Saturday, May 12, 2012

Grave News about Jesus in Japan . . .

Christ's Grave Notice
Photo by Andrew Pothecary

Graphic designer Andrew Pothecary, an occasional photographer, took the above photo for a CNN report offered in an article, "Did Jesus Christ live and die in northern Japan?" (CNN Global Experiences, February 16, 2012). The short answer, of course, is "No" -- and the long answer is "Hell No!" -- but this 'grave' notice begs to differ:
When Jesus Christ was 21 years old, he came to Japan and pursued knowledge of divinity for 12 years. He went back to Judea at age 33, and engaged in his mission. However, at that time, people in Judea would not accept Christ's preaching. Instead, they arrested him and tried to crucify him on a cross. His younger brother, Isukiri casually took Christ's place and ended his life on the cross.

Christ, who escaped the crucifixion, went through the ups and downs of travel, and again came to Japan. He settled right here in what is now called Herai Village, and died at the age of 106.

On this holy ground, there is dedicated a burial mound on the right to deify Christ, and a grave on the left to deify Isukiri.

The above description was given in a testament by Jesus Christ.

I suppose I should try to figure out precisely how this legend came about, but I lack the time and energy. Supposedly, according to Pothcary, "a local Shinto priest came across the 'evidence' now housed in the museum in 1935." I think Pothecary means that the Shinto priest came across some document in 1935. I suspect that the Shinto priest read some Gnostic writings, for a few Gnostic texts speak of Judas Iscariot (i.e., Isukiri) as being crucified instead of Jesus. The identification of Judas as Jesus's brother might stem from the Gospel of Thomas, which -- if I recall -- refers to "Judas Thomas" (a different Judas) as the brother of Jesus. The name "Thomas" is Aramaic, by the way, and means "twin" (rendered in the Greek version as "Judas Didymus," i.e., "Judas the Twin"). Somebody has undoubtedly looked into all this, so I need not do so.

As for the 'grave' notice, I like how Judas "casually" takes the place of Jesus on the cross -- I can just imagine Judas walking up to the arrested Jesus and saying, "Hey, Bro, I'll take it from here, 'cause I'm feelin' kinda guilty 'bout betrayin' you an' all . . ."

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12 Comments:

At 10:08 AM, Anonymous Paul D. said...

Read up on the Sukyo Mahikari religion if you're interested. It's a Shinto-Christian offshoot with about a million members that believes Jesus came to Japan before his biblical ministry and returned to Japan to die.

 
At 10:20 AM, Blogger Horace Jeffery Hodges said...

Interesting. Did it develop from this Shinto priest's 'discovery'?

Jeffery Hodges

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At 12:46 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

The author's name seem ... well, kinda weird.

A.Pothcary

Of course I dunno that means anything.

JK

 
At 1:45 PM, Blogger ilTassista Marino said...

I've come across any kind of legends about Jesus, but this...!!!
:-D

right, the Book of Mormon describes Jesus' trip to America, a place that did not even 'exist' at that time, but it referred to the risen Christ, who can go wherever he likes best :-)

Thanks for this amusing post.

 
At 2:36 PM, Blogger Horace Jeffery Hodges said...

His parents had a sense of humor -- and a bit of fun with his first initial.

Jeffery Hodges

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At 2:38 PM, Blogger Horace Jeffery Hodges said...

The amusement is all due to that Shinto priest and the casual manner of Judas.

Jeffery Hodges

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At 6:09 PM, Blogger ilTassista Marino said...

to choose is a suble art

^__^

 
At 6:33 PM, Blogger Horace Jeffery Hodges said...

A subtle one as well . . .

Jeffery Hodges

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At 7:51 AM, Blogger Unknown said...

The following is from the Gospel of John 5:30 - 31 from the Arabic Bible. In English Bible you will get the word God in the place of Allah. The millions of Arab Christian use Allah not God. The word God is used only by the English speaking Christians.

.........................
Gospel of John 5:30 -31

"On my own I am powerless. I judge as I am told (told by Allah). My judgement is just because I do not act based upon my own will but rather I submit to Allah's will. The will of Allah has sent me as his messenger. If I represent Myself my representation is different from and inferior to what Allah directs me to do".

..........................

From the above statement Jesus Christ is clearly stating he is sent by Allah as a messenger (Prophet) to guide the mankind.

According to the above statement in the Gospel of John, Jesus must be teaching Islam.

Islam means: Being in peace by sincerely submitting to the will of God.

In the above statement from the Bible Jesus clearly says he is submitting to the will of God.

In the above statement you can say Jesus cannot be the God.

Quran says he is the Prophet of God like Moses, Abraham, Muhammad, David.
Peace and blessing of Allah be upon all his prophets.

 
At 8:07 AM, Blogger Horace Jeffery Hodges said...

Thank you, "Muslim Jesus," for your utterly irrelevant, irony-deficient 'comment' to this post.

Jeffery Hodges

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At 10:12 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Check my earlier "Apothecary" - make that, "Apochryphal" (sp?).

JK

 
At 10:18 AM, Blogger Horace Jeffery Hodges said...

JK, I'd have to look that spelling up . . .

Jeffery Hodges

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