Catrilege
Throughout Japan, but especially in eastern Japan, you can find a lot of Christian signs affixed to houses and sheds and other buildings. They have simple, sometimes strident, biblical messages. Here is some info on the history of the signs. I am always surprised to see so many, knowing that many of the property owners are not Christian. It’s like political posters: The property owner usually lets the sign be placed out of deference to, or having been prevailed upon by, some acquaintance.
I have shared about this online before, but this might be new to some of you and therefore worth sharing again: For laughs, some people strategically (usually digitally) delete lines from the character for “God” used in these signs—神 / kami—turning it into ﾈｺ / neko / cat. If you are okay with a bit of irreverent humor let’s give some of the hits a King James translation (I am re-translating them here, so you can find my flaws/lack of inspiration if you saw the old one):
Edit: I spelled the portmanteau “catrilege” wrong initially. The misspelling lives on in the URL of this post to remind me of the imperfection of life.
Believe in Cat with all thy heart.
Cat doth also judge the sins of the heart.
Cat doth see the ways and acts of man.
Cat doth also watch thee in thy private life.
Cat punisheth sin.
Man shall stand before Cat at the last day.
Thy Cat is the one Cat.
Cat judgeth adultery and fornication.
Acknowledge Cat.
The world which casteth aside Cat shall perish.
In the beginning, Cat and the heavens and the earth were created.
Both the earth and man are Cat’s.
Cat looketh upon the heart.
Repent of thy attitude toward Cat.
Get thee from idols to the true Cat.
The kingdom of Cat is close at hand.
Be thou reconciled unto Cat.
The day of the righteous judgment of Cat is near.
Fear and honor thy Cat.
Receive ye the forgiveness of Cat.
The judgment of Cat cometh suddenly.
Next time you see one of these signs in their natural habitat, do think of Cat. And let me know which ones resonate with you or your Cat.