(For the English version, please scroll down.)
宗教が悪いのではない
宗教を悪用する人間の悪意が
恐ろしいのだ
履き違えてはならない
つまり異教徒を含む数多の宗教を
理解することがとても大事なのだ
真面目な人であればあるほど
宗教を主体的に客観的に学ぶべきだ
当人たちはいたって真面目に真剣に正義感で
しかしやはり心ないことを言っている
この構造を見るときが最も心苦しいのです
そしてそれはとても多い
先生の言うことを素直に聞く人が
優等生になれるという構造の中で
ほとんどの人が生きてきたからね
日本人はねやっぱりとても善良なんだよ
そして近年のヨーロッパ人もおそらくそう
それ自体はすごいことなんだ
だけど本当は誰が言ったかではなく
何を言ったがが一番重要なんだと思うし
そこでやたらと手を抜きたがるのが
悪い癖ではあるわな
これはもう習慣の問題ではあると思う
お嬢様ほど悪い男に引っかかるのと同じで
そして主体的であることと
客観的であることは矛盾しないんだ
こういったところにも
安易な二項対立の落とし穴が見えるね
やはり、自己の拡張だよ
It is not religion that is evil.
What is truly terrifying is the malice of those who exploit religion for their own ends.
We must not confuse the two.
That is why it is so important to understand the many religions of the world—including those different from our own.
The more earnest and sincere a person is, the more they must learn about religion both subjectively and objectively.
The saddest thing is that many of these people speak harshly—while being completely serious, sincere, and full of a sense of justice.
And this pattern is all too common.
Most people grew up in a system where “a good student” is simply someone who obediently listens to the teacher.
Japanese people, you see, are truly good-natured.
And so, I think, are many Europeans these days.
That in itself is a wonderful thing.
But the real point is not who said something, but what was said.
And yet, people have this bad habit of taking shortcuts there.
It’s a deep-rooted cultural habit—rather like how a sheltered young lady often falls for the wrong kind of man.
Being subjective and being objective are not contradictory.
Even here, you can see the trap of simplistic dualism.
In the end, it all comes down to the expansion of the self.
Dan Mitchel 