Japan - True feelings?

[Paul22118]

I think the tradegy in Japan is horrendous as many have said on these pages. May I share a comment with you made by another (which I happen not to agree with but understand)
He is a Scot who was captured by the Japanese in WWII and badly starved and tortured. He survived but has always hated them for what they did to him as a man. In reespect to recent natural events he said "I was captured by the Japs in the war and was beaten, starved and tortured. They hit me hard and broke my legs and punched me so hard my stomach has never recovered. At my lowest darkest days I used to think where are you Lord when I need you most. Now I know".
Tragic is it not?

[factor-fiction]

I'm not sure what your point is.

[Count-A-Strong]

Me neither.

[Chaffinch]

I think my father would have felt the same, he was a Gordon Highlander and was a POW in Burma, he also suffered very badly, he was 6'2 and weighed 6 1/2 stone when he was released.

But what has happened in Japan is truly awful, the people who have died did not torture my father or your friend, we surley should forgive but never forget.

[boxtops]

There was a thread on here yesterday about retribution. It depends how long people carry these dreadful memories - the people alive now in Japan weren't the people who perpetrated those horrors, same with the Germans.

[tiggerblue10]

It is tragic I agree, but this was happened during the WWII and has no bearing whatsoever with the tragic events of the last few days.

[The-HouseHusband]

I think he is trying to say "god" answered this man's prayers, but about 70 years later than he had hoped for.

Yet another one of the god squad trying to make this out as divine retribution, rather than the natural disaster that it is.

[woofgang]

My late Dad would have understood that. He used to express resentment of Japan because of their behaviour in the war, but he managed to hive that off from the Japanese people who he met in the course of his job and who he treated like everyone else. I know he would feel for the children in such a disaster.

[tiggerblue10]

Sorry, bad typing!

*this happened during WWII (that should have read)

[tamborine]

cant blame the sons for the sins of their fathers

[woofgang]

Househusband I don't think he's saying what he believes but what the other man said.

[bibblebub]

tsk, these people who want their benevolent deity to strike people dead...

[The-HouseHusband]

I agree I could have worded my answer better looking back, it was his friend I was referring too but obviously did not make this clear, sorry for the confusion

[modeller]

As an atheist I don't believe in divine intervention either in the short or long term, but if a god did exist what is the point of long term retribution . Most of those people who carried those atrocities are dead. I lived throughout WW II and met many victims of the Japs . I neither forget nor forgive. They got away with it , end of story.

[Shal777]

This is a natural disaster...not devine retribution.
Things happen in war that are abhorrent and they happen on both sides, there are things allies have done that are terrible, so are we all waiting for divine retribution??

[sara3]

2 tragic incidents, 1 on a huge scale.

apart from that, I don't see why they're linked.

[Shal777]

I almost forgot, if we are to assume that it is devine retribition can you tell me what New Zealand did to deserve their two earthquakes? Or was God missing the target?

[jd_1984]

I assume you mean that his point of view is tragic?

[carlton23]

All `tho` the Japs appear to now be our friends in so much as we can call them friends, I wonder if many of them would still behave the same as they did in WW2, going by their history of wars. I still think they have inborn tendencys to evil if not kept in check by the rest of the world. Sorry, but that`s my personal opinion. I can`t forget the past like others can.

[sara3]

jd, I didn't.. but fair point!

[jd_1984]

Its a tricky one this, especially seeing as the tragic events are a natural disasterand will have affected the lives of many innocents, mostly who are not from the generation of WW2.. But many of an older generation will remember the cruelty and seemingly generic evil tendancies of the Japaneese during WW2. So on anindividual level, should we blame this guy for feeling how he does?
As a nation should we deny them help? Should the USA remember Pearl Harbour before offering assistance?