Japanese Minister thinks the tsunami was "Divine Punishment"

[Shuswah_Noir]

I don't even know what to say
What a douche

 

[Therumancer]

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?

I don't think it's any big deal. I understand there is a huge atheist/agnostic user base here, but I think it's going too far to criticize anyone with faith from expressing it, even if in public office. Free speech and all that (the principle applies). I don't think being an atheist or agnostic should be a requirement for public office any more than being a member of a specific religion should be.

That said, even when it's not my faith, and when I disagree with them (sometimes very strongly), I have great respect for men of faith who can dedicate themselves to it, and aren't afraid to speak.

Truthfully, I don't see natural disasters as being signs of divine action, I figure god or any kind of godlike figure would be a bit less ambigious about it. What's more by doing so the divinity in question would probably solve a lot of it's own problems and anger issues simply by setting matters straight by demonstrating it's existance for the current global audience.

That said, I don't think the guy can be criticized for it, because he's hardly alone in those kinds of opinions. Rather than getting on his case, wait and see if it has any influance on the next election.

What's more, also understand that for a lot of peple faith is seen as a positive trait. People with religion vote too, and for them this could be a very positive thing. Indeed my own inner cynic causes me to wonder if making this statement during a time of crisis isn't intended to cater to the religious members of the populance, in hopes that they will remember he talked of faith during this, and will vote for him as a result the next time it comes around.

That said, I don't think the cause matters much when the initial concern is recovery from the disaster, whether the cause behind it was natural, divine, or man made.

Honestly the only creepy and supernatural seeming aspect of the entire thing is how this disaster is coming on the heels of so many other ones.

Besides, if there was some kind of divine punishment by weather going on I probably would have been hit by a lightning bolt long ago. As much as I regret saying so, and wish otherwise, I'm generally speaking not a good person. I mean look at some of the things I post politically, I even make myself uncomfortable at times, but I can't help but thinking what I think. I can't see huge swaths of Japan being so horribly selfish as to warrent this under the circumstances, never mind what we had happen with Australia and New Zealand not too long ago as well.

 

[crimsonshrouds]

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.

Thats odd, most "christians" i know will say you must go by the entire bible and every thing in it is true. My agnostic side grows more and more....

op: Nutcases exist and are usually in a seat of power.

 

[Paksenarrion]

I prefer [a href="http://www.theonion.com/articles/earthquake-sets-japan-back-to-2147,2240/"]this article[/a].

 

[godfist88]

god i hate ishihara, he's such a self serving shithead. how this moron ever got elected is beyond me.

the last thing we need right now is a Japanese equivalent to Pat Robertson.

 

[HentMas]

heh, why did i immediatelly related this guy with Jack Thompson, it sounds like the exact same thing he would say when trying to make a point

 

[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.

Thats odd, most "christians" i know will say you must go by the entire bible and every thing in it is true. My agnostic side grows more and more....

op: Nutcases exist and are usually in a seat of power.

Most "Christians" will tell you the Devil rules hell, has red skin, horns, goat legs, a goatee and wields a pitchfork while angels look like beautiful humans with wings.

I call these people illiterate, because nowhere in the Bible does the Devil get a description and the descriptions of angels could not even be mistaken for humanoid.

 

[Belated]

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.

I can confirm this. This is the same guy who thinks homosexuality is a genetic defect, and wants to censor anime which depicts anything he deems unnatural, while he doesn't care if any other medium depicts the very same content. So long as it's not anime.

There ain't a sensible person left who still likes this guy, and a lot of us anime fans are frankly disappointed that the disaster didn't take him away too.

 

[VanQ]

Honestly the only creepy and supernatural seeming aspect of the entire thing is how this disaster is coming on the heels of so many other ones.

Funny you should mention that, there is a scientific explanation for that, if you are willing to look deep enough for it. Here's the best video I could find to describe why so much is going down lately, you only need to watch the first four minutes or so and you can ignore the whole "planet X" thing since there is still no proof it exists. (and personally, i think we'd have found it by now if it did, but thats just my opinion)

Spoiler

The video is poor quality I know, but its the best I could find. And yes, I'm very aware that the video title sounds like something right out of a sci-fi novel, its up to your discretion to believe it or not.

 

[Canadamus Prime]

You know, I would've thought that in this day and age we'd be beyond thinking that natural disasters are "acts of God" or "Divine Retribution" or whatever.

 

[mireko]

Fuck. Somehow I knew this would be Ishihara again.

We have it on pretty good authority that he doesn't belong in this century, much less any kind of government.

 

[godfist88]

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.

Thats odd, most "christians" i know will say you must go by the entire bible and every thing in it is true. My agnostic side grows more and more....

op: Nutcases exist and are usually in a seat of power.

Most "Christians" will tell you the Devil rules hell, has red skin, horns, goat legs, a goatee and wields a pitchfork while angels look like beautiful humans with wings.

I call these people illiterate, because nowhere in the Bible does the Devil get a description and the descriptions of angels could not even be mistaken for humanoid.

yeah, most of what we think they look like are merely artist renditions, and not the actual appearance. oh and get this, the bible also never mentions a specific person as the anti christ. the term anti-christ just means anyone who's against christ or non christian.

 

[Shadowkire]

Honestly the only creepy and supernatural seeming aspect of the entire thing is how this disaster is coming on the heels of so many other ones.

Funny you should mention that, there is a scientific explanation for that, if you are willing to look deep enough for it. Here's the best video I could find to describe why so much is going down lately, you only need to watch the first four minutes or so and you can ignore the whole "planet X" thing since there is still no proof it exists. (and personally, i think we'd have found it by now if it did, but thats just my opinion)

Spoiler

The video is poor quality I know, but its the best I could find. And yes, I'm very aware that the video title sounds like something right out of a sci-fi novel, its up to your discretion to believe it or not.

...and thanks for scaring me crapless.

 

[Tdc2182]

You kidding me?

Japanese people are some of the most respectable people in the world. Just kinda in the wrong place at the wrong time.

I think the tsunami was aiming for us Yanks.

 

[Dragonpit]

I am at the point where I think it doesn't matter what the tsunami was. I'm currently more concerned about relief efforts and the power plant that seems to be on the verge of decimating square miles with the explosion alone.

 

[BrownGaijin]

I'll see your Prime Minister and raise you a King.

And after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of sheer silence.
I Kings 19:

Forgive me for saying this but I think the PM has been forgetting to take his crazy pills.

Snip.

Spoiler

The video is poor quality I know, but its the best I could find. And yes, I'm very aware that the video title sounds like something right out of a sci-fi novel, its up to your discretion to believe it or not.

Looks at video (sigh). I counter with this...

http://www.2012hoax.org/black-hole

and this...

http://www.2012hoax.org/galactic-equator-vs-plane

Also the term "Planet X" has been used since the search for Pluto:

http://www.hulu.com/watch/218056/nova-the-pluto-files

 

[Shadowkire]

I am at the point where I think it doesn't matter what the tsunami was. I'm currently more concerned about relief efforts and the power plant that seems to be on the verge of decimating square miles with the explosion alone.

It won't explode, worst case scenario is a leak that gives people about as much radiation as most medical scans.

 

[Fiz_The_Toaster]

Well considering that tsunami means "divine wind" and the story behind the tsunami, I'm not at all surprised that he thinks that.

I think it's sad that he believes it's a form of punishment though, no one deserved that. No one.

 

[Shadowkire]

I'll see your Prime Minister and raise you a King.

And after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of sheer silence.
I Kings 19:

Forgive me for saying this but I think the PM has been forgetting to take his crazy pills.

Snip.

Spoiler

The video is poor quality I know, but its the best I could find. And yes, I'm very aware that the video title sounds like something right out of a sci-fi novel, its up to your discretion to believe it or not.

Looks at video (sigh). I counter with this...

http://www.2012hoax.org/black-hole

and this...

http://www.2012hoax.org/galactic-equator-vs-plane

Also the term "Planet X" has been used since the search for Pluto:

http://www.hulu.com/watch/218056/nova-the-pluto-files

You made me feel less scared, thank you.

 

[Shadowkire]

Well considering that tsunami means "divine wind" and the story behind the tsunami, I'm not at all surprised that he thinks that.

I think it's sad that he believes it's a form of punishment though, no one deserved that. No one.

I think Kamikaze is "divine wind", tsunami means "big wave"