This ship docked at the end of our island a few weeks ago. You'll see it's a research ship, from the Institute of Cetacean Research in Japan. You'll also notice the harpoon gun on the bow. In 2007 just under 1,000 whales were taken for research purposes. The meat went on sale in Tsukiji, just a few blocks north of where we live. The ship does this whaling in the southern Pacific as well as near Antarctica.
I recall a conversation with Mr. Hiraoka in Hiroshima many years ago. He said the world had no business telling Japan not to hunt whales, because Japanese eat whales, while Westerners eat beef. It's just a cultural difference, he said. I tried to point out that there was something bigger than culture here, because whales are close to extinction and cattle are not.
In a similar manner, people look at the world's religions as all being similar, and merely cultural. We have no business insisting Jesus is God's way, they tell us. Yet, there's something bigger than culture here. Religion supposedly gives the means for me to earn, merit, or somehow obtain spiritual benefits. Jesus came to provide them for us for free. He is the only One who could do that. Quit trying to reach up for these things, when God through Jesus has already reached down to us. That's the Gospel.
