lifestyle

Japan's Shinto religion is going global and attracting online followers

26 Comments
By Kaitlyn Ugoretz

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Shinto is by definition xenophobic. My father in law took care of the abandoned shrine bordering our house, and when he died, I took over, keeping it weed-free and making sure it was not dangerous. But when a new priest finally came and the shrine was revitalized, I was only "welcome" in a stand-offish sense. If I were Japanese, I would be one of the elders of the shrine. As is, I am simply tolerated.

11 ( +12 / -1 )

How do you practice Shinto? Shinto outside Japan doesn't make much sense.

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@drlucifer

I was not just talking about SGI. Soka Gakkai is not the only organization that propogates Nichiren Buddhism.

Of course one can argue that SGI is not a religion but then one can put forth the same argument about Buddhism. Most Buddhist practitioners regard Buddhism more as a way of life than as a religion.

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More than Shinto, it is Japanese Buddhism that has gone global with millions of adherents around the world.

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Actual cultural appropriation and larping. Actual Japanese consider shintoism to be about worshipping the Japanese emperor. Are you going to do that?

5 ( +6 / -1 )

Outside of Japan, Shinto does not make a lot of sense. It is another trend that Japanophiles are jumping on board.

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"You bet your life you don't need religion!"

Lemmy

4 ( +8 / -4 )

"You put a butsudan in your home, like the majority of Japanese households. Very easy."

Um you have got your religions mixed up mate. Butsudan is a Buddhist altar, and while some Japanese homes might enshrine Shinto talisman in it, it is not meant for that purpose.

A Shinto altar is called kamidana I believe.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

More than Shinto, it is Japanese Buddhism that has gone global with millions of adherents around the world.

How many million ?

I bet most are SGI members but then SGI is not a religion.

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@expat

"Shinto, like Hinduism, is restricted to members of a particular ethnicity."

Hinduism is not restricted to any particular ethnicity.

Whatever your opinions about Soka Gakkai, the fact is that most people around the world have heard of Nichiren only because of the Soka Gakkai.

While I do not have very strong opinions of Ikeda unlike others, as far as grifters go, I come from the land of fake godmen, cult gurus and religious conmen and I have seen far worse than Ikeda.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

The hipsters are tiring of their favourite hobby-religion, Buddhism, and have turned to something even more vacuous? They'll tire of this too, as it's nothing but a folk cult based on (Japanese) harvests, propitiating angry (Japanese) deities and whatnot.

I'm not a Methodist, but she should stick with John Wesley. There's more wisdom in one of his sermons than in the entire history of Shintoism.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

EvilBuddhaT:

Um you have got your religions mixed up mate. Butsudan is a Buddhist altar, and while some Japanese homes might enshrine Shinto talisman in it, it is not meant for that purpose.

A Shinto altar is called kamidana I believe.

In theory you are right. But in reality there is not much distinction between Butusdan and Kamidana (or Temple and Shrine) for most Shinto practitioners. You offer your prayer to Shinbutu (神仏). I have grown up in a family where my grandmother was very religious. She offered the same prayer (for health of our family members) to at Butsudan and Kamidana. And she visited both local Shrines and Buddhist temples for the same reason. As a boy, I did not see any difference in her.

There are no Shinto shrines where I live (near New York City), so I go to a Buddhist Temple to offer my Shinto prayer in a way my grandmother had always done.

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So far, as an atheist and completely dedicated to science, I don’t have any bigger problems with any of those spiritual or religious groups. I go to churches, Shinto shrines, Buddhist temples, Soka events, read the Quran, enjoy Tarot card sets or reading about Voodoo; anything is fine and interests me, and I tolerate them all when they tolerate me and don’t force me. Some have tried or maybe consider trying, but then this is my red line in most cases.

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Afghanistan and all middle east and all Europe should be converted to Shinto. Let's do it. That is my new dream.

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TandoFeb. 13  08:08 am JST

How do you practice Shinto? Shinto outside Japan doesn't make much sense.

People outside India practice Hinduism. And while Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Bahaism, Zoroastrianism rose out of the Middle East, those religions are everywhere too. Not just Semite/Arabic or Persian people practice them.

EvilBuddhaFeb. 13  12:15 pm JST

More than Shinto, it is Japanese Buddhism that has gone global with millions of adherents around the world.

Buddhism too is universal. After all, Sidhartha Gautama the Buddha himself was from India. Chinese scholars went to universities there to learn it.

EvilBuddhaFeb. 13  09:20 pm JST

@expat

"Shinto, like Hinduism, is restricted to members of a particular ethnicity."

Hinduism is not restricted to any particular ethnicity.

Whatever your opinions about Soka Gakkai, the fact is that most people around the world have heard of Nichiren only because of the Soka Gakkai.

While I do not have very strong opinions of Ikeda unlike others, as far as grifters go, I come from the land of fake godmen, cult gurus and religious conmen and I have seen far worse than Ikeda.

All religions have their true practitioners and their rip-off charlatans and zealots.

Nichiren Buddhism has some Western adherents including new wave rocker Howard Jones ('HoJo') and Tina Turner. She and two other adherents released a CD of Nichiren Buddhist chants.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Tando:

How do you practice Shinto? Shinto outside Japan doesn't make much sense.

I live near New York City.

I do not go to any shrine, but I go hiking on weekends. Instead of walking on bustling city streets, I walk through woods, walk along streams, crossing streams, walking by lakes and waterfalls, and enjoy smells of clean air. Instead of going up city skyscrapers, I walk up mountains and marvel at natural landscapes. Instead of drinking coffee at Caffe, I make a fire to make my coffee in the wild. I meet people from all ethnic backgrounds. We share untold values without being subjugated to any common religious dogma.

That's how I practice Shinto.

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Oh, I have to admit I was entirely incorrect. You're right.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

How do you practice Shinto? Shinto outside Japan doesn't make much sense.

You put a butsudan in your home, like the majority of Japanese households. Very easy.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

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