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Alternative
Religions profiles
History/Founder/important persons/saints:
The
word Shinto is a compound of two Chinese words- Shen, meaning "deity,"
and Tao, meaning "way." The name Shinto was coined in sixth
century Japan to differentiate the ancient Japanese traditional religion
from a newcomer, Buddhism. Shintoism was made the official Japanese
State religion in the late nineteenth century.
Current
leader/governing body: Shintoism was once Japanese State religion, and had
close ties with the Japanese Government. During World War two, the Allied
Powers forced the Government of Japan to institute complete separation
of Church and State.
Number
of Adherents: About three million worldwide. Clergy:
To become a Shinto priest, one must become an appointee
of an established Shrine.
Churches/Temples:
There are many Shinto temples, but the Kami are nature
spirits, and are worshipped near their respective elements. Shrines
may be found almost anywhere in areas where Shinto is practiced- in
homes, in the woods, even in lakes.
Requirements
to join: None-
anyone may practice as a Shinto.
Scripture: The Kojiki, or "Book of ancient
matters" is important to Shinto, but not sacred.
Required
observances, dietary restrictions:
Abstention from alcohol or
sex is sometimes performed temporarily for purification purposes.
Holidays
and observances: Important Shinto festivals, called Matsuri,
are held throughout the year to honor various Kami. The most important
and universal Matsuri are the New Year and Harvest celebrations.
Basic
teachings and Beliefs of Shinto: The
Shinto faith revolves around the belief in "Kami," natural
and ancestral spirits. Kami are creation deities, ancestral spirits,
or the animistic spirits of elements and objects. Some are protective,
some are inanimate. Heroes and exemplary rulers are often thought to
be Kami manifested in human form. (this belief led to the creation of
the Shinto State, and the belief in Divine right of Emperors.)
Shrines
to numerous Kami dot the Japanese landscape, and Shinto rituals are
usually simple prayers of propitiation or thanksgiving. Common themes
are fertility, luck in business or gambling, health, etc. At a shrine,
a short prayer, ritual ablution, or bow is made, and offerings including
fruit, wine, sweets, or rice. Sometimes a petition or desire is written
on a piece of paper left tied to a twig near the shrine. Believers often
erect Kami-dana, or personal altars, in their homes. Important personal
rituals include baptismal rites and the introduction of children in
the temple at the age of three for blessings.
Code
of Conduct: Shinto
has no specific code of conduct, but certain concepts, such as loyalty,
family, reverence for nature, and cleanliness, are of extreme importance.
The concept of ritual suicide, or Hari-kiri, has its roots in Shinto
loyalty beliefs.
Symbols
of Shinto: The most recognizable symbol of Shinto is the Torii
Gate, a stylized
arch that is often found at the entrance to Shrines or holy places.
More
religious
symbols
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