0
Shintoism
Meaning the Way of the Gods, this Japanese religion advocates ritual and honor. It melded well with the philosophies of the Samurai warriors and is practiced by approximately 120 million people, mostly Japanese.
319 Questions
Who is the god that Shintoism believe in?
Shinto, (pro: Shin-do)
There are no such thing as Shinto gods, (half true) the term "gods" is our western understanding of deities.
People that believe in Shinto believe in Kami which are spirits
Kami appear as spirits that govern nature and other aspects of the living world, every aspect of life has its own Kami, rivers, trees, earth.. etc etc
There are over 8000 Shinto deities, and are all in some way related to "Amaterasu" the goddess of the sun, either by a family bond, created by or simply one of many different forms of Amaterasu herself,in some cases its a mix of all three a concept that is hard for alot of westeners to come to grips with.
What are some positive aspects of the religion Shinto?
that it is an ancient religion which gives us an review on what ancient religion was like back then. it helps us to understand the culture of japan.
Yes Shinto is its own distinct religion. Indigenous to Japan focuses on the the balance of kami or invisible spiritual force. The most recognizable aspect of Shinto is by far the red cross beam arch that marks a shrine.
How many gods does Shintoism have?
Shintoist's have 8 gods they are: * Amaterasu, the sun goddess * Tsukuyomi, the moon god * Inari, god of foxes * Kotoamatsukami, the primary kami trinity * Izanagi, the first man * Izanami, the first woman * Susanoo, god of storms * Sarutahiko, kami of earth
The above is wrong, but only partially wrong. Yes, those are the main kami. However Shintoists believe everything thing living or not has a kami. You'll sometimes hear that there are 8 million kami. This is just used to imply the infinite number of kami there are.
The main kami the Shinto religion is Amaterasu, but not all Shintoists worship her.
Inari is also a kami that is depicted as male or female. He/She is not only the kitsune god, he/she is also the god of food and rice.
Susanoo is also the kami of the sea.
What is the holy book for Shinto?
I think they had scripture early on during the time the emperor was both religious and political leader than a shogun. but the shoguns just incorporated Buddhism for happy occasion like weddings, births, summer holyday, and Shinto was just solemn to shrines for other things. the general rules about Shinto is belief in a certain pantheon and that the emperors' line in the direct bloodline of the goddess Amaterasu. Since the emperor would be the most accessable "god" on hand, he had ultimate control. and some particular holysites, shrines, and like great epic battles.
What percent of Japanese is Shinto?
There are about 17.822 million people who practice the Shinto religion. Most of them reside in Japan, or come from Japanese background. Asia has the largest population of the Shinto religion. The religion was founded about 2,500 years go.
Approximately 0.2% of the world is Shinto.
What is the Shinto method of reaching paradise?
Buddhists don't have a concept of "paradise" which is equivalent to those in Christianity, Judaism or Islam. Buddhists believe that our experience of reality in the every day world is confused, and dream like. When we are asleep and dreaming, we aren't aware that there is another one of us - our waking selves - experiencing reality differently than we do in our dreams. Likewise, our day-to-day waking reality is not all there is, and through practicing Dharma, we can "wake up" to the true nature of reality. When we awaken in this way, we are enlightened, and that might be similar to other concepts of paradise, but Buddhists also believe that paradise or enlightenment is here right now, all around us, and all we need to do is recognize it.
The method for reaching that understanding of the true nature of reality varies amongst the different sects and paths that Buddhists take. One common method is meditation. When one learns to focus one's attention single-pointedly, one can comprehend the true nature of reality. There are various meditation techniques which all have the goal of awakening.
How many shintoists are there?
"Shinto" is not so much a religion as it is an ancient way of life. A deep respect for beings (past and present) and all things in our environment. No organized religion or church or for that matter any type of worship. Just a sacred belief in each other and in our ancestors, our natural world and logical steps (hence - The Way") of interaction between all those beings and things. It is reflected in Japanese life and Japanese rituals ie; Obon Festival, which is like the American holidays of the 4th of July and Memorial day all in one.
A "torii" is a gate or entrance structure that symbolically represents a portal between the spirit world and the physical world. It looks a bit like a bird perch, which is where the name comes from. A torii may be found standing alone in some location to mark a spiritual spot, but a torii is most commonly found at the entrance to any Shinto shrine. Torii may also be found in smaller symbolic form near a Buddhist altar to mark it as relevant also to the Shinto. There are several famous large torii in Japan that might be referred to as "the" torii. One of the most famous is the torii that stands in the sea near the Shinto shrine in Hiroshima bay. It was reproduced by Disney's Epcot Center as one of the world's most famous landmarks.
Shinto is not the only religion to recognize spirit portals. In Babylonia, the root of the name ("Bab") means gate. (Not "land of many languages" as sometimes reported.) "Bab" is used not only to refer to a giant gate they constructed, but also for the principal aspect of their religion, which is the mystery of the gate between this world and the next. The Hebrew religion that later became the basis for Judaism, Christianity, and Islam used a curtained doorway to separate the holy from the profane. Passing through a gate is sometimes used as a symbol for birth, or for rebirth. A somewhat similar concept of a door between the spiritually blessed or purified and the rest of the world is echoed in the book of John when Jesus, speaking of rebirth through faith, says "I am the door". During the middle ages, Christianity used ornate openwork fences to separate the people from the altar. Many churches still have raised areas to symbolically mark the separation. Islam still uses ornate grill-work to separate the men's area from the women's area in order to keep the men's area "pure", and also separates the most holy area of the Kaaba from the eyes of the profane with the use of a curtain.
What is the ancient Japanese belief of Shinto?
they worship ghosts, spirits ancestors and deities. And the earth. YEY!
.
from Modern Catholic Dictionary by John A. Hardon, S.J. Doubleday & Co., Inc. Garden City, NY 1980
Monk. Originally a hermit or anchorite, but already in the early Church applied to men living a community life in a monastery, under vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, according to a specific rule, such as that of St. Basil or St. Benedict. (Etym. Greek monachos, living alone, solitary.
Answer:
In some countries Buddhist boys become monks at a very early age to receive instruction in Buddhist thought and traditions. Not all of the boy-monks remain as monks permanently. Adult men who become Buddhist monks see this position as a permanent avocation.
How does religion influence Japan's food choices?
It doesn't.
Shintoism and Buddhism, the two dominant and intermixed religions of Japan do not prevent the consumption of any food items. While there are some Buddhist sects that promote vegetarianism, those groups did not make a strong showing in Japan.
Another name for temple is Shinto?
No. Shinto is a system of spiritual beliefs/practices. But you can have Shinto shrines (temples).
What is good and bad in Shinto?
Purity is at the heart of Shinto's understanding of good and evil. Its a good things because of cultrual diffusion with the rest of the world
TORI
