Week 1 Japanese Religion September 21-27 CSE 201

Session 1

Japanese Religion

* View Week One Video.
* Read Religion in Japan Wikipedia
* Read A Guide to Japanese Buddhism by Buddhanet.
* Participate in a telephone conference call. The call will help to get acquainted with the students, explain procedures and answer any questions.

Questions

  • 1

    Brandalyn week 1

    Brandalyn

    I appreciated both sources on background of Japanese religion. So much there! And so much diversity of sects of Buddhism! I am always intrigued to learn more about the minorities in Japan (which before RJC I didn’t know existed!) I am constantly “impressed” (it makes an impression) by how man different points in an individual’s life they make vows (or are dedicated) to spirits. I was shocked to hear that some Jews fled the holocaust to Japan!

    • alea.take

      Brandalyn, thank you for your shared “impressions”. There is certainly a lot to take a way from the background intro to Buddhism. It was always perplexing to me that Japanese view many of their cultural rituals as not being a form of worship but the reading from this week helped me to see the understanding I was lacking… “While the vast majority follow Shinto, only some 3% identify as such in surveys, because it is understood to imply membership of Shinto sects.”- wiki.
      I too had no idea of the many new religious sects that have formed in Japan as a stem off of Shinto and Buddhism.
      It brings up an interesting question for me or discussion topic about our actions/behaviors and how we view sin. Sin and Guilt being the same kanji in Japanese; I am often curious about what thoughts enter a Japanese mind upon being introduced to sin as we know it in the gospel.