Shinto Japanese Religious Conviction - Research Paper Example

? Religious Field Research Lecturer: Religious Field Research Shinto is a Japanese religious conviction that embraces numerous values and practices. Shinto is interpreted, as ‘the way of the gods’ (Katu, 2010), and it is one of the Japanese religious ways of worshipping. It teaches the Japanese people that their gods (Kami) created them, their kings were the descendants and they evolved into being divine creatures of the Sun Goddess. An individual in Japanese is allowed to be a member of Confucian, Buddhist or at the same time join Shinto cult. However, the research study indicates that many of the Japanese are members of the Shinto cult, and it has become one of the most powerful religious cults in nationwide with many religious believers. The Shinto has their own valuable books that include the Nihongi, which is the Japanese chronicles, and the Kojiki, which is the ancient events chronicles. Shinto, an indigenous faith of the Japanese people remains their main religious conviction beside Buddhism. Thus, the research paper analyzes the way different religious beliefs and practices may contribute to misconceptions, therefore, indicating the way to overcome such misconceptions. Shinto, unlike other religious cults, is one of the religious beliefs and practices, which may be possible to follow. The needs and traditional practices of Shinto rather than Shinto doctrines determine their practices. The Shinto practices takes into considerations four significant aspects including Kami as the integral part for love of nature, purification rites or physical cleanliness, tradition and family as well as festival and ceremonies. The Shinto believers have some aspects, which are similar to Buddhism, hence becoming easier for anyone from Buddhist to join and follow their aspects easily. This is because some practices such as death rituals are similar to Buddhist people, but Shinto focus mostly on live events such as honoring Kami, birth and marriage (Kallen, 2002). They have permanent areas for worshipping their Kami that are in the form, of shrines, vast complexes and each of them operates differently from one another. The priesthood in Shinto is taken as a family affair; thus, it passed from parents to their siblings. The people in each shrine dedicate themselves to Kami. The Shinto religious believers’ value varied Shinto texts, which contain the legends and historical events based upon their religion instead of being Holy Scriptures. Some of the Shinto texts are the Jinno Shotoki, Kojiki, the text for records of issues in the ancient times, Nihongi, Rokkokushi and many others. This books or Shinto texts create a misunderstanding with other religious beliefs and practices. This is because of the way they present their Shinto practices and their beliefs upon the creation of Japanese. The two significant and valued texts include the Kojiki and Nihongi, which provides the legendary stories about the creation or the existence of the Japanese into their being. The two books explain the way Kami (Shinto gods) created the ancient Japanese (Littleton 2002, p. 34). They reveal about the male and female who-invites (Izanagi and Izanami) respectively and the way they gave birth to the Japanese land. After the death of Izanami, Izanagi made a journey find her, but he found the maggot crawling with her decayed body. The Izanagi fled back to the living land being horrified, and he entered inside the water in order to purify himself. In the process of purification, the Izanagi encountered with the Sun Goddess, who is the greatest Kami while washing the left eye side (Kasulis, 2004). When he started washing the right one, the Moon Kami appeared to him. The Izanagi struggled to maintain peace in the land for many decades, but the Sun Goddess decided to send to them the grandson, Ninigi as their king to govern them (Bowker, 2012). This reveals the way Shinto is unique from other religious scriptures across the globe. For instance, the Christian texts explain the creation story of Adam and Eve and the way human being came into existence through creation stories. However, this is different from the Shinto beliefs, and it represents their Supreme Being as female in gender. The holy texts of Shinto do not exclusively include Shinto practices and beliefs only, but they include some political and moral purposes. Some of the texts take into considerations political issues. The texts intend to institute primacy across the Japanese area and in essence try to offer divine authority to all categories of rulers (Evans, 2001). In some extents, the books try to institute the political dominance of the two clans in Japan, which include the Yamato and Izumo. When reading the other Shinto books, one many recognize the moral purpose and teaching practices about the moral issues. The Shinto beliefs and practices take into considerations purification as significant in case humanity is to flourish. Purification is a decontamination act, but they consider fatality as a final uncleanness. The Shinto beliefs that the Kami have responsibilities of taking care of humanity; thus, humanity should also look after the Kami. They believe that the characters of human beings are similar to their Kami; thus, the Japanese people are distinctive and chosen people of Kami. Shinto takes into consideration the four significance practices but personal cleanliness or purification rite is one of the valuable practices. The Shinto teaches on the significance of purification of an individual and the logic of communal responsibility. However, the Shinto religion does not have morality codes or theological beliefs apart from subservience to the royal leader. Both religious studies and morality are considered naturalistic. The Shintoism scholars explain the lack of ethical behaviors in Shinto religion claiming that the Japanese people were moral in their practices; thus, they do not need the ethical theory (Morgan, 2001). Although, the sweeping changes that took place in the country contributed to varied changes to the Shinto sects. The first sect emphasizes on the nature of worship. The second emphasizes the healing faith and the last one is the purification rite. The purification or personal cleanliness is one of the Shinto sects being emphasized in their religion. Shinto practices are practiced in many parts of Japan, and many of the Shinto believers belief that purification rites are among the ways through which they fulfill the demands of the Kami. The Shinto religion was altered due to many changes that took place during the period of Nara. The Nara period led to varied changes in the country that affected the religion and governing system in the government structure. After the death of the royal leader, the Empress Gemmei, the Shinto religious beliefs and practices changed considerably. The Buddhism started becoming more common than the Shinto religious practices. Every occasion that the shrines moved into a new metropolis new changes occurred. New religious practices emerged contribution to varied differences in Shinto religious beliefs (Young 2005, p.56). Moreover, with the introduction of new religious beliefs of Buddhism and rapid implementation in the court, many changes apparently became clear. The native Japanese started adopting the Buddhist teachings, a reason that provides a clear explanation on the similarities and differences between the Buddhist and Shinto religious practices. The misconceptions about other people’s religion are common in the contemporary society. This is because many people have their own religious beliefs or understandings that differ from one region to another. For instance, when comparing the religious practices of Christianity with that of Shinto, there are significance differences especially in the way human beings came into existence and beliefs on the purification issues. For Christianity, the purification is carried out through being baptized but for the Shinto have beliefs on Harae, which is their purification rites done either daily, weekly or in annual basis. They carry out purification rituals in the form of lifeblood by sacrificing animals and celebrating (Yamakage, Leeuw and Rankin, 2008). They carry out ceremonies and bless their business or any other activities. Families commemorate in shrines in order to fulfill the purification practices. Moreover, the misconceptions are common about other people’s religions on the way they perform religious practices. Some practices or beliefs create a misunderstanding since not every religion has similar beliefs or practices. For instance, the issue of afterlife may create a misunderstanding between the Christian believers and Shinto believers. The Christians belief that the spirit is detached from the corpse and it goes into paradise when someone dies. This is different from the Shinto beliefs and practices. The Shinto believes that the dead go to Yomi, which is the place for the dead people or a darkness world (Picken, 2002). The Yomi is a dwelling land for the dead people where they go and decay indefinitely, thus incapable of returning to the living land. The Yomi is the land separating the death from the living people, thus, being analogous to hell. People could employ one recommendable step so they can reduce misconceptions that people have towards others people’s religions. This is through attending virtual religious services or carrying more research on other people’s religious practices. This is significance because it will enable one to understand more on other people’s religious beliefs and practices; thus reducing misunderstandings created among different religious believers. Understanding other people’s religious ways and practices is essential because it will enable others to respect other people’s religious practices. This will not only reduce misconceptions but also prejudice that may lead to conflicting issues among different religious believers. In conclusion, various misconceptions may arise when analyzing the Shinto religious beliefs and practices. The needs and traditional practices of Shinto rather than Shinto doctrines determine their practices. Shinto believers have books, which they value most, and they value the four main significance practices, but personal cleanliness is one of the valuable practices. The Shinto practices and beliefs were altered due to changes that took place during the Nara period. The misconceptions are common about other people’ religious practices because of various religious ways of worshiping. Thus, it is vital to understand and carry out research about other religious ways of practices in order to reduce misconceptions. References Bowker, J. (2012). The message and the book: Sacred texts of the world's religions. New Haven [Conn.: Yale University Press]. Evans, A. L. (2001). Shinto Norito: A book of prayers: In the tradition of Tsubaki Grand Shrine. Victoria, B.C.: Trafford Publ. Kallen, S. A. (2002). Shinto. San Diego, Calif: Lucent Books. Kasulis, T. P. (2004). Shinto: The way home. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press. Katu, G. (2010). A Study of Shinto: The religion of the Japanese nation. Hoboken: Taylor & Francis. Littleton, C. S. (2002). Shinto: Origins, rituals, festivals, spirits, sacred places. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Morgan, D. (2001). The best guide to eastern philosophy and religion. Los Angeles, Calif: Renaissance Books. Picken, S. D. B. (2002). Shinto meditations for revering the earth. Berkeley, Calif: Stone Bridge Press. Yamakage, M., Leeuw, P. ., & Rankin, A. (2008). The essence of Shinto: Japan's spiritual heart. Princeton, N.J: Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic. Young, W. A. (2005). The world's religions: Worldviews and contemporary issues. Upper Saddle River, N.J: Pearson Prentice Hall Read More