Mahikari claims that this is the last resting
place of Jesus Christ. They teach he died on the
same day as Yoshikazu Okada (The founder of Mahikari
and now considered by them to be the God of salvation for
humankind) on June 23rd (May 4th of the lunar calendar), although around 2000 years apart.
In Mahikari - Thank God For The
Answers At Last (1988) by Dr A. K.
Tebecis (The current Mahikari Australia-Oceania
Regional Director), we found the following (on page 355):
"....Gould published his views in full in an article entitled The Man from Isohara (Gould, 1978).
The "Kirisuto legend" (Kirisuto is
the Japanese way of saying Christ) focuses on
two ancient tomb-mounds in a remote Aomori
Prefecture (northern Japan) village called
Herai, the name of which has now been changed to
Shingo. On the signpost on the main road to the mounds is the Star of David.
The two mounds are a few metres apart at
the top of a little hill surrounded by peaceful
farmlands. On the top of each mound is a wooden
cross. At the bottom are two signboards, one in
Japanese and the other in English entitled
"Jesus Christ's Tomb". The signboard
explains that Christ first arrived in Japan at
the age of 21 and after studying Ancient
Shintoism for 10 years he evolved a doctrine and
returned to Judea to teach it. The authorities
opposed this and decided to crucify him. Jesus'
brother, Isukiri, volunteered to die on Jesus'
behalf . Christ returned to Japan at the age of
37 and ultimately settled in Japan, passing away
at the age of 106. The remains of Isukiri were
brought to Japan and entombed, accounting for
the second grave."
The photo on the right taken from a Mahikari
publication clearly shows Andris Tebecis (second
from the left) participating in prayers at the
grave site.
Tebecis goes on to say:
"I have visited the graves twice and have
confirmed all that I had read about the area.
What surprised me most was the relative
complacency the Japanese seemed to show to the
fact that Jesus had walked in their country." (pg 355)
"In kenshu Sukuinushisama (Okada)
clearly taught that Jesus did not die on the
cross, but his younger brother died in his
place." (pg 360)
It is interesting to find that in a later
publication of Mahikari - Thank God For The
Answers At Last (1990), the chapter containing
this information was removed.
Is Jesus' Identical Twin Brother, Iskiris, also Buried in Japan?
The wooden cross in the foreground is the
Tomb of Isukiri/Iskiris as described above. Below the mounds
is a small glass fronted enclosed museum. (left)
Objects from the local area which have a Middle
Eastern flavour are displayed inside the museum. On the rear wall is a 'copy' of Jesus
Christ's last will and testament (right).
Tebecis stated on a national TV program (The 7.30 Report, ABC TV,
28th October 1997) that he is "not sure" if Jesus is buried in
Japan. He and his spokespeople are now claiming that there
are no specific Mahikari teachings concerning Jesus' death in
Japan.
Yet Yoshikazu Okada clearly states in his teachings in the Japanese
Mahikari Journal No. 185 Feb 1978 (pg 15-16):
"As you know very well, Jesus didn't die, in fact, through the crucifixion historically....that's a lie".
Okada also refers to Jesus' last will and
testament, saying: "Jesus called the God he
worshipped Messiah, but the Bible does not explain
why he called God, Messiah. In Jesus' last
will and testament, Jesus calls Messiah by the
Japanese name of Ametsuchi Mahitotsu Oh kamu. Jesus
signed the will personally, therefore God, Messiah
in the Bible, is Ametsuchi Mahitotsu Oh kamu sama and
Jesus' last will is in Japan. (Japanese Mahikari
Journal No. 263 Aug 1984 pages 37-38)
In the Secondary Kenshu (second level training)
text book, the same Japanese name appears together
with a list of other names, including Creator, as the
God of the Seventh Dimension. (Mahikari
Secondary (Intermediate) Kenshu text book, pg 15)
What is motivating Tebecis? Firstly the reprint of his
book deletes the whole chapter on Christ, and now he
says he is unsure of Okada's teachings, that he has
taught and studied as a senior leader of Mahikari
for many years. There are just too many people who
have heard these teachings for us to believe his stance.
One wonders - if Mahikari can now deny a major
foundation stone of its doctrine, which makes the
sect "special" in the eyes of its members, what
other doctrine, spiritual practice, and claims made
by the sect are marked for disposal or change?
Could it be because the large area of land granted
to Mahikari for a fraction of its commercial value
by the Australian Capital Territory Government in
Canberra, on which Mahikari plans to build an
international headquarters and school, is sited
right next to a major Fundamentalist Christian
Church?
Perhaps Yoshikazu Okada's claims, that Jesus was
of Japanese descent, trained in Japan, escaped the
crucifixion, returned to Japan, and eventually died
there, and that all Christians have to go to Japan to
receive salvation, have become an embarrassment and
a credibility problem.
Kumi muki sanji is a collection of teachings of
Yoshikazu Okada - the name means 'Praise to facing
God'. Mahikari claims that "to have this book and other
Mahikari publications can lead to blessings which
radiate from Yoshikazu Okada's 'golden words'."
Mahikari members are not required to understand or
even read these publications, as just to have them is a
'blessing'.
