A Japanese Cult That Believes Its Leader Is an Alien From Venus Is Speaking at CPAC

[Nevilledog]

Link to tweet

https://www.vice.com/en/article/z3v9be/a-japanese-cult-that-believes-its-leader-is-an-alien-from-venus-is-speaking-at-cpac

The lineup of the Conservative Political Action Conference this week includes political heavyweights like former President Donald Trump, Cancun-loving Sen. Ted Cruz, and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. It also includes the political head of a Japanese religious cult that promotes nationalism, xenophobia and the belief that its leader is the reincarnation of an alien from Venus who created life on earth millions of years ago.

On Friday afternoon at the Hyatt Regency Orlando, Hiroaki “Jay” Aeba, a prominent Japanese conservative, will address CPAC about the threat China poses to the U.S., taking a prime spot in the lineup just after Donald Trump Jr.

Aeba is no stranger to CPAC. In fact, 2021 marks the tenth anniversary of his first visit to the Republican lovefest.

His speaker bio on the CPAC website notes that Aeba is the chairman of the Japanese Conservative Union (JCU), a right-wing political organization, and that he helped found CPAC Japan, which has been running for the last four years in Tokyo.

What isn’t mentioned is the central role Aeba plays in a Japanese cult called Happy Science, whose leader believes he is the Messiah and sells “miracle cures” for COVID-19.

*snip*

[Silent3]

1. Wow. *Almost* as strange as believing Trump was a good President n/t

[Hugin]

2. I have to admit a mild disappointment that GAHPAC isn't being held at the...

Regency Dry Cleaning and Uniform Service Center.

I guess they were vewwy vewwy careful to check for the Hyatt out front this time.

[Xipe Totec]

3. Invader Zim: The Nightmare Begins - Ep 1

The resemblance to the CPAC convention is uncanny.

[Thekaspervote]

4. Maybe he'll convince them to move to Japan

[Hugin]

5. or Venus.

I hear the climate there is balmy.

Appealing to TX Senators. (added on a whim)

[TheBlackAdder]

6. The dude must be freezing, with that temperature change from 864 degrees to 60 degrees Fahrenheit.

[lindysalsagal]

7. 11 mil followers of Happy Science: link to vice.com article

https://www.vice.com/en/article/z3v9be/a-japanese-cult-that-believes-its-leader-is-an-alien-from-venus-is-speaking-at-cpac?utm_source=vicenewstwitter

David Gilbert 2.25.21

According to the movement’s own websites, Happy Science is “Japan's biggest and the most influential religion, and it is rapidly growing on a worldwide scale.” The group claims it has 11 million followers and thousands of missionary outposts around the world, but former members have cast doubt on those figures.

Happy Science was founded in October 1986 by Ryuho Okawa, a former Wall Street trader who claims to be the reincarnated form of Buddha, who himself was the reincarnated form of El Cantare, a god from Venus who created life on earth millions of years ago. Happy Science was officially recognized as a religious group in Japan in 1991, quickly gained a huge following, and made Okawa a very rich man. One estimate from 1991 put the group’s annual revenues at around $45 million.

Okawa claims that he can channel the spirits of famous people — both alive and dead. In 2019, the Happy Science branch in London hosted a séance to hear Margaret Thatcher’s thoughts on Brexit. Okawa has written over 500 books filled with outlandish claims about UFOs, demonic warfare, and most recently, coronavirus and how it originated on another planet.

Just like Scientology in the U.S., a focus on making money was baked into Happy Science from the start. Along with buying books, DVDs, and CDs, followers have to pay to advance within the group.

Oh, and of course, sells Covid 19 cures. Of course he does. This is the U.S. GQP.

[Hugin]

8. JFK Jr is thought to be there...

So, why not?

[lindysalsagal]

9. Oh shit.

[Hugin]

11. It's par for the sub-par. n/t

[Turbineguy]

10. That sounds about right.

[Initech]

12. You know, Men In Black was just a movie.