• Hi I'm writing an essay on modern Japanese society and how it has interacted with Shinto. Can anyone assist me in this part of the question: Why many Japanese choose to join new religions? Thanks!


  • Konnichiwa Polaris-san!
    Why many Japanese choose to join new religions? Thanks!
    Because they have a problem. :D
    The reason of admission to the new religions is "Hin Byou Sou". :note:

    NANGI


  • I remembered talking to an elderly from Africa last year, and I asked him why he and other Nigerians were so religious, and he replied motionlessly,"When you are starving and you can't find any food, the only thing you can do is to pray."


  • I think that is a very poor reason for joining a religion. I think the reason many joins a new religion is either because it is a fashion, or that they need something to believe in. Either case has different goals, an example to this is, that you'll see many Japanese wearing a cross, but how many of them are christians by name, who never go to a church etc. ?

    Those who profoundly make an effort of their faith are (if you ask me), those who want a meaning with life, or be part of something greater than just the local community, okay that was a bad example ^_^. I think those who does join a religion seeks a way out of the everyday life pressure, stress etc. what is the alternative to all this you might ask, suicide.


  • There's a bit of misconception about religion.

    People tend to think that a religion is something that someone (either God or a mortal) founded and then another person followed it. Or religion is a way to worship God.

    No, it isn't, it something that someone rely on.

    Each person has his or her own religion, and each religion is as distinct as the person who has it, meaning that there's currently around 6~8 billions types of human religions on this Earth.

    And every person, even an atheist, has the instinct to worship something (the default is God, but it can be 'modified' into something else), it's in our genes. One might deny of ever worshiping something, but the truth is, everyone worship at least something.

    Now... When a group of people has a common thing, they came into a group. Their religions are not necessary the same in all things, but they at least have a thing in common with their religions. In traditional terms it's called something like "churches" or "houses of worship", in modern term it's called something called "fan clubs". Each group might offer new members special benefit for joining and so on.


    Now... As for 'new religions'. It should be noted that there are reasons on why the "Mickey Mouse Club" was created.



    As for "humans tend to seek divine intervention when they are feeling helpless."

    God knows that.

    "And when affliction touches a man, he calls on Us, whether lying on his side or sitting or standing; but when We remove his affliction from him, he passes on as though he had never called on Us on account of an affliction that touched him; thus that which they do is made fair-seeming to the extravagant."

    "Surely man is created of a hasty temperament. Being greatly grieved when evil afflicts him. And niggardly when good befalls him. Except those who pray, those who are constant at their prayer."

    Of course, chances these days are if you are feeling helpless and kept calling God's names, you might be accused of commiting suicide.

    Why not? That's what they accused Adel Anwar (pilot of EgyptAir 990) of doing.



    As for the cross.

    Well... The cross was never really a Christian thing to begin with.


  • Heh, I got distracted and didn't finish my post. My point is: humans tend to seek divine intervention when they are feeling helpless.

    I've heard most of the people who join a cult or something like that are loners who lost their sense of direction in life. One "advantage" of joining a religious group is to get a bunch of instant friends right away.


  • You made some very strong points there Digicross. I think naturally in it's embedded within our genetical structure that we sort of, worship something. We all want to have a better understanding of where we came from, and we all want to tap into some elightment as method to reach our superior conscious.

    Um, as for religions, I think it certainly is a way, and a good one, I might add, for someone who doesn't have a path or direction in their life. They sometimes need the assistance of others and that comfort that comes from being unconditionally loved.


  • In Japan we find that most Japanese consider themselves to be Shinto/Buddhist, but not as religious people per say. During O-bon families may go to the Buddhist temple for festivals and grave cleaning, before exams they may go to Shinto shrines for omamori, if someone dies they will go to the Buddhist funeral, if someone gets married they will go to the Shinto or Christian wedding, but there is no such thing as a "Sunday Service" in Buddhism or Shinto traditions in Japan. So religion in Japan is more of a cultural thing, or a family thing. It is a secular society for the most part. Very few people ever join these "new religions" in Japan, but if any of these new religions ever get in the news, then Westerners tend to think there is some sort of plague of cults going on in Japan... which I assure you is not the case.

    In Gassho, Rev. Hoyu


  • Many times they are just following a charismatic leader.


  • Everyone needs at least one hobby.







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