I was living in Japan for over nine months, where I oftentimes saw Shinto rituals, and even visited a shrine or two on New Year’s (the most important holiday in Japan). I would say it is inbetween simple animism and polytheism in the Greco-Roman sense. Shintoists believe that there are gods and spirits everywhere, and refer to them as the eight million kami. Chief among them is the goddess of the sun, Amaterasu, who is depicted in the picture above.
The Emperor of Japan was believed to be decended from this goddess, and so a cult developed around him during the Meiji period, which centralized Shinto into a state-sponsored religion. However, after Japan’s defeat the Emperor denied that he was divine, and State Shinto was dismantled. Most Japanese these days aren’t religious and visit Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples in a way much like many Christians in America: on special holidays.
Frankly, I find the rituals of Shinto and Buddhism to be interesting, and I regret that the Church did not adapt itself a little more to Japanese culture, like the Jesuits did in China. However, I know that Amaterasu or the Buddha did not die from my sins, but the God-man, Jesus Christ! Moreover, Shinto doesn’t have any absolute commandments outside of “living a simple and harmonious life with nature and people.” Which, of course, is laudable, but a far cry from the more demanding commandment, to love God over all things, and your neighbor as yourself. Please remind your brother of these things.
The Augustinian
