Entering the “Husband's Religion” - 10 Years of Marriage, My Life Changed! - [Personal Experience]

Having faith has made me free

After 10 years of marriage, I had kept my distance from the religion 'Happy Science' that my husband has believed in since his student days. While it was fine for him to have faith, I could not imagine belonging to a religion myself. However, now I also have faith in Happy Science. Happy Science is a free, progressive, honorable, and very enjoyable religion. We have five children, and since encountering this teaching, our lives and lifestyle have become increasingly abundant. Personally, having this faith has made me free. Even if, by any chance, I were to divorce my husband (which is absolutely impossible because I love him), I believe I would continue to hold this faith. I think there are others who might be troubled by religious discrepancies with their partners like I once was, so I would like to share my experience as a reference.

Married to a believer of Happy Science

My husband and I first met at the university hospital where we worked. I was working as a midwife, and he was an anesthesiologist. He was serious, and the reputation around him was that 'he is a serious person.' I saw many doctors at the large hospital, but I had the impression that 'this person is different from the others.' By the time we decided to marry about six months later, I knew he was a believer of Happy Science, but he never forced his faith on me.

Religion has an intimidating image

I had no intention of denying my husband's faith, but for me, religion was something 'distant.' In conversations with friends, there was a negative image of 'that sounds like a religion' as a joke, while on the other hand, people with faith were seen as 'those trying to get closer to God' and undergoing difficult training. Once, when my husband fell ill from work stress and couldn't go to work, I felt an indescribable shock thinking, 'How could someone with faith end up like this?'

Family life with a husband who has faith

In reality, there were no overt problems due to my husband's faith. However, during arguments, I would sometimes end up blaming him by bringing up Happy Science, saying things like 'You have so many books in the room!' (Since President Okawa has published many books, many people who believe in Happy Science tend to have a lot of books). Also, when my husband wanted to enroll our eldest daughter in 'Success No. 1' (a study program of Happy Science similar to a cram school), I said, 'I won't help at all,' and I really didn't even assist with pick-up and drop-off.

First time at a Happy Science branch

One time, there was an event where President Okawa came to give a sermon at a Happy Science branch open_in_new near my home. My husband invited me, saying, 'Would you like to go to the venue together?' I thought, 'If it makes him happy, I might as well go,' and decided to participate. At that time, I felt very out of place, and the talk didn't register at all, but the people at the branch were very considerate of me, as I was pregnant at the time, and I thought, 'They are all such nice people.' Also, it was impressive to see the believers waving enthusiastically as President Okawa left the branch. Seeing people of all ages bidding farewell with emotion made me feel that President Okawa is an amazing person.

Casual conversations with believers

After that, I moved to Tokyo and started attending the Happy Science early childhood education program 'Angel Plan V' (a mother-child class) with my younger child, which was held in the same building as the Success No. 1 my older child attended. As a non-believer, I spent some time observing everyone from a corner of the room without talking to other parents, but eventually, I found someone in the corner who was casually chatting about 'that amusement park can accommodate small children,' and I started exchanging words with them. For me, being able to have casual conversations with believers was refreshing, and I gradually opened my heart to talk.

Differences between believers and non-believers

A few months after starting to attend Angel Plan V, I began to feel that it was a warm place. Watching the children join their hands in prayer to God was heartwarming, and I realized that I couldn't listen to the teacher's talk with an open mind, thinking 'Isn't that just common sense?' and felt a conflict about whether my heart was becoming jaded. During that time, when I told two people I had become friends with that I was not a believer, they were very surprised, saying, 'I thought you were a long-time believer.' Seeing their reaction made me wonder, 'What is the difference between believers and non-believers?' When I asked them, 'Why did you become a believer?' both of them replied in unison, 'Because the believer who invited me was a good person.'

If they are 'good people,' then I can join

I was very surprised by the reason 'because the person who invited me was a good person.' I was shocked that it could be that simple to join, and I wondered, 'Can a good person join Happy Science?' When I reflexively thought of my husband, he is indeed a 'good person.' No matter how terrible things I said, he supported me, and we have been able to come this far as a couple thanks to him.
Until then, I vaguely thought that to become a believer, one had to be a 'good person faithful to God' following the teachings of Christianity or Buddhism, but when I thought, 'I can join with the condition of being a “good person,”' the hurdle for joining dropped significantly.
'Then I can join too.'
I inadvertently muttered this, and the people present applauded. I was recommended to join open_in_new or take the Three Returns Vow (sankiseigan), and without understanding the difference, I intuitively thought, 'The Three Returns seems to be of a higher status,' and I answered, 'I will take the Three Returns Vow.' When my husband learned of my joining, he was taken aback (laughs).
When I vowed to become a believer during the Three Returns Vow ceremony, I felt strangely warm, and tears overflowed. My eldest daughter also joyfully cried, saying, 'Mom, is this true? I'm so happy! Thank you.'

*Three Returns Vow: A method of joining by pledging to deepen faith as a disciple of the Buddha, relying on the Three Treasures of Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha.

Husband's tears

About six months later, while feeling, 'I wonder if it was really good for someone like me who hasn't studied anything to join,' I was invited to a big event called the Grand Lecture for President Okawa's Birthday Festival. It was a weekday night, and I hesitated to participate because I had children and was pregnant, but someone told me, 'When in doubt, choose God.' I resonated with the clarity of prioritizing faith over worldly matters, so I decided to follow that advice. At my first Birthday Festival, my husband, sitting next to me, cried, saying, 'I never thought a day like this would come.'

Facing important matters daily

Since then, I have gradually learned about Happy Science by watching sermon DVDs with senior believers I became friends with, learning how to receive prayers, and participating in training, as I am not good with written text and learned little by little from others. Even when I didn't have faith, I thought I was happy in my own way, but now I realize that was because I wasn't facing important matters. I think I lived a shallow life without knowing 'why I was born.' Having faith means I have to face each thing, and there were times when I felt it was tough. However, when in doubt, I can always rely on this teaching. There are times when a conviction wells up within me, saying, 'This teaching is undeniable. It is truly the right teaching,' and I find myself in tears. Compared to before becoming a believer, my level of happiness has significantly increased. My husband tells me, 'You've really changed,' and I also feel a sense of calm.

God illuminates life

Everyone is born with a promise to God. I have had moments when, during a significant prayer, it became very clear to me that 'I have a promise with God, I have a mission.' My deep-seated wishes became clear, and I felt very free. I truly feel like I have been reborn, realizing that this is what having faith means. Now, I can honestly follow opportunities, and when in doubt, if I choose God and believe with an open heart, I have the reassurance that I will receive guidance.
When it comes to 'joining a religion,' there may be opposition. However, studying together with the person who believed in me and married me is wonderful, and sharing faith together is invaluable. By joining Happy Science, the 'God' I had vaguely felt, who sees both good and bad, has become a much greater presence, illuminating my life strongly. That God is named El Cantare. I hope to convey even a little that religion can truly make people happy.