Aneyoshi is a village along the coastline of northeastern Japan. When the whole world woke up on the 11th of March, 2011 with the news of the Tsunami which swept across Japan and neighboring countries, an event triggered by a magnitude-9 earthquake, the people of Aneyoshi were spared. Their homes remained intact while many villages were washed away by the flood with 120,000 buildings totally destroyed. The economic cost due to the Tsunami event of 2011 was estimated by the World Bank to be up to $235 billion. Aneyoshi a small village of 11 households and 34 residents knew how to keep out of harm’s way.
What wisdom was it that kept them safe? How did they know how to escape the doom that resulted from the washing away of almost a 100 miles off the coastline? It was simple obedience.
In 1896, there was a Tsunami that destroyed the ancient Aneyoshi village which was built near the shore leaving only two survivors. After that incident, the survivors moved uphill and remained there until their village was re-populated. The next generation, however, moved back to the shoreline and stayed there only to be devastated by another Tsunami in 1933 leaving only four survivors. After that, the village stayed permanently uphill and out of harm’s way. The stone in the picture was set in place as a warning for their ancestors instructing them never to build any house below that spot. Good enough, the people of Aneyoshi kept to their defined limits and never went below the boundary set for them. They refused to budge despite the assurances of technology that newer buildings could withstand any form of Tsunami.
The earthquake of 2011 was stronger than scientific predictions and resulted in a flood that was much more powerful than all previous Tsunamis that ever affected the Aneyoshi village in their history. The other recorded earthquake stronger than that of 2011 was the Jorg earthquake of 869 which resulted in a Tsunami whose waves swept deposits of sand many miles inland. The Tsunami of March 11, 2011, washed away almost all the buildings in its path without respecting the technology that put them in place. The 2011 Tsunami waves reached their highest level of 127.6 ft at Anoyeshi. This was higher than the height of Japan’s previous record of 125.3 feet recorded along the coastline for the 1896 tsunami. The flood however and its boisterous waves fell short of reaching the stone. Keeping to the rules set by their ancestors, by building only above the limit set by the stone, saved the whole village.
When it comes to nature, history keeps repeating itself because man has refused to learn from history. Subsequent generations who never felt the heat/pain/destruction of their ancestors always think that they can change the course of history. In some ways, we have succeeded and that is a good thing but in many ways, nature has always lashed back at us. We may be able to improve our lots with technology but defying certain laws of nature has never been successful. Human beings need to appreciate the boundaries where necessary and stick to them.
“Remove not the ancient landmark; And enter not into the fields of the fatherless:”
“Thou shalt not remove thy neighbor’s landmark, which they of old time have set,…”
Proverbs 23:10, Deuteronomy 19:14 (ASV)
SOME OLD LANDMARKS:
Parenting: Over the last four decades, the boundaries of parental control have been thinned out and children have literally been left to themselves. At the same time, the rates of depression, mental disorders, use of drugs of addiction, and suicide have gone up. Again and again, the lists of identified psychiatric disorders have expanded with new definitions now diagnosed in children. We are being encouraged to solve most of these disorders with pills with attendant side effects. Meanwhile, there has always been an ancient solution to these problems – the rod of correction! Children need to be trained by their parents and when they deviate as children, the rod of correction sets them straight. The rod of correction is not the same as child abuse and should never be confused with each other. It is the way of loving parents guiding a child.
“Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child, but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.”
“Children do foolish things, but if you punish them, they will learn not to do them.”
“Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. “
Proverbs 22:15 (KJV), (ERV), Proverb 22:6 (KJV)
Gender and Sexual orientation: The advent of civilization and the freedom right movement has crossed boundaries by attempts to redefine the meaning of gender. It was clear from the beginning to be male and female with well defined sexual roles but now we have Lesbians, gay, bisexual, queer, transgender, I’d rather not say, etc. Without trampling on the rights of individuals, and by trying to be politically correct and tolerant, much confusion has surrounded the subject. With these ones seeking acceptance and rights, we are met with a lot of changing of landmarks including the transformation of body parts and organs. With changes in lifestyles and sexual orientation have come resultant increases in rates of sexually transmitted diseases, rare cancers, spousal abuses, depression, and suicides which are ranked very high among these individuals as they seek inner peace and acceptance.
“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.”
“Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is an abomination.”
“If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination:…”
Gen_1:27, Lev_18:22, Lev_20:13
The people of Anoyeshi kept to the rules handed over to them by their ancestors which was meant to keep them safe. While other villages moved towards the coastline emboldened by the world of science and technology which boasted to keep them safe from the obvious but hidden risk of an impending flood the magnitude of which the professionals underestimated, they kept to the well-defined boundaries. The only persons (4) who lost their lives from the village od Anoyeshi were found in the lowlands and not at home when the Tsunami came.
As an individual, you have the freedom to choose how to live your life. This definitely will affect your community in one way or the other for we are all connected and none is an island. You can decide to look out for the signs of the ancient landmarks which set limits for those of us who came afterward and keep within the well-defined bounds. Or you could join others in testing all limits in the name of freedom and by putting your trust in medicine, science, and technology thereby accepting man as the determinant of his own destiny. In whatever you do, please do not forget the wisdom of the people of Anoyeshi village. There is a God in charge of our world, his laws and boundaries can be understood and followed, and you are not the one.
“There is one other thing I have learned. God made people good, but they have found many ways to be bad.”
“See, this only I have found, that God has made man upright, but they have sought out many inventions.”
“You are great and do amazing things. You and you alone are God.”
Ecclesiastes 7:29 (ERV) (LITV), Psalms 86:10 (KJV)
Life, Health and Prosperity 