Shinto and how it is comparable to other societies to gain insight into the underlying essentiality
Introduction
Shinto has for ages been deemed as a critical aspect of Japanese religion that leads to their uniqueness and promotion of individuality. As an element that spans the societal, religious breadth, it has become a defining cultural element of the Japanese people. The global awareness of Shinto became extensive after World War II with the foundations of behavior, respect, and worship. Hence, the Shinto bears the unmistakable features of an essential religion that entails the worship of nature, the rulers, and taboo against the Kegare (Impurities). Throughout the evaluation of mythology, it is apparent that some features are similar to the different religions, myths across the globe. From the Jews to Europeans and the Iranians, it is clear that the Shinto has some features embedded in the different regions. Therefore, at the core of this paper will be to review the Shinto and how it is comparable to other societies to gain insight into the underlying essentiality.
Japanese Shinto tenets
The Japanese Shinto is etched to the Japanese society as a story of their beginning that is defined in the Nihon Shoki and the Kojiki (Barineau, 2015). Through the record of the ancient matters, it is apparent that the primal chaos of the emergence of the nation and the deities is apparent. Izanami and Izanagi are the most important deities, according to the Japanese people. They are the female and male deities and are required to give birth to the Japanese islands. The decision to give birth to the eight islands is from a higher authority than them; it is the decision of the heaven associates. The female deity is responsible for inviting the male deity in order to give birth or rise to the eight important islands. As the first parents, floated down from the bridge of heaven, the dipping of the jeweled spear into the muddy brine leads to the development of the eight islands (Barineau, 2015). Don't use plagiarised sources.Get your custom essay just from $11/page
Izanagi made several attempts to get back together with his spouse Izanami so that they could complete the making the land that had remained. This was, however, quite difficult as Izanami had already succumbed to the underworld. For Izanami to return, she would first have to ask for permission from the Kami of the underworld (Liu & Wilson, 2011). This made Izanagi a little impatient, and so he decided to get into the hall to look for his spouse. He was met with unexpected results as he found Izanami’s body covered in maggots. This was a very unclean place for Izanagi, so he decided to wash up in the river as a way of purifying himself. The washing of his left eye in the river led to the existence of the goddess of the sun, also known as Great Kami (Amaterasu). The presence of Valiant Male Kami, (Susanoo or Susa-no-wo), was as a result of him washing up his nose in the river.
As the story unfolds, it becomes clear that the development of the earth prevails with Izanagi offering a necklace to Amaterasu, the sun goddess, to rule over the day. On the other hand, Kami Tsukuyomi is given the obligation to rule the night. Nonetheless, the major tenets of the Shinto are the appreciation of nature and god as one. Further, the emperor is viewed as an earthly representative of their gods and should be worshipped. The acceptance of the emperor and the dead is a critical dimension of the Shinto, which continues to define society and influences other regions (Barineau, 2015). As such, the emperor is the spiritual leader and is seen as the highest authority for the people. Regarded as the Tenno, or the heavenly sovereign, the emperor s considered as an embodiment of the gods whose message is a representation of their expectations (Katu, 2010). The eight islands of the Japanese people came to be as a result of conjugal intercourse between Izanagi and Izanami who were heavenly spouses. This was facilitated by the heavenly spear from the Kami that was dripping with thick brine. Izanagi and Izanami were the most important deities that ever existed, according to the Japanese people. Izanagi created the sun’s goddess by washing his left eye in the river. The eight islands of Japan were created by heavenly deities that are believed to be very holy (Katu, 2010). The Japanese people greatly respect their land as they view it as a gift from the gods, the case happens to be the same as the Jews also view the land as a present to them by God. The Jews created their synagogue in Tokyo, a place that is also considered to be a holy place by the Japanese. They also consider Jerusalem to be a holy place that was given to them by God, who used David to deliver it to them.
Jews and the holy land and its comparison to Shinto and Japanese eight islands
At the core of the Shinto is the adoption of polytheistic religion, whose worshippers believe that the eight islands are holy shrines that are appreciated and correlated with their gods. The Japanese believe that the islands were promised to them by their gods hence the regular worship and view of the grounds as holy (Shimazono, 2015). Shinto emphasizes the establishment of different shrines in the different island locations that are adopted for worship purposes (Katu, 2010). Likewise, among the Jews, Jerusalem is deemed as the holy land that was promised to them by God. From the lineage of David, the Jews have long held the belief that the land is sacred and should be treated with peace. Despite the Judaic religion being monotheistic, it is similar to the Shinto through the evident emphasis on different locations that are deemed as holy in Jerusalem. Apart from the synagogues and various churches, the Jerusalem wall, Mount Zion and the Temple Mount. Equally, among the Shinto, the reverence towards the dead is a vital worship process. As such, the Matsuri denotes the worship and honoring of the gods and showing respect to the ancestral spirits (Liu & Wilson, 2011). The approach is comparable to the Jew worship process that is characterized by the synagogue that is based on showing respect to God. Likewise, Shimazono (2015) emphasizes that in Jerusalem, the Temple Mount entails the Well of Souls, whereby the reverence to the spirits prevails. Seen as the Holy of Holies, the Mount is a central point for respect for the ancient spirits.
The Shiite and the Ayatollah and its comparison to Shinto
The Shiite also exudes similarities to the Shinto in their worship and reverence to their leaders. As a faction of Islam, the Shiite accepts that there are various shrines such as Medina, Najaf, Karbala, and Jerusalem, which are the most respectable regions for the worshipers, (Barineau, 2015). As an example, the Najaf is a requirement for the worshippers to make an effort to visit and take part in the worship process. Likewise, the Shinto has their shrines that are revered and are the center for the worship process. For a Shinto worshipper, it is an obligation to take regularly worship.
Shinto’s message and America as God’s country
Shinto is a Japanese definition of God that simply illustrates God’s way, and America is referred to as God’s country due to its all-inclusive nature, it is such that it affects the whole world. As mentioned, the foundation of Shinto is the appreciation of the Japanese land as a holy place given to them by the gods. Accordingly, the Shinto creation story has been marked by the great reverence to the land, the immediate sea, and the animals on the island. The need to protect the sacred land is, therefore, at the core of the belief system (Barineau, 2015). Such reverence to the motherland was evident in World War II, whereby the soldiers were indoctrinated. As such, the majority of the soldiers accepted that the need to protect the holy land was a God-given obligation, which was essential at promoting the Kamikaze actions (Liu & Wilson, 2011). Further, some of the Japanese citizens preferred to commit suicide and return to the holy land as opposed to surrendering. However, from the evaluation of America, a contrary setting is evident. The cosmopolitan nature of the nation makes it not an effective platform to adopt the mantra of God’s country. Shanti was introduced in America by Reverend Dr. Richard Boeke, who proposed the introduction of Shanti studies at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkley. This was after a shrine had been introduced, The Tsubaki Grand Shrine. Later on, another shrine was built in California, Stockton, (Liu & Wilson, 2011). The first Non-Japanese Shanti priest was Reverend Koichi Barrish, the priest of the Tsubaki Grand Shrine. He was influenced into the Shanti religion and later on became a Shanti priest to spread the Shanti gospel to interested parties in America. The shrines are made in such a way that they make the followers feel like they are in Japan, the origin of the religion. This is so that Japanese people who are in America and other followers can feel comfortable to worship in the shrine as it depicts the real shine in the eight islands. The message adopted in the declaration of Independence center on the need to bless the nation and for the people to take arms to protect from adversaries (Liu & Wilson, 2011). However, without a singular religion, it is daunting to develop a single message such as the Shinto to encourage people to protect America.
Shinto Message and the European Divine right of kings
The European in the medieval period emphasized the divine right of the kings based on religious doctrine. Nonetheless, it was not only a religious doctrine, but it was also considered a political doctrine (Liu & Wilson, 2011). This is because both the religious and political leaders had to make an effort to work together. This was all in service to God, as all leaders were thought to be God’s choice to mankind. The rule of law was associated with a higher and superior divine authority. From the Roman Catholic to the Orthodox Church, it is apparent that the church was essential at partnering with the kings to determine their divinity (Liu & Wilson, 2011). Most importantly, the church’s backing of the ruling family was an important aspect to encourage the subjects to accept their leadership. From the Czars of the Russian Orthodox to the Roman Catholics influencing the kingship in regions such as France and England, it is evident that the church was a defining factor (Liu & Wilson, 2011). This type of ruling was considered Monotheistic. The monarchs are run by the religious and political leaders who were using the power of God to get things done. Disrespect to the higher authority could result in the punishment of the monarch and all the involved by God. The use of political leaders in ruling a monarch was to make sure that the ruling was made actively rather than merely in a passive manner. Everything was run according to the will and grace of God (Liu & Wilson, 2011). On the contrary, the Shinto’s message calls for the reverence of the emperor as the embodiment of the gods. Accordingly, the leadership and religion in Shinto are intertwined, and the emperor’s rule is permanent without any form of dispute from any institution. As a god, the emperor is divine and equally worshipped.
Conclusion
Shinto is an essential way of life for the Japanese that is defined by the different principles that shape the region. This religion revolves around gods and spirits, with its origins rooted in eastern Asia. The linking between the natural world and a variety of Kami has resulted in viewing Shinto as not only animistic but also pantheistic. With the reverence of the eight islands as a gift from the gods and holy, the Shinto is extensively similar in specific ways to Jerusalem or the Shiite practices. The worship process is uniquely likewise, which generates insight into how the Shinto is appreciative of the different regions. Nonetheless, a disparity in reverence to the kings is a defining factor with the Shinto acknowledging their emperor as a god. Further, the worshipping of the emperor prevails among specific individuals who are unlike other monarchical societies. A number of Americans are identifying as followers of Shinto. Most Shinto followers were influenced by Japanese people who migrated to America, while some became followers when they went to Japan as missionaries to spread the gospel. This was done in an effort of trying to bring the Japanese and American people closer together. This led to the development of Shinto studies in the Pacific School of Religion. The comparison of Japanese Shinto to other religions makes it easier for one to comprehend religion as a whole. This is because different types of religions are greatly co-related. They describe the existence of God or gods and how the earth came to being. The Japanese Shinto, for instance, explains how the eight islands of Japan came to be. It also describes the first parents who gave birth to the island, Izanagi and Izanami, the two male and female heavenly deities. The two deities happen to be the most important of them all. The Kami veneration has greatly been influenced by Buddhism in Japan. Every single soul has to submit to a certain type of higher power. This gives them a sense of belonging and confidence and self-worth, knowing that they have a higher authority to look upto.
Work Cited
Barineau, M. R. (2015). Theogony cosmogony. In An Introduction to the Major Religions of the World, Shinto (2nd ed.). New York: SAGE.
Katu, G. (2010). A study of Shinto: the religion of the Japanese nation. Routledge.
Liu, J., & Wilson, J. A. (2011). The impact of culture and religion on leadership and management training: a comparison of three continents. Journal Pengurusan, 33, 29-36.
Shimazono, S. (2015). State Shinto and the religious structure of modern Japan. Journal of the American Academy of Religion, 73(4), 1077-1098.