Japanese and Gaikokujin residents--How does Christianity/Shinto fit into Japanese soc

OK. I took the bait. There has been a lot of negative things said about Christianity recently here in the Japan section.
Japanese people: please tell me how you feel about Christianity.

1. Let's say your sister was going to marry a Christian (Japanese) man, and she was thinking about converting to Christianity, by being baptized. What would you say, what would your parents say?
Would you feel uncomfortable but wish her well?
Would your parents be reluctant to say "OK" to the boy?
If you heard a rumor from your neighbors that your sister was one of those people who walks around and gives pamphlets about Jesus to people, would you be angry?

Also one more question

2. Why are private schools that are devoutly religious (often Catholic) so prevalent and popular in Japan? I live near Hiroshima--is it unique to that place, or is it a national thing? There are several Christian preschools and a few big names for high school as well, and the teachers are nuns, and we had to pray in English before class began. Yet most of the parents who send their kids are not religious. Just the other day, I was talking to a friend of mine who sends her kids to a Christian preschool run by nuns, I asked them whose birthday Christmas was, and her 5 year old son knew but she had no idea. When the little boy said Ae looked at me and said A?
My point is religious conviction is obviously not the reason for the schools continuing to be popular.

(one more optional question)
3. If you think Christianity is kind of a kooky religious dominated by ignorant/ethnocentric armholes, (admittedly it is, sometimes) then what about the long-standing religions of Japan--Buddhism and Shinto? Are these more appropriate for the Japanese culture?
Sorry I said "Japanese people" but I meant anyone who resides in Japan or has in the past. Plus trolls.

1. I'm not Japanese, but my sister has no religion so I'll answer anyway. I wouldn't mind whatsoever if she wanted to marry a Christian from any country at all, and if it made her and her intended happier for her to convert then that's delightful. I would have reservations though, but only that they might start treating the rest of the family as ignoramuses or something, and that they might overdo it when teaching their kids. Our parents would probably accept it calmly, after all they accepted a Japanese son-in-law without complaint. I suspect that they too might have reservations like my own though, but we'd all be happy to have those fears pr oven groundless. If she turned into a JW I'd be rather worried though, we used to be related by marriage to a family of JWs and they were as miserable as sin, claimed it was against god's law to enjoy yourself or celebrate anything. I wouldn't want her to turn into someone like that, but as long as she didn't preach to me I'd accept it.

2. We have at least one christian kindergarten near here too, and I agree that religious conviction has nothing to do with the continued presence of these places. I personally suspect that they're subsidized by the religion, with cheap or free lab our from the devoted few alongside the regular workers, which means that for the same price as a regular Japanese kindergarten the parents get more for their kids. They probably know that this includes more in the sense of religious indoctrination, but I think they know their kids will usually let this wash over them like water off a duck's back without absorbing any of it in a meaningful way. It's mostly the kids who're educated in religion at home who absorb it without question. The 5 year old may know that Xmas is allegedly Christ's birthday, and may even know that it's 'normal' to worship Christ, but I'll bet you he doesn't even think about it unless it's mentioned. You must remember that Japan (which I assume is your country although you don't say you're Japanese) has people who happily live their lives with two separate religions, yet don't really believe fervently in either. I think it helps them to ignore Christianity without demonizing it.

3. Shinto and Buddhism are probably more appropriate yes, especially as they don't try to demonize non-believers. They're sort of optional religions, so anyone can be involved as much or as little as they want. Christianity in it's current worldwide form thinks the world should believe. It would be called arrogance if it was a country or a person claiming to be the only 'right' one. In a religion it's potentially dangerous, as has been seen many times throughout history.

I don't think Christianity as a whole is populated by kooky fruitcakes, but unfortunately there are plenty of those about.

Christianity is legit religion, not Aum SS'sther suspicious religions. So I'm not so wary of it.

1, Let's say your sister was going to marry a Christian (Japanese) man, and she was thinking about converting to Christianity, by being baptized. What would you say,

This question is a bit unrealistic for me because I do not have a sister. I'll answer from my imagination, anyway.

I do not care even if my sister would marry a Christian man, I do if she would marry an Aum man, Lil

>what would your parents say?

Nothing.

>Would you feel uncomfortable but wish her well?

Not uncomfortable.

>Would your parents be reluctant to say "OK" to the boy?

I don't think so.

>If you heard a rumor from your neighbors that your sister was one of those people who walks around and gives pamphlets about Jesus to people, would you be angry?

Not angry. But Japanese people generally do not like people who try to push their religious belief on them.

2. Why are private schools that are devoutly religious (often Catholic) so prevalent and popular in Japan?

I don't think it's the case.

>I live near Hiroshima--is it unique to that place, or is it a national thing?

Not national.

BTW, there are some Christian colleges like ICU or Sophia in Tokyo. They are popular among kids. But it's not because they are Christian, but because they have high A. It means they will help kids find a good job after that.

Many Japanese choose schools just based on A. Not based on religion.

Religion is not an issue.
I suppose it would be if there was some sort of philosophical belief among Japanese people and then a potential for disagreement.

Religious influenced ceremonies, traditions and superstitions have some bearing on Japanese life but religious belief and religious teaching is just not something people are aware of. If the Japanese have a religion it is "their Japanese-Nessa".

You are spending a lot of time thinking about something that doesn't matter at all in Japan. Trust me, Japanese people for the most part are not even aware that there is such a thing as religion -as you know it.

Important things in order:

Money
Working or appearing to work hard
Being and behaving Japanese (Japanese propriety)
Television
Sleep

1. You ask a zillion questions in question 1.
1a) They probably wouldn't mind.
1b) As for one of those people who walk Aron giving pamphlets about Jesus, again most people don't care until you start trying to push their religion onto others. That's what the entire argument is about anyway. I got nothing against Christianity, Muslims or whatever. But when people start trying to push there beliefs onto others, then it becomes a problem with me.

2. Hiroshima has a history of Catholics visiting an working there. People might go to those schools because the education they get out of it is top notch. Take the University of Notre Dame for example, it's a top notch school, one of the most famous and top notch school's in America. Not every student who goes to Notre Dame is Catholic or even goes' there for religious reasons. I had a friend who went to Notre Dame an I can tell you they are 100% not catholic.

3. As an westerner, I cannot not tell you how many times in America people are trying to push religion on you left and right, or about if you aren't X religion that you're somehow a bad person. Come to Japan and wait..no Shintoists, no Buddhists trying to convert me...no Shintoists or Buddhists arguing about the merits of Evolution.. The only people that are trying to push their religion on others in Japan are......Christians...

I feel indifferent about Christianity, it means I don't care about it at all.

1. I would be okay if my sister marries a Christian man, as long as they have mutual feelings with each other and most importantly as long as that man is in his proper sane and thinking. And has good job, attitude, etc. If that man is the "stereotypical" Christian who knocks on people's door and brainwashes people with his sugarcoated sermons, then I might have doubts and reluctant about that guy. But then again, it's my sister's life. If that's what she wants then so be it. As long as she won't be bothering me in the future about the life she chose.

2. It is not unique to Hiroshima. There are also a few Christian schools in some big cities. We even have a few ones here in Fukuoka like the Hakata New Life Christian School which I suppose is a Christian school by it's name. And I would like to support therapist's answer that most parents or most students choose to study in some Christian schools because of their good training and not because of it being Christian. I even doubt that students after graduating in those Christian schools, are converted into Christians. Most Japanese people are not religious even in our own religion, Shinto and Buddhism. However, most Japanese like to believe in superstitions or traditions from these two religions.

3. Based from my observations about these religions, I strongly believe that Shintoism and Buddhism harmonize with most Japanese people's lifestyle and way of life. Christianity is way too complicated to me. It forces their people to believe what is written in the book, and condemns people who don't follow it. It's even funny that some Christian leaders are often the one disobeying their religious rules and follow the ways of corruption. What's good about Shintoism and Buddhism is it makes you a better person, makes you live a better life. Rather than Christianity that forces people to do this and be that, and eventually this people are tempted or forced to do what they want which is often against Christian customs.

Could you clarify one thing before I give an answer? Is this person marrying a Christian going to tell his/her Japanese parents that she/she will not participate in anything to do with Obon, visiting shrines/temples, participating in traditional Japanese ceremonies, etc because they are in 'violation' of Christian principles, you know, worshiping other Gods than the 'One God' and worshiping 'graven images'? Or that the potential spouse will not be going to participate in said ceremonies because of the same reasons? If so, I think you just answered your own question.

NOTE: I didn't have time to get more than my wife's opinion on the Christianity thing, but she seemed to indicate that marrying a foreigner was of more significance than marry a Japanese Christian, even if my above stipulations applied. She did add, however, that once they started ringing doorbells that, well, that wasn't something that they would want to see happen.

Odd this comes up. Some movie about the Bible was on the other night. Watched it with my older daughter.

Me: Who did Cain marry?
Daughter: Maybe they had another child.
Me: So he married his sister?
Daughter: Ewww.
Me: How about the mother?
Daughter: DADDY!!!!!

Yeah, I know about all the supposed explanations of this. They just don't fly.

Noah is building the ark.

Me: If you come home one day and I tell you we have to build a big boat and find two of each animal on the planet and put them on the ark, what would you think?
Daughter: That you were crazy.

Noah is loading the ark?

Daughter: Where did he build the ark?
Me: (Explanation)
Daughter: Then how did he get polar bears from the North Pole and kangaroos from Australia?
Me: Good question. You tell me.

On the ark:
Me: Where does rain come from?
Daughter: From the oceans to clouds and then to rain.
Me: Then where did all this extra water come from?
Daughter: Giggles

Daughter: Why didn't the lions eat the other animals?
Me: Got me. Guess God told them not to.
Daughter: Then what did they eat?
Me: Good question.

Off loading the ark:

Daughter: How did the polar bears and kangaroos get home?
Me: I guess Noah took them back the same way that he got them there.
Daughter: Smiles

I'm not so much trying to teach my children anything other than to actually think. I don't think that Christians are armholes. I just think that they are less than adequately informed about reality in general. As for how this relates to Buddhism and Shintoism, I think that for the most part they fall into the same trap. Thing is, the latter doesn't generally run around neighborhoods wanting to convert you to their way of believing. This DOES happen.

My wife just says she wouldn't want our children going door to door 'spreading the word'. Me? It makes me want to vomit just thinking about it. Christianity is a fairy tale. Just like Islam. There is some good stuff in both the Bible and Koran but it is 90%+ fairy tale. And if you have ever taken the time to read both the Koran and the Bible, surely you must have been struck by the similarities between the two. The Crusades and 9/11. Think about it. Religion, the opiate of the masses. Go read Bertrand Russell's "Why I Am Not A Christian" for further insight as to why I feel as I do.

Final answer.... If either of my daughters wanted to marry a die-hard Christian it would greatly upset me. Thing is, I don't think either of them would be inclined to do so. THANK YOU, JESUS!!!!

@RealAnswers..... #3 Totally agree. Keep it to yourself, believe what you want to believe, but PLEASE don't ring my doorbell and want to tell me about how Noah got two polar bears on the ark. Myself? I can deal with the monks in the sandals standing on a bridge with snow pouring down just ringing a bell with a cup held out. I'd have to think long about how to explain the difference, but I would hope that most people could get by without my explanation of the difference.

Also, I left out the aspects of the rattlesnake handling, speaking in tongues, dancing in the spirit Christians who remind me of the Islamic radicals that fly planes into the World Trade Center. I must add that I had an Iranian friend who told me that Islamic terrorists don't exist. Reason? You can't be Islamic and fly planes into buildings. Kinda' like you can't be Christian and handle rattlesnakes. Not silly, just flat out stupid.

japanese are not very into religion, those that are more fanatic may go into chatholicism or bornagain. but most are relaxed do what you want. we are born shinto, marry shinto, when the airplane is doing a head dive we cross ourselves, namyohorengeikyo, and when we die we die buddist