<Begin Segment 31>

SF: Maybe something that's really closer to your experience that relates to that is, how do the JA Christian churches work with the JA Buddhist church? Or is there no connection, very little connection, people attempt to make connections, don't attempt to make connections?

RI: Well, I think it's, it'd play out just like in this room. We're all, we're all of Japanese descent, but as far as our religious backgrounds, they could be quite different. We still feel a bonding. I mean, we can go out to eat and talk about Hawaii friends and all that. And if, if, say if you were Christian you say, "Hey, we're having a bazaar this week. You wanna buy some raffle tickets?" It's not that I'm supporting Christianity, but because I know you as part of the larger community, I say, "Sure, you wanna -- and I'll, I'll exchange it for these Buddhist tickets." Usually how it goes, right?

SF: Right.

RI: But I'm not gonna go to your service, right? And I've no interest because I'm very happy over all these generations where I am, and so is my family. So it's not doing anything together in the sense of cooperating on a project. But I think we're supported because we're fellow Nikkei in that sense. Although I might -- as a Buddhist I'm saying, "I wonder what their family story is and why they converted, you know to this white man's..." [Laughs] What were they lacking? [Laughs]

SF: Do many, say Nisei Buddhists remember the selling out, and sort of take quite a bit of pride in the fact they didn't sell out? 'Cause I sort of remember some people saying that in Fresno -- the Fresno area when we were interviewing folks that somehow they felt a special pride that even though there was all this prewar pressure that they didn't, they didn't convert. And, in a sense they sort of saw their, the Protestants as sort of sell outs in a sense.

RI: I'm not aware of that. In a way I'm kinda surprised, but on the other hand I'm not because the Buddhists don't really talk about themselves. They may be embarrassed of having such a petty thought. As we might say it, in half in jest, that's all. Although the belief may be deeper than that. It's not something that's talked about. At least I'm not aware of that. But again, maybe they see me as a minister and don't want to share that kind of bias or discrimination with me.

<End Segment 31> - Copyright © 1999 Densho. All Rights Reserved.