Akademik

   Religion for the Salvation of the World. A religious movement originally founded by a former Omoto member Okada, Mokichi (1882-1955) following a revelation from Kannon. In 1928 he set up the Great Japan Association for the Worship of the Bodhisattva Kannon (Dainihon Kannon-kai) which emphasised healing and communion with divinities. The movement was forced by the government to focus only on the healing aspect and the movement was renamed Japanese association for therapy through purification (Nihon joka reiho). After the war the Kannon-worship element was revived in the 'Japan organisation for the worship of Kannon'. In 1950 following a schism Okada formed Sekai Meshiya kyo 'Religion of World Messiah-ship', a name later changed to Sekai Kyusei-kyo. The movement regards Okada as a living kami (ikigami) and combines the performance of Shinto-style rites with a reverence for the uplifting power of works of art. Members are suspicious of modern drugs, practise spiritual light-healing (jorei) and promote a chemical-free diet. The organisation is usually known in the West under the initials MOA (Mokichi Okada Association).