True Crime-Paranormal-Conspiracy Theories Stories Part V #Wattys2023

Happy Science: Ryuho Okawa

Ryuho Okawa (大川隆法; Ōkawa Ryūhō; born Takashi Nakagawa (中川隆; Nakagawa Takashi) on July 7, 1956) is the CEO and founderof the Happy Science religious organization and the HappinessRealization Party in Japan. He is also chairman of two companiesaffiliated with the organization, New Star Production and ARIProduction.

His organization has been widelycriticised as a cult. Adherents of the religion worship Okawa, whoclaims to be the current incarnation of a god called "ElCantare" and a number of other beings, including Hermes andGautama Buddha.

Early life

Ryuho Okawa was born Takashi Nakagawaon 7 July 1956 in Kawashima (now Yoshinogawa), Tokushima Prefectureas the second son of Tadayoshi Nakagawa (中川忠義, Nakagawa Tadayoshi) (1921 – 2003) (later known byhis pen name[8] Saburō Yoshikawa (善川三朗, Yoshikawa Saburō)) and Kimiko Nakagawa (中川君子, Nakagawa Kimiko). His older brother is named TsutomuNakagawa (中川 力,Nakagawa Tsutomu) (born 1952) (later known as Makoto Tomiyama (富山誠, Tomiyama Makoto)).

Okawa said his family was religious;both of his parents believed in God and the Buddha, and Okawabelieved in the existence of spirits and souls, and a world afterdeath in childhood. Despite his beliefs, Okawa was not active inreligious practice. Okawa and Tomiyama lived were raised in a stricthome environment that was ordinary and not particularly rich norpoor.

Yoshikawa is said to be one of the mostimportant influences on Okawa's life. Okawa said, despite not havinga spiritual or religious master, Yoshikawa had an importantinfluence. Yoshikawa edited journals for the Japanese Communist Partyand later worked as an agricultural advisor in local government. Hewas deeply interested in spirituality and religion. He studied in theChristian Church as a teenager, as well as in a new religion calledSeicho-no-Ie after World War II. He later became a follower of ShinjiTakahashi, leader of the religious organization God Light Association(GLA). He would also later serve as Happy Science's official adviserin its first few years. Yoshikawa was demanding on Okawa's success.Yoshikawa gave him and Tomiyama hour-long lectures after dinner athome. The lectures included religious topics like the Bible and TheGateless Barrier, as well as secular topics like Kantian philosophyand Marxism during elementary school, although Okawa was notsuccessful in school.

Okawa wanted to be a scholar or adiplomat. He wanted to spread his ideas in academia, or broaden hisview on life by experiencing different cultures as a diplomat.Because of this prospect, he started studying until late at night andbecame amongst the top of his class. He became particularly good atEnglish. He was obese, weighing 60 kg when he was 143 cm tall.

During secondary school, Okawa was anactive student. He fished, played tennis, and practiced kendo. He wasinvolved in school activities; he was president of the student unionand editor of the school newspaper.

Career

Education

In 1975, Okawa failed the entrance examfor Tokyo University. After studying for a year, he was accepted intothe university's Liberal Arts Division. During his first year, he wasnot socially adjusted. He said he once wrote love letters to a girl,but was rejected. He felt uncomfortable amongst the students who wereuninterested in spirituality. During his second year, a time he calls"the first stage in the 'awakening of wisdom'", hemodeled his daily schedule after that of Immanuel Kant, whom herespected deeply. At 3 pm, he would take a walk while writing poetry.At 5 pm, he would go to the local bathhouse and stay there for anhour thinking about his day. Going home, he would have a cheap meal,and buy two books at a local bookstore. From 8:30 to 9 pm, he wouldread, then drink tea, and then read philosophy. The philosophy heread included those of Plato and Kitaro Nishida.