Story number 3 for 9 Nov 2001

(Japan)–For the first time since World War Two, Japan is dispatching naval destroyers overseas to assist the U-S led attack on terrorism. A new law allows for such a move. However, missionary to Japan Rick Enterline with Baptist Mid-Missions says some Japanese Christians are concerned this is a step backward. “They’re fearful that it could start the country down the trail to situation that they faced prior to World War 2 where Shinto was the national religion and the emperor was revered and there was no religious freedom at that time.” Enterline, who’s staying at
D & D Missionary Homes in Florida with his family, says these events probably won’t have an impact on evangelism. “The Japanese people are delightful people. But, they are walking in such incredible spiritual darkness and it takes a long time, working with the people. They tend to think of Christianity as a foreign religion, It’s for foreigners. That’s the mindset we deal with.”