Liberation of the World through Natural Religion
Osamu Ichiyoshi
Thursday, 5, June, 2025
Foreword
Our world has been full of human miseries; poverty, oppression, confinement, terrorism and wars.
I have made a historical study to find out the causes of those problems. I think the basic cause is
division of the society into ruling and ruled classes. The ruling class is well organized to maintain the
power by monopoly of knowledge, religious authority and military force to keep the ruled class
ignorant and disorganized. The social division was brought into the human society by civilization a
few thousand years ago. Human beings before the civilization had been free, equal and independent.
The change can be simply characterized by differences between state religions and the natural
religion. Thus the liberation of the world from those problems can be achieved by recovery of the
natural religion.
1. Natural religion
What are human beings? When did our ancestors become human beings in the evolution? I believe
our ancestors became human beings when they started burying their dead decorated with flowers.
They must have had concept of the other world from which we come from at birth and return to at
death. They learned there are unreal world greater than the real world. They believed in the souls
that could travel between those worlds. Thus was formed the basic concept of time and space.
Our ancestors believed in animism and shamanism. The animism is a belief in anima; universal
spirit existent in everything. The shamanism is a belief in the possibility that human beings can
communicate with the anima through human activities and words. I think that is exactly the basis of
our science & technology today. We believe in existence of universal laws in everything and our
capability in understanding those laws by words or concepts. We also prove and utilize the natural
laws through experiments and applications.
Another feature of the natural religion is the equality of human beings. There was not even such a
word as equality and freedom because they were omnipresent and self-evident. Who could
monopolize the anima? Those words were coined when they were lost by division of society brought
by the civilization a few thousand years ago.
In our contemporary words, the natural religion is democracy and science & technology.
2. Primitive Ages as basis of civilization
The basis of our civilization was established during the long primitive ages (tens of thousands of
years). All sorts of tools for living and working were invented during those ages. Stones of various
kinds were used to make such tools as axes, knives, scrapers, awls, grinders, spears and arrows
heads, weights for fishing nets, etc. Bones of animals were used to make fishing hooks, needles,
sculptures or building houses. The potteries enabled storing water, fruits, grains and even wine. Use
of fire enabled our ancestors expand their living areas to colder regions. Most food we eat today; rice,
wheat, potatoes, maize and corns and all kinds of vegetables were collected and domesticated by our
distant ancestors. Cooking food was made possible by inventions of pottery, use of fire, knives and
other utensils. Domestication of dogs and cats began very early.
The greatest invention in the primitive ages is language. The archaeology has revealed trading was
made far and wide in the primitive ages. Exchange of goods must be achieved by exchange of ideas by
words. Basic numbers and simple additions and subtractions must have been used. Language
enables communication and accumulation of knowledge that accelerates development of human
culture.
The people in the primitive ages were free and equal. The primitive people were entirety in
themselves; hunters, fishermen, gatherers, tool makers, carpenters, traders, teachers, doctors, ,,,.
The food supply was unstable hence the population density was sparse. The life span was short
hence chances of becoming orphans were high. The orphans were then brought up by the families.
Those facts can be inferred by Japanese language today. The words “Oji” and “Oba” mean uncle and
aunt. An interesting fact is that “Oji-san” and “Oba-san” are used to call adults even if they are
strangers especially by children. I think that is the remnant of our society in the primitive ages.
The Japanese word for “human being” is “hito” which also means “one” and “equal”. Similar usages
can be found in English as in such cases as “One is mortal”, someone, anyone, everyone, oneself, only,
etc. Similar phenomena can be found in other languages.
In the original Japanese there are very few words showing vertical human relationship. Such a word
is “Kimi” which meant “ master”. The word today is used only to call very close friends or someone
lower in social status. “Tamae” is an ancient word to ask things to gods with the highest respect, but
it is used today to order things to someone much lower in the social status. Those reversal
phenomena, I think, show our strong propensity for equality in Japanese culture.
Almost all terms for the positions in the government, companies or any other organizations are in
Kanji; Chinese characters. The vertical human relationship had been unknown to the land of Japan.
As Japan came out of the primitive stages to civilization, the vertical human relationship invaded
Japan with the Chinese writing systems. I think the same can be seen in English. Most words of
civilization originated in ancient Greek and Rome.
3. Civilization
Domestication of animals and plants brought agriculture that bore the concept of private ownership.
Competitions for better lands brought wars between villages. The winners annexed the losers as
subordinates, thus the human society split into ruling and ruled classes. The process continued to
formation of tribal kingdoms ruled by kings. The process further continued to formation of empires
ruled by emperors. In the class-divided society the emperor is almighty. The ruling classes have all
the rights to order and the ruled only the duties to obey. This is quite an unnatural relationship that
required development of state religions to justify the rights of the rulers to rule their subordinates.
3.1.State religions
The religious reflection of the almighty emperor must be God, creator of the universe. The emperor
was either God or the primary priest to serve the God. Shrines of enormous size and decoration were
built in several key places in the empire territories to impress the people the dignity of their rulers.
Almost all of the ancient empires were thus ruled by emperors dignified by state religions. Other
religions than the state religions were strictly prohibited with severe punishment. Just remember
how cruelly the Christians were oppressed by Roman Empire. Frankly speaking the source of the
powers of the emperors was monopoly of the religious authority.
Evil nature of state religions
Is deprivation of the freedom of the people. No other religion than the state religion is allowed. Nor is
freedom of thought, choosing occupation, change of social classes, migration, etc. The freedom,
equality and natural way of life in the primitive ages were robbed by the state religions.
3.2.Judaism and Christianity
The state religions of the ancient empires disappeared by fall of those empires except for Judaism.
Judaism is a monotheism in denying any other gods; a pure form of state religion. Another feature of
Judaism is that it is exclusively for the Jewish people. It is the most selfish and only one state
religion that has survived until today because the Jewish tribe never established an empire.
Christianity is misunderstood to be related with Judaism because of the Old and New Testaments
bound together in the Bible. But I think they are totally different. Jesus Christ never prayed to
Jehovah, nor preached based on Judaism. He denied Judaism in chasing the merchants away from
the shrine in Israel (denial of Judaism way of prayer), breaking the Judaism law by allowing his
disciples to eat the offering in the shrine on Sunday and treating the Samaritan woman with respect,
etc. Jesus Christ denied Judaism. That is why he was killed by the ruling groups of the Jews. By his
teaching and death on the cross, Jesus Christ started a world religion for all the people.
3.3. Change of Christianity
The early Christianity was oppressed severely not only by Judaism but also Roman Empire. The
punishment was severe. In some cases the Christian believers were made a cruel spectacle in Roman
Colosseum where hungry lions devoured the people. Despite of the oppressions the Christianity kept
growing in Roman Empire which could not stop declining. In year 313, the ban of Christianity was
lifted, and then Christianity was adopted by the empire as its state religion. Then Christianity,
which was so pure under suppression, gained the evil nature of state religion. Forming the
hierarchical church system, it banned any other way of prayers or search for the truth. The shining
scientific and artistic culture of the ancient Greek and Rome disappeared in Europe. The historical
progress of Europe was hindered for a thousand years; dark or medieval ages.
By the religious authority, the Church got donations of territories from the feudal lords, itself grew to
be a lord of manors. The Church argued with the emperors for the right to appoint bishops. The
monopoly of religious authority was the source of the power of the Church.
3.4.Joan of Arc
France had been invaded by England since 1337. At the height of crisis, France was saved by a girl;
Joan of Arc who destroyed the invaders (1429) and helped Prince Charles rise to the throne of
France. But the king betrayed her. He handed her to the horrible Inquisition of the Catholic Church
which burnt her to death in 1431. What was her sin? Being a witch! Joan of Arc heard God order her
to go and save France. The direct communication between individuals with God breaks the monopoly
of the sacred power by the Church and that of the secular power by the king.
4. Recovery of Humanity
During the dark ages the people’s quest for learning the truth never stopped. Universities were
founded in Bologna, Paris and Oxford in 11th century. The invention of printing by G. J. Gutenberg in
1440 enabled explosive dissemination of knowledge to break the monopolies by the Church and
Court. The influx of the ancient Greek culture and science via the Islamic world developed the
ground for Renaissance, Religious Revolution and Geographic Discoveries. “Renaissance” means
“rebirth”, recovery of humanity from the yoke of the Church. The discovery of the New World brought
not only silver, potato, maize, tomato and other new products but also knowledge about “natural
state of human societies.” Beforecivilization.
4.1. Religious and Scientific Revolution
Recovery of ancient Greek and Roman culture brought liberation of human beings from the rule of
the Roman Catholic Church. Humanism prevailed in arts, literature, architecture and science. The
religious revolution started in 1517 when Martin Luther openly revolted against sales of indulgence
by the Catholic Church. The revolution spread all over Europe. As a result, Protestants Churches
were established. The monopoly of Christianity by the Catholic Church was shattered.
The Ptolemaic astronomy was challenged by heliocentric theory which N. Copernicus published in
1543. The heliocentric theory was completed by J. Kepler in1619. Galileo Galilei expanded
astronomy by observation of the moon and planets with his telescope. He published his book in 1632
for which he was summoned to the Inquisition of Catholic Church. Galileo also started experimental
method of physics. All those works were fully integrated by I. Newton into his theory of gravity,
mechanics and calculus in Principia published in 1687.
4.2. J.J. Rousseau
Since discovery of the New World by C. Columbus in 1492, new knowledge about the human society
before formation of the states was brought to Europe. The freedom and equality of the people in the
primitive society gave Rousseau a clue to solve the problem of poverty and misery caused by the
unequal social system in the civilized world. He published his Contractual theory of the Society in
1762. Human beings have equal rights in nature. In forming the government people present some
portion of their right to the government by Contract for administration. In return the government
owes the people a responsibility to meet the contract. If the government fails to meet the trust of the
people, they have the right to replace the government. Thus Rousseau established the principle of
modern democracy. The monopoly of power by kings, emperors, popes or any others was thus
theoretically shattered.
4.3 Independence of USA and Revolutions in Europe
North America was colonized by the people oppressed in the Old World for social or religious reasons.
Many people emigrated to North America for freedom of religion, speech and search for happiness.
Therefore there was a natural tendency for democracy which was strengthened by Rousseau’s
contractual theory. Another source of democracy in North America came from the native society
there. In the indigenous society which was still in primitive stages in 18th century, the tribal
members were equal. The leaders were elected equally by all men and women of the tribes. The
union of five tribes of Iroquois regularly met to discuss and solve inter-tribal problems.
The declaration of independence of USA in 1776 clearly includes the above elements. The United
States of America was the first state without a king and with representative democracy in the
modern age. The founding fathers; G. Washington, B. Franklin and T. Jefferson were good friends
with the indigenous people. The drafter of the Declaration of Independence and the 3rd president of
USA; T. Jefferson admired the honesty and bravery of the indigenous tribes and offered them the
compliment “noble savages”. ,
The influence of the independence of USA was immediate. The French Revolution started only three
years later. Series of revolutions over a century followed for democratization of Europe.
5. Industrial Revolution
It is a fundamental revolution of human society; the Second Wave comparable with the First Wave
which was the beginning of agriculture according to Alvin Toffler. We will very briefly view some of
the elements of the revolution.
[1] Mechanization
The revolution started in the textile industry in the Great Britain. John Kay’s invention of the flying
shuttle patented in 1733 increased the productivity drastically. Large factories were built and hired
a great many people for the expanding industry along big rivers to utilize the water power.
[2] Age of Steam
Practical steam engine was invented by J. Watt in 1764. The steam engine advanced the industrial
revolution as the factories could now be built anywhere most appropriate for the industry.
Successful application of steam engines to railways transportation was achieved by G. Stephenson in
1829 between Liverpool and Manchester. The railways networks spread all over the world changing
all aspects of life and industries. The steam power also totally changed transportation by ship. The
long history of the wind power came to an end.
[3] Age of Petro
Application of internal combustion engines began in mid-19 century. Main applications were for the
power to drive factories. Henry Ford began sales of Ford-T vehicle in 1908, which brought
automobiles to commodities of the general public. Another important application of the internal
combustion engine (ICE) is applications to airplane. Brothers Wilber and Orville Wright succeeded in
the first motored flight with their hand made airplane in 1903. Thus the revolutions in transportations
on the land, ocean and in the air have totally changed the world.
[4] Age of Electricity
The electric motor and generator was invented by M. Faraday through his discovery of
electro-magnetic induction in 1831. The application to electric railways advanced later in 19th
century.
Thomas. A. Edison opened a vast consumer market by his invention of audio recorder, moving
pictures and incandescent light in 1879.
The telegraph was put into practice by SFB Morse in 1837. The telephone was invented by A. G. Bell
and others in1876.
Numerous inventions and industrializations were made in 19th century. The speed of progress
increased dramatically.
.
6. Imperialism and World Wars
The industrial revolution and the scientific advances since 18th century generated hopeful prospect
and belief in the incessant progress of mankind. However, the advancement in science & technology
brought unprecedented destruction in the conflicts, especially in the two world wars in 20th century.
Why? We will view the world history from the Japanese viewpoint.
Japan is geographically separate from Eurasia hence had been more or less isolated through the
history. Japan had entirely closed herself for about three hundred years until mid-19th century.
The Edo period was the completion of the feudal system in Japan. The basic policy of the ruler was
(1) Keep the people ignorant so they depend on us (rulers)
(2) inhibit any organization of the people with punishment of death.
The feudal system extremely slowed the progress of Japanese society for so long.
During that period the world had quite advanced in science & technology as reviewed in the previous
section. I n the mean time the European kingdoms grew to empires. The world had been fully divided
by European empires. Even China was in the state of half colonization by European empires. Such
was the state of Imperialism world Japan was forced into in the middle of 19th century. There was a
real danger Japan might be also colonized.
Japan pondered how to survive in the world of imperialism. Then the basic policy was set to make
oneself an empire. The traditional power sharing political system (federation of lords) was replaced
with a strictly concentrated power structure under the name of the emperor. The polytheism of
Japanese ancient mythology was changed to a highly centralized structure in order to dignify the
emperor as direct descendant of the sun-goddess. The dogma was quite effective to promote Japanese
militarism and suppress growth of democracy. Through victories over China in 1895, Russia in 1905,
Japan grew to one of the greatest world powers.
To meet partially the demand of the people and match the progress of the world, the parliamentary
system was introduced in 1889. But the right to vote was limited to only male and those who paid
more tax than a preset value. It is quite obvious the political power was monopolized by a small
minority of the upper classes.
The national militarism grew the military clan intending to control the Japanese politics. The
emperor system was fully utilized by the military clan to ignore control of the government. Thus the
war in China since 1931 grew out of the control of Japanese government. The negotiation with USA
came to a dead-end and the full scale war broke out on 8, Dec. in 1941. It was a part of World War 2
fought over Asia. The destruction of the Pacific war was unprecedented. Japan alone lost 3 million
lives. Many times more lives were lost in Asian countries.
7. Today; the third wave civilization
Upon consideration of the world wars, United Nations (UN) was established in 1946 to solve the
world problems through international dialogue and co-operations.
Japan established a new constitution in 1946, which is based on three principles; democracy,
fundamental human rights and renunciation of wars. Based on these principles Japan has had no
war for 80 years since 1945.
The advance of science & technology never ceases. Alvin Toffler named the on-going advancement of
the information technology The Third Wave comparable to the Second Wave (Industrial Revolution)
and the First Wave (Beginning of Agriculture ).
One of the bases of the information technology is invention of transistor.
In Bell System Laboratory, M. Kelly set a team to develop a solid state device to replace vacuum
tubes. The team succeeded in invention of transistor in 1948 for which W. Shockley, J. Bardeen and
W. Brattain were awarded the Nobel Prize in 1956.
Another basis of the information age was set by C. E. Shannon by his celebrated paper;
“ A mathematical Theory of Communication “ published on 1948 Bell System Technical Journal.
Numerous inventions and developments have been made; Integrated Circuit, micro-computer,
Mobile communication, satellite communication & broadcasting, personal computers, the Internet,
Artificial Intelligence ,,,. We are in the midst of the Third Wave revolution going on.
Conclusion
Recover the equality and freedom of all human beings by democracy, universal religion and science &
technology. Note the great builders of our modern civilization; J. Watt, G. Stephenson,
G. Washington, B. Franklin, A. Lincoln, M. Faraday, T. A. Edison, and many other great people could
not have much school education. They made great efforts in desperate adversities. They were also
great organizers. Learn from them. Learn from your experience and cooperate with other people to
improve the hard situations for the better. Use the Internet to establish constructive relationship
with others. Nothing can keep you from thinking. What do you need anything else?
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