World religions - Shintoism
An ancient religion of the Japanese
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Introduction
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Shintoism is a popular religion in Japan and it is based on the worship of ancestors and nature-spirits. "Shen" means 'the divine being'. "Tao" means the 'way'. Shinto means "the way of the gods" or "the way of the spirits".
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History
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- Dates back to 6th century A.D
- Founded based on rituals and customs that began in Japan during ancient times
- A primitive religion in Japan before Buddhism arrived.
- Does not have a founder.
- Does not have a single book.
- Does not have strict set of religious laws.
- Often reported that over 80% follow Shinto along with other religions as this is not a monotheistic religion.
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Belief
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- Shintoism has been called the religion of nature worship, emperor worship, and purity
- Shintoism focuses on loyalty to ancestors.
- Shintoism believes in visiting shrines when help is needed
- A typical Japanese Shinto is devoted to spiritual beings or spirits (called kami ), and to shrines and rituals.
- To deliver oneself from trouble and evils of the world, they offer food and rice wine
- Salvation is based on keeping Japanese traditions.
- There is no need for forgiveness since Shintoism believes that all human beings are good.
- There is no concept of sin and depravity of nature.
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Teachings
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- Teachings are summarized in two books called Kojiki and Nihongi.
- The teachings are merely collection of ancient myths and traditional teachings
- Kojiki teaches that first 2 primeval spirit deities (male and female spirits), gave birth to Japan and gave birth to more deities such
- deity of water, wind, mountains etc. One of the deities include the Sun goddess.
- Sun is the Mother Goddess.
- The supreme being, Mother Goddess, is feminine and there are many deities.
- Shintoism has 800,000 gods. Most of these gods are deified heroes of the Japanese.
- Human beings die and become kami (an ancestral spirit)
- Japan has more than 100,000 shinto shrines. Shinto shrines are places of worship where the kami (spirit) live.
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Shinto Sayings
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- Leave the things of the world and come to me daily with pure bodies and pure hearts
- Even the wishes of ant reach heaven
- Sincere prayer moves heaven
- Sincerity is the mother of knowledge
- To do good is pure. To commit evil is impure
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Four affirmations of Shinto
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- Family is the main way through which traditions are preserved
- Nature is sacred. Objects in nature are worshiped as sacred spirits
- Physical cleanliness such as bath, hand-wash, and mouth-rinse are important
- Honor individual kami (spirit) and group kami
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10 Precepts of Shinto
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- Do not transgress the will of gods
- Do not forget your obligations to ancestors
- Do not violate decrees of the State
- Do not forget the goodness of gods which prevent calamity
- Do not forget that the world is one great family.
- Do not forget the limitations of your own person.
- Do not become angry even though others become angry
- Do not be sluggish in your work
- Do not bring blame to the teaching
- Do not be carried by foreign teachings
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Comparison with Christianity
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Shintoism |
Christianity |
Does not believe in a monotheistic God |
The God of the bible declares : Isaiah 45:6 That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the LORD, and there is none else. |
Supreme God is Sun Goddess (feminine) and there many gods such as god of wind, fire, mountains, and nature objects |
John 4:23-24 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
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All humans are good |
Romans 3:23-24 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: |
There is no concept of sin |
Romans 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: |
There is no depravity of human nature |
Genesis 6:5 And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. |
There is no need for the redeemer to make atonement for our sins |
Christ paid for our sins:Romans 5:11 And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement. |
Eternal life through observance of teachings |
Romans 5:21 That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. |
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Reflection
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- Will worship of nature give salvation?
- Will offering food and wine remediate our sins?
- Can we be saved through good teachings alone ?
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Prayer
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May the lord lead us to eternal truth. Jesus is the truth.
John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
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