Dominant Religion in Japan?

[Excessum]

Dude, don't be lazy and look it up in the internet, you will find hundreds of pages with in-depth analysis of this topic. Take only Wikipedia for instance: link

And secondly, the topic of religion is forbidden on these forums.

[MMM]

Originally Posted by allie2590

"I don't know"? Like they actually don't know?

Yes, like they actually don't know. In Japan you are born as a Shinto, marry as a Christian and die as a Buddhist.

[Hatredcopter]

Originally Posted by gr34t3st

So most of them don't practice a religion?
They just go by customs and rules set by parents and other generations?

Precisely.

[hennaz]

Interestingly, the Japanese say that they are Shintouist at life, but Buddhist at death. Most religious festivals like coming-of-the-age ceremonies and weddings are Shintou, while funerals are Buddhist. The Japanese follow these two religions at the same time because Buddhism has no god, whereas Shintou has gods called kami. Most Japanese nowadays are not particularly religious, especially the young generation.

[MMM]

Originally Posted by hennaz

Interestingly, the Japanese say that they are Shintouist at life, but Buddhist at death. Most religious festivals like coming-of-the-age ceremonies and weddings are Shintou, while funerals are Buddhist. The Japanese follow these two religions at the same time because Buddhism has no god, whereas Shintou has gods called kami. Most Japanese nowadays are not particularly religious, especially the young generation.

Oops...you are right, I had that backwards...I fixed it.

But I would add that I don't think the previous generation was very religious, either. I know no Japanese adults that call themselves devout or even practicing Buddhists or Shinto.

[gr34t3st]

Isn't it contradicting to have two religions?
Wouldn't that be defying both religions considering they are both probably against practicing religions other than [that religion].

Like for example in the Bible, it says "You cannot love two masters. You must love one and hate the other." Aren't they the same way?

[Hatredcopter]

Originally Posted by gr34t3st

Isn't it contradicting to have two religions?
Wouldn't that be defying both religions considering they are both probably against practicing religions other than [that religion].

Like for example in the Bible, it says "You cannot love two masters. You must love one and hate the other." Aren't they the same way?

Eastern Religions aren't quite as dogmatic and strict as Western ones.

The way that I sometimes explain it is that 'it's perfectly fine for a Buddhist to also be a Christian, but it's not fine for a Christian to also be a Buddhist'.

[gr34t3st]

That is actually the best way to describe this entire thread I guess...
Very interesting stuff.

[Sangetsu]

My door is regularly knocked on by Jehovah's Witnesses, and there are a couple of young white male Mormons who I see commuting through my town by bicycle almost every day. Christianity is definitely on the rise in Japan.

[kireikoori]

Originally Posted by gr34t3st

As in like discrimination against Christians and things like that.

Used to be. Look up 'Kirishitan'.
It's not like that anymore though.