Chapter 10

Mortification

Being a very close friend to Sakie Oka, after her arrival in the mainland U.S. from Hawaii, I learned that Buddhism, Shintoism and Hinduism are very similar. She had been born and reared in the religion of Shintoism and Buddhism and had been very devoutly involved in that religion. One day she heard the glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ through an American Missionary, Helen Bradley, and was converted.

One evening while getting ready for service, Sakie pointed to her scarred back. It looked like she had been burned by cigarette butts, but, no, she explained, “My Buddhist mother burned me with punk to punish me when I was a naughty girl.”

Very similar to punk, we too burned our bodies in the convent to appease the wrath of an angry God. The more bums we inflicted on our bodies, the more honour and glory were bestowed upon us — so the Mother Superior informed us.

We also whipped our bodies until the blood flowed. The little Nun who spilled the most blood was recognized as the most devout and greater lover of her bridegroom, Jesus Christ.

One day we were all lined up in a row and were given straight pins. We were admonished to inflict pain on our own bodies by placing the pin through our checks. We believed the more times we drove the pin through our cheeks, the more holy we became, and proved our devotion to God.

Hindus walk through live coals of fire and drive sharp knives or swords through their cheeks, then appear at their temples after so many days of physical suffering to receive their reward. Similarly, we little Nuns in the convents walked on sharp rocks, went on long fasts and starvation diets, mutilated our bodies, suffered mortification, believing that as long as we did these things we made God happy and would be rewarded.

I’m so glad God delivered me from the convent and let me hear the good news of the Gospel. There I learned that God is love and full of compassion. He is not willing that any should suffer, but that all should come to repentance and have life and that more abundantly.

I’m fully aware of the Bible truth that Paul taught, “If we suffer, we shall also reign with him.” However, nowhere in the Bible did the Apostles or Disciples inflict pain on their own bodies. Their suffering came from their enemies who opposed their preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ, their healing the sick, casting out devils, performing miracles, and baptizing candidates in the lovely Name of Jesus Christ.

The Apostle Paul taught that Jesus suffered once and for all, according to Hebrews 10: l0.