I have been in the Sukyo Mahikari organisation since February 1994 and have been helped enormously by the Light of God and the practice of the divine teachings. I am also a computer enthusiast and surf the web as part of my job. That is why I have found it regrettable that there are many misconceptions and unjustified criticism of Sukyo Mahikari on the web. To me it is clear that many things published are completely wrong.

This is why I was very impressed with Dr Tebecis latest book, "Is the Future in Our Hands? My Experiences with Sukyo Mahikari" as it clarified everything beautifully, particularly the section "How the Mahikari organisation is evolving", pages 46-62. Dr Tebecis has had thirty years experience with the Mahikari organisation as an enthusiastic practitioner, teacher and administrator, and this comes through in his book, I feel. In a level-headed way, he has raised some of the possible reasons for misconceptions as the organisation evolved - better translations and more literature; taking cultural differences into consideration; more accurate and deeper understanding of the divine teachings; better training of people in positions of responsibility; importance of the practice of the art of True Light; and media publicity.

For example, the view that Sukyo Mahikari is anti-Semitic is ridiculous. Sukyo Mahikari clearly is an organisation in which members are taught to respect each other, welcoming people of all ethnic groups,religions,races,skin colour and so on. In fact, one of the missions of Sukyo Mahikari is to help all religions to be united.

The allegation that Sukyo Mahikari has links with Aum Supreme Truth is also completely false. On the contrary, from the book it is clear that governments, councils and various official bodies are viewing Sukyo Mahikari as a respectable and safe organisation that does good for the world.

SInce Sukyo Mahikari is an organisation that is helping to achieve harmony amongst people, with the aim of making a better world in which people from all backgrounds will live in peace, it has avoided confrontation. I suppose that is the reason why the organisation has not responded to a number of unfounded allegations that have appeared on the internet. I cannot help feeling relieved that there is literature that shows the true essence of the organisation. The book also helps people to become better people who can actually achieve a harmonious society.

Ugan Reddy

The following is a citation from the book (available on Amazon.com) by Tebecis, A.K. (2004), Is the Future in Our Hands ? My Experiences with Sukyo Mahikari , Sunrise Press: Canberra, chapter 2, Media publicity, p. 58-62.

Media publicity

There is an extreme view on the Internet that Sukyo Mahikari has a hidden agenda – that the Emperor of Japan is going to rule the world and that the organisation is a front to achieve this. Such a distorted view simply could not subsist in Japan. Practically everyone in Japan knows that members of the Imperial family are strictly traditionalistic when it comes to religious matters, following traditional Shintoism and all the rites and practices that come with it. The Emperor of Japan, as any head of state or person in high office, would not show favouritism to any religious organisation in Japan or elsewhere.

Why has this view appeared amongst some previous Sukyo Mahikari members? It could be because the founder gave teachings that things started in the “land of the origin of spirit”, and that in extremely ancient times there was a leader from the land of the origin of spirit who was the representative of God for the peoples of the world. These teachings need to be taken in context. In ancient times when humankind appeared on earth, there was no country called Japan, no nationalities or borders, only land. People were all of the same origin and spread out to different parts of the world. Japan today is a part of what in ancient times was called the land of the origin of spirit. Sukuinushisama said that the people of the land of the origin of spirit does not only refer to Japanese people. Various teachings of Sukyo Mahikari point not to ‘a chosen people’ but to the importance of having harmony amongst people of all backgrounds as brothers and sisters. For example, in the Yokoshi Prayer Book, a verse of a divine song (entitled “The Land of the Origin of Spirit”) says, Japanese and Jewish people, you are not the chosen ones. Another says, Americans, Russians, Chinese, Japanese and Jewish people are all brothers. It is absurd that you now have discord among yourselves.

Related to this matter is another allegation made in the media and on the Internet – that Sukyo Mahikari is racist, in particular, that it is anti-Semitic. There is no truth in this allegation. The passage cited above from the Yokoshi Prayer Book already makes this clear. Sukyo Mahikari welcomes all people, irrespective of their religion, race or background.

There are a number of Jewish Sukyo Mahikari members in Australia, with whom I communicate. The first Mahikari doctor in Australia is a Jewish woman whom I guided to Mahikari in 1976. In Canberra, I often talk with a good friend of mine, a Jewish man who became a Sukyo Mahikari member in Perth years ago. This man used to be the principal viola player for the London Symphony Orchestra and also had a position with the Carl Pini String Quartet. He told me: “The Light and the Mahikari teachings have not only furthered my progress as a musician and teacher but they have deepened my understanding of Judaism”. Another Jewish member in Canberra was the vice-principal of a high school and told me that she found the Mahikari practices invaluable in helping to fulfil her role as an educator. There are many Jewish kamikumite throughout the world. Also, I have attended Sukyo Mahikari ceremonies in the World Shrine where Jewish rabbis and dignitaries made complimentary remarks about the organisation in their public speeches.

I feel that any misconceptions about Sukyo Mahikari controlling or looking down upon other races will gradually be dispelled as the organisation spreads and people find out how altruistic and universal it really is.

Another matter worthy of clarification is the allegation on the Internet that Sukyo Mahikari has links with the movement, Aum Supreme Truth, in Japan. The Japanese police have discredited Aum Supreme Truth as a terrorist organisation, so it is understandable that people who know little about Sukyo Mahikari would be shocked by any report that the organisation has a connection with Aum Supreme Truth. There is no connection with Aum Supreme Truth and never was. It is true that a Japanese one-time Mahikari member who came to Australia became a member of Aum Supreme Truth, but she did this many years after she had given up Mahikari. I knew her well – Ms Yasuko Shimada, who came to Adelaide in South Australia in 1974 and helped plant the first seeds of Mahikari in Australia, a little over a year before I came across Mahikari in Japan. She married an Australian man and was able to gain Australian citizenship. She was certainly a pioneer for Mahikari in Adelaide. However, for various reasons she got divorced and gave up Mahikari in the early 1980s, years before Aum Supreme Truth was even founded. We heard from acquaintances that she was trying different religions. As far as I know, Mahikari members lost touch with her for years and were surprised by media reports that she had become a member of Aum Supreme Truth years later.

People come and go in all kinds of organisations, and there is no way any organisation can be responsible for what people do elsewhere years after leaving that organisation.

Of course, history has shown that sometimes organisations registered as religions have, in fact, had hidden agendas or have exploited people. It was a good move by governments, not only in Japan but around the world, to investigate religious organisations to assess how genuine they are. Mass suicides in religious movements in Europe and Canada a few years ago, as well as the sarin gas murders by Aum Supreme Truth in Japan, prompted governments to look closely into religious organisations, resulting in some reassurance for the public. The Japanese government enacted religious law reforms in which all religious organisations were scrutinised, and there were a number that were either closed down or are under surveillance. From all this, it became clear that in Japan, Sukyo Mahikari is held in high regard as an organisation that stands for good in society. Media reports in Japan have cited Sukyo Mahikari as one of the fastest growing new religions attracting the public. More and more research reports on new religions in Japan are also indicating their surprise that Sukyo Mahikari is growing rapidly, not only in Japan but overseas.

When shocking allegations appear about religious movements that are not well known, some people are quick to use the words ‘brain-washing’, ‘sect’ and ‘cult’ even though they know little or nothing about the organisation concerned, or even what defines a sect or cult. Sukyo Mahikari is not very well known in society outside of Japan when compared with mainstream organisations that have been in existence for centuries, so it is understandable that the public can become alarmed by negative claims in the media and on the Internet.

I was in Australia in 1997 when media reports criticising Sukyo Mahikari in Australia appeared. At that time, I was the Regional Director of Sukyo Mahikari Australia-Oceania Region. Understandably, a number of Mahikari members became confused, particularly because of some anxiety from their non-Mahikari relatives. In order to help allay people’s concerns, I invited the Australian Federal Police to come to our Sukyo Mahikari Headquarters in Canberra and examine our records, files, accounts or anything else they wished. Three Federal Agents came, and during the amicable conversation they raised no concern about the integrity of Sukyo Mahikari. In fact, they offered their support, indicating that they would come quickly to our aid if any problems occurred from people who did not know the facts and wanted to cause trouble.

In 1996 a Parliamentary Commission in Belgium investigated dozens of religious and spiritual organisations, including Sukyo Mahikari. At that time media reports labelled Sukyo Mahikari as a ‘dangerous sect’. Sukyo Mahikari staff members contacted the Department of Justice in Brussels about this allegation and the Commissioner General of the Criminal Investigation Department (Department of Justice) in Brussels replied in writing on 26 May 1998 that he had not given any indication that the organisation was dangerous and that he is not responsible for the interpretations by the media. Even the organisation for observing sects, “Information and Advice Centre on Harmful Sectarian Organisations”, legally established in 1998 as a consequence of that parliamentary commission, replied in writing on 13 December 2001 that in the documents of the Centre there is no evidence of anything presented before a judge, of illegal practices, harming individuals, families or the society, or disturbing public order, by Sukyo Mahikari.

In England, on 4 March 1999, Scotland Yard wrote to Sukyo Mahikari’s lawyers in London confirming that “nothing untoward was found” when officers visited the London Mahikari Centre and that as far as they were aware, Sukyo Mahikari was “not being investigated by the Metropolitan Police for any suspected criminal offence”.

Negative publicity can have a good outcome. It usually makes people look more carefully at organisations and how genuine they really are, and as a result many people can be reassured and even discover the value of the organisation. Within Sukyo Mahikari as well, many people’s faith has been strengthened through these experiences. Also, we now feel that we have a responsibility to not be so passive but to help society know more about Sukyo Mahikari so that people can make informed choices.

The Mahikari organisation has been spreading mainly by word of mouth. Other than some public talks, public activities and media coverage, there have been no high-pressure campaigns or advertising. Also, not much Mahikari literature has been available for the public.

However, the Mahikari organisation has always been open in that the general public is welcome to visit Mahikari centres, to experience the Light of God, to talk to members, read the literature, attend ceremonies, study classes and so on. There is no obligation to continue, although of course, members are pleased if someone wishes to do so. People may visit once or twice or come dozens of times. They may become members or not. There are people who leave the Mahikari organisation, in which case their views are respected. There are also some people who wish to come back to the Mahikari organisation years later, and do so. Unlike the early years when people could become Mahikari members with little or no prior preparation, nowadays, most Sukyo Mahikari centres have guidelines for preparation in order to help potential members to really know what they are getting into. Such people are encouraged to receive the Light of God many times, to attend some activities, read the literature and talk to members so they can make informed choices. Young children may also become members, but only if at least one of their parents is a member. Teenagers require the permission of their parents if they wish to become members.

Sukyo Mahikari derives no income from any business. It is totally funded by voluntary donations made by members. It is taught that offerings only have significance if they are made willingly and with gratitude.

As Sukyo Mahikari spreads and as more literature on Mahikari becomes available to the public, I envisage that more and more people will be able to see what this organisation stands for and evaluate it appropriately.