The true feelings of those in their 20s and 30s who joined "Happy Science" 【Believer's candid dialogue】

What I heard was...

● Y.S. (20 years old, male, Kanagawa Prefecture) Student
● N.K. (35 years old, female, Tokyo) Housewife

Why did you become a believer?

Y.S. (hereafter, S):

My mother was an old member, and she made the Three Returns Vow open_in_new when I was about to enter elementary school. I didn't really understand faith, but I saw my mother having a lot of fun with her activities, and the believers were really nice to me, so I thought, "This is a wonderful place."

N.K. (hereafter, K):

Did you ever have a rebellious heart towards faith during your adolescence?

S: Probably not. My sister was a leader in the Happy Science Student Division, and I had always admired her. How about you, K? How did you come to faith?

K: I was evangelized by my husband, whom I was dating at the time, when I was a university student. Especially after getting married, he kept encouraging me to join, and I really disliked it at that time (laughs).

So at first, I gave in and thought, "If you say that much," and joined in 2009. Then I thought, "Oh dear," and was next encouraged to make the Three Returns, and I was like, "There's more!?" (laughs).

At that time, I had no faith, and I thought, "Isn't Mr. Okawa just very self-assertive for wanting to enter politics?" so I refused, saying, "I don't want to."

However, I changed when I participated in the Great Lecture open_in_new held at Intex Osaka that year, as a tourist. When President Okawa said in his lecture, "Whether Happy Science gains profit or not, that doesn't matter at all," and "I don't think a religious person can die on a tatami mat," I thought, "This person is serious." That's when I decided to make the Three Returns.

What I realized after becoming a believer

S: Before making the Three Returns, did you research the organization online?

K: I did, and I believed more in what the anti-people were saying. But after joining, I couldn't tell which was true, and as I engaged in activities after making the Three Returns, I became convinced that what the people inside were saying was the truth.

The members of the branch open_in_new were really warm. They were genuinely working for the sake of the world and people, and I was moved by their dedication.

S: I felt that too. When I first went to the student division camp, everyone was friendly and talked to me, and both their appearance and inner selves were sparkling, and I thought, "These people are probably amazing," and they instantly became objects of my admiration. I guess we tend to have prejudices.

K: There are some at first. But, it's a prejudice without any basis.

"Somehow dislike, suspicious" kind of feeling. It's just a vague sense of aversion, and there's no reason for it. While there are opportunities to encounter the bad impressions spread by the media, there were no opportunities to encounter good impressions.

I thought that once you enter a religion, "the way of thinking becomes unified." But in reality, there is no one who loves individuality as much as President Okawa.

When you go to the branch, it's filled with unique individuals, and the teachings that President Okawa preaches are multifaceted. He doesn't just criticize the left but also acknowledges that "there are parts that are kind to the weak." Learning the teachings is not the same as brainwashing.

S: That's right. There are many second-generation members in the student division, but everyone comes with the intention of "wanting to learn the teachings" and has high aspirations.

They genuinely believe that "if we spread President Okawa's teachings, world peace will come" and evangelize with that conviction. The happiness of being able to work with people who sincerely wish for others' happiness is irreplaceable.

K: Your outlook on life changes dramatically. If I hadn't met President Okawa, I think my life would have just passed by without much thought. I would have been self-centered, thinking it was fine as long as I and my family were happy.

But now, I think about people in regions and countries I've never seen and participate in rescue activities. As the teachings say, "Love becomes the property of the person who gives it," the more you participate in activities, the happier you become.

S: I think President Okawa is like a bundle of love. The fact that he continues activities that transcend human boundaries is all due to his love for humanity.

K: If a god of love and compassion were born as a human, this is the kind of activity they would engage in, and he shows us that.

S: I want to continue conveying the truth from now on.

K: Let's continue to cooperate and increase the number of happy people together.

This article has been reprinted and edited from Monthly "Young Buddha" open_in_new No. 163.