What religion is practiced in Japan?

[DebbieSG]

is it Shinto? Mass consumer production? please clue me in, i have not seen any recent reports stating the rituals and prayer ceremonies practiced in our former enemy's land!

 

[meegannie]

Lots.

 

[Screaming Flower]

definitely.

 

[Discoteque]

hmm...well, besides having a near-religion of "the work ethic that ate Tokyo" (staying at the office late, going out with coworkers/boss till even later), I believe their main religions are Shintoism and Buddism, with some Confucianism thrown in: http://japan.chez.tiscali.fr/Th-Index/E-Thema-Religion.htm

 

[melon]

The predominant religion? Agnosticism and atheism.

Religion has been down in Japan, since Emperor Hirohito was forced, as a condition of Japan's surrender in World War II, to declare that, in fact, he wasn't a god (all emperors in Japan, according to Shinto, were gods).

Melon

 

[DebbieSG]

oh, so it's a post-modern "reaction" to theocracy? sounds like the "reaction" of many current modern Catholics, in this country, anyway! atheistic or agnostic...

i suppose they are so commercially oriented (making our cars, ghetto-blasters, televisions, etc) that they have very little interest in spiritual pursuits...but don't they have a bunch of spots where they make pilgrimages to, like hillside alters and little carp ponds and such?

I'm not sure, having never been to Japan

and to the first two "peeps", thanks for your succinct and enlightening ideas! we will all learn more about the western world and the terrible display of ethical confusion, resulting in sex, drugs and rap

 

[DebbieSG]

and Discoteque, thanks for the info, i'll check out the link, too, if i ever find the time, just too busy contemplating countries i have not travelled to, lol! hey, maybe next i'll think about Australia...

 

[melon]

It isn't postmodernist really. The Japanese are what they are today because of the United States and their post-World War II occupation of the country. They got the Japanese to redirect their militant-nature from war to capitalism. But there are still lots of Shinto shrines, etc.

As for Catholicism, I think that is the result of the fact that the followers aren't in control of their own religion. They just get talked down to by the lofty hierarchy.

Melon

 

[meegannie]

and to the first two "peeps", thanks for your succinct and enlightening ideas! we will all learn more about the western world and the terrible display of ethical confusion, resulting in sex, drugs and rap

Damn Westerners having sex.

 

[Screaming Flower]

Damn Westerners having sex.

and they're having sex to rap music.

 

[verte76]

It isn't postmodernist really. The Japanese are what they are today because of the United States and their post-World War II occupation of the country. They got the Japanese to redirect their militant-nature from war to capitalism. But there are still lots of Shinto shrines, etc.

As for Catholicism, I think that is the result of the fact that the followers aren't in control of their own religion. They just get talked down to by the lofty hierarchy.

Melon

I'm a practicing Catholic and this hasn't happened to me. But you're right, alot of people have left the church. My own sister's boyfriend was raised a Catholic, and God knows how long it's been since he was in a church. (no pun intended...aaaghhhh) He had some truly horrific experiences in Catholic school.

 

[yertle-the-turtle]

Japan has many religions. There are Christians, Buddhists, Shinto practioners, agnostics, atheists, you-name-it.

 

[kobayashi]

and they're having sex to rap music.

ethically confused westerners having sex while listening to rap music at the same time as they are high as a kite.

 

[hiphop]

Zen Buddhism in Japan, too.

 

[dream wanderer]

On the island of Okinawa, Japan they mainly practice animism (ancestor worship) Budhism and Christianity. I lived there for a year.

I'm converting to Catholicism for whatever that is worth...

dream wanderer

 

[CannibalisticArtist]

oh, so it's a post-modern "reaction" to theocracy? sounds like the "reaction" of many current modern Catholics, in this country, anyway! atheistic or agnostic...

i suppose they are so commercially oriented (making our cars, ghetto-blasters, televisions, etc) that they have very little interest in spiritual pursuits...but don't they have a bunch of spots where they make pilgrimages to, like hillside alters and little carp ponds and such?

I'm not sure, having never been to Japan

and to the first two "peeps", thanks for your succinct and enlightening ideas! we will all learn more about the western world and the terrible display of ethical confusion, resulting in sex, drugs and rap

yep, because people without a religion are godless heathen.

 

[hiphop]

we will all learn more about the western world and the terrible display of ethical confusion, resulting in sex, drugs and rap

And what if there were no tracts for Shakespeare or wax for Flash no road for Kerouac
There might not have been rap
Leave us alone make your own family a better place
How much hate could we eliminate if you were down with your kids' mix tapes

Stop blamin us for all the pain and stuff, fuck, shit man, it's just a cuss we ain't that dangerous
For every song that supposedly maimed someone's life there's a million songs that changed someone's life
Change your mind chains in your mind people dyin gets defined by parents who lie and hurt their child