.

I am Catholic and I take the bible as a guide to life more than a "rulebook." It was written by man, thus should be taken with a grain of salt.

 

[Hisshiss]

One would only be suprised by this if you actually believed that japan had literally no crazy religious nuts in their entire country, which would be..just stupid.

Why would it be so suprising that they have a dumbass in a seat of power spouting nonsense? Every other country does.

 

[VanQ]

Snip

Snip

I changed the title of the thread, I never had any intention of representing the nation as a whole. I know many level headed Japanese people and apologize if I offended you by generalising (which was not my intention).

 

[Lilani]

Well, thank you for "invalidating" me.

All I'm saying is you should change the title of the topic to say what you mean AND mean what you say. The title of that article you listed looks perfect: Tokyo Head: Tsunami is 'Divine Punishment.' Right now the only hint as to how many believe this you've given is "The Japanese," which would mean the entire population of Japan. I imagine nobody would really take that at face value, but it could be taken either way since you didn't give any other indication as to how many. Is it only a handful of people who feel that way? Is it 1000? 10,000? 2 million? 10 million? Who knows?

EDIT: Ah, there we go. Sorry, I posted this just before I saw your last reply.

 

[Bags159]

So I take it he's seen that one video on youtube?

 

[Shadowkire]

I hate it when self proclaimed "Christians" say things like that.

A real Christian is someone who follows the teachings of Jesus Christ, not the fire and brimstone ultimatums of the Old Testament.

Sins are accounted for after death, the Lord doesn't punish his children in life.