20 years ago, in July 1995, in the English publishing house Pan Books with the support of the publishing company William Heinemann Ltd. A book by an American professor at Columbia University Charles M. Donovan was published. It was called Shelter ("shelter", "shelter").
In the fact itself, of course, there is nothing surprising, except that the decision of an American author to publish his book not in the USA, but in England is somewhat unusual. However, this decision did not belong to him. It's just that not a single American publishing house (as well as publishing houses in other countries) dared to publish this small volume (79 pages) work.
So the brave Pan Books has become the only straw that a drowning man grabs. Moreover, the release of this brochure has angered the Vatican. "Their Eminences" categorically demanded to withdraw the book from sale. But since there was no reaction to this demand, the holy fathers acted differently. Through their agents, they bought and destroyed almost the entire modest print run (about 1000 copies).
Only a few, previously sold copies survived - it is clear that now this work is a bibliographic super-rare. So what kind of book was it, why did it evoke fear and hatred, what secrets and mysteries are associated with it?
Jesus is buried in Japan
According to Charles M. Donovan's version, Jesus Christ was not crucified. He ended his life in Japan, in the north of the island of Honshu, in the village of Singomura (now belonging to Aomori Prefecture) at the age of 106. He had a wife named Yumiko and three daughters, all of whom survived him.
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Where did the author of the book get this? According to him, in 1935 in the Japanese prefecture of Ibaraki, ancient scrolls were discovered in the archives of the Shinto Shrine of Keshohodaijingu. As the 80-year-old chairman of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Tomekichi Shimotidana allegedly told the author, he saw these scrolls with his own eyes.
They contained information that Christ came to Japan twice. First, in the mountains of Yamanashi prefecture, he studied the philosophy of Shinto for about 10 years. Then, when the persecution of Christianity began in Palestine, he returned through Siberia and Alaska to the port of Hachinohe, from where it was not far to Singomura.
Further, Donovan continues his story, the abbot of the Takeuchi temple, who undertook a search expedition, discovered the grave of Christ in the possession of the farmer Toedzi Savaguchi, whom the villagers unanimously recognized as a descendant of Jesus. By the middle of the 20th century, the population of Singomura was about five thousand people, and among them there was not a single Christian.
One of the possible descendants of Christ - Mr. Savaguchi
However, from time immemorial, the tradition has reached them to embroider the diapers of newborns with the Star of David and mark the shirt-fronts of babies with a cross drawn in black ink. Father and mother children of Singomura are called "apa" and "aya". In Japanese it means absolutely nothing, but it is the native language of Christ.
Excuse me, but if there was no atoning sacrifice, where did the cross come from? And if there was, who was crucified on Calvary? Charles M. Donovan answers this question as well.
Christ had a brother named Ishkiri, who was martyred on the cross. Jesus brought the ear and hair of the crucified brother to Japan. They were buried in the so-called small mound next to the original tomb of Christ.
Mr. Clayton's bewilderment
The above short digest was published in the English newspaper Daily Mail in 2010 and attracted the attention of British historian and writer David Clayton, who decided to take up the investigation. Of course, information about the book Shelter and its fate appeared before, but Mr. Clayton wanted to get to the bottom.
In fact, just think - one more alternative version of the life of Christ, another apocrypha … How few of them were published at all times and are still being published? And nothing led to such a fierce persecution. What is the reason? It was most logical to start by turning to open sources, but nowhere was it possible to find either the full text of the book from the few surviving copies, or any detailed links to it.
The alleged grave of Jesus in Japan
The next natural step was to request the Daily Mail, which David Clayton did. The resulting laconic answer read: the editorial board does not have additional information, the source is Charles M. Donovan himself, talk to him. A similar response came from Pan Books, which published the book. Then Mr. Clayton applied to Columbia University.
They answered him: there is no and never was a scientist or even a student with that name. A pseudonym, then? Hoax? Quite possible. But then why such a merciless reaction? David Clayton reasoned like this. It is unlikely that a book that has received such a harsh rebuke as that of Charles M. Donovan left no trace.
It cannot be that these traces are not left anywhere at all! Mr. Clayton continued his search and indeed found traces. But this find finally baffled the historian.
The collapse of "News of the world"
In June 2011, the English newspaper News Of The World ("News of the World" - the Saturday supplement to the UK's most circulated newspaper The Sun) made a sensational news. In an article titled Shelter From The Storm ("shelter from the storm."), Briefly summarizing the Daily Mail digest to remind forgetful readers (which was not difficult, since the editor-in-chief of "Novosti" Colin Mailer was at one time just the Daily Mail and headed), the newspaper reported the following.
At the disposal of the editors was one of the surviving copies of the work of Charles M. Donovan, sold by the owner at an auction (however, neither the names of the seller and the buyer, nor the date and name of the auction were made public). And from next month, the publication of expanded fragments of this book will begin - with proof of the author's version!
Emblem on Savaguchi's house
This could arouse interest in anyone, especially the researcher of the topic, David Clayton. He waited impatiently for publications … But in vain. On July 7, 2011, James Murdock, son of News Of The World owner Rupert Murdock, announced that the newspaper's final issue will be released on Sunday, July 10, 2011. “The newspaper will be closed due to the wiretapping scandal,” he said.
This is where a number of questions arise. Firstly, the journalists of "News of the World" have been engaged in these wiretaps almost from time immemorial, and everyone knew this, and no one really bothered, especially one of the richest media moguls Rupert Murdoch. Secondly, just to take and close a thriving enterprise just because of some lawsuits related to wiretaps?
Yes, such processes created advertising for the newspaper! Third, the newspaper was closed on the eve of the announced publication of "evidence" of the version of Charles M. Donovan. Fourth, people like Murdoch are not easy to intimidate, and if someone was intimidated, it could only be those with significant powers.
Fifthly, no other publication has issued such statements and announcements. And sixth, the Daily Mail and Pan Books did not seem to have suffered damage, but in every possible way denied any connection with the mysterious Donovan.
Of course, one cannot say for sure that the newspaper was closed precisely because of the announced publication, but it cannot be denied that for opponents of Donovan's book this happened just in time. After all, the monthly circulation of "Novosti" according to data for 2010 almost reached three million!
This is not a pitiful thousand of Shelter's books - you can't buy it here … It is likely that some offer was made to Rupert Murdoch, which he could not reject.
The Lord has a lot of time
David Clayton, whose plans included searches in Japan, abandoned this idea, considering it very unsafe or at least questionable. But we will continue our reasoning. The key word here is “proof”. Was this evidence contained in Donovan's text?
Evidence of this kind can hardly exist in reality, otherwise it would have been found long ago. But a completely convincing illusion of evidence could exist. So in this case, does it really matter if the result is the same?
But let us ask ourselves the main question of Roman law: qui prodest? Who benefits from? Two options are possible here. First, they tried to stop the dissemination of Donovan's text (they did try, because in our time nothing can be stopped, sooner or later the text will get on the Internet and become publicly available) by convinced adherents of the time-honored purity of the canons.
They could fear confusion, fermentation of minds and heresy. The second option is "commercial". It is no secret that the classic story of Christ has become a source of profit for many, many. Suffice it to recall the Scotsman John MacLeod, who traded in "nails similar to those with which Christ was crucified." But MacLeod and others like him are just small fish in an endless ocean full of sharks. These figures have long forgotten that Christ himself expelled the merchants from the temple … It is beneficial for them to forget.
Of course, these are just assumptions. It is possible that the reason is something completely different. Perhaps only Charles M. Donovan himself - or the full text of his book, his notes, archives - could have shed light on the mystery. Alas, his identity still remains unclear. And hardly very soon someone will exclaim: “The truth is somewhere nearby!..” However, the Lord has a lot of time. Heaven can wait.
Andrey BYSTROV