The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1945-12-26

Even ones heroes ara nt times
Disappointing, General MacArthur's
abolition OF Shinto is something
that one OF his wisdom should have
known cannot be done. The japan
csc may be converted away from
Shinto: but Shinto cannot be taken
away from them. Men may change
their modes OF living but their re.
ligious ideas persist. not because
they are reasonable but because
they are improbable. What can be
proved may in all probability be
disproved: but that which partakes
OF the supernatural Is beyond hui
man destruction except by the slow
process OF conversion as to form.
And even conversion leaves ves-
tiges OF ancient forms and tradi-
lions.
And now the Shlntoists will be-
come martyrs, and the Americans
will be regarded as their persecu-
tors. The great experts on Japan
may write volumes TO prove that
Shinto is a.state religion concocted
by politicians and militarIsts to
feed an opiate to the Japanese peo-
pie. That, of course, is what Karl
Marx said about Christianity. And
it is as nonsensical when MacAr.
thur Gays It as when Marx said It.
For Shinto IS a Japanese syncre-
tism Of Asiatic forms OF ancestor
worship, an old religious concept.
a primitive characteristic OF mans
search for God and moral law. Out
OF similar ancestor worship grew
the faith Of the Jews and Chris.
tians and Moslems. And in some
manner It still exists among tho
Jews in their constant references
to Abraham. Isaac and Jacob AMI
even in their habit Of calling them
selves the sons Of Israel
In China, ancestor worship Is
still strong instinct for racial
preservation and, before revolution
and war disturbed the sanity OF
man, every well-regulated family
kept a room or a little temple in
garden in which was a memorial to
the ancestors of the family. And
before the tablet, candles burned,
and on fit occasions the ancestors
were notified OF good or evil. Shin
to is little more than that, except
that II is associated so closely with
the emperor and his ancestors. who
in turn are accepted as the progeni-
tors OF the entire race.
All this ancestral worship is
not to be put down by foreign milf
tary fiat any more than Soviet Rus
sia succeeded in destroying Christ.
mas, or two thousand years OF per-
secution made the Jews forget
their ancestral god. "How goodly
are thy tents, o Jacob thy Taher-
nacles, o Israeli" the Japanese re-
spected their ancestors and Il was
witnessed in the relations OF father
and son. Imagine such a scene as
Prince Konoye discussing with his
son his prospective suicidel Only
man OF a fierce and certain faith
in the supernatural could make OF
himself a sacrifice on the altar Of
his family pride. At any rate, he
died without greater humiliation
than bad already come to his coun-
try. and his son will each year burn
a candle TO his memory and think
well OF him.
raise this subject because in
this scientific age when men think
Of man merely as a biologic crea-
ture, merely as dust which returns
TO dust. as a bag of glands and cal
cium and protein and fats held
together by a pumping heart--the
relations between father and son
have become altered. The "old
man" is Just another biologic cren.
ture 10 be put on relief rolls when
he grows too old 10 fork up for
his support The "old lady" Is
Just a neurotic who butts into ones
private affairs. as, for instance,
when she becomes a motherinlaw.
Perhaps the worship OF the ance5-
tor IS primitive and crude, but re-
spect for the parent, regard for
his person, Acknowledgement Of OBJ
legation to the progenitor Is a mark
Of a recognition OF moral law. And
without moral law, man is no dif
ferent from a dog or a horse or .