Quote:
Originally Posted by Ronin4hire
Well I would say that they dont know what religion means and the reason for that is that WE dont know what it means. My professor defines religion academically by saying it is "philosophy + ritual". What we've done in the West is create a whole new paradigm called "religion" which exists APART from Philosophy AND ritual. The Japanese simply haven't made this seperation and that is why religion doesnt translate into "Shuukyou". An example.. generally in the West we dont compare the teachings of Christianity with the teachings of the political ideologies Liberalism or Communism (not without Christians complaining about how it is not the same at least). Theoretically a Japanese person generally speaking can without second thought.
...and this is the ritual aspect of religion.
|
I think you are getting more philosophical than I am prepared to.
I will say please consider the notion that instead "shyuukyou" not fitting into the definition of religion, it is possible that "religion" doesn't fit into the Japanese notion of shyuukyou.
I am not quite understanding your idea that a Japanese person can compare religious beliefs with political beliefs in a way that we wouldn't do in the West.
But bringing that idea of traditional being religious...just because a tradition is based in a religious practice doesn't make the practitioner necessarily "religious". I think what someone considers themselves and who they look to for guidance more accurately defines whether one is religious or not.