The Odd Story of Priest Abuse Victim Hiroshi Sugiura Part 2

Little Pebble Nagoya Church

 

Part 2

Inspector Okada (name changed by request) of the Aichi Police says, “These Little Pebble people cause people to raise eyebrows, but they are harmless. College students find them annoying on campus, but I think it is part of the fallout about late Prime Minister Abe having ties with Rev. Moon and the Unification Church. Then again, their ideas of sexual freedom and expression draw interest from some looking for relationship.”

In 2010, the Akita commune was relocated from the original site due to age to a new site in Komatsukawa, Akita. The site boasts a larger home and plenty of acreage for the commune to operate a farm. The commune is now self supporting and sells eggs, free range chickens, apples, pears, rice, and green leaf vegetables at local markets. 34 members have lived here since opening, including 12 of the original 14 members.

In Nagoya, the church still occupies the original building but was remodeled in 2011. The location near Nagoya Port offers an easy to reach location by bus, subway, and train. Sugiura rotates his presence between the two. One month in Akita and the next in Nagoya. Sugiura grins, “I am the daddy allowing the children to run things but they know I shall be back.”

I ask about the sex acts performed during services. Sugiura looks serious and sits up, “It refers to the sex act conducted in front of the Eucharist involving myself and the males, as the role of Adam, and female followers, who play the role of Eve by her own free will. One man for each female. The Lord does not wish for anybody else to engage in this ritual. They must be baptized and confirmed before the Lord God and blessed by Mother Mary. They marry the mate they choose at the commune, or outside. I was inspired to perform this ritual because I believed that there was no other way to prove Mr. Little Pebble’s innocence and the wrongful convictions of sexual assault made against him. Just a few days ago, God sent me a message saying that the woman who sued Mr. Little Pebble will confess that it was all a lie.”

 

New Akita Commune

 

 I ask if this is orthodox Christian practice. Sugiura looks annoyed, “It is not a sex act. It is an act faith and worship. The penis is not to be inserted into her vagina. We stimulate the penis against her external genitalia. When we orgasm, the Lord tells us to ejaculate into a cup and to throw out the sperm. Our love for one another wells up and more and more our love for God does as well.”

Is this a cult you founded? Sugiura laughs and says, “I preach the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church, wholly embracing all of its beliefs and morals. Obviously this means that we are to reject all other religions except our own. One of our fundamental principles is to proudly wear this white Little Pebble tunic to show the world that we are in full support of Mr. Little Pebble. God forgives all those who ask for forgiveness, whoever they may be. That is the glory of the Lord. Our members will continue to have sex for the rest of their lives while they perpetually ask for forgiveness. The Lord will give both of them his blessing, share his bounty, and keep forgiving their sins until they die. Even after death God will forgive them and they will be saved.”

How do people outside the church feel about it? Sugiura grins and then looks serious, “Being hated and criticized, we will understand our faults even more and give thanks to those who criticized us. We will learn to love and to live humbly. We will pray for those who criticized us and ask God to guide them toward the right path.”

I left the church and made my way to the subway in the searing Nagoya heat. One thing was clear, Sugiura believes his theology. Whether it is true is another issue. Wrapped in the sophistic talk of religion is the truth that sex sells. That really is the root of Sugiura's stage play he calls church.

Kiminori Ito