Spreadsheet and Sukyo Mahikari: Difference between pages

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Sukyo Mahikari was established with the goal of enabling people to experience the existence of a higher dimension through the art of True Light. True Light (Mahikari), the Light of the Creator God, can, according to the Sukyo Mahikari organisation, be radiated from the hand by people who complete a three-day introductory course and receive a sacred locket. It claims the Light purifies the spirit, mind and body. This practice can be done anywhere and at any time and is the main activity at Sukyo Mahikari Centres throughout the world.

A '''spreadsheet''' is a rectangular table (or grid) of information, often [[financial]] information. (It is, therefore, a kind of [[Matrix (mathematics)|matrix]].) The word came from "spread" in its sense of a newspaper or magazine item (text and/or graphics) that covers two facing pages, extending across the center fold and treating the two pages as one large one. The compound word "spread-sheet" came to mean the format used to present [[Bookkeeping|bookkeeping]] ledgers -- with columns for categories of expenditures across the top, invoices listed down the left margin, and the amount of each payment in the cell where its row and column intersect, for example -- which were traditionally a "spread" across facing pages of a bound ledger (= book for keeping accounting records) or on oversized sheets of paper ruled into rows and columns in that format and approximately twice as wide as ordinary paper.

Sukyo Mahikari teaches that the universal principles (Sukyo) that people apply in their lives enables them to understand aspects of the unseen realm of spirit from their own experience. It claims the Light (Mahikari) enables them to efficaciously follow a God-centred, spiritual way of life. Sukyo Mahikari teaches that fundamental laws (similar to the law of gravity) were established at the foundation of the universe, and that they apply to each person irrespective of their faith or background.

One of the first commercial uses of computers was in processing payroll and other financial records, so the programs (and, indeed, the programming languages themselves) were designed to generate reports in the standard "spreadsheet" format bookkeepers and accountants used. The more available and affordable computers themselves became in the last quarter of the 20th century, the more software became available for them, and programs to keep financial records and generate spreadsheet reports were always in demand. Those spreadsheet programs can be used to tabulate many kinds of information, not just financial records, so the term "spreadsheet" has developed a more general meaning as information (= data = facts) presented in a rectangular table, usually generated by a computer.

Sukyo Mahikari claims to be, among other things, concerned with helping to establish a better world through improving the quality of life for all living creatures and all things. A fundamental viewpoint of the organisation is that the origin of the world is one; the origin of humankind is one; and the origin of all religions is one. Sukyo Mahikari seeks to transcend the limitations and divisions of traditional faiths and religions and invites everyone to worship the single origin of all religions in this holy twenty-first century.

Educational research supports the use of spreadsheets both in K-12 and teacher education and in professional development. Abramovich and Nabors describe how using spreadsheets helped seventh grade algebra students develop problem-solving skills. Molyneux-Hodgson et. al states that the results of their study "suggest the possibility of enhancing students' capability to shift between a wider range of representations using the modeling approach embedded in computer environments such as a spreadsheet" . Dudgale reports a project that involved experienced K-12 teachers in mathematical modeling and problem solving using spreadsheets and concludes that teachers developed models that exhibited a wide variety of mathematics topics and approaches in different grade levels.

Mr Kotama Okada established the Mahikari organisation in 1959. Beginning in Japan, he made it possible for hundreds of thousands of people throughout the world, irrespective of their religion, race or background, to radiate the Light of God from the hand and play an active role in affecting people's lifestyle, the environment and their countries. When he passed away in 1974, he was succeeded by his daughter, Keishu Okada, who is the present spiritual leader of Sukyo Mahikari [http://www.sunrisepress.com.au/pages/03masters.html (holy masters)].

==Spreadsheet programming==

Just as the early programming languages were designed to generate spreadsheet printouts, programming techniques themselves have evolved to process tables (= spreadsheets = matrices) of data more efficiently in the computer itself.

A '''spreadsheet program''' is designed to perform general computation tasks using [[spatial relationships]] rather than time as the primary organizing principle. Many programs designed to perform general computation use timing, the ordering of computational steps, as their primary way to organize a program. A well defined entry point is used to determine the first instructions, and all other instructions must be reachable from that point.

European and African supporters of the organisation have presented some information on the following site:[http://www.sukyomahikarieurope.org/index.jsp Europe-Africa].

In a spreadsheet, however, a set of cells is defined, with a spatial relation to one another. In the earliest spreadsheets, these arrangements were a simple two-dimensional grid. Over time, the model has been expanded to include a third dimension, and in some cases a series of named grids. The most advanced examples allow inversion and rotation operations which can slice and project the data set in various ways.

An Australian neuroscientist who has had thirty years experience with the Mahikari organisation, has presented the aims, practice and progress of Sukyo Mahikari in the book [http://www.sunrisepress.com.au Is the future in our hands?] Many people have reported increased understanding and personal improvement through Sukyo Mahikari - in medicine [http://sunrisepress.com.au/pages/06medicine.html (whole person medicine)], [http://www.mysukyomahikari.com/news.asp?id=9 (dentist)]; science [http://sunrisepress.com.au/pages/07science.html (future science)], [http://www.mysukyomahikari.com/news.asp?id=18 (scientist)]; education [http://sunrisepress.com.au/pages/08education.html (complete education)], [http://www.mysukyomahikari.com/news.asp?id=8 (teacher)]; business [http://sunrisepress.com.au/pages/09economics.html (economics)], [http://www.mysukyomahikari.com/news.asp?id=17 (businessman)]; and agriculture [http://sunrisepress.com.au/pages/10agriculture.html (agriculture)], [http://www.mysukyomahikari.com/news.asp?id=5 (farmer)].

The cells are functionally equivalent to variables in a sequential programming model. Cells often have a formula, a set of instructions which can be used to compute the value of a cell. Formulas can use the contents of other cells or external variables such as the current date and time. It is often convenient to think of a spreadsheet as a mathematical [[graph theory|graph]], where the [[node (graph theory)|node]]s are spreadsheet cells, and the [[edge]]s are references to other cells specified in formulas. This is often called the dependency graph of the spreadsheet. References between cells can take advantage of spatial concepts such as relative position and absolute position, as well as named locations, to make the spreadsheet formulas easier to understand and manage.

Clearly, positive experiences of many people inspired through this organisation have been documented [http://www.mysukyomahikari.com/ (see other experiences)].

Spreadsheets usually attempt to automatically update cells when the cells on which they depend have been changed. The earliest spreadsheets used simple tactics like evaluating cells in a particular order, but modern spreadsheets compute a minimal recomputation order from the dependency graph. Later spreadsheets also include a limited ability to propagate values in reverse, altering source values so that a particular answer is reached in a certain cell. Since spreadsheet cells formulas are not generally invertible, though, this technique is of somewhat limited value.

There are also many digruntled former members and accusations have been made for example of financial impropriety (deceptive use of $150 asked for introductory courses and pressure to pay montly fees) and 'brainwashing'. A link to a number of articles relating to [http://members.ozemail.com.au/~skyaxe/wareports.htm controversy regarding the sect]

Many of the concepts common to sequential programming models have analogues in the spreadsheet world. For example, the sequential model of the [[indexed loop]] is usually represented as a table of cells, with similar formulas. Cyclic dependency graphs produce the traditional construct known as the [[infinite loop]]. Most spreadsheets allow iterative recalculation in the presence of these cyclic dependencies, which can be either directly controlled by a user or which stop when threshold conditions are reached.

According to some former members and media reports, the organisation has also been found to be dangerous by the Belgian parliament, and has been investigated by several other European nations.However, concerning these and other allegations, please see [http://www.mysukyomahikari.com/news.asp?id=13 allegations refuted]. For example, it has been alleged that Sukyo Mahikari is anti-Semitic, but this is not true [http://mhproj.blogspot.com/ (anti-Semitic?)].

The power of spreadsheets derives largely from the fact that human beings have a well developed intuition about spaces and a well developed notion of dependency between items. Thus, many people find it easier to perform complex calculations in a spreadsheet than writing the equivalent sequential program.

Sukyo Mahikari is officially registered and recognised by the governments of dozens of countries throughout the world.

==Origins of the Spreadsheet==

The concept of an electronic spreadsheet was outlined in the 1961 paper "Budgeting Models and System Simulation" by Richard Mattessich. Some credit for the computerized spreadsheet perhaps belongs to Pardo and Landau, who filed a patent (U.S. Patent no. 4,398,249) on some of the related [[algorithms]] in [[1970]]. While the patent was originally rejected by the patent office as being a purely mathematical invention, Pardo and Landau won a court case establishing that "something does not cease to become patentable merely because the point of novelty is in an algorithm." This case helped establish the viability of [[Software patents]].

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation has featured Sukyo Mahikari in their Religion and Ethics radio program ‘Encounter’ [http://www.abc.net.au/religion/stories/s1203981.htm ABC Radio National].

The generally recognized inventor of the spreadsheet is [[Dan Bricklin]]. Bricklin has spoken of watching his university professor create a table of calculation results on a blackboard. When the professor found an error, he had to tediously erase and rewrite a number of sequential entries in the table, triggering Bricklin to think that he could replicate the process on a computer, using a blackboard/spreadsheet [[paradigm]] to view results of underlying formulas.

Also, it was investigated by the 'West Australian' newspaper, with regards to the controversy of a former West Australian premier (Richard Court) and his family's revealed involvement with the organisation.

His idea became [[VisiCalc]], the first spreadsheet, and the "[[killer application]]" that turned the [[personal computer]] from a hobby for [[computer]] enthusiasts into a business tool.

Sukyo Mahikari is a community organisation that cooperates with other organisations [http://iffact.tripod.com (Interfaith Forum National Multicultural Festival)] and individuals in community projects, and also states that it welcomes people from the community to participate in functions at its own centres. [http://www.communitiesonline.org.au/sukyomahikaricanberra/index.html (Canberra, Australia's Capital)].

==External links==

*[http://www.ericdigests.org/2003-1/math.htm Using Spreadsheets in Mathematics Education]

*[http://www.ucalc.com/ubb/Forum4/HTML/000020.html How to create a spreadsheet with UCalc FMP]

The Sukyo Mahikari organisation questions the accuracy and validity of most of the following statements.

[[Category:Business software]]

The notion of transmitting light from the hands can be found in many new age relegions. In ''Ōmoto'' sect there is a belief in ''Shinki/Reiki'' (Divine spirit). In ''Sekai Kyūseikyō'', light is given via ''jōrei'' (spirit cleaning). The founder was undoubtedly influenced by these old sects. ''SM'' believes that Su god (The highest deity) revealed first the ''manate'' (purification by laying of hands), as was performed for example by Jesus or Buddha, and later ''maibuki'' (purification by breath) and finally ''mahikari'' (Divine light), which makes it superior to the early versions.

[[cs:Tabulkový procesor]]

[[da:Regneark]]

The teachings of ''SM'' (Sukyo Mahikari) is presented in a three day seminar course (Kenshu), and in three levels for an ordinary person, the primary, intermedite and the advanced. A fourth type of Kenshu is also said to exist. Most of the teachings given in these three courses is said to increase in their nationalistic content, including that the Christ died in Japan (Ref Mahikari: Thank God for the Answers at Last by Dr A.K.Tebecis, the now deleted section in the old edition) that the Emperor of Japan is to rule the world ultimately (Ref: Kami Muki Sanji, p. 485. Japanese only edition and Mahikari Advanced Kenshu Reference Textbook. 1989 Chapter 7),and that all languages on earth stems from the Japanese language (kamiyomoji).

[[de:Tabellenkalkulation]]

Also refer to P Knecht - Japanese Journal of Religious Studies, 1995.

[[es:Hoja de cálculo]]

[[fr:Tableur]]

''SM'' also believes that pyramids in Egypt are divine testimonies built to commemorate the stem family in Japan as revealed by the kotodama (Spirit of the word) of pyramid, ''piramido'', which should be written with the characters "sun-coming-spirit-hall."

[[it:Foglio elettronico]]

[[he:גיליון אלקטרוני]]

The teachings are said to be delivered according to the teaching of the "rising sun" where subjects are to be exposed to "higher truths" in a subtle manner. It is said that "hidden" teachings are usually given via ministers in the "dojo" (A ''SM'' temple) and could be very frightening and terrifying, though this is never explicitly mention in their pamphlets or brochures for obvious reasons (for example, one should stricty admonish their children or even the female partner, maybe even using force!).

[[lt:Elektroninė skaičiuoklė]]

[[nl:Spreadsheet]]

''SM'' promotes the idea of a Japan that has a history that can be traced to the paleolitic period (1.2 million years ago), contrary to the established view of some 35 thousand years.

[[ja:表計算ソフト]]

Refer to the teachings of Oshienushisama "A Major Turning-Point in the History of Humankind" 5 October 1996. Also refer to the Japan early hoax theory in this context http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shinichi_Fujimura which debunks the claims.

[[pt:Planilha eletrônica]]

Numerous studies have been conducted on the alleged spirt movements and manifestations (''Glossolalia'' and altered state of conciousness ) that occur during the transmission of light and conclude that they could be attributed to personality disorders. From a study by Susan Kwilecki, ''Religion and Coping: A Contribution from Religious Studies'',''Journal for the scientific study of relegion'', Volume 43 Issue 4 Page 477 - December 2004, which also includes Sukyo Mahikari, states, “God Experiences are precipitated by personal crisis, such as the loss of a loved one (real or imagined) or the confrontation of an insoluble problem. The God Experience is followed by a remarkable anxiety reduction and a positive anticipation of the future” .

Also refer to the work by T Fjtzgerald et.al in the ''Japanese Journal of Religious Studies, 1995'' on the psychology of such experiences in ''SM''.

A session of divine light starts with chanting a beautiful prayer called as "Amatsu Norigoto" and radiating the energy to the pineal gland through the palms. Both the performer as well as the receiver are asked to sit in the traditional Japanese way (''seiza'').

''Dōjōs'' (A mahikari temple) range from the smallest to the largest in four levels. In all the dojos the calligraphy ''shinki mandō'' is hung, which means that this place is filled with Gods spiritual energy. ''Dōjōs'' contain sacred places called as ''goshinden'' (from shintoism), the most sacred part of the church. It is where the ''goshintai'' (Shinto meaning body of God) is placed, though which communion with the holy spirit is supposed to take place. No one is permitted to stand/walk at a higher level than the ''goshintai''. ''SM'' uses scientific terms like vibrations, energy fields etc liberally to allow members visualize the effects that supposedly occur during prayers.

The ''goshintai'' contains a golden disc and in it is the physiognomy of the divine deity called as the ''chon''. It is also the first sound of the 48 Japanese words, supposedly marking the begining of all existence.

Su god is supposed to be the a personal entity who is the source of this divine energy. ''SM'' believes that monotheism, polytheism, as well as pantheism are true and false at the same time (Sunkyo,Okada page 12 1984). Su god is said to possess both great mercy (''Daiji'' ) as well as great strictness (''Daihi''), and this basic philosophy is expressed in the feeling of ministers who can switch between these two basic characters of strictness and mercy, resulting in strange feelings and paradoxical situations. Su god is also believed to have a a spiritual body and a soul(''Kamutama'') like a human. Light is both believed to be diffused (through the Main world shrine in Takayama, churches etc) and also directed (focused by the hands). ''Kōatsu'' (Light pressure) is believed to vary from objects and from material things and according to the ranking of people, and establishing undeniable superiority for the higher ranking ministers. (Brian MCVEIGH-1992)

Members are asked to behave cheerfully (''akarui ki''), obedient (''sunao na ki''), to be united (''ittai na ki''), and to burn with passsion (''moesakaruki''). These philosophies albeit subtle, controls the day to day life activities of a member.

The teachings of ''SM'' are usually justified by connecting it with other major/provincial relegions and drawing parallelisms. Moreover it supports pseudo-science as well (like the water memory [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacques_Benveniste] or anti gravity for clean energy) and encourages members who are in scientific circles to do research on such areas.

The cross is a fundamental entity inscribed in ''SM'', through the ''shinmon'', the most revered symbol of ''SM'' as well as ''SMBK'' (Sekai Mahikari Bunmei Kyodan-The organization that split from SM after the death of Mr Okada). While ''SMBK'' retains the original design of Mr Okada, which is a sixteen wheeled spoke with a cross, ''SM'' surrounds it with the star of David. The cross contains a blue horizonatl line (''mizu'') and a red vertical line (''hi'').

As a policy ''SM'' does not support charity and services to the society. Members are encouraged to financially support the society and the poor during public meetings, but are discouraged in private meetings or during personal guidances, since it believes that financial assistance will hamper the souls training in the physical world. Instead they are asked to donate money to the Dōjō. ''SM'' spends most of its money in building mega structures for ex the Suza ( in Takayama, built by spending a staggering 300 million yen), Hikaru Shinden, museums etc. Recently ''SM'' donated a huge amount of money to the Hebrew Univeristy. On January 10-2005, the university inaugurated the Japanese Culture Center in Israel (JCCI) to serve as a bridge between Japan and Israel through the promotion of Japanese culture in that country. ''SM'' donated a huge amount of 12 million yen for this venture. But this has been marred by criticisms. See for example

http://mhproj.blogspot.com/2005/06/open-letter-to-prof-magidor.html